My home stay family - The big move!

9/5/09

Today was an awesome day!I visited Ngaromtoni, another rural village where my 3rd and final project is based. I was suppose to stay here, but now I have moved in with Moma Aichee on the outskirts of Arusha (just outside of town). This big village is actually very very scenic , it is very hilly and quite reserved. The local people here are very traditional and a non-tanzanian always draws attention very quickly. This project is one whereby grants have been allocated to 5 recipients, these were chosen from a group of 30. To aid them in starting up small businesses to support themselves and generate an income of some support. I have been asked to work with them in using the grant to actually get the business up and running, so for most of them it is using the funds to purchase resources and actively get things moving. So this one is looking at supply and demand in the areas where all the individuals have decided to set up. As an initial starting poing for me.

Aside this today I moved into my new home! How exciting was this..I didnt know what to expect.I've met some other volunteers in the last few days which is great for support networks and social meetings. But sorting out a homestay was something I was eager to sort out asap. Hearing about the other guys home-stays gave me mixed thoughts on what to expect. Rory ( a volunteer from the US from another NGO) filled me in on his homestay with 2 nuns and how kool it was whereas Caroline ( from my organisation) was staying with a middle-class traditional family who where very open and warm to her. But moving in today came so natural, it felt like Moma Aichee was a long lost aunt in another country who was taking me home with her!! There are 2 daughters Noami and Upendo, who are the only ones at home. While Papa works in Dar es Salaam, so this is going to be great. My house is 45 mins walk from town and is smack bang in a village which is very lively and everyone knows everyone. The type of housing differed from one another so I was very curious to the drive up to the house. Although, it was very uncommon for a village folk to have a vehicle! so the fact that Moma Aichee owned one was an indication it was going to be one of the comfortable home-stays hehehehe. I got very lucky shall I say, the house is gorgeous and the layout is more or less similar to back home. Only difference is the rooms are very big and all on one floor and there is an outside area for washing up as well as a fitted kitchen!! This is very rare for a homestay family, I Have been told. Lets just say, everything has worked out very very well as the family are very traditional yet modern...a great balance if you ask me! a very happy parv.