Back in T-Zed

I guess I haven't blogged since I got back to Tanzania. I've been back since the 21st of April, which was 13 days ago. I was sad to leave Kenya, but I also knew it was time. Plus I had been missing the children (especially my Rachel) dearly. Coming "home" to Arusha was quite exciting!

Not much has happened since I've been back. I made some new friends from England. They are working at an orphanage not too far away. On Sunday they treated Marsha and me to lunch at the Impala Hotel. YUM! Excellent Indian food.

The other day I had an interesting experience on the dala-dala. It was crowded so I had to stand. The lady I was standing next to and I shared smiles saying "this is so uncomfortable" as we were jerked about the bus. Someone got off, and she sat down, then pulled me onto her lap! I thought, "Okay, this is at least more comfortable than standing." A while later someone else got off and I sat next to her. She felt the need to hold my hand (this is happening to me more and more frequently). First she wanted my phone number. We spent several minutes trying to figure out each other's name over the din of the dala-dala. I finally figured out her name and I told her mine. When we reached her stop, she demanded that I come to her house. I politely told I would come some other time. She was quite persistent, but I eventually convinced her that I couldn't come now because I had to go home. She was silent for about half a minute, then said, "Well I will come to Usa River with you then." I panicked inside. This lady was crazy! I told her she couldn't, but she kept saying, "Twende!" (Let's go!). I was desperate to get her off the dala-dala while it was still stopped in her town. I pleaded with her that I had to go to work, so she couldn't come with me. Finally she gave in and left. Did I mention that all this time she was holding my hand and stroking my hair? I can take a lot, but it was getting strange....