STUFFED WITH THANKSGIVING

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.  
2 Cor 8:9

I am utterly overwhelmed by all that I have to be thankful for this year.  I don't even know where to start.  I feel I won't even be able to write down all the things that have been poured out into my life this year but here goes:

I am THANKFUL for my family.  The support they have given me throughout my life and especially in getting to TZ is tremendous.
I am THANKFUL for my friends new and old.  The emails, the dance parties, the hugs, the  many many fun times, and all the love they show towards me.
I am THANKFUL for my exuberant and crazy class.  Did you see them rapping.....?!
I am THANKFUL for the opportunity to teach at HOPAC.
I am THANKFUL that I have two wonderful nephews that I get to love on.  The cutest ever!
I am THANKFUL for the cross.
I am THANKFUL that HE never gave up on me.   :)
I am THANKFUL for my relationship with Jesus Christ.
I am THANKFUL for soft pretzels.  YUM YUM
I am THANKFUL for the way HE provides.
I am THANKFUL for a cool breeze.
I am THANKFUL for beautiful African colors.
I am THANKFUL for the children at Kurisini.
I am THANKFUL for grace and forgiveness.
I am THANKFUL for Christmas music, even when it's Max singing Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire...
I am THANKFUL for artisans.
I am THANKFUL for everyone who helped get me to Tanzania!  You all rock!
I am THANKFUL for being creative and sewing totally awesome items.  I love Fabric!
I am THANKFUL for Chumbe Island.  GO!
I am THANKFUL that I get to go home at Christmas and hug all my super amazing family and friends!!

I can go on for days but I will stop here.  Life is Good.  God is Good.  Everyone in my life is freaking ridiculously awesome!

Go hug 5 people and tell them why you are thankful for them!! DO IT!
Love you all!!


However, He has given each one of us a splendid gift, through the generosity of Christ.
Eph 4:7

So you know how God is just hilarious sometimes.  The way he speaks to you and puts things in your life that you were just wondering about or questioning that day!!  Well Saturday morning my devotion was about having a desire or goal for the year.  I couldn't really think of anything specific.  I mean, yes I am living here and I have a new job and I work at that everyday, but I couldn't really think of one.  So anyway, the day goes by and I was talking to the roommies about Max's half marathon.  We got to talking about the one at Kilimanjaro and BAM, a goal for the year!  HELLLOOO MCFLY! hahaha  I was like God, you are so funny.  I actually think HE wants me to train for this.  It is going to be crazy hard for me but another reason to depend on HIM.  So Silly that God of ours.  

Max Zietz, thank you for the inspiration!  You are my hero :)  The race is not until March 3 so I have lots of time to train.  This is definitely something I never considered doing.  I actually thought people who ran 1/2 marathons and marathons were a bit crazy!  I just never saw the appeal.  My roommate Rose and I are going to tackle this.  Maybe we can round up some other peeps to join in running for 2 hours....Woohoo!!  

http://www.kilimanjaromarathon.com

Check it out!!

IMANI

IMANI means FAITH in Kiswahili.  The word imani and I have a strong relationship.   Faith in HIM is what brought me to Africa.  Faith in HIM sustains me while I am here.   Faith in HIM is what I depend on for my future.   You gotta have faith people!

Walk By Faith BY: Jeremy Camp

Would I believe you when you would say 
Your hand will guide my every way 
Will I receive the words You say 
Every moment of every day 


Well I will walk by faith 
Even when I cannot see 
Well because this broken road 
Prepares Your will for me 

Help me to win my endless fears 
You've been so faithful for all my years 
With one breath You make me new 
Your grace covers all I do 

Well I'm broken- but I still see Your face 
Well You've spoken- pouring Your words of grace 


Well hallelujah, hallelu 
(I will walk by faith) 
Well hallelujah, hallelu 
(I will walk by faith) 

I will walk, I will walk, I will walk by faith 
I will, I will, I will walk by faith

