Travel Tidbits and Packing Drama

I am thankfully and safely in Dar es Salaam now! I'd say I'm even almost over the jetlag, though the minute I say that I'll probably be exhausted.

The trip over here was a 2 day ordeal that involved quite a while hanging out in New York's JFK airport, overnight flight to London, all day spent in the London-Heathrow airport, and an overnight flight to Nairobi followed by a hop over to Dar es Salaam.

Well, so I made it safely at 10:30 am on Wendesday May 26th. It is now Friday May 28th and my bag just arrived this afternoon. The reason for that is a ticket that was originally scheduled to come directly from London to Dar es Salaam. Of course, British Airlines cabin crews were striking, so I was then rerouted through Dubai. When I arrived in London, no one really had any record of me going to Dubai. The nice lady at American Airlines then decided that I would be happier leaving London a little earlier and flying through Nairobi. (For some reason she also suggested a flight through Johannesburg... why?!). Anyways, you can see why my bag might have been a little bit confused.

Fortunately, and unfortunately because of all the time I spent hauling my carry on bags around, I did have quite a well packed carry on times 2. I had all the textbooks, tools, and electronics parts I would need for the summer (just in case the bag gets lost indefinitely!!) plus a couple days worth of clothes. I still got pretty good at washing my underwear in the sink... just sayin. Oh, and things just smell funky. They will until sometime in August.

When I finally got my bag today, it was somewhat disappointing. I'd realized that I was doing fine with just 2.5 outfits, and the bag was super heavy! On the upside, the only liquid that spilled was the tea tree oil/castille soap facewash from trader joe's... so at least my bag smells nice and it's not a nasty, goopy liquid.

But enough about the packing drama.

I feel like I've been here longer than 2.5 days, and am really enjoying my time here. I was picked up by a friend and 4 little kiddos, taken to their mom's house and then to my hostel which is run by the Catholic Passioniste Fathers. I've been running all over the city in taxis, cars, bajajis (the little 3 wheeled motor bike covered thingies), and various other forms of transport. I found the tools I was hoping to find here, met with an incredible technician from Germany who is making huge changes in a local workshop (this workshop now is so self-sufficient that it supports the hospital that birthed it!), and am having dinner (and coffee and tea and breakfast and lunch) with all sorts of interesting people. Last but not least - I had 4 marriage proposals within 36 hours of being here. I think that might be a record. Or just an indication of the fact that I understand them this time...

My Swahili is coming back quickly and I'm getting my own feet and feeling ready for the students to show up next week. It's exciting! Keep praying, sending emails, or whatever :)