KILIMANJARO 5859 !FEEZING COLD

OUT OF AFRICA

I am trying to prepare my self to leave this place, butit has become so familiar and I have gotten used to the daily routines here and wakeing up to the view of the Kilimanjaro, it will be hard to leave. only have a week left and then I am out of here, but will have a couple of days in Nairobi before i fly out on the 15th.Leaving the sunshine behind, but still smiling becasue i will see my family and friends again.

KILIMAJARO ninakupenda sana!

I MADE IT! Just come down from a 5 days hike up the tallest freestanding mt in the world! Was suck a fantastic walk and an awsome mountain. Will tell you all about it later, and hopefully show some pictures, but now I am of to celebrate!!!!!!!!

100% sure of my status,and I know what to do to keep it that way :)

An important part of Kiwakukki's work is AIDS education and testing. We have joined them on the streets encouraging people to come to the office and get tested so they know their sero status. But i was faced witha callenge when a man asked me if I had been tested myself. Since I could not confirm that I felt that I had to do it myself before advicing anyone else to do it. It was also a good chance for me to know how it was for the clients to go though the prosses of pre counceling and know the information they got there. I think that this is department that produces most behaviour and attitude change after having to reflect once situation and nervously wait for the result. So now I can boldly tell everyone to get tested.

Moshi is no longer a safe city

This week found ourself on a spontanious trip to the foot of kilimajaro to spend the night at a friend's cabin. Unfortunately we were too close to the national park ot use bullets, but we spent the afternoon shooting at bottles with a pelletgun.Now we are all ready to hunt down that squreel that is messing ut out store.:)who said that living with a profetional hunter would not influence us? Now he got us all hooked and ready to test out out skills on other things..

LIttel italy in Tanzania

I have gotten to know this really cool and crazy swiz lady in church who has been in Tanzania for a lifetime and we have lots in common. and we both love to cook. She used to run a hotel and her mother was Italian so so is an exelent cook and i learn a few trick from her. And she is trying hard to teach me to enjoy red wine,itallians you know... It is funny how I am in Tanzania and lean to cook and enjoy italian food.

Water in the wrong places

I guess I should not complain that the streets are flooding when the skyes litteraly opens here,becasue I know the winter is cicking in back home. But a hot shower can make anyone feel better on a wet day. But a flooded house certainly does not brighten you mood, or waking up finding the pipes empty for water the 3rd day in a row is not fun either. I had my first hot shower in almost 2 months when we first mooved in,but i only had the pleasure of that hot experience before we got trouble again.It would be nice if the water would stay in the places we want it too, but at least we have blankets and candlelights and can pretend we are at a cabin:)

Norwegain weekend

Last weekend we all went to Arusha to meet up with Eivind Johannes to celebrate his birthday. I am in on any excuse to eat ethiopian food. Got to spend some time with Thana, and played squash with him and Eivind Jaatun.My first time, but it was fun.We all stayed at the scripture mission and it was so nice to sleep in norwegain beddings and eat dark bread for breakfast,funny how you miss certain things.We also had time to visti the marked and church before heading beack, it was a nice little getaway weekend.

New Residential

I don't know what to call it, too me it looked like alodge the first time we came in the gate, but one thing is clear, I don't think i will live in such luxury again. It is ironical becasue we moved from the other small house becasue the rent was too high, and we got the offer to rent at a friends new house. So for half the price we get twice the comfort.He hunts for a living and likes to have a nice place to come back too after weeks in the bush. But the house in itself gives a feeling of not being in Africa, the lack of electricity, the bugs in the shower, squreels in the kitchewn and flooding quickly brings you back to reality. But we are not complaining we are far better of in this new place.

On the road again

Morogoro was not only work, being on the road we enjoyed ourself too, well I cannot speak for my friends who have created a hate relationship to the bumpy busses in this country..anyway my point was that even though morogoro town has little to offer, it is surrounded by beautiful mountains and i had to hike them of course. The scenery and peeks reminded me of Pokot and it was almost like being back, especially when we cooled down in the cold river with waterfalls.
On our way home we stopped by Dar-es-salam and had a day of sun and sand on an island just of the coast. Went snorkling among the fish and ship whecks and read books all day... can't complain.

