Happy Holidays, everyone! Thanks for joining me on this amazing adventure. I wanted to let you know that I'll be doing a few presentations in Arizona about what I learned in Tanzania. Please join me if you're able!
Dec. 28 - First United Methodist Church of Tucson, 10:00am
915 E 4th St, Tucson, AZ 85719
Feb. 15 - Living Hope Community Church of Tucson, 9:00am
currently meeting at Ironwood Elementary School
3300 W. Freer Dr. Tucson, AZ 85742
I hope to schedule more presentations soon in Tucson and the Phoenix Valley.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Loving London!
The last few weeks in Africa were amazing and filled with events including several HIV testing days and community teachings in various villages. Our volunteer program dinner was wonderful and we were all sad to say goodbye. While the volunteers were great, I will especially miss our Tanzanian staff of field officers and community health workers; they're the heart and soul of our organization! I'm hoping to be back in Tanzania sometime in the near future... stay tuned for more details...
Suz and I are determined to see all of London in 72 hours... we're making good progress so far! She did most of the touristy sight-seeing when she arrived in September, but is being a great sport about playing tour guide will I take everything in for the first time. On Monday we saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, visited Westminster Abbey, rode the London Eye, toured the Globe Theatre (which as far as I'm concerned is reason enough to come to London all by itself!!!), and viewed the art in the National Gallery (travel tip -- free admission here and enough amazing artwork to occupy several hours of your day). Suz wanted me to experience Harrod's, despite neither of us being able to afford anything there. She was very patient with me as I ranted about the excessive waste of $900 handbags and how many African children could be fed with that kind of money ... I'd been doing so well all day, but reverse culture shock was bound to set in at some point, and a city block devoted to a store boasting about multiple rooms of luxury was just too much to handle. I'm sure my family in TX will be grateful that I'm going through this now rather than in their presence later this week. Anyway, we ended the night with London's best attempt at Mexican food, which is better than Tanzania's best attempt but still not up to AZ standards and then some time at the Globe pub near Suz's residence hall (when in Rome...).
Today we toured the Tower of London, where we happened to run into our friend Doug who had spent the semester studying in Norwich. We had no idea he was spending the week in London, and we were all shocked to see each other in the same tour group! We then visited King's Cross station, home of Platform 9 3/4, the entry way to Hogwarts. (If this makes no sense to you, pick up a Harry Potter book...) Tonight Suz and I are going to Spamalot with some of her friends. Our plan for tomorrow includes St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum.
I miss you all! I currently want to somehow be in Tanzania, London, and the U.S. simultaneously but know I'll be thrilled to be home as soon as I arrive. The feeling of cold weather, the sight of Christmas trees, the sound of Christmas carols, and the taste of candy canes have put me in a wonderful mood. Merry Christmas!!
Suz and I are determined to see all of London in 72 hours... we're making good progress so far! She did most of the touristy sight-seeing when she arrived in September, but is being a great sport about playing tour guide will I take everything in for the first time. On Monday we saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, visited Westminster Abbey, rode the London Eye, toured the Globe Theatre (which as far as I'm concerned is reason enough to come to London all by itself!!!), and viewed the art in the National Gallery (travel tip -- free admission here and enough amazing artwork to occupy several hours of your day). Suz wanted me to experience Harrod's, despite neither of us being able to afford anything there. She was very patient with me as I ranted about the excessive waste of $900 handbags and how many African children could be fed with that kind of money ... I'd been doing so well all day, but reverse culture shock was bound to set in at some point, and a city block devoted to a store boasting about multiple rooms of luxury was just too much to handle. I'm sure my family in TX will be grateful that I'm going through this now rather than in their presence later this week. Anyway, we ended the night with London's best attempt at Mexican food, which is better than Tanzania's best attempt but still not up to AZ standards and then some time at the Globe pub near Suz's residence hall (when in Rome...).
Today we toured the Tower of London, where we happened to run into our friend Doug who had spent the semester studying in Norwich. We had no idea he was spending the week in London, and we were all shocked to see each other in the same tour group! We then visited King's Cross station, home of Platform 9 3/4, the entry way to Hogwarts. (If this makes no sense to you, pick up a Harry Potter book...) Tonight Suz and I are going to Spamalot with some of her friends. Our plan for tomorrow includes St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum.
I miss you all! I currently want to somehow be in Tanzania, London, and the U.S. simultaneously but know I'll be thrilled to be home as soon as I arrive. The feeling of cold weather, the sight of Christmas trees, the sound of Christmas carols, and the taste of candy canes have put me in a wonderful mood. Merry Christmas!!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Greetings from London!
It's been a long 2 days of travel, but wanted to quickly let everyone know that I made it safely to London and am enjoying some time with my friend Suz. I'm looking forward to spending a few days here and will post updates about the last few weeks after some much-needed rest. It feels like winter here, which is quite a change!
