My Journey to Tanzania Africa: Classes Changed Internship not what I was hoping for = Tanzania

So just a typical last couple days in Tanzania. Things moving at a leisurely pass and no one seems to worried about anything but the Americans! So my class schedule was changed, I bet it changes again and maybe classes start - for real - February. So not only do I think my schedule change again, I am thinking I would rather take the history class instead of the gender development class. So I will be making a change to it again on Monday! Yeah!! :) I also don't think my internship is going to work out for credit. I think it will be fine - I am still going to do most of the work for it because it will create a great portfolio of my time here and what I did at YOSEFO to show others!

My internship today was not what it seemed. After researching micro-lending and the YOSEFO organization I thought I somewhat new what I was getting into and where maybe I would like to work within the organization, but not the case at all! We had a 2 hr orientation to the organization to start the day off - after an 1 1/2hr dalla dalla ride to get there by 8. That was good; learned a lot about the operations and I had tons of questions (who would have thought) and was really looking forward to going out into the communities that they work with. Then I started asking my questions and my dreams where crushed. I had all these ideas of helping with business plans, budgeting, business seminars, etc. and they where all shut down! Part of it is the language barrier and not being able to explain myself with my broken -1st grade level Swahili and the other part is the organization policies and fear of getting people to payback their loans (this is a major concern and main motivation for workers in YOSEFO). To say the least I was really worried I had picked the wrong organization and that I would end up working in the office in teaching the ins and outs of excel and what it could do for them. Not saying that I wouldn't be helping the organization, but I really had my heart set on doing something where I could work with the avg. Tanzanian running/starting a small business and help them make it more successful so they could support their family! But it is getting to late to keep looking so I am going to stick with it! If anything else the 1 1/2 hr dalla dalla ride each way will be an adventure!

For example - the other morning my internship buddy Kelly and I hoped a dalla dalla with our friend Polycarp (showing us the way) to Ubongo - this crazy bus station. It was nuts - no only did we wait about 30mins for our bus to show up but then when it did it was a fight to get on it! People shoving, people trying to crawl through windows, I have never seen anything like it! Then we are shoved and squished in the bus like the game "how many people can you fit in the phone booth)- so in other words we were sitting/standing on each other. Then I was all ready to recognize buildings so I know when to ask to be dropped off, but no the traffic was at a standstill so we went off roading! That was crazy! I had no idea where we were, how much longer to stay on, I was all turned around... but thankfully we all of a sudden appeared on the main road and I recognized the name of the park that YOSEFO was by and got off! The journey home was just as fun - we did it all by ourselves! We waited forever - again for our dalla dalla to show - then we got stuck in traffic for while, and finally made it to Ubongo, but we had to get out and make our way cross a couple very busy streets where no one follows the traffic lights! We lived through that and then in broken Swahili asked for the dalla dalla that was going on to campus, because there are a few that all go in the same direction but not all of them will go on campus!

Thursday did end quite nicely though - we all hopped a badagi to Blue Pearl to go swimming! This is where I was hoping to get a pass to swim, but the pool is only about 10meters long! So I don't know what I am going to do! The pool had a great view and shower! It was worth it to pay just for the shower. It was hot and running - so I shaved my legs!! Then we decided to treat ourselves to non cafeteria dinner by splurging to eat out (11,500 shillings = $20!) and ate egg fried rice, chips & salsa, and sprite! The chips and salsa where fried tortillas with ketchup that had onions and peppers in it! It made me laugh how excited I was for this and then just get chips and ketchup! The egg fired rice just was not the same as back home at New Garden! I even felt guiltily for eating it with a fork and not chopsticks!

Yesterday since I didn't have class, I slept in again. Leisurely got ready and met in Ken's office for a meeting at 11. We then grabbed lunch and headed to the beach and spend the rest of the day in the sun and playing in the water. The tides here are just fascinating; we probably walked a half mile to just reach the waters edge from where the tide would have been at high tide! So since it was all of use we decided to call our dalla dalla buddies and have them pick us up! These guys are great - they are always so happy to see us and have fun speaking - slow broken Swahili with us! It is great when we meet them when they are working their rout - yesterday when of our guys got a free ride from them! :) They know all of our names and yell the out when they us! One of these times I will get a picture with them!

This weekend Nasra wants help finding a university in the US, but I need to do some research first and help her figure out which ones will give scholarships to foreign students getting their masters! Any ideas let me know! I also I am setting up a time to meeting with this guy named Moji from China - he is one of Nasra's friends- and he has asked if we could exchange language practice - him English and me Swahili - for Sunday night! Should be fun - and I need it!!

Hakuna Matata!