It is 2pm on Thursday afternoon as I write this. I apologize for not getting a blog post out sooner, but alas, the generator did not work last night. Don't worry, we still have lights that run off of batteries that are charged by the solar panels on the roof. Not much has truly happened since arriving here in Berega. Getting here from Dar was alot easier on Tuesday then driving around on Monday. It was the end of one Muslim holiday and the beginning of another and so there were many people in the city. I have sat here for about 7 minutes waiting for a picture to upload, so it looks like I will have to upload all of my photos once I get to London or home. Traveling up a major highway in TZ is a lot like the highways back home, well at least on the Rez. There are lots of trucks and it is a two lane road, so there is patience in passing. There are many towns/villages that you go through and each one requires a slow down to 35mph. It is here where you run the risk of having Walmart come to your window. Oranges, apples, cold bottled drinks, packaged nuts, and live chickens if you want are offered to you for a price. Bayona wanted a chicken for his wife, but they men wanted too much money. They wanted 14000 tsh ($8.60)when you can get one frozen and plucked in Morogoro for 5000-6000 tsh ($3.50). Needless to say it was a very different having these live chickens hanging upside down at your window! Once in Morogorro we picked up Liz, bought a few groceries, went to the Bishop's house and then ate "chips-in-my-eye" on the street. It is basically a french fry omlette and so good with salsa. You eat it with your fingers and finish it off with an ice cold coke or fanta. Great!!! It was very dark by the time we got to the house in Berega. We basically off loaded the truck and I went to bed. It is very humid here and even in the dark of night the air can be thick. It doesn't matter to me, i am so tired by that time, I just shut my eyes and sleep.
Yesterday we walked down the hill and saw part of the village. I still need to walk up the hill and see the other part. I love the kids here. They have these big questioning eyes and some will speak English to you and they are so proud that they know it. It is very formal sounding coming from such little mouths. Liz teaches preschool here in the mornings and has adult English classes during the evening. These people are smart and they want to learn. She even has a little library started. I took a picture of that too that I will post at some point. If you have extra books that you don't want send them to me, and I will send them to her. It is better then Bookman's. There is so much to be done here but I know that a little at a time, things will change, we just have to get started. I just met with one of the doctor's and the director of the pharmacy and they are going to get together with the other doctors and make a priority list of equipment and medicines for me to work on when I get back. They are very grateful for everything that has been given and for the interest that has been taken in their village. This is good, very good. I could live here, you know.
Rebecca
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