welcome home

We are back on our little island that is beginning to feel more like home. We actually arrived on Sunday in an amazing series of events that included driving 9 hours without any incidents (a miracle of epic proportions) and then racing to the port in Dar to catch the last ferry of the day while throwing everything in our bags as we weaved through traffic. It was quite a feat!

But alas I have been unable to update (or do much) because we have had no power for 4 days. Ah, home sweet home. Actually we did have periods of each day with power but it always seemed to go off the minute we tried to do something on the computer (like poor Jason spending 10 minutes logging into our tax return info just to have the power go out). At least each time it goes out we get a beeping noise that accompanies it, sort of announcing our defeat in the world of electronic anything and Annikah immediately yells "hamna umeme" (there is no power). I also now have patented my "Umeme upo" (the power is here) dance. It started one day after no power all day just as we had piled all of the soon to go bad food from our refrigerator into a cooler to take it to a friend's home (they have a generator) when suddenly it came back on. Hey, you would have danced too! Now it is just part of the crazy Mzungu persona I have going on. Outside people wait for me to bust out my front door and dance like a complete fool each time it returns. I know I need to get out more but seriously power is something to be grateful for. Last night it was so hot and the power kept flickering on and off. I was sitting under our misquote net sweating like a chubby girl in cling wrap trying to read my book, flashlight in hand as every few minutes the power flickered off and then on. Flashlight clicked on then off, then on, then off. Seriously, I just had to laugh because it was utterly ridiculous. So today so far we have power! We did have a great trip and were so thankful to spend some time in a bit cooler weather, get the opportunity to learn from others who do similar work here, and visit friends. It also gives us perspective that we do really love our new home, complete with oppressive heat and no power, this is nymbani kwetu (our home) for now and we are grateful to be back.

game night at our conference

Anni had a blast making new friends

Kili

gotta love traffic....could we all choose a lane please?

we saw this punda milia (literally means donkey with stripes)
on the side of the road as we drove through Tanzania