Fail blog

Friday 8:54 AM- Wake up

8:56 AM- Try to check in for my flight to NYC to see Sesh* because I forgot to check in last night

8:57 AM- Read that my flight to NYC today is DEPARTING FROM RALEIGH...er WHAT?!?!?!?! NO!!  HOW did this possibly happen?!  Then I curse google chrome.

9:10 AM- Call Sesh.  She screens.  I hate that.  But she's legit in a meeting.

9:11 AM- Call home.  Lecture from brother.  Hang up.

9:15 AM- Call Dad.  Sympathy.  Much appreciated.  Find out they're going to the mountains that afternoon.

11:02 AM- Finally talk to Sesh.  I have never been so disappointed.  I still owe you a trip to NYC for a big weekend, but another time.  Her thought: "Maybe this weekend just wasn't supposed to happen.  Maybe the plane was going to crash, or maybe something more was meant for us this weekend."  Profound and optimistic and kind.  

2:53 PM- After getting my life together after the catastrophe of a weekend, I salvage and call my brother.  I'll meet you in Asheville.  Don't tell Mom & Dad.

9:15 PM- The surprise was classic.  I thought my Dad was going to have a heart attack.  

Saturday-Sunday: Peak color season in Asheville.  Carolina blue skies.  Perfect temperature.  Just got home.  My brother really considered stealing my dog.  I don't blame him.  She's amazing.

*Sesh, in addition to being my BFF from home, is the most wonderfully understanding, supportive, and ever-present friend I could ask for.  She wasn't even mad at me, which made me feel like I had disappointed her that much more.

Mom reminded me that I was away from my family for the longest amount of time since I was born.  I think Seshie was right, something more was meant for me this weekend.

 Sweet home Carolina.

Homecoming!

I changed my facebook status yesterday to: "31 hours after leaving my Tanzanian house, I have arrived back at my North Carolina home."

As I left Tanzania, I was left with a mixture of emotions. I was remembering how scared I was when I arrived just 7 short weeks ago and realizing how comfortable I had become. The unknowns had become familiars and I was comfortable taking care of the things that used to scare me.

Saying goodbye to people was difficult. The Tanzanians all wanted to know when I was going to come back. The truth was I didn't know, but I just told them that I had to go home, back to Duke, and finish some work. Then I'd see where I ended up. To the same degree that Tanzanians are so welcoming, they hate to see you go. Stay and have another Tangawizi ginger ale, stay and work with the watoto in the hospital, stay and make Tanzania your home.

The cab ride back to the airport with Bwana Carol traced my steps back over the things that had been so foreign on the day I arrived. He had given me an ndizi that was tiny and yellow and delicious and I recalled that I knew one word in Swahili. Now I could carry on a broken Swahili conversation with him and my belly was full of mango and passionfruit. I looked out the window from the plane as we were taking off and I had a visceral feeling that I cannot explain... maybe it was knowing that I was going to miss Tanzania.

I flew into D.C. and could see the bare trees and snow-topped roofs over the Capital City. My bare toes were met with sideways glances from other bundled travelers as to why I was so inappropriately dressed for the frigid weather. Duh, I just left Africa. I checked my bags and immediately went to my connecting gate... after I ordered a grande Starbuck's coffee. Gosh I am such an American!

I landed at RDU and collected my bags. As I rounded the corner to exit the concourse I could see my Dad. I broke into a run and had one of those great airport moments where you say hello to a loved one in front of complete strangers. It felt good to be home. My Dad was no less than thrilled.

What was the first thing I did when I got back? The answer is obvious. I needed Mexican food. One Armadillo Grill chicken taco and cheese queso later, I went home and tackled my next big craving... a steaming hot shower where I did not have to hold the shower head. Then I turned on my cell phone and started making calls across the country to the people I missed most and was excited to talk to again... I started with Denver.

My room is now a complete mess covered in the regurgitation of my bags. Dad made enchiladas for dinner (by my request. I really missed Mexican food!) and I made it until about 7:45 pm before I crashed into my bed (no mosquito net required!). Today I am off to Duke to tie up some loose ends and I'm very excited to see my professors.

It feels good to be home.

My new Swahili vernacular

When I got off the plane two months ago, the only Swahili I knew was "Jambo!" My TZ friends are quite impressed with how far it has come in such a short time and I have found that certain words and phrases and snuck their way into my speech. I figured I would give ya'll a quick dictionary lesson so that when I get home and I still have TZ on the brain, you can understand what I'm trying to say.

GREETINGS:
Jambo (Response: Jambo)- Hello!
Mambo (Response: Poa)- a casual hello!
Habari- How are you?
... za asubuhi- How is your morning? (Response: nzuri- good)
... za mchana- How is your afternoon? (Response: safi- literally means clean... you would understand the importance of being clean if you rode the dala dala or washed your feet after a day of tromping through mud/dust)
... za jioni- How is your evening? (Response: salama- peaceful)
Usiku mwema- Good night!
Lala salama- Sleep well! (literally "peaceful sleep")
Kwaheri- bye!
Shikamuu (Response: Marahaba) - literally "I lie at your feet" is said as a greeting to elders as a sign of respect.
Hamna shida- No problem (the equivalent of Kenya's "hakunah matata" which I'm sure you all know from The Lion King)

Other words:
dala dala- bus
asante- thank you
sana- very
pole- sorry
karibu- welcome
who- nani
what- nini
when- lini
where- wapi
why- kwahili
really- kweli
ndizi- bananas... mmmmm
embe- mango... mmmmm

That should enable you to understand my Southern Swahili when I get home.

Kwaheri!!!

Gift Giving

In the spirit of Christmas (it doesn't much feel like Christmas here since it is 85 degrees... but my house does have a plastic Charlie Brown Christmas tree that we decorated with tinsel and tiny lights) and in Tanzanian culture, I am spending this week giving gifts to the important people in my life here in Tanzania. Adellaide is the international nursing student coordinator and is getting all things that a nurse should have in her pockets-- a UNC notepad, pens, highlighter, and calculator. Vera is the Duke liason at KCMC and is getting earrings. The clinic nurses are getting American pens (a highly coveted possession). And the doctors are getting bubbles and stickers to entertain the children in clinic. There have been some Tanzanian mamas who welcomed me into their homes and fed me (wayyyy too much), so I am giving them durable grocery bags to take to the market.
Hospitality and gratitude are very important parts of Tanzanian culture so it feels good to show my thanks and appreciation to everyone that has helped me thrive here.
I am getting excited to be back for Christmas. Dad told me that all he wanted for Christmas was me back on American soil, so I'm giving him his gift a little early and coming home next Monday.