My Future Husband

So I was at Tumainis Graduation ceremony. I ran it to an old friend. This is Benedict. I met him two years ago when I was here. He was the first person to teach me a little Kiswahili, but the only words he taught me were love, beautiful, marriage, and how to say I'm single. lol lol Well, when I came here in September I was wondering if I would run in to him. I did at graduation. He has his degree in Theology of Diploma. He has his own congregation now. It's by Arusha. I guess it's like 13 hours away. Well I was really happy to see him and I was surprised that he recognized me. Well, he wanted to get together and catch up on each others lives so I agreed.

Well we went out to Lulu's a cool place in Iringa. I was suddenly bombarded with questions..... are you married, are you single, why aren't you married, do you think you could live in Tanzania? He said that he was so happy that God brought us together again. I was feeling a little uncomfortable., but I just ignored it. Then when dinner was over I wanted to meet up with Ross, Eero and Juho. Well we said goodbye and he kissed me twice on the neck.

I told mom about it and she said that it was just an African thing......FALSE.

Sorry mom your wrong :-) I asked the mama at dira and she said that it means that he loves me. He left to go back to his congregation on Tuesday and I have already gotten a text from him every day ever since.

Don't tell any Africans this other wise I'll have to beat them off with a stick, but its not that I couldn't marry an African, but I just don't have those feeling for him. If your African and you marry a white person it's like a position of status. Your a big potato (big deal) if you marry a white person. The two most common questions I'm asked over here is are you married and why aren't you married. Even Pastor Muro was teasing me about being so old and not being married. I just tell them that there are a lot of things that I need to accomplish before I even think about marriage.

Well, that's the news of my life lately.

Hope all of you are doing well in the States!

-JC

Tumaini University

Things are going well in my classes. I am teaching two. One is Theology of Diploma and the other one is Bachelor of Divinity. At fist I was lead to believe that I would be teaching communication studies, but what I’m really teaching is English. I was really worried at first! Just because I can speak English does not mean that I can teach it! Well so I am combining both. They read chapters out of a book called A Pocket Guide to Public Speaking. We read through the chapters together then they pick words out of the chapters that they don’t understand. Then, I divide the words between the class and they look them up out of class and then share what they found. One of the emphasizes in the class is to broaden the student’s vocabulary.
I also had both of my classes write me a one page paper about themselves. I was surprised to see how the student’s English skills vary so much. Some of then are not so bad and some of them really need help.
I have pulled a syllabus together with the help of Brian Peterson. He is a Professor of Greek and Theology at a university in one of the Carolinas. He decided to spend his sabbatical teaching at Tumaini University of Iringa.
It is really hard to follow a syllabus. Some times they will just cancel class and you won’t know about it until the day before. Last week because of graduation there were no classes on Thursday or Friday.
At first I felt that the student’s didn’t understand at all what I was teaching them. Now, it’s really rewarding to see that they are learning! We have been talking about audiences and forming your message to fit different audiences. I was floored when a student asked me how to analyze their audiences. It feels good to know that they are catching on!
They were also very shy at the beginning. I would ask a question and they all would just sit there and not say anything. So, I decided to make it part of their grade to talk in class. Also, now that they have warmed up to me a little they talk more.
The Bachelor of Divinity class is a little more advanced in English than the Theology of Diploma class. LOL The Theology of Diploma class and I were talking about the word deceive. I was explaining to them what it meant and I gave an example. I said that when I go to the sokoni (market) and I want to buy a kilo of rice I look until I find a kioski (store) that sells rice. Then I asked the class how much a kilo of rice is. They agreed that it costs about 1,200 tsh. Then I said ok well the shop keeper will tell me it costs 3,000. They all laughed. Then I said the chop keeper deceives me by giving me the wazungu discount. (The wazungu discount is what the shop keeper thinks the “rich” white people should pay.) They all roared with laughter. Then one of the student said that I need to bargain more. I explained that I do bargain a lot but they usually won’t go down to the African price. They all just thought that it was hilarious!
(To solve this problem I have learned what shops to buy stuff from and what ones to stay away from.)
Well, I will be moving to a new office. This will be the 3rd time that I have moved now. I don’t really mind it because all my stuff fits into my bag and is easy to move around. The problem is that I might not have an office for a couple of days, which I cannot do without! I may be able to move my things easily, but I do need a space to correct papers, go on the internet, and plan my up coming classes.
The creepy guy that I shared an office with will now be moving in to the office that I am in. It is really his office, but I don’t know why he didn’t just move to it before. Well he kind of yelled at me yesterday. I was asked to give the janitor the keys to D1. That was the first office I had. Then the creepy guy shared it with me. Well then I was really uncomfortable with this guy starring at me constantly and telling me how pretty I am. So, I got the janitor to move me. He moved me to D8. Like I was saying D8 is really the creepy guys new office. His name is even on the door…… Any ways I gave the janitor the keys to D1 because those were the keys he asked me for. Well, the creep guy stopped me on my way to class and yell at me for giving the janitor the wrong keys. I said he only asked me for the keys to D1. So the creepy guy argued with me for a while not listing to anything that I said. He seems like he is really chauvinistic. Any way I didn’t really want to get yell at anymore for no reason, so I was like I gotta go to class and I walked away. Later on he came back to the office I was in with the janitor and was much more clam now. The janitor and I worked everything out. It was an interesting day yesterday. Lol lol
Um….. I have been the only girl around for the last day. Chrissy and Annika are traveling with the German Bishop and Inga is traveling with her boss. Inga is from Germany also. She is over here learning all she can from a German architect that lives here. His name is Johaun. Lol lol He is 56 and his African wife is 23. And I seen to be the only one around that thinks that there is something wrong with that. I asked Inga about it and she said that his wife Grace really likes to have nice things. So, what I gathered is that she likes his German money, but whatever.
Otherwise everything is going well! I hope all of you are healthy and happy!
-JC

