So you think you can climb the mountain???.... ha ha ha

 44 students from the secondary school, 2 teachers and even ME ----->
Together WE successfully climbed up the Western side of the Usambara Mountains!
Last week I was ecstatic and shouting from my tin roof top that I was invited to attend the mock student Parliament session…  only later I found out this meant I had to climb the mountain behind my house to get there.  I thought sure I’m capable of this… I mean if it was that difficult of a climb- they wouldn’t have asked me right??? 
All the village elders were shocked, and everyone’s reaction was the same,
“YOU CAN???…. HA HA HA!!!”

I get this a lot… everyday in fact, about each and everything I attempt to do. Friends, family, local acquaintances in the village all challenge me with the:
“YOU CAN???”

I’ll admit I get frustrated by their lack of confidence in me, but in the end I know it’s good for me.  These “you can?” convos ends up lighting a fire under my ass, triggering my ego into full force and giving me the drive to CLIMB that Damn Mountain!
ENJOY…

On our way to the path…
Students carried buckets filled with food and water to enjoy at the top. It looks like a little hill… right?

The crossing of the river… always fun~
My friends love it when I piggy back them across!
I'll be sure to hear a few “you can(s)???”

I love TZ’s communal culture!
The other teachers and students were always offering to carry my backpack and help me through out our journey.

View of the Pare Mountain Range

At the base where we met before the climb… most of the students had ripped off various parts of their uniforms by this point. This is by far the most skin I have ever seen in this country.

Getting up there with some cotton candy clouds~

This is my hood.

We made it~ SAFI SANA! Everyone looking so Smart!

 Our captive audience: secondary students from the mountain school.

Reviewing notes before the session officially started.

Madam Speaker!

The young man standing is my cousin, Jonson from my village… but I call him “Tate mfupi” ( short father in my local language)  He is one of the privileged few that I’ve piggybacked across the river!

Moody preachin’ it… he always has “interesting” questions during Health Club meetings.



These kids rocked it~ I’m so proud of them!

Future members of Parliament!

  “Wrap it up B… we Got a Dance Party to start!”

My new best buddy~  Athumani, a Form 6 leaver teaching while he waits for his test results, ready to move on to University level studies. He organized the trip and made sure I made it up!  This was his announcement of the 10 minute Dance PARTY before heading home.

Stepin it out Kiduku Style!

 So you think we can dance?

Heading home… don’t be fooled, "the path" wasn’t at this easy the whole way….
this was the only place I felt safe enough to have my camera out during the descent.

Last chance to grab the view!

Life is good... even without electricity and running water!!!

Hello and greeetings to all!

Thanks for sticking with me after a dry spell from the Blogging world... what can I say, Intergration was taking place! oh yeah its happening everyday if Im lucky! I can now say the hardest part is over... I have found my way into the community and I feel loved!

I was thanksful for all the recent letters and Christmas cards Big Big Thanks to> Johnston Family, Hendrickson Family, Small group at Livonia Methodist church and Wilson Foundation Academy Photo Club *yes the photos came and Im working hard for a quick turn around! All the love in my mail box is a huge boost to my sprits!

With only 2 teachers at the Secondary school in my village my local friends have encouraged me to start teaching English...yes only two teachers for the whole school! I took that as a sign I better get to the school and start teaching something... Heres what that looks like>

Im working with students to start a Health Club after school.  They are very excited and motivated and 44 senior students, Form 4,  showed up to the first meeting and 18 to the second meeting.  I enjoyed having only 18, it allowed us to have deeper disscussions with everyone having a chance to participate. They want to focus on HIV/AIDS and STDs as our first topic of study. Our goal is to educate the community through art... visual posters, songs and drama/performance. I am pushing them to make all the decisions and take charge of the group. Im really glad I feel comfortable talking about sex because the youth have A LOT of questions and really enjoy asking me about each and everything. Im looking forward to getting my wooden penis model for condom demos!

Time is flying... March is coming up and I hope to spend  that time focusing how this club will be sustainable after I leave. During, April I will travle to a regional training to meet with my fellow PCVs for a week. In May I hope I get an invite to the PC TZ 50th Annivsery party in Dar es Salaam *I did design the 50th Ann Kanga... wink wink. and I think at the end of the month a visit from my MAMA! and all the while I have a budding romance with a wonderful Tanzanian man, yes Mom beware he wants to ask you when he can marry me as soon as you get off the plane.



So yes! Life IS good... if I could just get this ringworm to go away!


AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL! The support is amazing and just what I need!

It's a BLOG!

Hello... This is for all those people out there who have been asking for a Blog update.

I am just writting a random stream of information and hope you all can make sense of it.  pardon the grammer and spell errors!

So my life in village is coming along- Big NEWS
I went to church last Sunday and plan to go back again tomorrow! I made friends with two sisters in their 20's who go every week.  They are wonderful and even helped me do my laundry on Thursday.  Handwashing is not so much fun... But I do enjoy removing corn kernals from the cob so while Hellena was washing my clothing I took over on corn duty. 

I have a garden- with okra, sweet potatoe greens, tomatoes, cassava, papya and spinich (the chickens ate that thou) plan on replanting this week not that I have a good fence.

I just got a huge package from my family and am super thankfull for everything in the giant box!  The bucket with water nozzel is awesome and the beef jerkey was gone in 10min.  I cant wait to use the chocolate-peanut butter spread on chapati (local flat bread) - I may save this for my b-day ; )

The other box - "The Johnston box" got charged custom fees... Not sure how I'm going to get around it but a friend said he would help next week- so for now the markers and silly bands will sit at the post office.

