Can't believe I am half way through!

I realized that this weekend will mark my half way point on this adventure. So far it has been a series of ups and downs. It seems so long ago that I was sitting in Kennedy Airport with my parents, frustrated over the delayed plane and the knowledge that I would miss my connection in Amsterdam. At that point, I wasn't even sure I still wanted to do this and if there had been an opening to get out of it - I might have taken it. But there wasn't and I am so thankful.

This trip is so much more than I ever could have imagined. I am truly right in the middle of this fascinating world. We go to the villages, are welcomed into peoples homes, we teach in the schools, live in the village, go out with the locals... Seriously, I know I sound like an advertisement right now, but a volunteer type visit is the way to travel. I can't imagine traveling to a country like this in any other way. I feel like I am getting so much more than I would as a tourist. I so wish everyone of you reading this blog could come here and see and experience what I have seen and experienced. You would be amazed.

Although the food at our home is terrific, last night a small group of us went to "IndoItaliano," which is Indian and Italian food (weird combo, but you see a lot of Indian/Italian restaurants around here). Anyway, it was AMAZING. As good as the food is at the home base, this was different... it was ITALIAN... it was LASAGNA! I ate my entire lasagna... in fact, I'm going back tomorrow night. It was soooo delicious, and the food is so cheap (5,000 shillings for my lasagna which is less than $5).

I am also very excited right now because my fiance, Jack is coming to Tanzania next week for a short visit before he goes back to grad-school. I am going to try to bring Jack to my placement. As there is only one male teacher in the school, I think they would welcome him as they did us. He is trying to bring some sports equipment with him and I can only imagine the excitement if he shows up with some soccer balls and baseball balls and bats. Those of you who know Jack know what a crazy athlete he is and I know he will have a grand time with the kids in the school.

This week I also began going to Upendo Orphanage in the afternoons, which has been another very intense experience. After what I have heard about orphanages around Africa, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the facilities. I think the emotion with this visit is similar to the emotion anyone would feel visiting an orphanage. And it is so hard to leave at the end of our visit, knowing that these children won't be leaving. Our first visit there (for only 2 hours) ended in about 30 children crowding around our van, some crying hysterically that we were leaving. The fact that in just two hours they can attach to complete stangers broke my heart. It breaks my heart that as I'm typing this, they are sleeping alone in their beds, lined up 20+ in a room. I plan to continue my afternoon visits to the orphanage throughout my stay, and will write more about it later.

Yesterday, I was able to sit in on an afternoon of the Rwanda genocide trials at the ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) in Arusha. I don't have much more time on the comp to explain, but let me tell you, even though I may be a bit of a law geek, I wasn't prepared to really understand the atrocities that are the subject of this trial.

Ok, I just crawled out of bed to grab a bit of time on the computer, but I'm going to go back and get a good night's sleep. I am actually getting used to sleeping under a mosquito net and after the tarantula that was found INSIDE the house, I have even more of an appreciation for it. Since my days start at 6:30 and are nonstop, sleep is always welcome. I must say, teaching is exhausting! That's another bit of awareness I've accumulated on this trip.