An excellent day

If anyone had asked me a few months ago to describe some of my longed for but seemingly impossible dreams, one of them would have been to be out with friends listening to live African music in Africa. And that is exactly what happened this evening! Tiana, one of the Umoja staff, called and invited Danielle and me out to Via Via  for a drink, so off we went. Via Via is a great place: friendly people from all over the world and live music on Thursday nights. Tonight the band played some of my favourite styles: Soukous and Reggae. I couldn't believe I was actually there!

Tiana was born in Madagascar, has lived all over the world, and has been in Tanzania for ten years. She is a great resource, and her enthusiasm and energy is contagious. Among other things she will help with finding a way to get to Arusha National Park for a day trip, and knows someone who makes drums – and I may be able to meet with him and make my own drum! How exciting is that! Another dream come true.

Earlier today Danielle and I met with a woman who is looking for people to share her house and to live there while she’s away. Both of us felt very much at home from the moment we walked into her house: it’s casual, comfortable, lots of artistic touches, and two dogs, two puppies, and a cat! Thembi, the homeowner, seems like an easy person to get along with and I think it will be an ideal living situation. We will be able to arrange for a driver to take us to and from work and to other places as well. We’re about 99% ready to say yes. I’ll keep you posted.

We also spent some time at the school today organizing our teaching rooms and moving stuff around. The picture below is of Danielle outside the music building at International School Moshi (Arusha campus). That is where we'll spend our work days.

But before we got to ISM we had an impromptu safari! Annette, the Umoja administrator, who has been most helpful and hospitable (we are staying in her guest house for now), had driven us to meet Thembi at her house, which is up a steep hill through a lively rural village area. On the way back we took a wrong turn off the main road and found ourselves further and further away from civilization, into an area of arid planes, lone trees, and Masai people herding cattle and goats. The road was narrow, twisty, and treacherous in some places, but thanks to Annette’s expert driving and four wheel drive, we made it through. I wish I had taken pictures! I think Danielle took some video footage so I hope to be able to post it later, along with a video I took at Via Via.

So it has been a great day. The power cut out at 11:30 tonight, but I happened to wake up a few hours later and it's back on, so I'm charging my computer and writing.

Usiku mwema!