Katie Goes to Africa!!

I left my heart in Tanzania

2009-09-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Salam from the Kilimanjaro airport.

I left the house around 4:15 pm Tanzania time (9:15am EST). We'll see what time I arrive home tomorrow. I can't believe it's over and my journey back home has already begun. While I miss home and will be happy to see family and friends again, I'm sad to be leaving. I love it here. People are so nice and welcoming. Life is a bit slower...there is saying called that Tanzania operates on Tanzania Flexible Time. I'm going to miss TFT.Life and trying to get into law school will probably swallow me whole as soon as I get off that plane tomorrow.

They're calling for boarding now, so I'm off. But I'll be leaving a piece of my heart here and hopefully I'll be able to return again.

Kwa heri Tanzania. I miss you already!

Women's Empowerment in the Afternoon...

2009-09-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hamjambo!

It's my last week in Africa. I can't believe it! I think I'll be leaving a piece of my heart here when I go home on Saturday evening. I've been planning this trip for over a year and now it's nearly over...so sad.

It's been an exciting week in Moshi. I started working with an organization called WEECE that's works to empower women through education and micro-loans. Just $100 here can help a woman start a business and change her life. The women in Tanzania work extremely hard. The men...not so much. Officially, women have equal rights as men in Tanzania, but traditionally they are not equals. WEECE is helping women stand up for themselves and know they're rights. I've been helping WEECE apply for grants and teaching teenage girls English. If anyone knows of nonprofits or foundations that support women's rights and education and international development, please let me know. I'd like to continue helping WEECE even after I get home.

Last week, Mama Mrema, the executive director took me to an isolated village outside of Moshi called Nganjoni. They've just finished building a school and they've started a clinic. The village is only 25km outside of Moshi, but there are no roads to it and it's difficult to drive to in a car. They just got electricity and water last year. The clinic will help the 4000 people who live there. Since it's so hard to get to by car, it's very hard for women when they have babies. They either have to walk the 25km to the road to get to the hospital or have the baby at home. Many women and children in Nganjoni die in childbirth because they can't get to a doctor. If I can help Mama Mrema get the clinic built, I will feel like my month here has been complete success. When I have access to faster internet at home, I'll post my pictures so you can see what it's like there.

Well, friends. I'm running out of minutes so I'm off. Hope all is well and I'll see most of you soon. Thanks for your support and for all your help to get me here. This experience has changed my life forever.

Visit to the UN in Arusha

2009-08-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

They took us to Arusha to visit the UN tribunal court for war crimes in Rwanda today. It was fascinating learning about the international justice system. The genocide happened in Rwanda in 1994 and they're still trying the country's leaders who were responsible. 1 million people were killed in just 100 days. At the time that it happened, most of the world was more interested in the Monica Lewinksy scandal than the organized murder of 1 million people. I can't wrap my head around how something so horrifying could happen.

It was interesting learning about the process to bring about justice and also the impact that these proceedings are having on international law going forward. The UN court is only trying the government and business, and media leaders, the so called "big fish" who were responsible for planning and orchestrating the massacre. I think they have tried and sentenced about 60 so far. Unfortunately, we didn't get to sit in on a trial because they were not any in session, but the spokesman for the court gave us an update on the trials. As a future law student, it made me want to study international law and potentially do that kind of work in the future. Perhaps, I'll be back in Africa as lawyer some day working on human rights issues. We shall see. Either way, learning about the process was an eye opening experience.

The rains down in Africa

2009-08-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's rainy day in Moshi and the kids were crazy at school today. I now I have sympathy for any teacher, who's ever had to endure indoor recess. I felt like a lion tamer trying to control 40 little kids with two much energy. Today the kids/lions won and basically ate me alive. But there's always tomorrow.

Today was the first day it's rained since I've been here. It's the dry season. It didn't even rain that much today, which makes me wonder what the rainy season is like when it rains for a few hours every day. There must be mud every where. Most of the kids took their shoes off when they walked into the classroom, but it was still pretty muddy. I guess the flip side is we get a break from the dust.

Last weekend, I went to Zanzibar for two days. It's an island off the coast in the Indian Ocean. It was beautiful. We stayed on the beach. They grow a lot of spices there. We went on a tour and learned about how ginger, cloves, cardamon, nutmeg, pepper, and other spices are grown. It was really interesting and of course I took a ton of pictures which I'm excited to show you when I get back.

Well, I'm going to go for an exploratory walk through the neighborhood. Baadaye.

Hakuna Matata

2009-08-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Hakuna Matata...it really does mean no worries and people say it often. Is it bad that I'm dying to watch the Lion King again after this trip? A few things I learned on safari:
1. Warthogs really do walk like Pumba from the Lion King
2. Simba means lion
3. Herds of zebra and wildebeests travel together because they have symbiotic relationship. Zebras eat short grasses and the wildebeests eat longer. (I may have gotten that backwards) And they warn each other about predators, such as simba.
4. Lions spend about 15 hours a day resting
5. Ostriches mate for life
6. Hipos are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa

Needless to say, the safari was awesome. I can't decide what was my favorite animal. The giraffes (twiga), the zebras (punda milia), the elephants (temba) and of course the lions (simba) were fantastic. But so were the hipos, wildebeests, gazelles, monkey and baboons. We also go to see two cheetahs. The only disappointing part of the trip was that I didn't get to see any National Geographic style carniverous animal action. Oh, well hakuna matata--it was still amazing. I took about 600 pictures. The internet connection is too slow to post them, so I'll have to do that at home.

