in tanzania safely:)

this is just a quick note to say, i got to tanzania safe and sound. i apologize for the last post i just looked at it and it is MILES long! i was really emotional at the time i think! hehe~ anyway its a lot warmer here and much more what-you-picture-Africa-looking-like. and of course mt. kilimanjaro looming in the background which is incredible (especially when you know youre about to climb it!!!!!!). the volunteers here are sweet too.

just went to my project today, i'm working with a Women's group, and i'm the only volunteer working there---intimidating. they are wonderful, there are about 8-10 women. i'll mainly be teaching them English every morning I'll teach two classes to whichever women can attend either one. Thats all i'm expected to do but I am going to come back in the afternoons on my own accord and offer another class that teaches history/ disease and disease prevention and sanitation / business skills/ whatever else seems useful and practical to them, and in that class i';ll be sure to try to get access to swahili dictionaries to make sure they understand the concepts. if you have any ideas for the afternoon class let me know, honestly. e-mail me a lesson plan about disease prevention or explanation (ahem SAFA) . if you want to. I'm already going to take the whole crew to an internet cafe for the afternoon lesson and set up e-mail accounts for them and show them howto check it. the women were excited about me i think because i was so passionate about helping them that i was nothing short of INTERROGATING them (and i am here for four weeks which is a long time).

i always thought working with women was my passion but now im sure of it!!!! i was nowhere near this excited to write lesson plans for the kids, not that the kids werent the cutest things in the world but i am just passionate about working with women in the third world. i talked with them for a long time about what problems i see with women in the third world and what they thought they needed help with, etc. they understood me though their english is pretty basic, and also told me a few of their own problems. all of them haven't been to high school, which is why i want to teach an additional afternoon class. i'd also like to do some problem solving techniques in that class (counseling) and other things theyd fine useful. feel free to email me youre own ideas and i will teach a class on them, anything helps. :)

i think im going on a safari this weekend but i must go plan it. im going to bargain for an extraordinary deal or else i wont go. itll be a 4 day: masai village, ngorongoro crater, serengeti, lake manyara. it goes for 800 usd cheapest, but my goal is to get it for 500 which is unheard of. ive become quite the bargainer. :)

love,
suz