Not much to say today, except that Nichole offically has MALARIA! She caught it early so she is doing alright. The medicine is making her sick though, so everyone say a little prayer. I'm sick with some intestinal problems if you catch my drift, but I'm on medication now so it should be better by tomorrow. Just wanted to share a little health report to you all.
Tiffany, Malaria and I will be home soon! Can't wait to see everyone (and my dog)!
xoxo
Kris
Thursday, February 14, 2008
It's almost over...
Hello everyone, sorry I haven't written in a while. Things got a bit hectic the last couple days at CCS saying goodbye to everyone and trying to pack for Zanzibar. I had a wonderful, and very sad, last day of school with my kids. They sang me songs and the teachers did this goodbye ceremony for me and gave me a traditional Tanzanian Kanga (dress). I was full of tears to leave them, I think about them all the time, and miss them all so much. My favorite student ran up to me and tapped me on the leg, I looked down, and she said, "Teacher...I love you"...in english and all! Of course I cried for about an hour after that, haha. This was by far the most rewarding, amazing experience in my life thus far and hope that I will be able to do something like this again. I wish I could stay so much longer, and my teachers want me to come back next year, I told them I'll try my best, haha.
But after all that...I'm finally in Zanzibar!!! The most beautiful place in the world! The water is all shades of tourquoise and light blue, its wonderful. The sand is so white, I can't even describe in words how beautiful it is here. We started off on the East Coast in a town called Uroa. Since we are "residents" of Tanzania we got a niiiice discount at the places we are staying. So we've been living it up in beachfront bungalows for the past week...it's alright I guess, haha. Then we decided it would be smart to rent a car...we thought. It was definitely an experience that I'll never forget. We drove up to the northern most point in Zanzibar called Nungwi. After getting lost in an African jungle for about 2 hours, we finally made it. With all that aside, our new hotel is absolutely great. A little more expensive than the last, but for 50 bucks a night, we are hooked up with an townhouse style lofted condo, beachfront. We get a pool this time too!! We are so relaxed and happy right now, I don't want to leave. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling and then we are off to stay in Stone Town for the last couple days here.
I hope everything back home is going well. I will be home Tuesday night to see everyone :) Oh yes, Happy Valentines Day everyone! I send my love, I'll see you all soon
xoxo
Kris
But after all that...I'm finally in Zanzibar!!! The most beautiful place in the world! The water is all shades of tourquoise and light blue, its wonderful. The sand is so white, I can't even describe in words how beautiful it is here. We started off on the East Coast in a town called Uroa. Since we are "residents" of Tanzania we got a niiiice discount at the places we are staying. So we've been living it up in beachfront bungalows for the past week...it's alright I guess, haha. Then we decided it would be smart to rent a car...we thought. It was definitely an experience that I'll never forget. We drove up to the northern most point in Zanzibar called Nungwi. After getting lost in an African jungle for about 2 hours, we finally made it. With all that aside, our new hotel is absolutely great. A little more expensive than the last, but for 50 bucks a night, we are hooked up with an townhouse style lofted condo, beachfront. We get a pool this time too!! We are so relaxed and happy right now, I don't want to leave. Tomorrow we are going snorkeling and then we are off to stay in Stone Town for the last couple days here.
I hope everything back home is going well. I will be home Tuesday night to see everyone :) Oh yes, Happy Valentines Day everyone! I send my love, I'll see you all soon
xoxo
Kris
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Last Week in Moshi
Mambo everyone,
So it's my last week here in Moshi, I can't believe I'm already leaving for Zanzibar this Saturday! I don't want to leave at all, I'm not ready to say goodbye to my kids. This week is so sad for me at school, just because I've become so close with my kids and I can't begin to imagine not seeing them every morning, or perhaps ever again. Today at school my teacher came up to me, and with her best english, said that she is going to miss me so much and that her and the kids love me. I teared up. She wants me to come back to live in Moshi, I said I'd consider it in a couple years, haha. My kids are just so amazing, with huge hearts and the biggest smiles on their faces. I love getting out of the car every morning and the kids shouting "mwalimu" (teacher) and running to give me hugs. I didn't think I would have become as attached to them as I have, but I only have two more days left with them and it's painful to think about. I'm writing a little going away speech and practicing it in Swahili for friday, and I'm making them all necklaces so they can have something to remember me by when I leave. Anywho, I'm getting sad thinking about it soooo, change of subject...
