Becoming Real Life

I feel like I have been in Arusha for a month already, but it has not even been a full week yet, which is a good thing, because if it were that I've been here for a few months already, I would have nothing to show for it.  I definitely enjoyed myself the first week in Arusha, and although I think I definitely needed the time to get accustomed to life here a little bit, I haven't done anything productive yet.  Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, at least for now, and it was nice to have a few carefree days in Arusha before starting my internships.  The first weekend particularly was a lot of fun, and I have really enjoyed getting to know my housemates.  I feel like I'm back in college a little bit (which can be a good thing and a bad thing…) and I am enjoying the company of the house, cooking and having meals together, playing soccer with everyone, and just getting got know people and making new friends.  All good stuff.  

However, I have been feeling a little off so far, and I think it's because even though I know I'm in Africa, I don't really feel like I'm in Africa yet.  I get bits and pieces of the feeling, like when I walk briefly through an open air market or when we run out of water in the house, but that could happen anywhere.  So I think I'm waiting for that feeling to hit me that I am definitely in Africa.  I'm sure it's coming, and I'm sure when it does I will be very excited about it, and probably even make it a Facebook status (because nothing is real unless it's on Facebook, right?)… I think the other part of it is that usually when I travel, I feel comfortable in a new city almost immediately; I walk around, get to know it, and really engage with it, and for some reason, I just haven't done that yet with Arusha.  And it's not that I don't like the city, I just think that I am more guarded and cautious here than anywhere else I have been.  I think since I got here a week after everyone else, I am more reliant on them to answer my questions and tell me where things are or what to do rather than figure it out for myself.  

Again, none of this is a bad thing.  It's probably better to come into a new city with a little bit of humility rather than run around acting like you own the place, but I would like to stop feeling like such a dunce all the time (even though I'm fairly certain that might never actually go away…) and start feeling like I belong in Arusha and have a reason to be here.  Hopefully that starts tomorrow, when I start my internship with Kamamma.  I am a little nervous about it, mostly because of the very creepy and uncomfortable meeting I had on Friday, but I'm feeling good about it and I'm pretty sure nothing could be worse than my Friday meeting and that it can only get better from there.  

Until then, I should probably stop complaining and acting like my life sucks, because today I sat under a gazebo in 80 degrees and got tan.  Instead, I'll post some more sweet pictures showing how awesome it is over here.  :-) 

This is the road to get to our house, and the typical kind of road you see around Arusha.  That means it's bumpy and I have a difficult time walking gracefully and without tripping (pretty sure I have a hard time on smooth pavement with that, too).  Something I have been noticing is just how dark it gets at night here, so when we walk on the roads at night, it's really dark.  Which certainly doesn't make walking on the roads any easier.  However, it is pretty incredible when you look up and see the stars and see how close they are and how big and bright.  That's when I appreciate the darkness (until I immediately trip and then get frustrated again). 

A view from town of Mt. Meru (taken from someone else's camera which is much better than mine and that I probably need to invest in soon enough...) It's pretty awesome that this is the view from our backyard.  You can also see it from most spots around the city.  

Here's most of my housemates (but not all!) sitting around the table where we have dinner together every night

A typical dinner...so far the meals have been really good!  Nothing yet that has matched my love for the food in Costa Rica, but I'm sure I'll find something to give it a run for its money...

Fresh, homemade guacamole!  Yes, we have a food processor in our kitchen.  Not that I would know how to make guacamole.  As is per usual, I let others do the cooking and I enjoy the eating (by the way, thanks to Trish and Sarah for the guac!)   

Really pretty flower in the tree outside

Another picture of the house, in case you forgot what it looks like :-)