First Impressions

Arrived at the aiport and Marco, the Boona Baana co-ordinator, was there waiting for me, with the oldest child, Linus, who is not really a child at all (16 years old.) More about him later.The drive from the airport was pretty eventless, but I did get my first glimpse of the merchant shacks and bonfires on the side of the street, the dusty, bumpy, road, the rusty cars...

I am staying at a simple and comfortable lodge, with some running water (sometimes) and some electricity (most of the time.) But obviously, the computers on a bigger street are working, because here I am typing to you from Africa! Some places have generators, but the water and electricity situation is unstable, because they use hydroelectricity, and it is still very dry, even after the short rains.

Boona Baana is a short walk away from the guest house. I went and spent the afternoon there with the kids. I had my first Tanzanian meal, ugali and fish with an unknown vegetable. Ugali is a form of starch, starts out as powder and water and becomes a paste.
There are two German girls working here for a year... they're really nice and friendly, and it's great because they are a great contact (they showed me this internet shop.) I'll probably be hanging out with them when I'm not at the center.

Now for the kids! The first teenager I met, Linus, is a very smart kid. Last month, he went to Rwanda with UNICEF Tanzania to discuss children's issues. He showed me the pictures of him at the conference, and explained that only 2 children from Tanzania were chosen to go, and he was one of them. But he wasn't bragging about it, though I could tell he was proud.

As for the others, I discovered they have a common love for Enrique Iglesias. We listened to video clips of him on loop this afternoon. I love how all of them are always giggling and dancing and making fun of whatever there is there is to make fun of.

I think I'm going to like it here, though I am hungry all the time. But anyone who knows me knows it doesn't take much for me to be starving! Sorry my thoughts are all disorganised, I have little time on the computer. More later.