Thursday in Uchira
Had such a nice day today and seeing as I’ve had zero contact with the world for a week I thought I’d write a little blog and make the effort to find some internet tomorrow.
It’s absolutely boiling in Kilimanjaro at the moment, like about 35 degrees, but this morning was a little cloudy when I got up so it was fairly cool. I got up at 7 and had a refreshing wash in a bucket haha - no attempt to wash hair as fruitless task. I then ate some bananas and watermelon and had three cups of tea (they were small cups).
Trecked up the (excessively dusty) hill or about 25 minutes to the building-site to find very little action except an old man watering the trees. Apparently they are trees – I can’t tell the difference between them and the weeds, but what do I know? Helped Gerald to carry a massive water barrel over to the site and then spent about an hour and a half waiting for various men to arrive to help connect it to a pipe. Finally managed to get it to start irrigating a bit of land but then it started leaking. The general response was to empty the entire barrel again and get inside to see what the problem was. I gave up at this point and went on my merry way.
Then went to visit a group of women who are making batiks (the charity funded their start up costs and helps them do marketing etc). I helped them to design a cool bag out of Kanga material which I actually want myself!
Trotted back for lunch, by which point it was absolutely boiling. Lunch was on the table when I arrived back (which was wicked!!), had rice, green beans, spinach and a fish head. Then I had a meeting but this was not the most exciting part of the day because I was falling asleep with the heat. Only managed to come back to life by drinking a fanta passion in Kimambi’s bar, which was full of colouring, flavouring and sugar, and sorted me out!
Had such a nice day today and seeing as I’ve had zero contact with the world for a week I thought I’d write a little blog and make the effort to find some internet tomorrow.
It’s absolutely boiling in Kilimanjaro at the moment, like about 35 degrees, but this morning was a little cloudy when I got up so it was fairly cool. I got up at 7 and had a refreshing wash in a bucket haha - no attempt to wash hair as fruitless task. I then ate some bananas and watermelon and had three cups of tea (they were small cups).
Trecked up the (excessively dusty) hill or about 25 minutes to the building-site to find very little action except an old man watering the trees. Apparently they are trees – I can’t tell the difference between them and the weeds, but what do I know? Helped Gerald to carry a massive water barrel over to the site and then spent about an hour and a half waiting for various men to arrive to help connect it to a pipe. Finally managed to get it to start irrigating a bit of land but then it started leaking. The general response was to empty the entire barrel again and get inside to see what the problem was. I gave up at this point and went on my merry way.
Then went to visit a group of women who are making batiks (the charity funded their start up costs and helps them do marketing etc). I helped them to design a cool bag out of Kanga material which I actually want myself!
Trotted back for lunch, by which point it was absolutely boiling. Lunch was on the table when I arrived back (which was wicked!!), had rice, green beans, spinach and a fish head. Then I had a meeting but this was not the most exciting part of the day because I was falling asleep with the heat. Only managed to come back to life by drinking a fanta passion in Kimambi’s bar, which was full of colouring, flavouring and sugar, and sorted me out!
a nice town view from one of the hills in Uchira
We then held a meeting in the church hall to present some research about HIV/AIDS that one of our volunteers (Frances) has been doing. Lots of people from the local community were there, including the village chairman, various religious leaders and some school teachers. We talked about how big the problem is in the area, how is hidden so much by social stigma, and discussed the growing number of young people that are left without their parents. We talked a lot about how various organisations could work together more effectively. We also planned a big event for World AIDS Day, where we are going to provide free HIV testing and stage a march through the village.
I then went to play football, which was hilarious (I am rubbish at football). About a million kids and teenagers turned up and we all ran around like twits while the sun set over Kilimanjaro (gets dark at 7). Football turned into netball, and then sort of random running around and general banter. Then it was too dark and I kept falling over rocks so we had to stop.
On the way home we stumbled across a massive disco that was taking place at the market – it was some quite random Christian music which was pretty funny but there were some pretty impressive flashing electric lights! Danced with my friend Jenifa and some of her girlfriends for a bit and various people laughed at me (white person lol).
Going to have some dinner now and then trot down to the road for a beer or two with my good friend Ernest. Looking forward to the weekend – going to get a bus into Moshi town I think tomorrow for some ‘Club Alberto’ action! Basically about 500 hot black men grinding against you inappropriately. Ideal.
I think I’m going to do a skydive on Sunday!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh!!!
Nitakuwa furahi sana kusema kwa wewe badaye! Kwa heri,
Love Annie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I then went to play football, which was hilarious (I am rubbish at football). About a million kids and teenagers turned up and we all ran around like twits while the sun set over Kilimanjaro (gets dark at 7). Football turned into netball, and then sort of random running around and general banter. Then it was too dark and I kept falling over rocks so we had to stop.
On the way home we stumbled across a massive disco that was taking place at the market – it was some quite random Christian music which was pretty funny but there were some pretty impressive flashing electric lights! Danced with my friend Jenifa and some of her girlfriends for a bit and various people laughed at me (white person lol).
Going to have some dinner now and then trot down to the road for a beer or two with my good friend Ernest. Looking forward to the weekend – going to get a bus into Moshi town I think tomorrow for some ‘Club Alberto’ action! Basically about 500 hot black men grinding against you inappropriately. Ideal.
I think I’m going to do a skydive on Sunday!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh!!!
Nitakuwa furahi sana kusema kwa wewe badaye! Kwa heri,
Love Annie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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