Here We Go
After a quick less-than-24-hour pit stop in Addis Ababa, Scott and I finally arrived in Kilimanjaro Airport around 2:30 this afternoon, a day later than we expected thanks to Ethiopian Airlines.
Peter Luis, one of the co-founders of IEFT, was there on the other side of customs to greet us and drive us to Monduli, where we are to live for the next year. On the way, we stopped in Arusha, the gateway city to the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro. I took out my first bundle of Tanzanian shillings from an ATM and we ate a late lunch. From what I had heard about Arusha, I expected tall buildings and city blocks, but what I saw was a lot more quaint. It was certainly busy but not nearly as metropolitan as I had thought. Another volunteer had said that Arusha is where they go for the weekends, to have a proper shower and to go out, where things cost just as they would in the states. I ate a lunch of chicken and rice that cost around US $4, but I guess it depends on where you go.
Neither Scott or I knew what to expect in terms of our housing, but I think we’re both pleasantly surprised. We have our own room, as does the other volunteer who lives here. There’s a living area, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a spare bedroom/storage area. Lush green surrounds us and there are beautiful, colorful flowers growing around our house. There’s an outdoor sitting area in the front. To get to our house, you drive through Monduli’s small town, up a lovely, tree-lined road (planted by the Germans), and down some severely uneven dirt roads, making for a bumpy ride at the end.
Right now, we’re getting ready to go to sleep. We’ve put sheets and blankets on the bed, and a mosquito net hangs above us. There are two Massai men, who serve as our night guards, sitting outside our front door. At this point, I’ve used the squatter toilet a couple of times. I just wonder how long it takes to truly get used to that. I’ll let you know.
Even as I’m writing, it’s hard to pinpoint what I’m feeling. I’m happy we’re finally here, that our physical journey from Wrangell that started on December 16 is finally complete, but I’m pretty sure I’m still apprehensive about teaching, which is, of course, the whole point of why Scott and I are here. Everyone has told us that we’ll do great and the students are lucky to have us, but I’m still not so sure about that. I’m anxious to get that first day of school over with, just so it can be behind me.
We have one week until school starts.
Peter Luis, one of the co-founders of IEFT, was there on the other side of customs to greet us and drive us to Monduli, where we are to live for the next year. On the way, we stopped in Arusha, the gateway city to the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro. I took out my first bundle of Tanzanian shillings from an ATM and we ate a late lunch. From what I had heard about Arusha, I expected tall buildings and city blocks, but what I saw was a lot more quaint. It was certainly busy but not nearly as metropolitan as I had thought. Another volunteer had said that Arusha is where they go for the weekends, to have a proper shower and to go out, where things cost just as they would in the states. I ate a lunch of chicken and rice that cost around US $4, but I guess it depends on where you go.
Neither Scott or I knew what to expect in terms of our housing, but I think we’re both pleasantly surprised. We have our own room, as does the other volunteer who lives here. There’s a living area, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a spare bedroom/storage area. Lush green surrounds us and there are beautiful, colorful flowers growing around our house. There’s an outdoor sitting area in the front. To get to our house, you drive through Monduli’s small town, up a lovely, tree-lined road (planted by the Germans), and down some severely uneven dirt roads, making for a bumpy ride at the end.
Right now, we’re getting ready to go to sleep. We’ve put sheets and blankets on the bed, and a mosquito net hangs above us. There are two Massai men, who serve as our night guards, sitting outside our front door. At this point, I’ve used the squatter toilet a couple of times. I just wonder how long it takes to truly get used to that. I’ll let you know.
Even as I’m writing, it’s hard to pinpoint what I’m feeling. I’m happy we’re finally here, that our physical journey from Wrangell that started on December 16 is finally complete, but I’m pretty sure I’m still apprehensive about teaching, which is, of course, the whole point of why Scott and I are here. Everyone has told us that we’ll do great and the students are lucky to have us, but I’m still not so sure about that. I’m anxious to get that first day of school over with, just so it can be behind me.
We have one week until school starts.
posted by Siapiau | 10:42 PM
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