How bout them Giants...mwhahahahaha. Sorry family, but we totallllllly beat the "perfect" Patriots, I still love you, but the better team won. Hopefully you guys aren't to heartbroken. Anyways, I really wish I was home to see that game, I was praying for the Giants everyday, guess it worked. Don't want to make to many people mad, so I'll stop there :)
This past weekend I went on a little overnight trip to camp and hike Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was so much fun. There was 8 of us that went, so we had an absolute blast. The first day we did alot of walking. We went to a traditional Chaaga house, a coffee plantation where we picked beans and made fresh coffee right off Mt. Kili. I hate coffee, but that was pretty good stuff. Then we went to see how traditional banana beer or "mbege" is made. This is a special beer made by the Chaaga people in this area. It's not what normal beer looks or tastes like, but we tried it, and it wasn't that bad. Not that good, but not that bad...haha. They boil bananas for 4 hours unti they turn a gross shade of brown...then they get mashed up and sit in barrels for a couple days. Then that mixture is combined with millet. So it's a thick, strange consistency. But we all manned up and took a sip of it, and we are still alive, so thats a good sign. We went back to the camp and had dinner and sat by a fire. Saw the most amazing stars of my life. We sat outside looking at them for an hour before we went to sleep. The next morning we started our hike to a waterfall on the mountain. It was about a 6 hour hike, well worth it. Really hard hike, but well worth it. Now I can say I climbed Kilimanjaro...I'll just leave out the part that it wasn't to the top. I looked into hiking the whole mountain, however it costs between $1500-2000...no thanks, I'll just keep staring at it everyday and pretend.
So that was my week thus far, I'll keep everyone updated one last time before I go to Zanzibar. I'm not sure of the internet situation there, so it may be the last time before I come home! It sounds so strange to think I'm coming home so soon. Hope all is well back home. Kwaheri.
Love,
Kris xoxo
So it's my last week here in Moshi, I can't believe I'm already leaving for Zanzibar this Saturday! I don't want to leave at all, I'm not ready to say goodbye to my kids. This week is so sad for me at school, just because I've become so close with my kids and I can't begin to imagine not seeing them every morning, or perhaps ever again. Today at school my teacher came up to me, and with her best english, said that she is going to miss me so much and that her and the kids love me. I teared up. She wants me to come back to live in Moshi, I said I'd consider it in a couple years, haha. My kids are just so amazing, with huge hearts and the biggest smiles on their faces. I love getting out of the car every morning and the kids shouting "mwalimu" (teacher) and running to give me hugs. I didn't think I would have become as attached to them as I have, but I only have two more days left with them and it's painful to think about. I'm writing a little going away speech and practicing it in Swahili for friday, and I'm making them all necklaces so they can have something to remember me by when I leave. Anywho, I'm getting sad thinking about it soooo, change of subject...
How bout them Giants...mwhahahahaha. Sorry family, but we totallllllly beat the "perfect" Patriots, I still love you, but the better team won. Hopefully you guys aren't to heartbroken. Anyways, I really wish I was home to see that game, I was praying for the Giants everyday, guess it worked. Don't want to make to many people mad, so I'll stop there :)
This past weekend I went on a little overnight trip to camp and hike Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was so much fun. There was 8 of us that went, so we had an absolute blast. The first day we did alot of walking. We went to a traditional Chaaga house, a coffee plantation where we picked beans and made fresh coffee right off Mt. Kili. I hate coffee, but that was pretty good stuff. Then we went to see how traditional banana beer or "mbege" is made. This is a special beer made by the Chaaga people in this area. It's not what normal beer looks or tastes like, but we tried it, and it wasn't that bad. Not that good, but not that bad...haha. They boil bananas for 4 hours unti they turn a gross shade of brown...then they get mashed up and sit in barrels for a couple days. Then that mixture is combined with millet. So it's a thick, strange consistency. But we all manned up and took a sip of it, and we are still alive, so thats a good sign. We went back to the camp and had dinner and sat by a fire. Saw the most amazing stars of my life. We sat outside looking at them for an hour before we went to sleep. The next morning we started our hike to a waterfall on the mountain. It was about a 6 hour hike, well worth it. Really hard hike, but well worth it. Now I can say I climbed Kilimanjaro...I'll just leave out the part that it wasn't to the top. I looked into hiking the whole mountain, however it costs between $1500-2000...no thanks, I'll just keep staring at it everyday and pretend.
So that was my week thus far, I'll keep everyone updated one last time before I go to Zanzibar. I'm not sure of the internet situation there, so it may be the last time before I come home! It sounds so strange to think I'm coming home so soon. Hope all is well back home. Kwaheri.
Love,
Kris xoxo
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