Niko wapi?

Translated: Where am I?

We made it to the GIANT city of Dar Es Salaam (Translation- "Haven of Peace") where we are taking classes at the University for a few days. I can't believe how enormous this city seems. Maybe it's because every street looks exactly the same to me, with dirt roads, huge, filthy trenches, fruit stands and french fry/chicken vendors, and people zooming past in every direction at alarming speeds on bicycles, or down the "sidewalks" in minivans and taxis.. or maybe it's because I'm used to vertical cities with tall skyscrapers and and tall people everywhere, and the one story shacks that are everywhere let you see for miles and miles... or maybe it is just because the city is gigantic. I still haven't figured it out. For whatever reason, though, each time I ask for directions I find myself going the exact opposite direction that I expected to go, only to find myself at the desired destination. It's like the largest-scale game of hide and seek I have ever played, except I don't speak the same language as anyone and there are new, unusual smells around every corner. ANd everyone wants to help you, but there is an insurmountable language barrier. It is so fun.

Last night 10 of us piled onto an already over-capacity Dalla-Dalla to go into town. It would not be an exaggeration to estimate 25-30 people on that one minivan. It was ridiculous. At one point we thought we lost someone along the side of the street. "Where's Chuck?" someone said... turns out they had ushered him up, along with a couple of other people, to the front, left side of the van where the passenger's seats are. Everytime I see someone in that seat, though, I can't help but think that they're driving (the driver is on the right side of the van). Naturally, I thought Chuck was driving the van for a moment. :)

When we arrived downtown we walked around in circles for at least an hour. We met a man who was an aspiring musician security guard who said that if we came back he would sing us no less than 5 songs that had been inspired by bird sounds. We found a really strange fast food court in the middle of nowhere, saw the hotel where Bush stayed when he was here, and circled back to where we had come from. Before getting back on a Dalla Dalla, though, I naturally received a marriage proposal (they still crack me up- This one went like this: "Where are you from?" "America" "Oh, good, I need an American fiancee- are you ready?" "Gotta go. See you later" Run away....). After all of our adventuring, we got on a bus back towards the hotel... but we quickly discovered it didn't go to the hotel. So we had lots of young guys trying to help us 10 wazungu (westerners) get back to the Rombo View hotel. It was so funny. We passed by flaming trees and and the Bollywood Disco, saw people out drinking everywhere and businessmen on their way back from downtown (around 9:30). There is always so much activity in this city , but at the same time it seems like nothing is going on anywhere. People just lounge around in any place that seems suitable.

The boat over here was so cool. I got to ride on the front with a bunch of other students. You could see schools of fish was off in the distance and close by, beautiful old sailboats that must have sailed for days to get so far out in the ocean, and islands all over the place. It was amazing and I took about a thousand pictures, so I'm sure you will all be seeing them. :) Dar Es Salaam was quite a sight from the water- big buildings unlike anything we've seen in the past month, boats everywhere, and SO MANY people.

On a totally different note: I conquered my first experience with international medical care. I got pretty sick a few days ago (maybe a week) and ended up going to the doctor. He treated me for malaria, though he never tested me for it... (Hmmm. Strange). Anyways, I got better, but I don't think I had malaria... I think it was probably something I ate. Anyways, I stopped throwing up and started sleeping, so I was very happy. But the trip was quite an experience. They wanted to take me to the hospital to keep me on an IV to not lose liquids, but I refused, imagining the alternatives of our hotel or the hospital... So instead I got a shot in the "bum" as he described it (His technique was very comical). In restrospect, the situation was really funny. My friend Chris came with me- and she witnessed the whole thing. I am so glad she came, though... I don't think I would have made it without her. :) Now I feel better, so now worries family.

A few days ago we went to an ecoreserve called Chumbe Island where there is a protected coral reef. We saw sting rays, squids, trumpetfish, parrotfish, and dozens of kinds of fish. At htis one reef alone there are 200 species of coral. It was amazing. The United Nations Environmental Program and other organizations have given it all kinds of awards. If you are interested, you should google it and learn more. It was unbelievable. AND they have the world's largest crab on that island. It's endangered-- it's called the coconut crab. It gets to be 2-3 feet long or so. We saw one sleeping in a crack of an old coral bed. SO COOL.

Another thing that is really different here is electricity. It often just doesn't exist. I bet the power goes out 6-8 times a day for various amounts of time... It went out for about 3-4 days in Stone Town when we were there (That was during the doctor incident). It isn't so much a problem for us because we buy or filter water anyway, but my homesaty family was telling me that they have to go buy water every time that happens- for about 30 cents a gallon (which is a lot here). It's a really big problem with government infrastructure. I don't know how many people heard about the scandal with the Tanzanian Prime Minister and power supply in the country- he resigned a few weeks ago because they discovered that he and several other officials had been pocketing money that was supposedly going to a fraudulent electricity company in the US rather than relieving the power shortage around the country. It's a big deal here.

Well, today is our day off so we're going to hop a bus to a nearby forest where our academic director has a friend who is a yoga master. I think we're going to spend the afternoon digging in the garden, doing yoga, and going to the beach. Not too bad, huh? I love you all. Hope things are good... Those of you in MN- hang in there- I heard spring is coming after the long, bleak midwinter... :) I'll send sunshine and sunburns your way.