I Bless the Rains: April 2010

So most times when I post on here it starts out with something like, "Not much has happened since last time," before I end up rambling about a dozen different things. This time, there really hasn't been much going on. As a result, I've decided to turn the tables on you, the reader. I've spent hours at my computer working on these ramblings, so I'm just asking you to spend a minute posting a question (or several) about living in Tanzania. When I was home for Christmas, it seemed like some friends didn't even have enough time to ask all that was on their mind. For those of you, and everyone else, here's your opportunity. If you're reading this, whether you know me or not, ask a question. Don't be shy, don't worry about offending...even email me if you don't know how to comment here or just don't want your name to be posted. Ideally, if I get enough questions, I'll include some attempts at answers in my next post (along with some safari stories).

Nothing new. I still live here.

So post away. I mostly thought of this because I have realized how often things here have differed from my expectations. Hopefully hearing straight from the visiting horse's mouth can give people a better idea of what it's like...at least compared to the Discovery Channel, the news, and old British anthropological papers.

Dear Paullins, Thanks for Bananagrams. Sincerely, me

That said, I do have to share one thing that happened this week. My housekeeper (or house mama) Beatrice brought along her 7 year old daugher Sharon. It's hard to sum up Sharon in a nutshell, but I have to say she is one of the most curious people I know. In just a few hours, she watched Madagascar 2, played board games, threw around a mini football, tried on night-vision goggles, read a book about soccer, tried m&ms for the first time, learned about iPods, took some digital pictures, and learned how to type. Her English was very impressive, and she was thrilled to have an opportunity to practice it. It was also fun to explain to her how she could type and send messages to Malavika instantly in the office, as well as to see her reaction after doing it on her own. I think the most uttered phrase of the day was, "I need to show my mother." She borrowed the board games to show her brothers at home, and I came out of it with one of those welcome days I won't forget for a while.

Priceless

This week's soundtrack:
Dave Matthews Band -- Stay or Leave
Modest Mouse -- People as Places as People
The Beatles -- I Want You (She's So Heavy)
The Sex Pistols -- God Save the Queen
Tapes 'n Tapes -- Just Drums
Duran Duran -- Hungry Like the Wolf
U2 -- Stay (Faraway, So Close)
Daft Punk -- Robot Rock
Arcade Fire -- I'm Sleeping in a Submarine
The Strokes -- The Modern Age
The Clash -- Spanish Bombs