Tumechanganyikiwa

We’ve had a busy first 4 weeks and it’s long past time I blogged about it!

The short version is we are safely here and reoriented to life in East Africa.  We have improved our Swahili.  We have a house, a (temporary) car and have started at our partner organisations.  But as always we are perpetually baffled and ‘in the dark’ about how and why things happen, hence the title, tumechanganyikwa - we have become confused!

Our house is lovely!  It comes with ‘staff’.  We have not had house help before and so are still trying to figure out how it works.  Gladness is here when we are not so it’s been a bit of trial and error.  We are yet to work out about electricity and gas bottles, I hope neither run out before we do.  We have the shopping sorted out - big, ex-pat supermarket once a week for meat and fish, and wonderful locally grown fruit and veg sold in our street (or rocky, rutted goat track that may be come impassible if the rains ever come!) bought daily.

Whenever anyone asks me about life in East Africa I tend to dwell on vehicles, roads and traffic police.  That is what makes my heart race and forget to breathe!  The car we are currently driving belongs to the Flying Medical Service, a part of the Olkokola Catholic Mission where I am working.  It is one of a small fleet of Suzuki Jimnys driven mostly by the pilots as they travel between the mission and the airport.  We only have it on a temporary basis while one of the pilots is on leave and have started ‘shopping’ for a RAV4 of our own.  This fills me with trepidation for many reasons!  I know very little about cars - they go, they sometimes even go well or they don’t go!  A friend today added to the concerns “Check it’s not stolen” he said. “My partner was arrested for owning a stolen car”.  This does not help!  I hope soon to blog about a successful purchase but it is an area of life where I am as fatalistic as the locals. If God wills!

While conservative Australian politicians dither over climate change here it is a life and death matter.  The long rains are now two months overdue.  Maize crops planted in anticipation are looking very sad, as are the farmers who planted them.  The housekeeper at the mission where I work says 'people will be hungry' and that is just the fact of it.  There is still hope for growing plants with a shorter growing season but that is only if the rain comes.

As always we have taken advantage of opportunities to look at local wild life.  A quick trip to Arusha NP three weeks ago renewed acquaintance with one of my favourites.

I hope you'll stay with us as our journey continues, love from Jenny.

ps Bread making has started again with small rolls today's output