Simple stuff

As I attempted to load my email account, a message informed me "This seems to be taking longer than usual." It would be fitting if Tanzania borrowed this notification from Gmail to act as the country's official motto. Everything is done at a slower pace here. After running to the market for groceries, it is time to rest. After reading a few chapters of a book, it is time to rest. No one seems to be in a hurry. It makes America look like it's functioning on fast forward. Since Internet access follows the slow suit here, I will have to make this update a quick one yet again.

I've been: Reading. A lot. Learning the basics of Swahili. Getting a good farmer's tan. Eating beans, rice, bananas, and more bananas. Learning how to do laundry without machines. Showering with a big bucket and a small bucket. Functioning without electricity or running water. Shitting in a hole in the ground. Looking at the stars, which show the other side of space's face in the southern hemisphere. Sweating my ass off. Making children smile simply by being white and saying "what's up?" in Swahili. Playing soccer/football with a ball made out of pieces of material taped together. Cramming into crowded buses, one of which caught on fire. Swearing at slow Internet connections. Learning patience. Missing my family, friends and the concept of home more than ever these days. Craving pizza. Wearing the same clothes every day. Learning the beauty of simplicity. Getting stared at. Crossing my fingers my mosquito bites won't lead to malaria. Contemplating when to come home. Falling asleep to chirping crickets and barking dogs. Waking up to roosters cockadoodledooing. Wondering what day it is. Taking lots of pictures. Learning how to say grace without embarrassing myself. Dancing at Sunday mass. Getting stared at and laughed at while dancing at Sunday mass. Learning not to care about getting stared at and laughed at while dancing at Sunday mass. Learning that we have it pretty damn good in America when it comes to some things. Learning that Americans, including myself, need to take a few pages out of Africa's book when it comes to enjoying the simple things in life like children, the stars, friendship, and eating dinner as a family at the same table.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.