I'm here......and it's hot!!!

Well, after about 30 hours of traveling I just spent my first day in Tanzania! The traveling went very well, everything was on time and my luggage made it. What else can you ask for with having four different connecting flights? On my 8-hour flight from Amsterdam to Kenya I actually had an empty seat next to me and was able to lay on the two seats and sleep for the majority of the flight!
When we finally got to Tanzania it was the middle of the night. When we were flying into the city it was so dark; I know it was midnight, but I still think most cities in America would be all lit up….the darkness really was captivating. When we got off the plane I was immediately accosted by the heat and humidity…the heat was so stifling it took me a second to be able to breathe normally. I’m not sure if it’s hotter than Jamaica, or a Florida summer for that matter...maybe I’m just not used to it after coming from Atlanta winter, but it was so hot! By the time I got to my hotel room I was drenched in sweat. When we landed it Tanzania I was very excited, but sad at the same time. I was finally in Africa, a place I had always dreamed about going, but I also felt very very far away and in such an unknown place. I of course was overwhelmed by how geographically distant I felt from Jeremy and my family and friends. When we left the airport I felt a little scared, I wasn’t sure if people would speak English or how friendly they would be. When we got to the hotel the first thing I did was try to get on the Internet to make a phone call using Skype, but the connection was so bad that nothing was working. (Now I am at the hotel's “business center” typing this). Luckily, Jeremy being the smart man that he is, figured out how to call me in my hotel room! The connection was great and I felt so much calmer after talking to him…I guess I didn’t feel so far away anymore. I was still extremely hot though.
Unfortunately I don’t have too much to say about Tanzania yet. Today we went out for a little to a touristy area by the ocean and then we had our first work meeting at the CARE health director’s home. So far, the Tanzanians I’ve encountered are extremely nice…and they haven’t hit on me or been obscene in any way like many Jamaicans were (not all!). I can tell I’m going to like them. The buildings, environment, and food remind me a lot of Jamaica. There are more dirt roads, which you wouldn’t find in many capital cities, and many women are dressed in what I would describe as traditional African dress. I have also seen several Muslims, which no offense to any Muslims, but I would never be one here, seeing what they have to wear in this heat! Actually, my taxi driver today asked me my religion, but I didn’t want to say because my dad specifically told me not to tell anyone I’m Jewish. I’m almost sure he wouldn’t have known what it was, not to mention he hardly spoke English, but I just changed the subject. There are signs here in English and in Swahili. In Dar a lot of people speak English, but once we leave here I am told it won’t be the case.
I keep saving my writing after every few minutes, because the power has gone out a lot already. In fact, it went out in the middle of the night, and I woke up instantaneously when I somehow heard the loud humming of the AC stop! There is AC in the rooms, but it took until this morning for the room to cool down a little. I can’t complain though...it’s AC! Anyway, I learned a lot more about our project today during our meeting, and it sounds like it is going to be a lot of work, but very interesting and rewarding. Every three years CARE USA plans a meeting in one of the countries that they work in, and this year they chose Tanzania. Tomorrow is the meeting and we are invited. There will be about 50 execs there from CARE USA. Then on Tuesday we leave on a small plane to Mwanza, the region where we will be doing our study. I found out that the baggage limit is 40 lbs on the flight, which is going to be quite problematic for me. Which reminds me, after I packed to come here, Jeremy went through my suitcase and took about a third of the stuff out. When we got the airport he helped me check-in and my bag weighed exactly 50 lbs. The airline attended told us, “excellent job!” and went on to tell us the bag limit is 50lbs! We were so amazed…..and very lucky. I have another bag too, mostly stuff to give away, but I have no idea how I am going to get it there…I’m sure I can do it, it will just take money! That’s enough for now, as time passes I’m sure I will have a lot more insight to share about Tanzania and the people. I miss everyone and will post pictures soon!