Jambo (hello),
(You reply with sijambo)
I am starting to get used to the cold showers...just kidding. The mornings are a little cool so it is not fun! And to make it worse, my hair dryer carked it this morning :(. That was a sad moment because I hadn't even dried my hair yet! On a positive note, we had a full view of Mt. Kilimanjaro this morning! Most mornings you can only see some of it due to the cloud cover.
The four of us left for Pasua at 7:30am this morning. We are still travelling by taxi as we have not yet been taught how to use the daladala. We were left to our own devises in the hospital so Bellinda and I worked with the local AINs in the 'well baby clinic'. Babies are weighed every month from when they are born. I am not sure how long this goes on for but it is at least until they are three but maybe up to five years. The baby/toddler is weighed and you ask the Mama (mother) if the child has been well or sick. You record this information on the child's health record and write in the date that the next weighing is due. The children are also given Vitamin A and something else (we couldn't work out what is was) at certain ages at this clinic. One little girl who was about 3 was being weighed and as she spotted me a look of horror came across her face and she started screaming, then she looked at Bellinda and she started screaming more! We got up and left the area quickly as she was scared of us...she obviously has not seen many wazungu (white people) in her time!
We came home from the clinic and got changed and then Aynsley, Sarita and I headed into town to meet Jenny and Ally for lunch at the Union Cafe. Jenny and I went halves in a large Bacon and Avocado Pizza. It cost 8000 shillings ($4.80AUD) and was delicious. Jenny and Ally headed home after lunch and Aynsley, Sarita and I went shopping. We went into a local art gallery where I bought a colourful necklace for myself for 2000 shillings ($1.20AUD) and a wrist band for each of you boys, again for 2000 shillings each. One has the colours of the Tanzanian flag, one says Kilimanjaro and one says pole pole (pronounced poley poley) which means slowly slowly. It is a saying that is used a lot around here as the locals don't like to rush. Everything is done in Tanzanian time, which means slowly. I am reserving the pole pole wrist band for Blake! Mum, I got you a painting of two elephants, a mother and a baby. It is a little old and worn looking (it has probably been hanging in the shop for a long time) but that just adds to the charm of it! I am pretty sure you will love it but it doesn't matter if you don't because it only cost 20 000 shillings ($12.10AUD) and I am happy to keep it ;o).
We caught a taxi back home and stopped at the Nakumatt (local supermarket we like to shop at...it is like Coles and Kmart combined but in a smaller version) on the way. I bought a hair dryer for 43 100 shillings ($26AUD). There is no way I am living without a hair dryer for the next 4 weeks!
Have fun with Nanny boys and don't forget to call Dad and say good night every day. Also, try to keep google talk logged in and the ipad close by between 12pm and 9pm incase I get the chance to call you. Kaleb, is it possible to put google talk on the ipod because that would be easier.
Love you all <3
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