on the mend

Saturday, December 9th.

My mystery illness seems to be letting up. I decided to take a chance on trying to tolerate a proper breakfast this morning...so far, so good! Joseph walked with me to the restaurant as I don't yet have the strength to carry my backpack, loaded with the laptop for the daily email connection attempt. We stopped on the way to visit with Nai, a wonderful woman who is a community leader of sorts (best known here as an opinion leader). She is becoming a real 'dada' (sister) to me as time goes along. Her mother hustled me off to show me an ornately beaded skirt of the variety I've promised to purchase before I leave in February. Not sure if Canada will be ready for this outfit, but if I choose not to wear it, it will make an incredible wall hanging just the same! Everyone is talking about the new Maasai beaded cell phone holder (a gorgeous mini pouch to string around my neck) which I custom ordered from one of the TEMBO beadmakers. Perhaps I'll start a new trend, especially since EVERYONE here has a cell phone.

Even the relatively mild morning sun was hard to take on the walk home, so I think I'm probably still battling some fever. Now I KNOW I packed a thermometer, but haven't yet been able to find it in my bags of 'stuff'. I'll need to take some time to try to reorganize, and hopefully it will appear. One of the things on my to-do list is to go to the local woodworking shop (hope I can find it again...what I'd give for signage!!) and ask about having a shelf built for my bedroom. Shelves, cabinets and such are a rarity here, so I've got all these duffle bags, grocery bags and boxes, piled around my room.

The kitchen is a classic...empty room except for a stainless steel sink/drainboard which was put in especially for visitors. Cooking (on the small kerosene burner I mentioned before) is typically done on the floor. Things are stored in litttle piles on the floor...dishes, cookware, foodstuffs. I don't know how the local women survive the stress on their backs from constantly working in a bent over position. Nor do I understand how they manage to create such incredible meals with minimal facilities. They put my culinary skills to shame, each time I'm invited to share a meal with a local family.

So, at risk of appearing terribly extravagant, perhaps I'll ask about purchasing a shelf for the bedroom AND a cabinet of sorts for the kitchen.

Several hours later...the thermometer has been found...of course it was tucked into a corner of the last bag I rummaged through, so that exercise cost me most of my remaining energy! Oh well, managed to organize a few things in the process. Fever is minor...certainly not high enough to warrant a visit to the local clinic, which is a woefully underfunded facility doing its best to assist the local people with virtually no medications or equipment. I could be hyper-cautious I suppose and make the trek to the hospital in Arusha, but nature seems to be taking its own course, and I suspect this was a minor case of food contamination.

So, here I was, hanging around the house and spending time with my Rosetta Stone cd-rom based course in Kiswahili, grateful for the 8 hour laptop battery that I purchased for this trip. I can know inform you that I'm now able to say: The birds are flying; the boys are on bicycles; the children are running and jumping, plus assorted phrases about cars, colours and (a high point!) I know my numbers to 10. My vocabulary is sadly lacking still, but everyone is so supportive of my efforts to learn, however limited the results so far. If I manage to come out with a couple of appropriate words at the right time, everyone around me comments on Jotu's new facility with the language.

In the midst of the aforementioned running and jumping children, I was summoned (with zero prior notice, of course!) to come to the conference hall and introduce myself to a group of people from the region, who are taking part in a monthly Community Development class here. So, in a flash I ditched the flimsy sleeveless top, zipped the legs back onto my trousers, and sprang (well, not quite) into action. Fortunately I've got almost no hair now, other than a fringe of bangs (mwanamke ana nyeule fupi sani, another appropriate phrase I've learned -- The woman has very short hair) so primping was not required. On the way to the hall, where I thought I would be expected to discuss Project TEMBO, I was informed that the group had been promised a water-expert from Canada. Things get so blown out of proportion at times. I've made it VERY clear that I've had limited training in Bio Sand Water Filtration, and that my interest in rainwater harvesting is even less supported by any sort of 'expert' qualification. Nonetheless, I continue to be introduced in this fashion and have to be very clear when I stand to speak, that I'm not about to introduce any major water projects in the next few weeks!

Life is never less than very interesting. Each day continues to hold a surprise.