We Are Family

My family is here now!

This past week has been a complete blur. Via Via four nights in a row, people coming and going within the house and just the general happiness that is around makes it so easy to just be.

On Wednesday Lauren and Meryl came to Camp Moses and we spent the day just having fabulous talks, listening to music and getting caught up on all of the office work we had been putting off. It was amazing how quickly time flew by. After work, another girl and I met some of our house girls in town for an ice cream sundae. Delicious as always. After that we headed down to the boys’ practice and gawked in amazement. They really are something spectacular. The fluidity of their movements is incomprehensible and they just make it look easy. Daddy had asked a few of the girls to take pictures for publicity and the rest of us certainly didn’t mind pretending that we weren’t enjoying ourselves way too much trying to capture their choreography.

When the practice had finished and we had wiped the drool off of our chins, I went with the girls to get some supplies for their trip to Uganda. Being the resident expert on way too long bus trips I didn’t mind tagging along and giving them suggestions on what keeps your stomach happy when it is getting slammed up and down so viciously on the dirt roads. We went home, had dinner and left again for Via Via.

The boys all met us there and we gave transferred the pictures we had taken. One thing led to another, and before we knew it Daddy was giving us dance lessons and we had turned a cute little restaurant into a salsa class. All of the other people that were there for a casual drink or dinner came and joined in and the party started. We stayed and danced and laughed and enjoyed ourselves until 2 in the morning before calling it a night. I could barely sleep I was so overwhelmed with excitement. Not only would my family be here in less than 24 hours, but also I was realizing how head over heels in love I am with all parts of my life.

Thursday was another quick day at work. Juliet had to go to Camp Joshua so it was just another volunteer and I at Moses. We had a bonding day with our kids, and I started to think about what it’s going to be like to go home without them.

After tuckering ourselves out playing, I came home to finish up some office work. I was so anxious about my parents coming and the events over the last few days that it was difficult to concentrate on much. I watched the clock, said goodbye to some of the girls who were heading out to Uganda for white water rafting and tried to busy myself while waiting for 7 pm to roll around.

Right on time, Agry came to BaseCamp (my house), with his big bus ready to get my family. It was a long and drawn out hour and a half trip to Kilimanjaro airport. It didn’t help that one of the two men Agry brought along to help out with bags was creeping on me the whole time. I ended up telling him I was twenty and married with children to get him to turn around and stop talking to me.

We were early (which Never!!! Happens in Africa.) so we stopped by Agry’s uncles place that is near to the airport for a quick soda. Agry told me his uncle was a guard and the airport and his uncle ended up hopping on the bus with us as we were leaving. We got to the airport and I bounced out of the bus and skipped to the main doors. Agry’s uncle motioned for me to follow him and before I knew it I was standing beside the airplane waiting for them to walk out. Turns out I have mad connections like never in Tanzania.

As soon as I saw them I felt the tears well up in my eyes. It was so surreal to have them in my new home, experiencing what I had lived in for the past three months. Agrys uncle took them to the front of the line, grabbed their passports and got them stamped, then took us to the baggage carousel. Behind us, we left 150 or so people in the line up. Sick connections, I know. Even with our head start, after waiting for 14 suitcases to get unloaded from the plane, we were the last ones to be leaving the airport.

Everything seemed to be way too easy; then we tried to clear customs. They asked for our bags to be opened and that’s where the trouble began. The customs officer wanted receipts for all of the donations that we were bringing into the country or for us to pay $150 USD. A little panicked and not sure what to do, Agry and his uncle stepped in. Agry talked to the man, followed him behind a corner into an office, then emerged again and the problem was solved. We hurried out of the airport, not wanting to wait around for anything else to go wrong.

We loaded the bus and were off. I chit chatted all the way back to Arusha, so excited to be telling all of my stories in person. They were exhausted and perfectly content with my just dropping them off at the hostel and saying goodnight. That’s where my night just started.

I bounded into my house overcome with happiness and excitement and just general positivity, retelling the airport story at least three times, chugging back some Konyagi and getting ready for a night out.

Via Via was even more fun then usual it seemed. Maybe it was the karaoke, maybe it was Contagious dancing and maybe it was just the fantastic mood I was in, but we danced and danced and danced, not making it home until after three in the morning. We made pizza, popcorn and ate cake in our kitchen, giggling about trying to keep up when we were dancing with the boys from the group. Off to bed, catching maybe an hour or so of sleep, before having to wake up and meet the family the next day.

Itty Bitty

Caroline and I were finally at work on the same day! We hadn’t seen each other in almost a week and had so much to catch up on. We spent the day chit chatting and playing with the kids. It was the American family’s last day in Tanzania and LOHADA said their goodbye’s to them.