On our way out, we stopped at a Massai Village. It was interesting but also very touristy and odd. I'm not sure how representative of a real village it was. There were about 50 people there. Apparently, it was one man, his seven or eight wives, and then all of their children. They did a traditional dance for us and showed us into their huts. They make the huts out of cow dung and they last about three years. The huts are nearly pitch dark inside. Each wife lives in the hut with her children and the husband takes turns visiting the wives. If his stick is outside the doorway apparently, don't come a knocking.

But enough about safari (which actually just means trip), more about my placement which is the whole reason why I'm here. Slowly but surely it's getting better in terms of maintaining the classroom. They are only three and four years old , so I don't blame them for being antsy sitting at desks all morning. Around 10:30, we serve porridge which is sort of like oatmeal, but I think made with corn flour. I think it's the only meal many of the kids eat all day. After we finish serving everyone, they can come up for seconds. Many come up for thirds, fourths, and fifths and it hurts my heart to see them so hungry. On Monday, one little girl was sitting by herself looking sad and tired. I asked her why she was so sad. The teacher came over and talked to her. She hadn't eaten since Saturday and was about to pass out from hunger. She ate three bowls of porridge and probably wouldn't eat again until the next day. She's probably four years old. Can you imagine what that would be like?

As I've said earlier, the kids fight to hold our hands when we walk around the playground. They'll fake tears so we'll pick them up or let them sit on our laps. Part of it, I think is the oddity of these strange white people who come to their school a few weeks at a time. But I also don't think they're getting much affection and attention at home. Their parents are mostly focused on being able to feed them rather than being able to play with them and hold them. Most of them walk to school on their own and it can be a few kilometers. The oldest of students at the school are about 7 years old and they have to cross a main road, a paved two lane highway which is a Tanzanian equivalent of a freeway.

We're not supposed to donate to the school, but the school has absolutely no resources. I think the supplies they do have come from volunteers. It's a tough balance between sustainability and using resources I have available to me to help. I'm not sure what's right, but I know they need pencils and paper and probably wouldn't have access to it without us.

Well friends, I've been a bit under the weather for a few days, so I'm off to bed. Hope this finds you all well.

Safari!

2009-08-14T02:52:00.000-07:00

Salam!

Just a quick note to say hello before I leave for a three day safari to Ngoragora and Lake Tarengere. All is well. My kiswahili is improving, but I've a long way to go. The kids still don't listen to me. The teacher said they think it's funny to hear us speak kiswahili. As soon as he leaves the room, chaos begins. But it's fun too. The Hokey Pokey is a big hit at Kilimahewa nursery school. They also like If You're Happy and You Know It. They are adorable. When I arrive in the morning, they swarm around me and fight to hold my hands.

Well, I'd be better get ready to leave. I'm off to see giraffes, lions, zebras, and other animals. Tutaonana baadaye!

Mwalimu, mwalimu, mwalimu

2009-08-11T03:41:00.000-07:00

Hamjambo! Greetings from Tanzania! All of my flights connected and my luggage even made it with me. It's beautiful here and everyone I've met is incredibly friendly and nice. Strangers see me and say welcome, karibu. Lucky for me I've been able to see Kilimanjaro for the past two days. I'll upload pictures of it soon, but they really don't do it justice.

I'll also post a picture of my alarm clock—the rooster next door. Apparently, one way to tell time here is by how many times the rooster has crowed since dawn.

Today was my first day teaching. It was good but a little overwhelming. Imagine a class of 30 three and four years old screaming mwalimu, mwalimu, teacher, teacher at you. They don't know English and they're still learning Kiswahili. If anyone has any tips for controlling the classroom and activities that require little verbal explanation, I'm all ears. None the less, it was fun. The kids are so happy to be there and they're adorable. Eventually they'll listen to me when I say kaa cheni saasa (sit down now) and na kaa kimya ( and be quiet). But for now it's a little bit of chaos, that's kind of fun too.

Well, I'm off.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go

2009-08-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

After over a year of planning this trip, it's finally here. Just around the corner. Tomorrow night, I board a plane to Amsterdam, then another to Addis Ababa, then another to Nairobi, and finally I arrive in Tanzania. I'm so excited, but a little nervous too. It's finally setting in that this is for real and I almost can't believe it.

I spent several hours this evening packing and organizing. Some of my friends at work, you know who you are, made fun of me for not packing until now, but that's how I operate. My good friends, Adrienne and Maria came over for dinner and packing. It was a lovely evening. I realized that I I hung out with them the last time I picked up to volunteer in some random place. Last time it was Oregon and Adrienne took me to the airport. This time it's Tanzania and Maria is taking me to the airport. Six years later they're still my best friends. Well, friends in family. I set off on another adventure tomorrow. Thank you for all of your support. I'm lucky to have you in my life. Hopefully, I'll be able to update this while I'm gone.

