Woke up with the spins this morning. Thanks to three Tusker beers and a shot of Tanzanian "tequila" (I have no idea if it was actually tequila or some strange Tanzanian version of tequila--either way, it burned), and I am moving a little slowly.
Last night was a blast! We wanted to go out as a big group, as a sort of last hurrah for Julia and Rosaria, and ended up at Glacier--an outdoor bar and restaurant in Shantytown (which, despite the name, is actually the wealthy neighborhood in Moshi Town). A lot of mzungus frequent Glacier. We enjoyed our adult beverages while listening to a slightly out-of-tune band playing cover songs (Bob Marley, Lil John and the Eastside Boyz, Cher, and Michael Bolton, e.g.). We danced with local boys, some of them turning out to be major creepers. One of them shook my hand and did the finger-scratch-in-the-palm signal (the Tanzanian proposition for sex)... needless to say, dude got a big "ATCHA!" (stop it!) and a cold shoulder. Ick. I'd known him for all of 60 seconds.
12:30 p.m.
Just came from outside the gate. The kids were in chaos over a hot air balloon. None of them had ever seen one--they were scared that they were about to be bombed. That confuses me a little bit, since Tanzania has never been bombed to my knowledge, but... panic, nonetheless. The littlest kids were in tears, and poor Beep Beep was terrified. He suction-cupped himself into my arms and cried and cried. What pissed me off was that the adults who were present thought it was funny. Little kids in a panic over a strange thing in the sky--really, all you're gonna do is point and laugh? You could at least explain it to them. Yeesh.
6:30 p.m.
Just got back from bringing Julia and Rosaria to the airport. We were all in tears for most of the trip. We are permanently linked together by this experience, but that didn't make the drive any easier. We have to repeat the process with Mama Joan, tomorrow evening.
Goodbyes are impossible.
I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this next week, when it's my turn.
Just came from outside the gate. The kids were in chaos over a hot air balloon. None of them had ever seen one--they were scared that they were about to be bombed. That confuses me a little bit, since Tanzania has never been bombed to my knowledge, but... panic, nonetheless. The littlest kids were in tears, and poor Beep Beep was terrified. He suction-cupped himself into my arms and cried and cried. What pissed me off was that the adults who were present thought it was funny. Little kids in a panic over a strange thing in the sky--really, all you're gonna do is point and laugh? You could at least explain it to them. Yeesh.
6:30 p.m.
Just got back from bringing Julia and Rosaria to the airport. We were all in tears for most of the trip. We are permanently linked together by this experience, but that didn't make the drive any easier. We have to repeat the process with Mama Joan, tomorrow evening.
Goodbyes are impossible.
I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this next week, when it's my turn.
Goodbyes never get easier.
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