Its been an epicly crazy few weeks over here. I'm sorry for not writing ablog last week. As some may know i had some pretty epic food poisoning on Thursday and was not feeling great (in fact, plain miserable) all weekend. Woo! That makes a change! (NOT). So monday after starting this months topic (yes slightly late i know) of apostrophes me and rach ventured up to machame hospital to gte me checked out in the afternoon. This was a very exciting adventure. Not only do dalla dallas appear not to go all the way to the hospital, but they dont seem to comprehend the idea that a mzungu would want to do anything that high up the mountain except see monkeys.
The hospital was quite big, bigger than liskeard definately and very airy and coool, and vaugely clean (by African standards). On arrival we trotted to the reception, looked considerable lost, as everything and everyone around us was speaking either kiswahili or chagga (the local dialect). Eventually a rarther more clued in nurse noticed the very lost looking mzungus and asked us what we wanted, after reading out the name of the doctor recommended by the machame hoursehold (the one who sorted Jacks dyssentry, ew) she said 'yes yes. follow now'. Which we so did, for about half an hour all round up, down, inside out of this hospital before she realized that i was actually wanting to see the doctor for medical reasons, not donation reasons. After that message was well and truly drilled into her head we eventually found a room with a promising looking doctor in. Very nice and excellent english, after telling him my symptoms he immediately asked Rach how long we've been here, to which she replied 'oh, 4 weeks. 'AH! You must have malaria!' he says. fantastic! OF course, i highly doubted i did becuase any ailment you ever get in east africa it is immediately malaria! So i was quickly bustled back to reception to open a file (to which i had to give my adress, realised i didnt actually know it.....) before bustling back to the ofice, and finally the lab to do some 'tests'. oh jolly! The lab room was great, a desk where the technician sat doing all the tests to her unfortunate victims, and behind a bench for all those waiting to watch with greta trepidation as she stabbs the unfortunates arms to take a blood sample. Never having had a blood test before i was absolutely caccing myself. Luckily however, a malaria test only requred a drop of blood from my finger, acheived by stabbing it with an impressively big (but sterile thank god) razor. (still bloody hurt though) And after that a stool test for any other tropical diseases i may have picked up along the way, WOO!
Anyway, after finding a toilet (french squat of course) and making rach garud the door and beggin for toilet paper we eventually made it back to the lab where we were instructed to 'SIT!' which we did. for a long time, watching the line of unfortunates be stabbed by crazy technician lady. Eventually however we were led back to a w=office/ward and were joined by the doctor african time later. He had no idea why i was ill, i probably had something nasty, but its unsure what, so he gave me a load of antibiotics, rehydration sachets and paracetamol just to be on the safe side. Getting the drugs and paying was another african waiting time fandango, but the whole experience only cost me tsh 8400, the equivilent of 4 pounds.20.
So after this we toddled quite happily down the road to machame market to pick up our veg for the week. It was a first for visitng the market and it was amazing! Fruit and veg ewverywhere, spiced laid out, sacks of maize, piles of salted fish that made my mouth water (although they looked hanging) wonderful matireial (at least half the price it is in Arusha) and any other odds and ends you may need for an african life. Of course we, being very white, did not go unoticed, the air was rent with cries of 'MZUNGU', 'rafiki',' karibu!' etc, which was nice, but choosing which stand to actually buy the veg from was hard! Overall we got 4 massive aubergines, 8 potatoes, 6 passionfruits, a big bunch of bananas, 2 avocadoes, 4 or eight tomatoes, loads of garlic and ginger and probably some more stuff for well under tsh 5000, equivilent of 2.50.
