Moshi, TZ

Here I am in Moshi, for the first time in a couple of years.  It is bigger, busier and more crowded, with lots of new construction.  Hopefully, the economy can support the new retail and commercial space.  Residential buildings are being pushed further and further out into the edges of town.

I arrived Saturday night; Ima and Julie met me to bring me back to the hotel.  Sunday everyone was busy, so I had the day to myself.  After an initial bout of feeling lonely and abandoned, I realized I didn't Have to do anything!  What a treat.  So I rested, walked, photographed Mt. Kilimanjaro from the back balcony, read, and in general, enjoyed the heck out of the day!

Jaime arrived late Sunday night; we visited all the school where we provide a lunch program.  Here's what I thought was hilarious -- you will have to tell me if I am warped . . .

When I travel to bush Alaska for work, I visit the school kitchens and cafeterias.  Sometimes, the village cook happens to be 'sick' when I come to visit and I get to meet with the sub; or the business manager was unexpectedly called out of town; or the food service director called in sick.  In short, some times I feel as if I am a persona non gratis!  So, the funniest part is that when we got to the first school we were visiting here in Tanzania, the cook wasn't there!  They had a sub!  I was laughing pretty hard in side, especially since we weren't there to review anything; just to introduce Jaime to the headmistress and show her how our sponsored program works.  We did look at the new garden, which is modeled after the gardening techniques taught in the workshop Asante paid some of the teachers to attend.

The second school we visited, the headmistress was 'out of town' and the person who had attended the gardening workshop wasn't available; and the third school, the headmistress was in Arusha with some students.  Hahahahaha!  I just thought it was so funny -- AK and TZ the same.  Maybe I need a new job or a new persona!  Anyway, the lunch programs are runnnig smoothly -- Asante's woman here in Moshi does an amazing job of purchasing a delivering rice, beans, cooking oil and ground corn to the 3 schools, over quite long, rough roads.

Then today we were to visit Mwika, to check in with the women who do the sewing and tailoring for Asante.  Mwika is about 45 minutes away from Moshi.  About halfway there, Jaime began to feel quite ill so we turned around and drove back to Moshi to a well-known and well-respected physician.  He diagnosed dehydration and told her to rest and drink more water.  Thank God she is OK, and the cure is easy.  That is what she is doing now; I am on call in case she needs me.  She just doesn't do heat well, I think.  We are hoping she will feel good enough to visit the Rotary Club meeting in Arusha tomorrow, before we head north to Ketumbeine.

Stay tuned for more . . .  I hope to get to Mwika tomorrow while Jaime is in Arusha.