It was also meat and bread day. I went with Mama Wambura’s son, Jacob, (Soooooo many ‘J’ names here!) to pick them up. We got the meat, and went to get the bread but they were closed. On the way back, Jacob pulled over and said “okay, go slow” and got out of the car. I did the same and climbed into the drives seat! I was really driving in Africa!!!! I drove all the way back to Camp Moses and didn’t even crash! Go me!

After lunch we all piled into the car again and Jacob insisted I drive again as I had done so well the first time. The other girls weren’t too sure but played along. I did great all the way to the bread place and then all the way into town! I dropped them off at different places and handed the keys back over to Jacob. Such an exciting day!

I met with Meryl and Lauren at McMoody’s before going home. We had banana stew for dinner, then got a text from the b-boys to meet them at Via Via again. All of the crew that went to Zanzibar was home and a lot of us went to meet ‘the boys’. We had a few drinks and lots of laughs and I decided I never want to leave! Knowing how soon my family was coming made everything seem so much better. I truly love this place and when my family gets here, there won’t be much at all that I’m missing.

At home, Ronnie gave us bitty names… I’m officially Itty Bitty.

Contagious

Newfound friendships at their best, and boy gossip at it’s highest, I was pumped to go to work on Monday. The American family was gearing their trip down and preparing for their last day in Tanzania. Already set on going to Camp Joshua for the day to scope out the new cute French volunteer, I was happy to see that everyone else at Moses had the same plan, minus the French volunteer part.

We hung around for the morning, updated files and just doing a little work here and there, waiting for the group to be all ready to go. The creepy man who has started donating juice to LOHADA, mostly because of the opportunity it provides him with to look at attractive foreign volunteers, showed up just before we were leaving. He offered to drive some of us to Joshua so that he could ‘see the school’. The girls, wary of the juice man, climbed in Mama Wambura’s car, leaving the boys and Juliet to ride with ‘him’.

Paulo, the volunteer from France, did not disappoint. We spent the day sitting in on classes, playing soccer and I even managed to get the rest of the Sponsor A Child letters finished. Three o clock came quickly and I joined Lauren and Meryl in their trip into town. We went to McMoody’s for a quick sundae (delicious) and then went to see the B-Boys practice.

Some of the other girls in our house had met some of the locals that are in a dance crew, Contagious, that performs at some of the local clubs. I never really understood their fascination with them and had just brushed aside all of their comments. But today, since Lauren and Meryl were already going, and I just happened to be with them, I figured I’d join.

We went into a gym downtown that I had no idea existed and took a seat to watch ‘the boys’ practice. They did not disappoint. All of them were fantastic dancers and completely mesmerized us. The were doing what Daddy, the main guy/choreographer of the group, called contemporary-afro dance. Whatever it was I was impressed! We left an hour and a half or so in, and went to grab dinner at a near by local restaurant. One of the girls had been ‘seeing’ a boy in the crew and wanted to make it back before practice was over. We ate quickly and then got a call from ‘the boys’ to meet them at Via Via for a drink. Off we went and looking back now, this and the preceding events were what have caused the biggest change I’ve seen in myself over the trip.

The three of us girls sat with the boys and had drinks and listened to music and just really enjoyed the surroundings. The sun set and some of them left, the music got louder and I have never talked so openly about the cultural differences with locals. They taught us a bit of dancing and we closed the place for the night.

I have no idea why I was so happy after all of this. Maybe it was because I finally really embraced the culture here, maybe it was because I took the time to talk to locals that weren’t employed by Volunteer Abroad, and maybe it was just because I’ve started to grow up and learn to take advantage of opportunities presented to myself.

Good Vibrations

As a team, we decided that we just wanted a relaxing weekend. We slept in Saturday morning, and then did a workout video on the balcony. Our cleaning lady thought we were crazy as we kicked and sweated our way through P90X cardio.

We all showered and got dressed and headed to town to do some exploring. Not all of the ‘new girls’ knew their way around town so we showed them all of the ins and outs. We had a great salad for lunch and had finished our exploring just in time to make it home for dinner.

After dinner, I was exhausted. It was the first day in a loooong time that I hadn’t had a nap. We agreed as a team that we’d have a quick nap after dinner then go down the street for karaoke. Eight thirty we went down for our nap, and I didn’t get back up until morning. The rest of the girls went out and had a great time. I was just excited when I woke up Sunday morning and wasn’t sick anymore!

Ronnie came home from Uganda on Sunday and made us delicious French toast for breakfast. We gorged ourselves on that and fruit then decided it was the perfect day to go to Kigongoni Lodge. We laid by the pool until five in the evening, then went for Indian food. Delicious to say the least!

The group in the house right now is what has changed my attitude so drastically. The general mentality is so positive and open and it’s infectious. I love being around them and am really happy with the way everything is working out!

