So where am I?? Just outside of Arusha again, but on the other side of town. It's a nicer area of the Arusha region called Njiro. It is pretty crazy the kind of things I have access to here. A local theater, currently playing Men in Black III, is only a 15 minute walk from my house! I have checked out both of the nearby supermarkets and they really do contain everything I'd need! Granted, I am not really willing to pay $10 for a box of Coco Rice Krispies... but hey I have the option if I wanted! Among these luxuries, I can get fresh fruit and vegetables for... just about $0.10 each right on my street which is wonderful. Hello big, ripe parachichi (avocados)- so much gaucamole to be made in the near future :D This weekend wasn't too eventful. Saturday was filled with food and fun as there were two going away parties, one at our house for Mo, who was with GCS for two months, and another for a volunteer at St. Jude's. I had never really heard of the School of St. Jude until arriving and it seems like such an amazing school program! It is primarily run (and founded) by Australians and has really efficient and organized management to keep the school up and running through sponsorship and donations. Check them out here. They go to African drum and dance lessons during the week, so I'm hoping to join :D
Today was really my first day in the workshop, I've been introduced to all of the current projects GCS and Twende are working on and will probably be working on a maize grinder - hand held and then how to mount it on a bicycle. Pictured below is the maize sheller! It is really neat that I get to work with such a new company, I really want to get a sense of what it's like to run a business and all the demands and challenges. It's such a small team over here, I think it is going to be exciting to see how it grows!
My project that was supposed to be with Faraja took quite a turn. The volunteers I had been contacting informed me that they unfortunately had to end their work early due to some corruption found at the center that they could no longer tolerate. I am pretty sure I wouldn't even be welcomed anymore after what I've heard! This kind of thing isn't all that of a surprise, sadly it's all too common here. People donate to such big projects and a lot of embezzlement and abuse occurs. I am glad I at least have plenty of connections throughout Arusha to continue with my cookbook and ensure the funds I raise go to an excellent cause! I will probably help Mike and Sue, who I was supposed to help at Faraja with, in their new efforts to send girls to better schools and help them become independent! Their new non-profit is called Wanawake Afrika.
I'm hoping to make time to visit my Mama this week/weekend, it's just so hard making it out there (will probably be at least an hour and a half travel time each way) when there's still daylight! I'm also anxious to go visit Cradle of Love again to get some quality play time in with the cutest babies in the world <3
Today was really my first day in the workshop, I've been introduced to all of the current projects GCS and Twende are working on and will probably be working on a maize grinder - hand held and then how to mount it on a bicycle. Pictured below is the maize sheller! It is really neat that I get to work with such a new company, I really want to get a sense of what it's like to run a business and all the demands and challenges. It's such a small team over here, I think it is going to be exciting to see how it grows!
My project that was supposed to be with Faraja took quite a turn. The volunteers I had been contacting informed me that they unfortunately had to end their work early due to some corruption found at the center that they could no longer tolerate. I am pretty sure I wouldn't even be welcomed anymore after what I've heard! This kind of thing isn't all that of a surprise, sadly it's all too common here. People donate to such big projects and a lot of embezzlement and abuse occurs. I am glad I at least have plenty of connections throughout Arusha to continue with my cookbook and ensure the funds I raise go to an excellent cause! I will probably help Mike and Sue, who I was supposed to help at Faraja with, in their new efforts to send girls to better schools and help them become independent! Their new non-profit is called Wanawake Afrika.
I'm hoping to make time to visit my Mama this week/weekend, it's just so hard making it out there (will probably be at least an hour and a half travel time each way) when there's still daylight! I'm also anxious to go visit Cradle of Love again to get some quality play time in with the cutest babies in the world <3
RSS Feed