Mr. Cockroach

So after a long week I go home, make some tea, and am reading to go relax for a little bit.  Well someone had different plans for me, and that someone is Mr. Cockroach.  I have heard of cockroach siting’s but luckily I hadn’t had one, until NOW!  I am walking to my room, down a long hallway, my room is the last one at then end of the hallway, and all of a sudden a GINORMOUS cockroach jumps at me!  Actually, I saw it from down the hall.  Anyway, it was big, the size of a small mouse, AND it has wings!!  I was so grossed out!  I followed it as it scurried down the hall, climbing up walls and onto my roommate’s door.  As I see Mr. Cockroach chilling on my roommate’s door I start to realize that my door is OPEN!  Now it was decision time, do I run past the cockroach and maybe it will jump at me or do I let him make his way down to my room and into my bedroom…?  I decided to go Mission Impossible-esc down the hall.  I jumped and dodged and crawled and did an amazing spin move, finally I made it to my room and closed the door, where I was met by a little gecko, but he was cute.  Back to the roach!  So now I had to Mission Impossible my butt back to the other end of the hall.  In 2 seconds flat I had made it back.  Now it was a waiting game…  tick tock tick tock.  The roach climbed down from my roommate’s door and was back on the move.  He tried to get out of one of the doors but unfortunately it was closed.  He then made a move towards the kitchen opening where I was standing.  I relocated and watched as he went into the closet.  I kept looking for our gardener so I could call him in to destroy this creature but no luck.  Then my prayers had been answered! Out of her stepped my hero, Rose!  I think I scared her when I yelled her name before she even got out of her room, but she so bravely went into the closet and stepped on Mr. Cockroach.  I went to get her a bag to clean it up and all of sudden, HE STARTED MOVING AGAIN!   I freaked and ran onto a chair!  Rose was determined.  I think she may have tried a few more times to squish him.  Finally, a large running shoe did the trick.  Mr. Cockroaches’ life came to an end.  Thank the Lord!   Now I feel like there are bugs crawling on me, I kind of want to throw up because it was huge and gross, but I am so thankful for Rose.  She Rocks!!!!  

New Things

I want to preface this blog with the fact that it is so random.  I apologize in advance for it being kind of all over the place.  :)

Lots of new things happening!!   1) I am somehow getting up at 5:30 every morning.  I am thoroughly impressed with myself.  2) I am able to talk about Jesus in school and it is encouraged! 3) I walk to work every morning 4) I have more mosquito bites on my legs than I can count.  5) I sleep with my pants tucked into my socks some night so I don’t get eaten.  6) I have to consciously think about my clothes and if my skirt/dress is too short or if my shirt is too revealing because it may offend someone.  7) There is no dismissal policy after school.  I just open the door and say “Bye,” hoping they all make it to their bus or parents.  8) Spiders don’t phase me any more.  9) I am going to be coaching U-11 girls soccer.  10) I have fantastic roommates! 11) I am addicted to the show Downton Abbey (its from the UK)

There are many more things but I can’t remember them all.  Somehow, all these new parts of my life are becoming more and more familiar. 

School~  So school has started.  I have had a week and a half.  Getting up before the sun comes up has its perks.  I get to see the sun rise and walk to school while it is still cool out.  I will never get sick of seeing the sun rise and set on the hill where we live.  It is so magnificent!  School starts at 7:20 so my aim, for at least the first half of the year, is to get there at 6:30.  The principal invites anyone to come pray with him at 7 before the day starts.  With my bunch this year I am constantly praying for endurance, patience, energy, and “crazy love.”  Crazy Love is HOPAC’s theme this year.  One of my students put it so perfectly, Jesus’s love is not normal love it is CRAZY LOVE!  So awesome.   How convenient that my name has love in it too!  I am hammering this concept into my kids haha.  They love it!

My kids really are fantastic.  They do have a lot of energy and a lot to say and share.  They have the most wonderful personalities.  They will definitely test my endurance and energy throughout the year, but what class doesn’t.  I find that I don’t realize how tired I am until they leave.  Then I remember what quiet is like too!  Each grade puts on an assembly on a Friday throughout the year and I am feeling that my class is going to wow everyone with a dance or song.  They love singing and dancing!!!

To celebrate out first full week of school Sarah, Emily, Rose, Winston and I all went to the beach.  I love swimming in the Indian Ocean.  The water is gorgeous and the perfect temperature.  We had a drink overlooking the water.  It was such a nice, relaxing time.  Much needed! 