The next day was also intresting. Tuesday is our day of many lessons in the moring (4 followed y sport) but as bad luck would have it afircan time and african timetabling ment that other teachers decided it was their turn to teach, leaving us rarther pointless. So we went home very early when i spotted a glimps of white through the banana trees, MZUNGUS, 3 OF THEM (and not that albino either, who just confuses me, but REAL mzungus, in kisololi!) So we hurried after them and skuled around behind them, being abit unsure what to say now. luckily they were very outgoingm Ameircans from new york. They seemed very impressed by our being teachers and offered for us to come along to see some waterfalls with them, as they were just going. Obviously, as our lessons had been cancelled we agreed instantly, and had a very pleasent time talking about why we were there, why they were there (climb kili and missonary work in Rwanda) and things i say and did when i went to new york at new years. Luckily i had my journal on me, which had all my notes about new york, and one of the guys (phil) had trained in musical theater and knew half the cast of phantom of the opera, which i saw on broadway in january. Very odd! The waterfall was loely, very relaxing and peacefull. They were also very impressed with out knowlede of kiswahili (you have to be good at greeting to survive the walk to school) and so invited us to dinner, TO WHICH THEY SAID THEY WOULD PAY. i would like to now mention that they were staying at the immensly (for our standards) expensive protea hotel where we swim every Wednesday. So we were very hapy aboout this! After saying goodbye we popped up to the orphanage in machame (where we go to help out every tueday as we have the afternoon off). Whilst we were there about 10 other volunteers from a seperate organizeation came, which was very nice as obviously its good to meet other mzungus and talk about the western world, but they took all the good babies! I was left with crazy baby, who though is very fun, does not like to be cuddled, hes all about bashing the walls and flinging himself to the floor (v. funny though).
On arrival back at Lambo house we recieved a call from a rarther paniced and pissed off victoria, we had no water! fan-tast-tic. So, as instructed by our diligent landlord we called Mr meena to report this problem, to which he instantly replied he come, we get ready the buckets and we leave. Great! Next came the most mammouth panicked clean up session, trying to make the house less like a bombsite and more like the house he left to us, with no water at our disposal and worrying about making dinner. Mr Meena promptly arrived in his van and ushered victoria mc and rach off, to a river. Here they collected a good amount of muddy water to deposit in our emergency tamk. after about an hour of frantic water carrying, in which everyone got very wet, muddy and was very luaghed at by our neighbours, we had enough water in the tank to satisfy for now. It was very brown. apparently ok to be drunk once boiled! however, time was getting short now as we had to meet the amreicans for dinner, so me and rach ran off to the hotel (not a mean feat, as it is up a hill and 30 mins walk away) to be there nice and early, followed by the victorias who were given a lift by Mr meena. uckily, we all made it, in time, dry and clean with nice clothes and makeup on (crazy times). We settled down for a very relaxing evening. The amercans were named James, a pastor, Kelly and Ryan, a mac computer wiz (who trained in musical theater, has sung in all the big churched in the world and performed for the queen twice). It was AMAZING. This was the first time in a month where we had had a proper, civilized meal with grown ups, with big people conversation. Also, NO COOKING AND NO WASHING UP! They were so generous as well, they took great pity in our water situation and gewnrally seemed very impressed by the lifestyle we are living out here (in which case id love to see there reaction if they ever saw the AArusha houses). they bought us water to keep us going through the night and paid for all our meals. which were al least 10,000 tsh each! We also met their guides who gave some great tips for Kili, which they would start in the morning.
Lessons are going well, we've introduced coloured pencils on fridays to do drawing with apostrophes and other english related topics, which they absolutley love. I lvoe how colourful their books are getting now!
Yestdrday was a epic day. All 18 of us went to machame to vist the waterfalls. Long hike in the morning (which was very welcome), In the rainforest of Kili. after that we ground, roasted and dran coffe before a long hike up a SPECTACULAR valley to a bigger waterfall where we could swin, and jump off. I did no jump off becuase i did not trust the current one bit, however some other did and thourghly enjoyed it. it rained most of the day as well, which made it very fun becuase we were all damp and cold. A FIRST! Also, it ment that hopefully our water tank will fill up so we'll have running water again soon! yay! no more river water!
Finished the day with a trip to la liga, and made it back at 4 in the morning., A good night by most!
hope englands well
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