Kwaheri!

Deet: A Love Story

2009-07-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

I was outside for about an hour earlier this evening and in that span, I got about 10 mosquito bites. It was like a little Italian restaurant opened up on the patio. Not sure why, but I attract mosquitoes. Good thing I'll be taking lots of bug spray to Tanzania. I wish I had a bug spray with me today. Hopefully, the deet will do it's job and keep away the mosquitoes and not give me cancer. Ugghh, my legs itch!

Hope number two is that the malaria pills work and I don't get malaria. Of the different varieties of anti-malaria pills, one apparently can give you wicked nightmares and anxiety. I didn't choose that one.

Well, I'm off to bed. Less than a month to go. Wahoooo!

Visas and Human Pin Cushions: 37 Days to Tanzania

2009-07-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hujambo Friends!
It's been a while since I've written and a lot has happened since April. Thanks to your generosity I have successfully met my fundraising goal and officially depart for Tanzania on August 7th. The kindness and generosity of my friends and family during this process has been amazing. I wouldn't be able to do this without you and I'll always be grateful. Asante sana--thank you very much in Swahili.

Preparations for the trip are well under way. Yesterday, I took the day off to run errands to get ready. My first stop was to the Tanzanian embassy, pictured to the right, to apply for a visa. I go back next week to pick up the visa and my passport. I'm not entirely comfortable leaving my passport with them. Hopefully, they won't lose it!

The next stop was less fun and more painful. I was off to the doctor for round two of vaccinations and a physical. I had blood drawn from my right arm and got a heptatitis A and B shot. In my left, I got a tetanus shot. Needless to say, I feel like a human pin cushion and my arms ache. The yellow fever vaccine I got last month made my arm twitch, a very odd feeling to say the least. The good news...my vaccinations are done and I've got all my presriptions for the trip.

As I said in the title, only 37 days to go. I can't wait to see Tanzania and meet the people. I've been planning so long and now it's just around the corner. Thank you for making this possible.

Thank you!

2009-04-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Everyday when I listen to the news, I'm surrounded by the bad economy. I've had friends and family lose their jobs due the slow down. A few weeks ago it really hit home when my company laid off seven employees. Sometimes it's hard to keep a positive attitude through all the gloom.

Yet amdist all of the economic turmoil, one thing that has really touched me is the generosity of my friends and family. You have helped me raise nearly $2000 for this trip to Tanzania. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Money is tight for everyone and for you to still contribute is amazing.

This trip is going to be a life changing experience and your support is so important to me. Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart. Thank you to those who have contributed financially, but also thank you to those who've given me moral support to. I couldn't do this without you. I truly am grateful.

Running to Tanzania

2009-02-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's time to dust off my running shoes and get back into training mode. After a taking a few months off after the marathon in October, I'm hitting the pavement again. But this time it's for a cause...

On March 21st, I'll running in the National Half Marathon. 13.1 miles through the streets of Washington, DC to get me a few steps closer to Tanzania. Race training has officially begun and you may see jogging through the streets of Arlington or DC.

You can support in the race and my journey to Tanzania by sponsoring me. Click here to donate. All donations are 100% tax deductible and will contribute to helping me work with children in schools and orphanages in a village near Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

A bit about Cross-Cultural Solutions

2009-02-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

Perhaps I should tell you a bit more about how I'm going to Tanzania and who I'll be working with...

After I decided I wanted to volunteer abroad, I researched a variety of organizations that set-up short term volunteer programs for people like me. I found a nonprofit called, Cross-Cultural Solutions. I chose CCS because they work on sustainable community initiatives. My placement will be supporting a Tanzanian school or orphanage. The schools in this ares of Tanzania have too few teachers for the number of students so I will be assisting teachers in whatever way I can. While CCS provides support to the local organizations, they are run by the local community which was important to me.

I'm fundraising for the $3324 program fee which covers the cost of my placement, in country cultural and learning activities, room and board, transportation, and travel insurance. Your donations in support of me go directly to CCS and are 100% tax deductible. Click here to donate. You can also mail donations to:
Cross-Cultural Solutions
Attn: Finance
2 Clinton Place
New Rochelle, NY 10801
USA
Please include my name, Catherine Villareale, in the memo of your check so your donation is credited towards my program. Thank you so much for your support!

Tanzania or BUST!

2009-01-29T15:46:00.000-08:00

7 1/2 months from today I will be boarding a plane headed to Africa.

I am going to volunteer. To help people, learn about another culture and experience a different world. Different than anything I have ever experienced and known here in the United States. This will be the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

I am excited - it will be an opportunity that will change the way that I look at the world; it will change my life forever.

I hope that this blog will be able to help me in my fundraising efforts, and to help to communicate my own personal journey.

This is going to be a challenging and rewarding journey. Will you help me get there?