Orphanage~  I have had the awesome opportunity on Sundays to visit an orphanage in Kurasini.  The Miller’s, a Young Life Family, have taken me out to eat and then to the orphanage for the past two weeks.  My roommate Ali and another HOPAC teacher Winston have been going.  The kids are amazing.  The first visit I was really taking it all in.  These kids just want love and hugs!  They are so precious.  I have really enjoyed my time there.  One of the little boys, Frankie, fell asleep in my arms last Sunday.    My heart gets so excited to see them, I just love it!  It is making me want and need to learn Kiswahili.   I want to talk with these amazing children.  I have been trying to learn something every week.  For example, last week I learned right, left and straight ahead.  This way when I am in the bajaj I can at least tell the driver how to get me home.  Some of us might get private lessons are our house. 

Goat Races ~  Goat races are the first weekend in September.  In the States we celebrate labor and here they celebrate goats!   They have a handful of different heats.  Different organizations sponsor the goats and you can bet on them.  It is pretty funny.  The goats have to be chased by this blue bar otherwise they won’t run.  There were lots of food, drinks, games, and places to buy African goodies.  I got some hand woven baskets!  They are so pretty!   It was like an African carnival.  

I am so excited, a tailor my roommates knows is coming to the house to take measurements on dresses and such.  He is also going to make me a better and more usable mosquito net!  I am so pumped.   No more climbing in and out of my cocoon of a mosquito net or debating if I should go to the bathroom and un-tuck it or if I just suck it up haha.  So funny.  The little joys in life.

I can’t believe it is September already.  School is on its way and there are lots of new lifestyles and routines I am experiencing.  I am definitely settling in but I miss home a lot and all my friends and family.  Love you all so much!  HUGS!!!

HOPAC

The field where lots of kids play football

Admin Building

Back of Secondary classrooms

Football field and break field

1st -3rd grade wing

My classroom!!

My attempt at bulletin boards.  There are so many in the room.

My desk.  The little turquoise area with cheetah border is my little area!!

Welcome to First Grade!!

Birthdays and Word Wall Word board, i think..?!

Secondary Wing and they are building new classrooms that aren't ready yet...

4th and 5th wing

So we started new teacher training.  Len the director, ran the first portion of our sessions.  He has been involved with the school since it started.  It is really an interesting story how 4 missionaries who cam from different countries and had similar but different religious backgrounds, came up with the idea for HOPAC.  They saw a need that missionary families were having.  Many families wanted to stay in the field or wanted to come to the field but the lack of education for their children was a problem.  So that is where they got the idea for HOPAC.  God led the way from there and now they are the first accredited Christian school in Tanzania. Still with a lot of work to do. They kept saying that HOPAC has been so successful because they are all on the same page with God and having a biblical worldview within the school and curriculum was so beneficial. They are not just teaching subjects separately they are helping children develop starting from the inside.  They are teaching morals and how to LIVE for God on a daily basis.  It is not just math, reading, social studies, and science.  The new teachers are so wonderful as well.  I am the only new primary teacher.  The new teachers consist of people from the U.S., Canada, the Netherlands, and Tanzania.  I learned a lot about the do’s and don’t  of Tanzania culture.  For example, showing your legs above the knee is comparable to walking around topless in the States.  So no thigh showing for this girl.  Also, if a Tanzania sees you drinking they automatically assume that you are not a Christian and it may strain a relationship.  Even though that is clearly not true their is no convincing them.  It is like trying to convince me that murder is not wrong.  Many do drink here but it was just a warning in case you were at a Tanzanian’s home.  Also, here they value relationships more than time.  In the U.S.  I feel we are a slave to the clock and rush around.  When you talk with a Tanzanian it is polite and expected that you take time and ask them how they are doing and about their family and life. Otherwise, it can be seen as rude or disrespectful.  Tanzanians also do not show much emotion, especially if they are angry or upset.  It is rare you will see a Tanzanian loose their temper.  In addition, since there is a lot of corruption still here, we were advised on what to do when pulled over by the police.  Many teachers will refuse to pay the fine.  Some, almost challenge the police officer to write out a ticket and or take them to the station.  They advise not to pay the bribe.  If they write out the ticket or go to the station that means they have to report the money they take and they can’t just pocket it.  I do appreciate that fact that the staff is not supporting this and with their actions they are saying that they do not agree with the corruption and hope to help change it. 

