The people i love most in Tanzania

well, time continues to pass and ive already been here 3 weeks. it really feels as though the time has flown by. but im completely falling in love with everyone here. what else is to be expected from me, right? for the first couple of weeks i was very shy and quiet, just taking everything in. i didnt really make much of an effort to talk to people. but the last week i have REALLY been opening up and being myself and joking around with everyone and beginning my usual habit of giving gifts. i really love these people, so so much. i have to tell you a bit more about some of them....

first there are bibi and babu, my host parents. ive mentioned them quite a bit but they really are so great. babu doesnt say much, but when he does he talks up a storm in a low, muffled voice and his eyes are closed for most of the conversation. but he is very kind, and he loves children. bibi was in tanazania's parliament for 14 years fighting for women's issues and equality. she tells it like it is, and isn't afraid of speaking against some of the more, what i would call, silly, ideas of this culture. they have 2 grown children, but have lost 3 others. one of their sons was murdered while studying in cuba. one of their daughters was going to have her appendix taken out and they gave her too much anesthesia and she died. another daughter had malaria, and the doctors gave her too much medication and she overdosed. its really so sad. but as a result, they founded the school and many children are getting opportunities they wouldn't have otherwise, although a lot of them are sadly wasting those opportunities.

i also really love the "help" at the house. our driver is by far my favorite. his name is albert and he is married to a gorgeous woman and they have 2 of the most beautiful children EVER. he barely speaks english, but he and i have such a great way of communicating with lots of laughs. he is SO cute. the girls, eliza and petranella, are very cute and they also cant speak english but they use as many words as they possibly can all the time and they really love to laugh at me. there are 5 "house boys." i say boys, but theyre actually between 24 and 30 years old. they are orphans and have come to our house to work in exchange for food and a place to sleep. they are alot of fun. simon does the most around the house, and he's also the one i talk to the least. amos works as a mechanic nearby, bibi and babu found him the job after he had been helping them for a while. iwe is studying to go back to school and he has such a funny voice. james barely speaks any english but he laughs a lot and he's always giving these flirtatious looks. i KNOW that he's one of those slick charmers and there's no telling what kind of things he would be saying if we spoke the same language. it may be better that we dont because i might decide i didnt like him so much if i really know what he was thinking. but as of now he's one of my faves. lucicado doesnt speak english either and up until yesterday i thought he was utterly afraid of me.

i love my students. they are so curious and ask so many questions. they want to know EVERYthing about me and ive become quite attached to many of them. we're on easter break now, but one of the students got my phone number before we left and he has been texting me relentlessly ever since. but i love it, and all of them.

the kid who i feel closest to is called Father. its not actually his name, but its what he's called. he is 7. cassie, the other volunteer and i, have developed quite a lot of concern for him. he is so smart, but he is being raised in an awful environment. his mother beats him, and apparently has sex with different men while he's in the room. he will certainly not have enough money to pay for school, so cassie and i want to do some fundraisers and send out some letters to get money to send him to a school some where away from his mom. we will be putting up a group on facebook really soon, and we are both so desperate to help him.

i feel like there's also so much i think about wanting to post, but once i get on the internet i cant think of any of it. ill be doing my best to put up as much as i can. i love you all!