Wednesday marks one month back in the U.S., it kind of feels like I never left. This past week I've been teaching English at Olin College, but it's just for one week. So I'm still looking for a job. I do have an interview at the end of August that I'm pretty excited about. I'm also looking for a car since my sister got in an accident while I was away and my car was totaled. So, the usual, just trying to make some money.
I don't miss the cockroaches, nairobi flies, and giant poisonous centipedes, but I do miss the lizards running around on the walls, and the hedgehogs scuttling through the grass. I actually do miss walking everywhere, but I don't miss tripping everywhere I go on rocks and "sidewalks." Of course I miss the kids, but I most definitely do not miss their misbehaving and not listening! I miss the fact that in Tanzania you say hi to every single person you see, even just walking down the street. I do not miss the ridiculous amount of greetings there are in Swahili and how impossible it is to ever learn all of them! I do really miss speaking Swahili, but I don't miss not being able to understand everything that's going on. I miss random kids saying hi and holding my hand and giving me hugs, but I don't miss babies crying at the sight of me because they've never seen white skin before. I miss makande (local bean and maize dish), mandazi (kind of like a doughnut), chapati, and rice and beans, but I
don't miss ugali, pilau, or eating rice every.single.day. The cheap prices were great, but probably my least favorite thing about Tanzania is having to haggle down the price of
everything because everyone charges mzungu (white person) price. I miss that I spent almost all of my time outside, but I don't miss the ensuing bug bites (which have left scars of my legs). I don't miss being stared at absolutely everywhere I go, but I do miss having random people start up conversations with me. I miss the tropical plants and animals and the fresh fruit.
I miss Moshi town, swimming at Lake Chala, and the hot springs. I miss the people at the hostel, my local friends, my coworkers, and of course, the kids! All things considered, I'm doing pretty well, it's not as hard as I thought it would be. Maybe because I've been through it before after living in London for nine months. I think really though, that I know no matter what happens I'll be happy. Right now I'm just keeping it simple, enjoying the small moments and trying to find a job and just save up for the next adventure. I do want to go back to Tanzania and am hoping to be back there in January, but I also know that there are so many other things I want to do with my life that no matter where I end up, I'll continue to challenge myself and to enjoy every experience.
I have been keeping busy since I came back...
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| Playing fetch with my cousin's dog on Cape Cod. |
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| Lady bug on Queen Anne's Lace; while walking in a nearby state park. |
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| Hiking Mt. Greylock and camping in western Mass with my mum! |