I want to immerse myself as much as possible and learn the language as best as I can.  There is a new teacher Jane, who is Tanzanian, and she has been teaching me a little bit here and there.  She also offered for me to come over eat over and teach me some Swahili.  Hopefully I can learn a lot from her.  My teaching assistant taught Swahili as well, so I am praying I can pick it up easily. 

On Friday we had a wonderful staff retreat at one of the local hotels on the beach.  It was called Kunduchi Beach Hotel.   There is a water park and go karts!  Both I want to experience at some point.   The facilities are beautiful!  Everything is wide open so you get a fantastic breeze coming off of the Indian Ocean.  We had a big staff introduction.  Everyone had to make an acrostic poem using your name and telling a little bit about your self.    Mine was: Doesn’t like cockroaches, Awesome (God, HOPAC, being in Tanzania), Needs sunshine, Is into sewing bags, Excited to be in Tanzania and at HOPAC, Loves hugs, sunflowers, and purple, Likes to eat soft pretzels, Enjoys being active.  After, we had a Strategic Planning Meeting in the morning, followed by tea, obviously and then lunch.  At the end of our session we got our class list and we went off into groups to pray for the kids.  Not knowing any of them made this a little challenging but I had Stacey, the librarian and who has a son in my class, and Delecia, the Service Learning teacher, with me.  It was funny because every time they would start praying for one of my kids they would laugh or chuckle about the “unique” personalities they have.  I know I am going to love my class but it is just funny how everyone keeps commenting on how they all have the special, unique, interesting qualities. It shall be interesting!  After our HOPAC time was over I was dying to go for a swim in the Indian Ocean.  Sarah, my roommate, and her mom stayed and we went for a bit of a swim.  The water was perfect!!!  The Indian Ocean is so beautiful, a huge step up from Long Island Sound.  I was so excited I finally got to go swimming!  It made me super happy.  Went home on a Dali Dali, obviously it was packed to the point where people were hanging out of it.  TIA!!! (MAX) 

On the walk back up the hill I stopped at Marilyn and Len’s home.  Len is the director of HOPAC.  They had a dresser for me so I went to scope it out.  Marilyn lined the bottom with super fun colorful paper.  So awesome!   Now my room will not be as empty.  We chatted for a while, drank tea, ate homemade apple pie and ice cream, while looking at the Indian Ocean.   I am so spoiled!  GIG (God is Good).

8-12-12

So I had my first Tanzanian “time” moment.  The family Christine is living with offered to pick me up and take me to church.  They said church started at 9 so they would pick me up at 8:45.  Well, 8:45 passed and it was 5 of 9.  I was so worried about being late, I thought maybe they forgot about me so I walked.  When I gt there I told Marilyn what happened and she called to let them know I was there.  As it turned out, HOPAC church doesn’t star till 9:20 ish.  I should have know, Tanzanian time is not actual time.  My and my American self thought, oh maybe they forgot, which happens, so I just walked.  I felt so bad after.  They didn’t mind at all but I felt silly.  I will always remember now, Tanzania time. 

Church was amazing this morning.  Such great worship in the gym of HOPAC.  It is amazing that the director of the school is the pastor as well, Len.  It was a great sermon and great songs were sung.  I really enjoyed it and liked the message.  Ecclesiastes 3.  Everything under the sun WITHOUT GOD is meaningless.  So, how do you make the most out of life?  You need to accept God’s guidance in every area of your life.  All things will happen, but you need to have God as your partner.  There will be tragedy if we try to do things in our own way. 

During church Yvonne wrote to me that my blessings are my little first graders this year.  I am so eager to meet them after all of the things I have been hearing about them.