Some More African Experinces

The Coveted Cold Shower

When I first moved in to my little apartment in the Diocese of Iringa compound I only had cold water. It was not fun to take a shower! Then I complained to the mama (the lady that cleans all the apartments in DIRA) Well, about a week later we got hot water. It was perfect...for about four days. Now, the water is so hot it's impossible to stand under it!! On the slim chance that I do get to have a cold shower it's awesome!

Tuesday the Double Rat Day

Chrissy and I decided to go out for lunch because we both had the day off. It was the first president of Tanzania's birthday. We decided to go to E.J.S. Seafood. Which does not serve any seafood. They have some really good America, European, Italian, and African food. It's reasonable priced also! I ordered my favorite African dish of koko and wali (chicken and rice) and Chrissy ordered the same thing. We are sitting there enjoying our chi (tea) When 5 men haul a huge stove out to the porch. I'm watching them through the window. All of a sudden the look on all their faces let me know real quick what was going on. When they moved a table a rat appeared.

There were a couple men sitting outside eating and they all got up to chase after this mouse! it was like they appeared out of no where! Well, they chased the rat inside. Chrissy and I are just sitting there watching ten me trying to kill this rat. It was pretty funny. After that I was sitting there thinking....do I really want to keep coming here to eat. I decided why not. lol lol It has really good cheap food. Tanzania has a lot of rats and cockroaches. If I avoided everyplace I see them in I wold have no where to eat, not even in my own kitchen.

Later that night Chrissy and I were sitting outside our kitchen reading our books. Chrissy had but some water to boil on the stove for our chi and boiling eggs. It was dark and once again the light in teh kitchen would not work. It would just flicker. She went in there to add her eggs to the water and all of a sudden I hear her scream and see her bolt out of the kitchen. "What's going on" I asked? She told me that I rat had run over her foot. I didn't doubt her we had already caught one rat in our kitchen. She was so scared! Then the look of sheer horror crossed her face when she realized that she would have to go back in there and take her eggs off the burner. lol lol lol lol lol It was priceless!!

Well, we continue to read as Chrissy is trying to pull together she strength to go back in there. About 20 min later it was time. The eggs were ready. She runs to her room to grab a flashlight. She is almost shaking at this point. She slowly inches herself toward the door, flashlight on and in hand. She is just about to enter when I scream. I didn't see anything I just couldn't resist the urge. Chrissy jumps 3 feet in the air, screams bloody murder at the top if her lungs and bolts away from the kitchen. When She realizes what happens she is red with anger until her laughter breaks though. Never the less, she did gather enough courage to rescue her boiled eggs.
What made the situation even more hilarious is that an African woman walked by. It was dark, but I could still make out the confused look on her face. She was probably thinking what are these crazy wazungu (white people) doing? lol lol I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time!
So where ever you eat in Tanzania there is more than likely a mouse, rat or cockroach hiding so where. It doesn't really phase me anymore.
Otherwise, everything is going well! I haven't taught a class all week. Tuesday was the first president's birthday, Thursday and Friday classes were canceled because of graduation. So, this week I have bee going to the sokoni (market) almost everyday. I just wonder around, practice my Kiswahili, and visit some African friends.
My best friend Lindsey will be coming for a month over Christmas!! I have been trying to pull stuff together for us to do. I think it will be nice to explore more of Tanzania with her. I'm really excited about it. I also want to bring her to Wasa. I think that it is important to mot only stay in a somewhat big city like Iringa, but also stay some where in the bush.
My Paca (cat) Pepo (heaven) is doing well. She is so cute! I don't let he inside my misqueto net for fear that she wont be able to get out and will pee on me. She has resorted to sleeping as close to me as she possible can with the net in between us. Every day when I come home she runs to the door to greet me. She tried to eat and meow at the same time and it makes me crack up. Life is good here in Iringa, Tanzania!
How every thing is going good for all of you!!
JC

