Made it back, but already missing it...

Just a note to say that despite all of the travel turmoil, I made it back safe and sound to a very warm welcome from my Dad, Bonni, and Brant, then my sisters and their families. While it is sad to have left Tanzania, I really grew to love life there, it is nice to have familiar people and things around again. I am a little weirded out by things back home, especially spending so much time inside instead of always being outdoors, and the slow life style of Africans. Not to mention not being one of the few white people around and the fact that people speak English. I've gotten so used to not being understood when I speak.

I really fell in love with that country and encourage everyone to make a trip out there. I will provide my services to help you plan! Check back here for pictures - I'm working on getting pictures posted. Thanks for all of the support and interest in my journey - it has been quite a crazy 5 weeks!

Love, Kendra

From Ethiopia

An entry I wrote in the Ethiopia airport, but couldn't post:

You wouldn't believe what it took to get here and how lucky I will be to get home Saturday night. I am currently in Addis Ababa, using internet at the airport, but only by shear luck and a gracious, loving gesture by Deirdre.  I completely owe her more than I can even comprehend.
 
Did you know that when traveling in places not the US, that "be sure to check you flight status" actually means you have to call them 5 days before you leave to let them know you still want your seat?  Even with a paper ticket?  Yeah, neither did I.  So Deirdre and I showed up at the airport, about 2.5 hours before our flight, only to be told they weren't expecting us and there was no space on the plane for us.  And that was it.  I was at first angry, then surprisingly calm.  Then we were told that she was trying to get us on, but began preparing us for traveling tomorrow instead and working on changing our flights, as if there would be some available on a days notice.  So then I started crying.  Hard.  And couldn't stop crying.  We found a woman who let us use her phone, so D called back to the house, and finally reached someone to tell them to expect us another night and we needed a ride back from the airport. 

Then we were told she could take one of us.  One.  Deirdre told me to go - then she teared up.  It was so painful to walk away from her - utterly painful.  I felt so horrible and kept looking back behind me until we took off.  I was hopeful she would make it, and it looked like there was one empty seat, but she never appeared.
 
So now I'm traveling completely alone and feeling so guilty for taking the one seat.  It was a terrible way to leave such an amazing experience.  I surely never expected that to be the way I would depart.  I'm so grateful to be on my way home, but still worried about the journey ahead.  I have to collect my luggage in Paris and figure out customs.  I have no idea what that even means.  Oh the nerves...I'm so anxious.  And I just feel so bad for Deirdre.  I can't believe she let me go.  While a little extra time in Tanzania would be nice in a way, and I truly can't believe I have really left there, I was so ready to come home.  I just can't believe how close I already came to missing that.  I literally had worried about many other issues, but never that they had given away our seats.  Truly ridiculous.
 
My last day at Tekua was truly amazing.  I taught a little, talked to my students, had one of my students sing my favorite song of his for my video camera, was explained what the Tanzania flag colors and design mean (so so so cool), and then had my goodbye ceremony.  They sang many songs to me, including another of my Tanzania favorites (BOMBA!!), then we passed out sodas to everyone, stood in a big circle with me in the middle while they cheered to me.  Amazingly, I didn't cry, just enjoyed every moment.  Then many pictures were taken and goodbyes said.  I will really miss that school and those students.  Then it was home, repacking, rushed lunch, crazed running around and stressing out, last run into Tengeru town to pick up my tailoring, and back home to say good bye and hop in the bus.  Only to arrive and find we weren't necessarily leaving.
 
Thank whoever for Deirdre - she is my lifesaver.  I really can't believe I have actually left Tanzania and my adventure is over.  It is amazing how fast 5 weeks can go in retrospect.  I feel as though it was all a dream and I was never even there.  So crazy.  And this weird split feeling is painful - part of me wishing to still be in Tanzania, and part of me so excited for home.
 
Just means I have to go back for sure.

Oh, Africa

So here I am, with less than 24 hours left in Tanzania, and having just finished 3 hours of packing up to leave, only to learn of terrorist threats affecting all airlines and slowing all travel significantly.

Good thing I have 4 different airplanes to catch tomorrow.

Today was overwhelming enough, and tomorrow was already scary, but now this is going on and my brain is in overwhelm. Good news is that I don't fly through the UK, just Kili to Ethiopia to Paris to Chicago and finally back to San Diego. Assuming all of flights are allowed to fly out, and that I don't miss any connections. Good news is that Ethiopian Airlines seems entirely unaware of the issues, as far as their website is concerned, and United is just banning stuff in carry-on. So that is another shining light in all of this chaos.

Anyway, I'm really getting sad about leaving this country. I have truly adjusted to living here - to being without things like safe running water, constant electricity, internet, TV and reliable transportation. I am also now used to bargaining, as well as paying very little for everything. The people here are so different from Americans in just about every way possible, and I've gotten very used to being stared at, pointed at, yelled at, and having random children run up and grab my hand and walk with me for a while. Also, albeit incredibly dangerous, the concept of the daladala as public transportation to most places for less that thirty cents is a beautiful thing. You mean vans won't just pull over, pack you in, and take you places? Bummer. Certainly will not miss the begging, or the constant invasion of my personal space.