After church Rob and Yvonne took us to a furniture-making house.   We drove up a crazy steep hill and came to the “furniture store.”   There were actually men and women working.  There were mass amounts of wood and started chairs, bed frames, cabinets etc.  The craftsmanship was amazing.  My father would have been in heaven and talking to them for hours.  Chrstine talked with them about a cabinet she was receiving for her kitchen.  After we drove to the Africana intersection.  We finally got our ATM cards to work.  We attempted to get a phone and internet but it didn’t work.  TIA, driving around for hours trying to find something specific and it not working out.  Tomorrow it is!  Came home and relaxed before we had to go to dinner at Marie and Carley’s house.  So we call a bajaji drive to come to my house, Abedy.  Pic*

A bajaji is like a car you would choose in Mario cart.  It has handlebars, like a bike, that you use to steer.  It is manual on the handle like a motorbike but it has two bench seats in the front and back.  There is also a overhead covering.  It is the coolest thing ever.    I was so excited to be riding in one, I felt like a little kid in a candy shop.  Carley and Marie were so gracious and made us dinner.  We had homemade chili with cornbread and “sour cream”(depending on how much water you drain out of the package it is like sour cream or cream cheese). It was delicious.  Carly is engaged to a Kenyan man and they will wed in Kenya in November and then have a ceremony back in the states over holiday break.  She is the assistant of something.  Marie is the Special Ed teacher and has been teaching overseas for a while.  She is awesome at Swahili.  It is interesting how you can make life very similar to back in the states if you want.  They have cars, a satellite tv and phones.  It seems that everything is pretty much available, it just comes at a price.  All in all it was a good night. 

8-13-12

Christine and I made it our priority to get internet and a phone for her today.  It is too difficult to rely on others to do it for you.  We set off in a bajaji again, driven by George.  He had the biggest eyes.  We went to the Shopright Mall.  It was mall-like.  It had a lot of different stores and a huge supermarket that had everything you could think of.  Again, making me feel not like I am in Africa.  I got some little things I needed for my room and school. 

We went on to another grocery store called Shoppers.  This is the best place to get internet and phones.  Finally, I got Internet!  Yea!  It has been nice not having it but I find I want it most to look up things I am unsure of.  And no Erin, it isn’t hard words all the time.  Shopping tires me out no matter what country I am in.  Got home, relaxed and had to decide what to cook for my first independent meal in Tanzania.  So , of course I chose pasta.  Very traditional ;)  I did have lots of local veggies that I chopped up and put in it.  I had me a little sprite and some cookies for desert.  All in all it was a yummy meal. 

First Days in My New Home

8-10-12

Tanzania, back again baby!  So I have arrived in Dar es Salaam.  The trip went very smoothly.  Left JFK and made it to London with no problems except lack of sleep.  I was about to loose it because I was so tired, then praise the lord, I found three chairs I could lay down on.  Hethrow airport is like a mall and all of the gates have single seats, not good for laying down.  Needless to say, I napped and met up with Christine, who is teaching at HOPAC as well.  It was great that we got to hang out at the airport and fly to Dar together.  We were so excited to land but were a little unsure about getting into the country.  Will we get through the resident line with only a receipt of our permit and will all of out bags be waiting for us at the baggage claim?  Silly me for ever doubting the big man.  Everything worked out and I had ALL of my overweight bags!  When Christine and I rolled all of our luggage up to the Rav 4 I was questioning how everything was going to fit.  Well it all did, even if we had 3 bags in between us and one behind my head.   The pic is great* 

HOPAC and my house are on the outskirts of Dar.  We dangerously drove, which is the Tanzanian way, in and out of lanes, almost hitting people, bikers, and animals in our way, twisting, turning, and swerving our way closer to the ocean.  We finally get to the road that many HOPACIANS live on.   It is up a bouncy dirt road on the hillside.  The houses are laid out in between teak trees and a few lime trees.  Christine is living on the same road as me.  She has a little apartment attached to a HOPAC family’s house.  It was really cute.  She has her own garden, a fantastic view and her stove and fridge outside under an overhang.  We dropped her off, met the family and their dogs and went on to my house.  I live about a 5 minute walk away.  I guess a Greek family owns many of the houses HOPAC teachers and staff rent.  This family has been here for a long time and some of their grandchildren go to HOPAC.  They live in between Christine and I.  My house is huge and yellow.  It has a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean and a large front yard.  The house is one floor but has 5 bedrooms and bathrooms.  There is a kitchen and dining room when you enter.   Turn the corner and it opens up into another dining area, which is mainly used for laundry, a living room and a beautiful sitting room with a stunning view.   There is also a nice courtyard where we can hang our clothes.   My room is quite large.  I have a single bed, a small desk and drawer, a comfy chair, a mirror thing.  When you walk into the bathroom there is a huge closet and drawers for all my clothes and toiletries.  I have a large green bathtub and shower.  I can see the ocean from my room and there is a flower garden outside as well.  I am so shocked at how nice this place is!  What a blessing. 