My recent outtings and news

Hello all!   Last night a Ssuth African guy that is moving to Iringa for work had a bbq.  Oh man, It was so good!  He had porkchops and some sort of special South African sassage.  It was soo good!  It was me, the finnish couple that work at Tumaini, Eero, Juho, Ross, 2 other finnish students, one other prof and Pieter for South Africa.  It was a really fun night.  We just sat around and talked. 

  I found out that the readon the DIRA mama didin't want me to have a cat is because she is scared of them. When I left to go to the University this morning I had o lock my cat in Chrissy's room.  Ya, then the ct got out and I was really worried that she owulod run off, but I caught her.  The poor thing was just getting comfortable being in my room.  

   I went to the market today.  I love going to the market!  You never know what will happen or what you will see.  I bought a small wash tub to but sand in for the Pepo (the cat).  I also had run out of bread.  Lol I also had to pick up some hotdogs.  They wern't great, but they did the job.  Ya, my comfort food here is peanut butter jelly or peanut butter banana sandwiches.  I have been stock pileing foods that are easy to make and good.  My next adventure will be making egg salad sanwiches and I am really excited out it!!   

   I am learning alot here.  I am now talking Swahili classes and they are going good!!  I'm slowly picking things up. 

I went to Kiehesa Church (St. Marks partner congregation) on Sunday with Chrissy and it was really fun.  It was children's sunday.  The whole service was mosly singing.  I really enjoyed it!  I hope to get out to Wasa (Fish Lake's partner congregation) some time soon!  The problem is that it costs alot of money and I really can't afford it.  I have been living really simply here.  I don't buy anything that I don't need.  The only real thing that I sepend my money on is food.   Well, I hope you all are well!  I better get back to correcting papers. 

God Bless,

JC

P.S. The four pictures are of my room, Lindsey, Becky and I at the Airport saying goodbye to eachother, and the other two are pictures of Iringa from Gangelonga rock. 

Oh, all the Adventures!

      It's so hard to keep all of you caught up with what goes on with me.  Every day is a new adventure!!  I had my friend Aidani come over the other night and teach us girls how to make Chipate.   OH MAN...  It takes do long to make its crazy!!   Chirssy is the one in the light blue and Annkia is in the dark blue and Aidan is the other one.   It was so much fun though.  It is one of my favorite foods over here.   I had a dream the other night that I was eating at Chipotle. Oh man.  I miss Chipotle!!  Anyways..... The light in the kitchen wasn't woring so we had to borrow one of the boys lamps.  it was an interesting night, but TIA ( This Is Africa).  TIA is a phrase that we all use on a daily basis.  You never know what will happen here or what to expect.  You really have no choice but to go with the flow.  Hakuna Matata ( no worries)  It real;ly laid back here  too.  When I was gone for a week sick I think the only people that noticed that I was gone was teh student's.  When I told the Deputy Provost that i would be gone for a whole week because I was sick all he said was Pole Sana (Very Sorry).  He didn't care that I was gone.  lol  it's amazing.       ( the other pic is me in my room)

    The Theology of Diploma class has a really hard time understanding me.  They just kind of look at me like deer in the head lights.  Now, I think that they are starting to catch on and are more comfortable talking in class.  The other class is the Bachlor of Divinity students and they sometimes don't understand.  The nice thing with them though is they will tell me if I'm talking too fast or ask me to explain something diferently.  It's good because I want them to understand, but if they don't tell me their confused about something I can't help them. 

