Hey Everyone!
Okay this will be semi short...well short for me :) cause the computers are really busy and I am going to let Erin use this one.
We just got back from our vacation time. It was AMAZING! One of those trips where you look back later and go wow..I did so many things that I would never have done before.
We started by going to Lushoto in the mountains. The drive there was amazing..so beautiful! We were mobbed by a group of men at the bus station..kind of scary..I was so protective I actually pushed a guy's hand off my friend..I didn't know I was so tough :)
The lady next to us on the bus had a live hen in a bag that kept sticking its head out and pecking around! It was pretty sweet! We got to the Monestary where we were staying and met some nice nuns and had a tour. Then one nun took me and my friend Carli and had us drink homemade banana wine with her and two other nuns! It was awesome but the wine was really strong, so there Carli and I sat, laughing hysterically, drinking wine, and watching TV in Swahilli with three nuns!
The next two days we went hiking...amazing. The first day we hiked 20 km..all day and saw this amazing lookout at the top of the mountain. We also met lots of nice women on the hikes through the villages and we ate lots of fresh fruit :)
The next day we did another hike and we drove through the rainforest. Then we moved on to Tanga. We met a rastafari man named David who was our guide. He was so nice! He took us on bikes to some caves..it was so cool to ride a bike across the Tanzanian countryside! Then he took me on a motorcycle ride around town and then another one on the way to dinner. It was pretty sweet riding a motorcycle as the sunset over the Indian Ocean :) I blame Kristin for this though :) because I was like I have to ride with him just so I can tell her about it!! Then we ate dinner next to the ocean. The next day we came back to the University for a night.
Then we went to Zanzibar on Friday morning. We missed the good ferry so we had to take the one nicknamed the dying horse :) but it wasn't bad at all. Then we toured Stonetown and got henna tatoos done :) I love mine by the way! Then we saw some traditional dancing and music and I actually danced in a restaurant in front of people..though my hips move too fast I guess..I blame those dancing nights at Roscoes :) On Saturday we went on the spice tour...okay..but VERY touristy..the most white people we have seen in 5 weeks!
On Sunday we went to the beach and stayed at a Rastafari place. The people were amazing. The place was so cute too. They had reggee music playing in the background and at night they sat around the fire playing drums, singing, dancing, and smoking pot..yeah they were Rastafari people! But the first night the rest of the girls went to sleep so I stayed up and they tried to teach me to play the drums and I danced with them and a traditional dancer from the mainland came over and we watched him.
Then the next day I went snorkling with Carli. It was cool. We went out in a boat without a motor, that could only fit one person across and the two guys with us had to put sticks in the water to make the boat move! The water and the coral was beautiful..though this was my first time so I didn't know how to use the mouth thing so for awhile I was inhaling alot of salt water! But I finally caught on :) I was so proud of myself!!
Then we came back. Now we are all busy trying to register for classes. It is pretty crazy..you go around campus and you don't know when the class really meets or if you can take it. But I am trying to take: Intro to dance, Societal Structures of Tanzanian Societies, Culture Health and Society, and Philosophy of Religion. We should be moving to another dorm soon too..but we don't know when of course :)
Today was international orientation..interesting! Basically we were told don't trust anyone..then after the security guard gave us his number he goes..including me! We were like..um..thanks :) But it was cool to meet some of the other students and hear about things around campus.
Everything has been going really well but we have had a few incidents. The night we got back from vacation, four girls were attacked/mugged at knife point right outside our dorm at 8:30 pm. It was terrifying because we could hear them screaming and we had just gotten back to the dorm 30-60 minutes before it happened. Everyone was really shook up and crying and everything. I know I was really scared as many of you know...because my dear parents weren't home :) and I started calling everyone in my cellphone! And the night before that some drunk guy who doesn't go here anymore made his way into our dorm and wouldn't leave because he was harrassing students. That also sounded pretty scary but we weren't back for that event.
Otherwise everything is going well! Thanks again for all the cards and email and everything. I miss everyone a lot and I wish I could just call all of you :) Hope everything is going well with you guys! Talk to you soon!
Love
amanda
