Well, this past weekend, I finally got to move into the house where the new missionary and I will be living together for the next 6 months!! It's not much, but it's got all the essentials and for me I've decided that it's like a palace! We have two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. It took me less than one hour for myself and a couple others to move everything (except for the big furniture like the bed, desk, shelves, etc.) to the new room. It reminds me of when I was in college and how much stuff I brought with me to college because I "needed" those things. But, now I've gotten used to living with so little and it seems so silly to think of all of the things we think we "need", but really we can live without. Even with what I have here, sometimes I feel that it's too much, and I could live with less. Seeing how people live in the village makes me so grateful for what I have in Morogoro, even if it would be considered pretty well "below standards" in America. On Wednesday, a student came to the house for a piano lesson. His friend had decided to stay and hung out while I was teaching him. When we went inside to get the piano and bring it out onto the porch, the friend made the comment "Wow! This house is so beautiful!" It totally caught me off guard because for me, the house feels pretty empty and, well, I wouldn't exactly describe it as beautiful. (I will post pictures soon and you can decide for yourselves) It made me think a lot about what kind of living situation he might have. In a way I felt a little bit guilty for having access to so much when so many around me just don't. I mean, the cost for the rent on this house is WAY cheaper than any rental in America, and yet it's so much more than many can afford. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to reconcile this in my brain, or really, if that will ever happen.
In other news, the new missionary, Kjirstin, arrived in DAR on Tuesday. Pastor Umba and I left the house at the lovely hour of 5:30am to get to the bus station. We departed sometime around 6/6:30am-ish and I dozed in and out for most of the bus ride there. We arrived sometime around 9:30am and got breakfast at a hotel next to the bus stand (the same hotel we stayed at both times I flew into DAR). Then, we caught a cab to the airport and arrived sometime around 10:30am. Her flight was not scheduled to arrive until 1:30pm, so we had quite the wait. I mostly sat and read and when I was tired, I walked around to see the shops. There aren't too many there and the airport is tiny compared to the international airports in America. At about 1:40pm, Kjirstin walked out of the arrivals area and pastor and I greeted her and then we were on our way to catch a cab back to the bus stand. The bus ride back was terribly long because the bus stopped so many times. Kjirstin and I talked part of the time and I slept some of the time too. In the evening, we were still making more arrangements, including hanging curtains in her room and sweeping. Even now, there are still many more things that need to be added to the house to make it more functional for us "needy" Americans. We've decided to pool some personal money together to buy things like a hot plate for cooking, and a small shelf to go with the bathroom sink (which doesn't have anything of the sort currently). She also needs a fan, internet modem, phone, etc. which we won't be able to get until Saturday. So far things seem to be working out quite well between us and I have high hopes that we will be great housemates for the next six months!
Well, that's all I've got time for for now. Tomorrow is graduation for Class VII so this week has been really chaotic. I'm really looking forward to next week and being able to settle into the old routine!!
Hope you're all having a great week so far!
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
In other news, the new missionary, Kjirstin, arrived in DAR on Tuesday. Pastor Umba and I left the house at the lovely hour of 5:30am to get to the bus station. We departed sometime around 6/6:30am-ish and I dozed in and out for most of the bus ride there. We arrived sometime around 9:30am and got breakfast at a hotel next to the bus stand (the same hotel we stayed at both times I flew into DAR). Then, we caught a cab to the airport and arrived sometime around 10:30am. Her flight was not scheduled to arrive until 1:30pm, so we had quite the wait. I mostly sat and read and when I was tired, I walked around to see the shops. There aren't too many there and the airport is tiny compared to the international airports in America. At about 1:40pm, Kjirstin walked out of the arrivals area and pastor and I greeted her and then we were on our way to catch a cab back to the bus stand. The bus ride back was terribly long because the bus stopped so many times. Kjirstin and I talked part of the time and I slept some of the time too. In the evening, we were still making more arrangements, including hanging curtains in her room and sweeping. Even now, there are still many more things that need to be added to the house to make it more functional for us "needy" Americans. We've decided to pool some personal money together to buy things like a hot plate for cooking, and a small shelf to go with the bathroom sink (which doesn't have anything of the sort currently). She also needs a fan, internet modem, phone, etc. which we won't be able to get until Saturday. So far things seem to be working out quite well between us and I have high hopes that we will be great housemates for the next six months!
Well, that's all I've got time for for now. Tomorrow is graduation for Class VII so this week has been really chaotic. I'm really looking forward to next week and being able to settle into the old routine!!
Hope you're all having a great week so far!
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
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