Morogoro and amani centre

Last week we were on exchange to morogoro where 2 other girls from out college has their feild placement. They live and work at a day centre for mentaly disabled children and we joined them in their talsks. None of the chiildren have a more specific diagnose than mentally disabled and it is more like baby sitting than anything else, wich is a shame becasue they have enough volenteers to stimulate them inividually, but they don't have the expetice or knowledge. But on the other hand they are very lucky compared to other children who are keept hidden and not treated as human beings. It was very hard to visit a 15 year old boy who had marks from rope because he had been tied to a bed all his life, and he had almost lost his sight because he was never outside. Horrible, but at the same time inspiering to take him for a walk and see how things were changing not only in that home but in the whole community because of the work that was being done.

The People of Moshi

I have always said that one of the best things about Africa is her people, and Moshi makes no exception. I am not talking about the annoying sellers on the streets, that is for sure. But the People working at the KIWAKKUKI office are so welcoming and nice,withhte typical african practice of spening the first 30 min in the morning in prayers,praise and hand shaking. I am still having to get used the very respectful way of greeting an older person that the Tanzanians are very found of. In Kenya they are not nearly as formal. But their genuine hospitalyity is the same in both countries, and neighbours invited us for tea the day we moved in. The "white" residents of Moshi definately have adopted that custom, and they have all been more than willing to help us settling. Once you know one, you get to know the friends and before you know it you have been introduced to all of them, especially when you attend the international church. There is a pot clock and organzed hike tomorrow after church and besides that you get to know all the events of the week and even where people are planning to go out and eat :) So Moshi is not the biggest city, but it has it charm thanks to it's people. And I am allready loving it here.

Introduction to KIWAKUKKI

The first two weeks at KIWAKKUKI is over, but I still feel that I only have an overview of what the center is doing in the community. The office in town where our practical pacement is based is more the administrative and coordinating part of an organization that started with women who wanted to create awarness about HIV and AIDS. Last week we were lucky to be able to participate in a research at an Orphanage in marangu, to compare mental ability and development amongs AIDS orphans in instituions with those who are taken care of by the community. This week we have been following the education programe more closely and joined them on the streets for dramas and condom promotions. Today the whole staff was envolved in a Streetshow to inform on spread and prevention on the street. It is a very different approach then what we are used to in Europe, but it is very interesting, at least for me. The others are not able to communicate with people because of the language barrier, and miss out on what is happening.

Power cuts and african timing

Ok, the situation i Tanzania is not making it any easier for me too keep you all updated. There is a shortage of electricity and the government has cut down on the power supply. I am not saying that I am suffering badly, but it beyond me how a whole nationa with cooperations and trade can survive without electicity from sunrise to sunset. Well I do get effected in the way that my showers are always cold, food is always luke because the fridge is never cold and the stove is never hot :) I shouldn't complainbecasue it gives you a good excuse to go out for a bite instead of cooking at home, but then again, finding internett acces can take all day, so please forgive me if I am not writing so freqently in the future.

Working on the streets in TZ too

I got so inspired working with the kids in Kenya, don't feel like going back to school at all.There is so much to engage in here. Today we were out on the streets with a drama group, just stoped by some people under a treee, asked if they would like a preformance and then afterwards answered their questions about aids and the spread. They had such direct questions on condoms and everything, don't know if it would ever have worked in NOrway, but here it seemed so normal. and it was so cool to be able to informe people and make sure that they protected themselves you know and working against stigma towards the infected. not just putting up posters, but interacting with them.

Crazy safari

Had quite a travel to Dar es salam.After only one hour of sleep I left at 6 in the morning.I woke up on the boarder,totally out of it, and some guys got me into fooled me and got me to their little shack office to exchange money where they "acidentaly" forgot to add a 0 to the amount, I woke up by then and got mad, but they jsut smiled and asked for tip for helping me to find the office. And before I even got the stamp in my visa another one tried to convince me that the sim card I was buying was allready filled iwth credits. I was so tired, confused and worst of all in desperate need of it too get a hold of the girls that were going to tell me where I would spend the night, so I had to continue the trade. So frustrated, even the busdriver was in on fooling me when i asked him if it was true, but I finally got him to admitt that it was emptey, and then I had to pay for the credits. By then I was very awake of anger:) But that was not the end of it, now my phone was out of battery,and everywhere we mad a stop the electricity was out. After about 6 hours i finally found a guy who would lend me his phone thoug, God bless him, but then the girls would not pick up the phone.
Ok, it seems that my time is up here, but to make a long story short I got a hold of them and they came in a taxi and picked me up, and I slept at ywca after 16 hours of travel. Tanked God for getting there safely. and thank you for prayers