It makes me so happy to know that so may people care to hear how I'm doing... and want me to write! 

I will be back next weekend to write!

GO YANKEES!

Im a PCV!

Welcome to PC Tanzania... I just started the toughest job I'll ever love!
The Swearing In Ceremony at the Ambassador's home was impressive. Dan and Rebeca knocked it out of the park with a speech the both English and Kiswahili. Toni rocked the Mic with Logan and Lauren~ and the dancers =Alli + Nicole and others got down with their bad selves. The food was great - and for some reason the cutting of the cake was like a wedding ceremony? (thanks for the show Nicole and Justin~ way to feed each other) After the ceremony was went to the CD's house for a delicious dinner. I felt at home with her delightful family. I purchased solar light that I can use to charge my cell phone and now I'm ready to serve!
Tomorrow I'll meet my VEO (Village Executive Officer) and Village Chairman at the DEDs Office (District Executive Director) I'm so excited to move into my house + get settled in and give Mama Fatuma a big hug!  The pictures from the big day are to slow to load so I'll post next time I get to a faster location. Here I go... wish me luck!

Michelle Obama AKA Sugga Mama

For those of you who requested a picture ~ Happy Birthday Sammy!

Chilling at MATI! Me, Rebecca and Alli~ ENJOY

We got into Dar last night (about an eight hour bus ride from Mwanga)  Heading back to Kilulu tomorrow. We spent the day at the Peace Corps Office- opening bank accounts, reviewing medical paperwork and enjoying lectures from John Bhutto. Several PCTs ventured down to city center to explore after our sessions.  Everyone spent their living allowance on fun stuff except me... I'm saving up to furnish my safi crib (clean house) in the coming weeks.  One of the Dar taxi drivers nicknamed me Michelle Obama (because I'm from US?) and Rebecca was calling my Sugga Mama since I have saved the most money in our group. We had eight PCT's in a taxi heading back to the hostel for the night... but the driver pulled over in an alley mid ride and said, "Get OUT, Your KILLING my car!" Good times had by all~

This weekend we will have our farewell party in Kilulu.  I'm sad to leave but happy to only be moving a few hours up the road. Rebecca and Dan went to Lushoto for shadow and shared that its heaven on earth! The excitement is building!

<3 SJ

Site Announcements + Phone number... Done and Done!

Happy Belated Birthday Chris!!! 

I got a Phone  ----------->  (+255) 0788819269

Yesterday we got our site announcements ...I'm headed to a village outside of Lushoto to work in a clinic. Its in Tanga Region - same region where I have been training- (heres some copied and pasted info)


Lushoto (German: Wilhelmstal, "William's Valley" named after Emperor Wilhelm II) is one of the seven districts of the Tanga Region of Tanzania. It is bordered to the northeast by Kenya, to the east by the Muheza District, to the northwest by the Kilimanjaro Region and to the south by the Korogwe District. During the German colonial period from the 1890s to 1918 the area was popular with settlers, hence the German place name of Wilhelmstal. Large farms and plantations were created, and the district was valued for its pleasant mountain climate. Numerous Church missions were, and remain, active. Between 1893 and 1911 the German Ostafrikanische Eisenbahngesellschaft (East African Railway Cooperation), constructed an important railway line starting at Tanga on the coast and passing along the Usambara Mountains with a station established at Mombo, about 20 kilometers from Wilhelmstal, to "New" Moshi at Kilamanjaro. The initial plan of the Usambarabahn was to connect the port of Tanga with Lake Victoria by passing south of the Usambara Mountains. This was in direct competition with parallel British efforts in colonial Kenya. From 4th of June 1912 to 12th of May 1913 the line was renamed Nordbahn (Northern Railway) for a short period.

Safi Sana!  I don't have too much info about my village yet but Nassoro (APCD) said I have an awesome Mama named Fatuma ready to take me under her wing.

This weekend ten of us traveled to Moshi. I ate an outstanding cheeseburger today... still drooling about it~ maybe I'll have to go back for another. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will break up into groups of two and three to shadow current PCV's at their sites.  I will be spending a few days in Mwanga with Brandon and Nat before heading back to Dar on Wednesday. Brandon (PCV) commissioned me to make some art at his site- he requested a mural.   (I'll try to update with pics while in Dar)

I recieved my first package yesterday.  It was like Christmas...I shared the starbursts with my fellow PCT's + PCV's of the week, Language Facilitators and the children in my village-  Everyone loved them -  I love getting mail... Hint hint.  Thanks Mom and Evans Family! My Brothers and Sisters at home stay love the cartoon cards.  If you see one with Scoobie Doo be sure to send it. +Way to go Alli~ Percussion!  Yeaaaa I'm so proud of you!

Home stay is almost over... Life is Calling & getting very real... Send your LOVE ~ I need it!

Mkoma Bay~ weekend away

VACATIONING @ Mkoma Bay!
Pictures are better than words...

Much needed rest and relaxation happening!

Here are some updates on home stay. The permagarden is up and running at Kilulu primary school~ The students helped us dig, plant and water. We had so much fun and hope this will be a model for next years CBT's to follow.

Rockin the Jembe! 

Water time~

This is the area before we started. 

I LOVE YOU ALL! Enjoy~