Today was already sad at my school, and tomorrow will be even worse. We had debates today, which turned into acting out skits of the debate topic: which is better, parents picking your husband or choosing yourself. It was just so cute to see them acting it all out, declaring their love - funniest things come out of kids mouths. Then before we left, my students started asking me lots of questions about home, and school, and when I'll be back to Tanzania. Then we left and I took 5 of my students in the daladala with me to take them to use the internet in Tengeru. While in the car, one of the boys, Rama, sang my favorite song of his and his band, which just made my day. One of those moments you never want to end. Their last teacher had taken them to set up email accounts, so I took them today to check their mail and send out new emails. It was challenging to help them navigate, but they appreciated it so much and just kept thanking me. It was so sweet.

After a late lunch, I went to Arusha to finish up my shopping and trade my clothes and things I no longer want. Little frusterating and certainly did not get all I hoped for, but that is how it goes. Now I must go because I need to repack, shower and get some sleep before the mayhem that will be tomorrow. Wish me luck and send me good vibes. Excited to be going home, but sad to leave Tanzania.

And PS: Thank you Gayle so much for your incredibly sweet card - I got it the other day and they were some of the kindest words. Thank you so very much!

Kili!

So I'm trying once more, this time with only one photo, but this is me when we went to Moshi. That little peak in the background is the top of the shy mountain known as Mt. Kilimanjaro - we were mighty stoked to be able to catch just this glimpse of it. Good times. Miss you!

Just have to say...

Just felt the need to post an update saying that I am currently updating this blog from Pete O'Neal's personal computer. This is trip number 4 to his place, and I'm sitting in his office and using his computer.

I feel pretty cool right now.

Home in 6 days - yay!!

Back on track

Habari!

So things are going well here again - not perfect, but I'm realizing how little time I have left, which makes everything a little more forgivable. I'm in a weird limbo, where I'm not quite ready to leave Tanzania, but I'm so excited to be back home. I really do feel like I live here - I've never been anywhere for a month, but tomorrow it is officially 4 weeks that I've been in-country. I'm getting to the point where I'm getting nervous about culture shock back in the US, because life here is so incredibly different. I'm very much looking forward to more organized traffic flow and my own place again - as well as much of the freedoms you sacrifice in this culture and in the facility and program I am in. Wearing tank tops again is a very exciting thought! (=

Yesterday I went on the same Moshi trip I did two weeks ago, but with the new volunteers. I just needed to get out and wasn't ready to go back to Tekua quite yet after Tuesday. The waterfall was again beautiful, I bought even more batiks, and we got to go to the caves we missed last time. Completely over-rated, I must say. You had to crawl on your hands and knees through the dirt caves, and I kept hitting my head on the top, plus there were bats. All part of the experience, I know, but the actual let down was that there was no destination. Eventually you get to some little room and another opening, but it is too far away, so basically you crawl around a little, then just go right back out how you came. Far from exciting, but worth it to say I crawled through Chagga tunnels in Tanzania. All about the experience, right?

Today at school, the students had a debate. We gather all of the classes together and they choose a topic and debate it very formally, all in English. We debated whether money or education is more important - interesting topic. They get very into it and it was fun to hear their attempts with English and their questions for each other. Plus it was nice not to teach at all, because I am trying to figure out what to teach them. They know a lot of grammar, just don't always apply it perfectly. It is frusterating that there are no lesson plans or records, so you are never sure what they have already been taught and the ability levels are so different, but it is a good challenge of patience and creativity. English is not easy to explain!

Right now I'm off to a music performance by the Positive Test Club, the organization we played soccer against, then some relaxation. Africa is fun, but tiring!

And real quickly, Pete O'Neal's party was fun. Not quite out of control as I expected, but fun. Lots of music, dancing, and Pete's drunken ramblings as he stole the microphone many times. The same traditional dancers were there (including the headmaster of the school I teach at) and there are many cool African birthday traditions we got to witness - songs, dances and a "tradition caki." First they brought out regular cake with candles, then passed out slices. But then they brought out a big table (danced it out is a better description) with a goat's head sticking out from under a sheet. They removed the sheet to reveal the rest of the goat's body, in the most awkward position ever, which appeared somewhat cooked. Turns out traditional caki is a sacrificial animal, in this case a goat. And it is rude to refuse it, so I put my piece in my empty cup. Good stuff. Much more went on, but time is short and pictures and video will do it better justice.

Well off I go - and thanks as always for the messages of support - you all have certainly gotten me through this - thank you!

Silenced.

I have been wanting internet, but unable to get it. Much fun was had at Pete O'Neal's birthday party, but I am not writing of that today because it doesn't seem appropriate.

I know I said I was hit by a car, and in a way I was. But as you can see from the description previously, and as I learned today, struck or grazed by a car is a much more appropriate description. Because today, I witnessed what being hit by a car really means.

I don't want to say much, because it is upsetting and unnecessary to go into details, but I was teaching this morning when a woman crossing the street directly in front of our school was hit by a truck. People went rushing. The driver came back. We were told she was taken to the hospital because she was breathing, but I really doubt that is the truth.

And I saw it all happen.

Try teaching English after seeing that.

Please keep this woman in your prayers and the safety of all others on these dangerous roads and this crazy highway. They say it is the most dangerous highway in the world, and now I'm convinced this is true.

Tomorrow I'm going back to Moshi, so it will be a good distraction before returning to teaching on Thursday.

Hope all is well and I really miss home. Only 11 more days till I'm back home, and honestly, I can't wait. This country is beautiful and I hope you all see it some day, but I miss home.