Only one of my roommates is here, Sara, and her mother is visiting as well.  They are from Washington State.  I did a little unpacking.   I feel like I brought a lot of stuff!!!  Oops.  I am already making a pile of what I probably wont be wearing.  I had some tea with Sarah and her mom and then we walked down to HOPAC to check out the campus.  The school is about a 5 minute walk from home, so nice and close.  The campus is great.  I met a lot of the staff and they all knew who I was because there is a little blurb about me up in the teachers lounge area.  

My classroom is awesome.  It looks like a regular classroom.  There is a hundreds chart and a lot of supplies!  I am overwhelmed with the resources.  Everyone keeps smirking when they hear I am teaching this first grade class.  “Oh they have a lot of interesting personalities, they are a very active bunch…”  It makes me wonder what I am in for. 

After visiting HOPAC I walked home.  There is a small community that lives in a old quarry below the road leading to HOPAC.   There is no electricity or running water.  HOPAC does do some after school activities with the kids there but it is very interesting the night and day lifestyles.  I took a little nap and got up to go shower.  Jane Grueler, who does a lot of HR stuff, offered to take Christine and I to a yummy dinner spot.  Before that happens, I turn on the water to shower and a giant centipede comes out of the drain.  It is no ordinary centipede, it has a red head and red feet.  All that redness equals DANGER!  I didn’t want to be the new girl loser who can’t handle her bugs so I dealt with it.  At first I thought I could take it outside but it was so long and would probably come right back in.  Then I tried to drown it with the water, no luck.  So I got a zip lock bag and so how got it inside.  All the while freaking out about how gross this thing was.  After it entered its death zone I closed up the bag and hopefully it suffocated!  My first kill haha.   I also had another friend, a little gecko, but he is helpful and eats the mosquitos so he can stay.

So my first, of many bug experiences, is over.  Went out to dinner with Jane and Don and their daughter Sam.  We ate at a cute bungalow looking restaurant.  I had red snapper with coconut sauce and rice.  D E L I C I O U S !  We had great conversations and good times.  I saw the Southern Cross.  There is nothing like a Tanzanian sky! 

If anyone wants to do some praying, my allergies are in full swing.  Who would have thought I would have allergy problems in Dar es Salaam!  I can’t tell if it’s my room or the air or what but hopefully it will pass soon. 

Anyway, good transition so far!  I am excited to fix up my classroom more, have new teacher training, and meet the rest of my roommates! 

My room! The bed is not in the middle of the room any more haha.

Dangerous biting centipede.  YUK!

Red Snapper with coconut sauce and rice!

My home!!

Indian Ocean view from yard

My yard

The front of my house

My view

8-11-12

I finally slept!  I woke up, had a great devotional time.  I sat in out bug open living room that over looks the big and vast Indian Ocean.  Marilyn, the director’s wife came over.  She was so sweet.  She brought me cookies and gave me a phone to use while I am here.  She was such a blessing.  She also is willing to give me a chest of drawers for my room.  I was so glad I got to sit and talk with her.  She really gave me a warm welcome.  Everyone at HOPAC has been soo welcoming and eager to help us and meet us.  Stacey, the librarian, and her husband Dan volunteered to take us into town and do a little shopping and go to the ATM.  I have their son Micah in my class next year.  They are from Kentucky.  They are so nice and helpful as well.  I went to their house and hung out for a little that afternoon.  Their other daughter Aida is so cute.  They adopted her from Mississippi and Micah is from Korea.  Aida reminded me of Tucker a little.  I had dinner at Yvonne and ________ house, where Christine is living.  Their home is beautiful.   They have a wonderful daughter Raisha.  She was born in Burundi.   Yvonne made meat and veggie lasagna, a beautiful salad, and garlic bread.  It was delicious.   For desert she made Key Lime pie.  It was amazing.  Everything was fantastic.