      My Paca Pepo.   I got a cat (paca) and I named her Pepo (Heaven).   I got her last night.  My friend Aidan got her for me.  Last night all she did was hide, but she did eat a little.    She hid in one of my suitcases.  When I put my hand in there to pet her she didn't mind.  She even purred a lot.     The Mama or the house keeper is nervous about me having a cat. I think that she is worried that it will destroy something.  Well, the floor is cement and there is not ich that she could wreck.  Lol  Lol It's not a for sure thing that I will be able to keep her.  I need to as the General Secritary for permission.  I have been trying to talk to him for the past fewdays but he is away or in a meeting.  Then all of a sudden Aidan called me and said I found you a cat and I'm waiting out by the gate for you.  So, I had every intention to ask permission prior to getting the cat, but it just didn't work out like that.  lol lol  Hakuna Matata? lol  lol  :-)   Oh and I might have my own chicken soon.  Annika ( one of the German Girls wants to build a chicken coop, so hat she can hae her own eggs.  Well, I might keep a chicken in there also.  I wouldn't mind having my own eggs!! There not that expensive over here.  They are about 15 cents per egg.

  Ya, that is what has been going on with me in the last couple days.   I found out yesterday that my best friend Lindsey will be flying out here around December 13.  SHe will be out here till around the 9th of January.  It will be great!  We can celebrate Christmas together!! I'm very Excited!! 

   Well, I better get going!  I hope you all are well and God Bless!

  

A mouse in my appartment!!

I am doing good! I taught both classes yeaterday and it was great!! I'm really starting to settle in. The only big problem that I have had at Tumaini is to them communication studies is teaching English. They expect me to teach the students grammer. Well, I talked to them and I'm going to help them with their grammer but, not teach it. I am going other things though that will help them broaden their English vocab.

There was a mouse in my appartment the other day. I was wating a movie with teh Finnish guys and I went to my room to get some water and there it was. LOL I then went back to the Juho and Eero's room ( the Finnish guys) And asked them to help me. I felt really bad because they both were a little sick with Malaria. But they said that they wanted to help. So, they spent about 20 min chasing the mouse around my room. It was so funny, especially because they were running back and forth under my underware that I had hung to dry. lol lol well eventually they chased it out of my room. Well then I really didn't want to hang in my room alone. SO I was going to watch the movie with them, but then I realized it was a bad idea for me to be in a room with two guys that have malaria. lol
Last Saturday I met up with all the wazungu (white people) in the area. It was so fun! I played Volleyball with them for about 3 hours. I guess they get together every Saturday! They usually meet at the Dutch families house. This last Saturday they met by the River Camp. It was cool. Bo the Bega kwa Bega worker, Brian a teacher at Tumaini and I all went. We parked at the river camp and walked to where everyone was. It was a beautiful walk. Then there was a clearig and all these wazungu. I did feel a little strange.
The house that the Dutch family live in is amazing. They have lived here for two generations and own a huge farm. They even own horses, ya they are rich!! The view form their front lawn is amazing!!! I was thinging.... Ya, I could live here the rest of my life...no problem! I love it here!!
Well, my driver will be here shortly! All of you take care!!!
God Bless!
Jen

Hey

Hey all!  It's been a while!  I have been sick and I spent about a week in Dar to get better.   Even though I was not feeling well I had a great time!  I stayed with a family friend Pastor Muro and his family.  They are so great!  I hung out with teh kids and watched Disney movies!  It was really relaxing!  Then when I recovered I made my way back to Iringa.  It was actually very comforting to be back home in Iringa.  My neighbors were really worried about me and had a plate of spaghetti waiting from me when I got back on Wednesday night.   Well there was no school on Thursday or Wednesday because it was the end of Ramadan.  Today, I just got out of a class and am now sitting in my office. I was sharring an office, but the guy was really creepy and kept hitting on me.  Ya......    Anyways, becides being sick I have been having a great time!  I'm getting to know my neighbors.  They are all relly great!   The Finnish boys Jhul and Eero are so funny!   Some times they will argue in Finnish and we all just thing it hillarious!!  lol lol  Chrissy and Annika are from Germany and last but not least Ross is actually from Madison, Wisconsin!  We all get along very well.  We take turn cooking for eachother.  I started by makeing an African dish that has chicken in a special gravy that you pour over the rice.  It was really good.  When I decided to make that for everyone I had no idea how much "preperation" would go in!   I bought chicken....it was alive when I bought it.  I went shopping with Adam.  He is a natve that lives by us and he always comes over, hangs out and, helps us.   Well, he killed the chicken for me and we plucked it together and he showed me the best way to cut it.   It was a very educational dinner!  I even ate parts that we don't use in the US.  Let me tell you that you guys are missin out!!!

Well I better sign off for now.  Hope all is well with you all!

God Bless!