Let me explain a little bit where I sit when I write to you all. My hall has 9 floors and the higher up you go, the better the internet. My internet does not work at all in my current room, so to go online I have to go upstairs to my old haunt of the 7th floor. These buildings are old and concrete, probably built in the 60s or 70s but have never seen any renovation. Every other floor has an elevator door with an elevator that is no longer in use. There are four rooms on each level on one side of the corridor. On the other side are ventilation openings and two toilets and one shower. There is also a wash room with two large sinks and clothes lines for washing. There is also a large bucket of water for when the water goes out. We mostly use to to flush the toilets. At the end of the corridor is what is known as the "fire escape" though it could never be used as such. I'll let you know when there's a fire and I try to use it....just kidding. :) It is an extremely sketchy looking spiral staircase made out of concrete and iron railings. There is a little balcony that accompanies each floor and this is where I sit. The stairs are covered in shattered glass, broken furniture, and bent parts of the railing. On some parts there is some chicken wire to keep people from using it. It may not seem like the safest place in the world, but I love it. I come out here to skype and to write and sometimes to read. From here you can see the night sky, and some gorgeous sunsets (see pictures on Facebook).
Surrounding the building are jungles and other buildings of the university. I can hear at least 5 different types of music from various parts of the campus. Swahili, R&B, Hip Hop, Rap, country, and various African combination of all of these genres greet my ears, but you get used to it. Since the rooms don't have actual windows, this sound is pretty regular. There are a bagillion frogs croaking under the tree below me (yes I'm that high up) and I can see lightning in the distance, telling me of the coming storm during this Tanzanian rain season. Other sounds of the city are around me like the roar of a motorcycle, or the crying of a baby in a far off house, or occasionally the screech of a monkey. The crickets and other insects are constantly chirping while laughter and chatter flow over the whole campus. One of my favorite things is watching the bats that fly around the building. Since I'm so high up, I can see them quite clearly and hear their sonar noise. It's pretty cool.
Despite all the noise, this place is incredibly peaceful, except for the mosquitoes. I love coming up here and talking to ya'll, especially to those I skype with. Sometimes, in the morning I will meditate here, providing that no one will bother me. :) If they do I take it as a sign that I should connect more with people.
For those of you concerned over my health, I am getting better. I thought that yesterday I was for sure almost 80% better, but today I may have relapsed a bit. It's hard because I tried to go to bed early last night, but my room mate had people over then got up very early and was very loud getting ready. It's not that she is intentionally disrespecting my need of sleep. I'd almost prefer that, because I could discuss it with her. Instead it is very much the culture here that when you are in a room with someone else, you should be together: talking, laughing, whatever. That is the culture here. There is no such thing as alone time, personal space, or needing more privacy because everything is communal. That is why this week my room mate woke me up every morning so she could make me tea and we could chat, even though I was having a hard time chatting considering my current condition and the fact that is was 7 in the morning (aka the time that Emily is very grumpy). I'm trying though. It's just I really wanted to get a good night's sleep. Oh well. I went to my first class, which was Swahili at 8am, and it just knocked the wind out of me. After, instead of going to my other class, I went back to my room and slept from 10:30-3:30. In the words of my mother, "I can't believe I slept that long!" This week I've been doing a lot of that. I do feel better though and talking to members of my extraordinary family helped with that..
We are now way over half of my time in my program in Dar, and a little over half of my time here in TZ. The program ends on my 23rd birfday, that is May12th, and is also the day my darling brother arrives! We will be in TZ and Kenya until May 27th. It's time to start processing a little bit about what my return home means and how I will deal with it. But I am also trying to seize the day! Lots of plans until then. This week, on Thursday, the group will split into two and do some traveling. A little over half of the group is going to a game park someone nearby. The rest of us are going to the southern region of Iringa in the highlands. I'm super stoked!
Keep my health in your prayers so that I will be well for the journey. Thanks and love!!!!!!!!!
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