Day 1: Arusha, Orientation, and Meeting my Host Family

We will have breakfast with our host families, Swahili lessons 8:30 to 10:30, tea break 10:30-10:45, service learning at our agencies (mine is the Masaai Children's Organization) 10:30-12:30, lunch back at the TCDC 12:30-2:00, class 2:00-4:00, then dinner and the rest of the evening with our host families. 

After orientation, we hopped on the bus and headed out to see the important places in Arusha. We stopped by the bureau de change to exchange our money into Tanzanian shillings then got heckled by some artists who were trying to sell us their wares at the highest prices possible. After that, we visited the bank, pharmacy, and supermarket. We picked up some snacks before heading back to the TCDC for lunch. 

After lunchbox we had a quick lesson on Tanzanian culture and what to expect with our host families. After that, it was time to finally meet my new Tanzanian parents. I was pretty nervous. What if they didn't like me? What if we could t communicate effectively? Did they have kids? So many questions ran through my mind. Then, I spotted him, Baba was wearing a black suit with a red tie. He was tall and had a huge smile. When I approached and told him I was his new daughter he gave me a big hug and laughed heartily. Then, he introduced me to Mama who gave me a hug and cheek kisses before we sat down for a cup of tea and a quick introduction. 

They were so nice, warm, and open about everything. They told us about their jobs, Baba is retired but used to teach both at TCDC and at multiple universities, Mama is a chef at the TCDC. They are both educated and have 3 sons who are all in college or have graduated college. Baba is very proud of his sons! He beams when he talks about them. 

After our read we got in Baba's Land Rover and headed up into the flourishing greenery that led to their home. Our new home is stunning! We have a house all to ourselves and our own rooms! The family lives on a compound with their housemaid and extended/adopted family which includes their son, Stanley who is 23 and about to graduate college, Frank, their adopted son for all intents and purposes, glory, their adopted daughter for all intents and purposes, their housemaid, and their niece and nephew. 

When we first got to our new home, Baba showed us around before we sat down with Mama and Kaka (brother) Stanley for some coffee that Baba had grown, harvested, roasted, and ground himself. We talked about their hobbies and Baba's views on the importance of education. He also showed us around his "small" garden where he grows papayas, tangerines, and avocado (which we got to have with dinner and omg, it was so good). Mama even picked a tangerine for us to have right off of the tree! 

After coffee and socializing, Baba took us for a walk to show us his coffee and banana farm. He has 8 varieties of bananas! He is very proud of his coffee farm and is going to teach us how to take coffee from the plant to the cup. The walk was really relaxing and ended with him showing us his late father's house and telling us of his dream to build an English secondary school in his village. He's really an awesome guy.We also talked about his view of gender roles and how he wants more equality. He thinks education will bring that, and I think he's right. 

For dinner we had chicken stew, potatoes, stir fried green beans, avocado and cucumber salad, and beans with tea and watermelon for dessert. We spent the rest of the evening chatting and watching TV before retiring to our respected houses and going to bed. 

What a wonderful start to my Tanzanian adventure!