Big news here, just found out where I'll be living for the next 2 years. I'll be in the Dodoma region, a couple of hours outside of Dodoma city, which is the nominal capitol. I'm in the area this week shadowing another volunteer to check out my new house and get introduced to the area. Dodoma is pretty much in the middle of the desert, so the next two years will definitely have some fun new challenges. Water being the main one... So far my shadow week is off to a good start. Visited the capitol, which was fun and I'm excited to be living in the area for the next couple of years. Visiting my house tomorrow, which I'm super excited for. From the picture I've been given I've got a thatched roof and my house is up against a hole... Reminds me of a hobbit hole, which is perfect. I'm trying to stay as optimistic as possible about my site and go into it knowing that it will be what I make of it... So hopefully it'll be a great fit for me and I'll be able to do effective work.
In the meantime I'm enjoying electricity, internet, and American cable TV courtesy of some Italians that own a compound in my shadow host's village. Great break from village life. Hopefully I won't get too comfortable... I even at ice cream today! What?!?! That exists in the middle of the desert? Yes, it does. As does feta cheese... yet to try that but I'm pretty sure I could eat a whole package in one sitting, so maybe I'll put that on my to-do list later this week. Oh, also had chinese food the other night. So good. Much needed break from Tanzanian fare. Brace yourselves for food craving posts in the future... Living off of rice and beans sometimes leaves one with intense food cravings.
After this week I'll be back to normal training, then in exactly a month I'll be swearing in as a volunteer! So soon! So send me mail now so that it gets to me before I move. The prospect of a shower and western toilet is too great to continue writing... So bye for now!