Keepin On Keepin On

Wednesday, Caroline was sick and didn’t make it into work, leaving it to be just Juliet and I and some new Danish volunteers at the office. I went to go talk to her about how soon my family was coming, and it ended up turning into one of the best conversations we have had. All of the miscommunications from the past were brought into the open and we realized that that is just what they were. I explained the work I had been doing and what I was planning on doing for the rest of my time here. We finally understood where each other were coming from.

We both saw how important the children are to us and that we want the saw things for them. I’m ecstatic of how things have worked out. The confidence that I had been lacking in all of the work I was doing has been restored. I went home and new that something had changed for me. I didn’t believe it was possible, but I started to love Africa and Tanzania and Arusha and my life here even more.

The next day I woke up feeling really cruddy. I was still excited about the previous days success, but had a nasty cold. I made it to work in the morning but didn’t last long. There was a new family from the states at the orphanage taking pictures and doing videos, along with 3 Danish volunteers. They all looked at me like I was walking dead, and to be honest that’s how I felt. I really didn’t want to risk getting the kids sick and I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to stay awake, so at 11 I headed home. I got back to the white house, tucked myself into bed and slept until 4 that afternoon. The house was strangely empty, as 6 people had left the day before to go to Zanzibar. I had dinner, and went back to bed, hoping I’d wake up the next day feeling better.

Friday was Marlee’s last day in Arusha. I woke up but still felt crummy, so stayed in bed. I managed to climb out to go for lunch with the girls, but didn’t last long after that. I said goodbye to Marlee, and was left the last of the original five. I had the room to myself! After sleeping with so many people in the same room for so long it was more than strange to be the last one standing.

I started feeling better after dinner, and the new girls and I had a nice and relaxing in night. We made banana splits and pineapple banana muffins and read Cosmopolitan magazines and just had a great girls night. I was finally starting to get to know the people in my house better, and I was happy about the way everything was going. All I needed was to feel better and life would be perfect!

Joseph

Anxious to see how Joseph had done the previous day, I had no problems being at the bus station at seven the next morning. Like a worried mother, I couldn’t sleep the night before and just wanted to know that he was okay. Juliet, Caroline and I, along with Mama Lydia, got onto the bus and went to see our baby. We met Eamon in Moshi, grabbed something quick to eat, and went in to see him.

Juliet had gotten to the hospital before us, and as I walked into the room all I could see was a large lump on the bed where Joseph was supposed to be. Juliet looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes and asked me to give her my hand. My heart has never beaten so fast. I had no idea what she was going to tell me.

Much to my relief, she said, “our baby is okay, Joseph is fine”. The lump was a cage that they had placed over the majority of his body so the blankets wouldn’t touch the wounds. He was very sedated, but he was still my baby and he was still okay.

The surgery had taken 2.5 hours, but was successful. They had cut into his lower abdomen and found that only the head of his penis had been cut off; the rest had simply retracted into his abdomen. They were able to bring it outside and took a piece of skin from his thigh to create a new head. The doctors said they weren’t sure the penis would function at 100%, but he would still have sensations there and he should go through a normal puberty. Success! The only downside was that Joseph would have to stay at KCMC for at least 14 more days to recover as he still experienced great amounts of pain while he urinated.

Happy about our brilliant day, the trip home didn’t seem nearly as long. Even though I had to leave my baby in Moshi, I knew he was going to be okay.

Becoming Normal

One of the new volunteers, Lauren, had been placed at Camp Joshua, so I brought her to work with me on Monday for her orientation. Still not fully recovered from the tiff with Juliet, things weren’t 100% safi at work.

While we were in the office, Juliet popped her head in and casually mentioned that my baby, Joseph, was having his surgery that day. Like it was no big deal. I almost started to cry. She said we should all go to Moshi the next day, and I of course agreed. Then she mentioned that someone would need to pick up the bread for the rest of the children the next day as Mama Wambura (and her vehicle) were still out of town. Great. I was left with the dilemma of whether to go see my child after his surgery or to pick up the bread so 120 children could have their one slice a week.

I, being completely frazzled and much to close to tears for comfort, called Ronnie, the genius-all mighty problem solver, and he agreed that if we paid his gas money he wouldn’t mind picking up the bread the next day. Even though he was sick, he was still a great coordinator!

After Lauren and I had finished at Camp Moses, Ronnie came over and had a quick meeting with Juliet to confirm Lauren’s details and then we went to town. I was more than excited to be the ‘oldie’ for once; showing Lauren the hot-spots in Arusha and helping her get familiarized with the city….

It just sort of struck me that I now think of Arusha as a city. As the hub of everything. As normal.

We all headed home and it was so exciting to hear about the four new girls and their first day of placement experiences. I really feel like I have made a home and a family and that I could stay here for a long time.