GLORIOUS!

My 1st day at Glorious was overwhelming. I didn't expect it to be, I thought I'd jump right in and snuggle the kids but everything in my world has change... It took me a week to adjust to the jet lag and time change, Tanzania is 10 hours ahead of Idaho, so I was falling asleep at 6pm and waking up at 3am for a week.

Arusha, the city I'm living in felt so BIG, so busy, a bit scary and rushed. On orientation day there were 7 volunteers on our tour of Arusha. Looking back on that day I realized how scared we all were, we stayed so close to Alizah our house manager from Nirobi. We looked like baby ducks sticking really close to there momma for their 1st time out. I don't think any of us remembered any directions from that first outing. So overwhelming!

The food is different. The money is different. The language is different. The way people dress is different, which I like... people are VERY modest here! Women always cover their shoulders, wear skirts to their ankles, occasionally a scarf wrapped around them, men always wear T-shirt and pants, and many times I see the men working on our house wearing button up collared shirts and nice slacks. The only people who'd be wearing short shorts, skirts and tank tops are westerners who stand out anyway.

Everyone calls out 'Mzungu' which means 'white person' as I travel to and from Glorious every day. I start out from the house at 7:30AM, walk ten minutes to the 1st dolla dolla (a mini van with a stripe of color painted on the side, the color indicates where it will take you). I take the yellow dolla dolla to the 1st corner in Arusha which is a 10 minute ride for 200 shillings, about 20 cents US, walk though down town for another ten minutes. This is where I learn most my Swahilli, from all the street venders that recognize me everyday to and from Glorious. At first they were a bit harassing, trying to get me to buy from them, asking where I'm from, where I was going and what I was doing, but now, most are just asking how my day is. They practice there English and I practice by replying in Swahilli. People appreciate us here because they know Mzungus are volunteers.

After my walk through town I catch the green dolla dolla for another ten minutes, and 250 more shillings, to Swalini. I walk 10-15 minutes along a dirt road where I really notice the lack of a proper waste system , the garbage is everywhere and some times I come across a burning pile of plastic that has bad smelling smoke, but then I look ahead and see the beautiful tropical trees again and focus on that.

I get to Glorious, walk in the classroom and the children greet me all together, “Hello teacher, welcome, how are you?”

My first week took a lot of getting adjusted to my surroundings and the kids. The first day all the kids came to the back of the class to greet me and another volunteer, Yoko, from Japan. They were all surrounding us and saying, “stuff, stuff” and checking our pockets (many volunteers must bring them supplies first thing…) My sunglasses were quickly removed from my head, Yoko's watch was being un-buckeled and we were trying to high-five them all.

I must admit, one of the little kids in the back of the group was being walked up to meet us, I saw him and my immediate reaction was fear. He has a large head and his hands and legs are crippled. I didn't know how to deal with him and was afraid at first, then he came right up to me and asked me my name in Swahilli and I told him “Talia”. He said, “Teacher Talia”, and was holding onto my knees and moving up and down from excitement. I decided to love him despite my fear, I picked him up and sat him on my lap, held him close while all the rest of the students surrounded, us and I cried a little because I’d made it, and I felt my spirit grow in a matter of seconds. Ujma is the little boy’s name and he is so sweet and smart! We carry him home every day from school along with other students.

Life is way different here and I'm still adjusting, but the children at Glorious are what keeping me going.

Three days after orientation I made the trek to Glorious solo and was SO incredible proud of myself! My house manager wants me to lead the tour on Monday for the next set of volunteers… we'll see.

For now, I'm off the computer and headed home to rest.

Love you all and more stories soon.

Talia