I miss you all and can't wait to catch up with you. I'll be back in the States on Thursday with a working cell phone :)
Merry Christmas!
Natalie
I miss you all and can't wait to catch up with you. I'll be back in the States on Thursday with a working cell phone :)
Merry Christmas!
Natalie
Friday, December 12, 2008
Moving Out
Hi everyone,
We moved out of the villages this morning, which was bittersweet. I'll spend tonight in Arusha before heading to Dar es Salaam tomorrow and then onto London the next day. I'm sad to leave but looking forward to seeing family and friends and enjoying the comforts of home.
I'll try to update this again from London.
Thank you all so much for your love and support that made this adventure possible. Thanks for sharing this experience with me. I can't wait to catch up with all of you when I return.
Love and Peace,
Natalie
We moved out of the villages this morning, which was bittersweet. I'll spend tonight in Arusha before heading to Dar es Salaam tomorrow and then onto London the next day. I'm sad to leave but looking forward to seeing family and friends and enjoying the comforts of home.
I'll try to update this again from London.
Thank you all so much for your love and support that made this adventure possible. Thanks for sharing this experience with me. I can't wait to catch up with all of you when I return.
Love and Peace,
Natalie
Monday, December 1, 2008
last weekend in Arusha
It's World AIDS Day!! There was a march this morning and many speakers today. The events will end with a soccer match between a team of HIV+ individuals and a team of journalists. We're very sad that we'll miss it by a couple hours since we're returning to the village later today, but are thrilled by the idea of it.
A few of us went to Moshi earlier this weekend which is a smaller city nearby and the home of one of our teaching partners. We enjoyed meeting his friends and visiting his favorite hang-outs. Moshi is also the location of the teaching hospital and international school founded by the parents of Greg Mortenson, the subject of the bestseller Three Cups of Tea - which should be required reading for everyone.
We'll be in the village for 2 weeks and then will move out. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by!!!
On Thanksgiving, we were invited to a second wedding party in the village. November is the new June in the States as well as here! The party was incredibly nice, although we were a bit taken back by the main course of the dinner: two goats, skinned and roasted whole, presented with leaves in their mouths and sticks to prop them in a kneeling position, were paraded around before being carved into. It was something like a cross between a Hawaiian luau and a BodyWorld exhibit! And yes, I have photos if you're interested... We were also shocked to see that a drag queen had been hired, given the tragic results of being openly gay in Tanzania, but were told that this was a result of the popularity of a new political comedy TV show that uses drag queens to mock government officials. We're not sure that this is a step forward in the fight for equality...
We're trying to get in the holiday spirit despite the summer weather. My roommate has decided we need to teach our family English Christmas carols. Anyone who's heard me sing will appreciate why I've left this task to her!
We're finished teaching at the primary school and will start meeting with our little peer educator group this week. The kids are very enthusiastic! We've also set up community teachings and HIV testing days.
Chuck and Judi returned to the village two more times and even got to sit in on one of our classes! They said it was SLIGHTLY different than the classrooms they taught in ...
I miss you all but will be sad to leave in a couple weeks.
Happy Holidays!
A few of us went to Moshi earlier this weekend which is a smaller city nearby and the home of one of our teaching partners. We enjoyed meeting his friends and visiting his favorite hang-outs. Moshi is also the location of the teaching hospital and international school founded by the parents of Greg Mortenson, the subject of the bestseller Three Cups of Tea - which should be required reading for everyone.
We'll be in the village for 2 weeks and then will move out. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by!!!
On Thanksgiving, we were invited to a second wedding party in the village. November is the new June in the States as well as here! The party was incredibly nice, although we were a bit taken back by the main course of the dinner: two goats, skinned and roasted whole, presented with leaves in their mouths and sticks to prop them in a kneeling position, were paraded around before being carved into. It was something like a cross between a Hawaiian luau and a BodyWorld exhibit! And yes, I have photos if you're interested... We were also shocked to see that a drag queen had been hired, given the tragic results of being openly gay in Tanzania, but were told that this was a result of the popularity of a new political comedy TV show that uses drag queens to mock government officials. We're not sure that this is a step forward in the fight for equality...
We're trying to get in the holiday spirit despite the summer weather. My roommate has decided we need to teach our family English Christmas carols. Anyone who's heard me sing will appreciate why I've left this task to her!
We're finished teaching at the primary school and will start meeting with our little peer educator group this week. The kids are very enthusiastic! We've also set up community teachings and HIV testing days.
Chuck and Judi returned to the village two more times and even got to sit in on one of our classes! They said it was SLIGHTLY different than the classrooms they taught in ...
I miss you all but will be sad to leave in a couple weeks.
Happy Holidays!
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