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I dont have a lot of time on the computer. And I am not able to upload any photos until I get home. But Im telling you.
I am in love. In lions. In Africa! In tigers!

You are all gonna melt when you see the pictures.
In one week time (this time), I'll be back in Sweden to break your hearts with my pics!

My time in Arusha is already over. Leaving for dar tomw morning and then South Africa. I have sooo many stories to tell, but not enough time to write them down!
Will just quickly upload some photos and give you an update since Im not sure there will be internet on the lion farm.
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Spent the weekend in a Masai village in Engalaoni Mountains. And there is just one word suitable to describe this place. STUNNING! I can’t describe it in words so Im just gonna show you in pics. The typical masai huts are sticking up as mountains in the incredible green landscape. Def the place to be poor on! On the way to Englaoni, where ML and M have a summer house, we had a masai in the car. Just gave him a lift to the mountains so he could pick up his daughter who is only 6 years old but had been grounding flour for a few weeks on her own. What did I do when I was 6???
We also participated in a TV production where some family friends to ML were filming some Tanzanian kid programs and ads. Gave us a chance to get some really good photos of the villages (something which is normally very difficult to get). The lady who let us use her hut for filming had 6 kids. Her husband died a few years ago and she had 3 children with him.  When he died, she became the “property” of his “brothers” (note: not his real brother, but all friends etc are brothers and sisters etc).

However these “brothers” only come every now and then to sleep with her and they don’t give a shit abt her the rest of the time. They just gave her another 3 kids to feed and at the time, there are food shortages in this region.

On our way up to Engalaoni where ML and M are working with a tree plantation project, so we had the whole car packed with at least 1000 small tree plants that we delivered to the village.

The typical masai huts in the Arusha region.

Dorini is playing with my hair.
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Apart from this trip, we have made one trip to another village called Ntukusi where Hope for Children have their own land lot on which they grow some foods etc.  (Pics from last time I wrote). In the same village, HFC are also supporting a school (but I will remember I already wrote about this).

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When we have some spare time, we play with the kiddos. Yesterday we taught them some Swedish midsummer dances, like sma grodorna (tiny frogs) and prastens lilla kraka. They were dying of laugh. We also played kom under ornens vingar (come under the eagles wings) and were totally exhausted when Morgan finally called us for dinner. When you start something, its impossible to just quit without a reason. Everyone required your attention at all times and it makes it very difficult. But it is wonderful to play with the kids and they really appreciate it.

Everywhere along the roads are kids and other people waiving to the Mzungos.

Rebecka and dorini are using bottle caps to play memory.
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Apart from this, I have been participating in some crazy “bonekvallar med pingstkyrkan” (pray nights with some Swedish mission church) and I really feel like I don’t fit it. I just don’t understand it.  The family friends (same once as the once making kid programs) was there. They have 3 kids themselves. The one that is 8 acted like she was 30. A lot more mature than me haha! I just dont agree with their way to explain things.

Me and Victoria dressed as masais in all kangas we bought on the masai market.
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Well, this is it. I need to go to bed soon and mentally prepare for the bus ride tomw. 10 hours with only one stop for toilet. Have prepared myself with drinking almost nothing today. Not that I think it will help. I mean. Its ME we are talking abt. However there are other reasons to prepare as well. Me and Morgas got stuck behind a learning driver yday and M explained that during practice, they are only allowed to drive in 20km/hr and they do never practice on how to overtake another vehicle, because the teacher is too scared. Add to this that the car is falling apart pierce by pierce and that the learning cars also serves as taxis and is fully packed at all times. The “driving up test” basically means that you drive abt 50 meters on a straight road and then get your license. No matter people here cant drive haha!
Im sure I will be fine though. Hopefully Ill get the chance to update the blog in South Africa. If not. I might have been eaten by a lion. Cause its LION TIME!

I am sooooo sorry I havent been writing for such a long time. You must all think Im dead. Which could have been the case, saying the bustrip from Sadaani to Arusha was a killer. It should have taken abt 10 hrs in total, but it actually ended up taking 16. The bus was falling apart piece by piece and it was like driving a RR in the bush. Constantly head banging for the first 5 hrs before we got on some asfalt roads.
The drivers are usually drunk and most of them most likely paid to get their licens. Just before we crossed a very narrow bridge, the Tanzanian guy infront of me did the hail marry (cross sign). You are better off Not knowing whats in front of you.
Surprisinglily, we made it to Arusha alive. Got into the first cab possibly just to get away from the bus stop. At the time, it seemed like a very good idea. We figured pretty soon that it wasnt. The cab driver stoped and told us he had to run away to get petrol cause it suddlenly was finished. He locked us into the car and ran away. We sat there for a few min and then decided to break out. I ran in to the closest hotel and Scott was hiding behind a tree to get our bags back. The cab driver return at the same time as two guys on motorbike who started to search the car. Scott bribed the guy to get our bags back and eventually we got away with all our belongings, just a few 1000 poorer. Gaaahhhh! Almost gor robbed. Grr. After that, we got the number to some reliable cab drivers so have been good since.
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moved into the orphanage on Tuesday morning. What I didnt know at the time was how extremely religious this place was. PINGSTKYRKAN (church) number one. I feel so very uncomfortable here. Its like Im the fifth wheel and I am actually getting treated worse just because Im not religious. And I thought everyone had the same value in Jesus eyes? Hmm...
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Anyway, the orphaage has 11 kiddos. Mostly girls for the simple reason that most projects are focusing on boys, although girls are in a higher risk group. The kids are between 7-14. We dont really work (we includes me and Victoria, another swedish volonter) a lot with the kids, but are doing more administrative things and get experience other ways. Its good though cause it gives me a picture of how it is to work like this.
Yday for example, we went to a Masai village to sort some land stuff out so they can grow food for the orphanage. We also went to a conference to set a budget for the village school and discuss how we could approve it. We got treated like the royal family. The kiddos had even prepared a dance for us. So adorable!

Pic from the maasai village in the mountains.
As you can see, Arusha has a much nicer landscape than dar. Its green and mountains everywhere. On the way out here, we saw Kilimanjaro. Looked so beautiful. I really have to climb it one day.

(Me and Vic sorting all clothes that have been given to the orphanage in different sizes and types. It took the whole day and we are still not done!)
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Morgan and MarieLouise have a lot of stories to tell and its very interesting just to listen to them. The moved to Tanzania already 1973 and have been through a lot. These parts, I really enjoy. But the morning prays and evening prays etc. I just don’t understand. The pretty much leave everything in the hands of God as well. Not much difference between the Africos and them. One of the Masais got really confused when me and Vic put sun block on. He had probably never seen such thing and we explained to him on broken Swahili its used to protect the skin from the sun. He laughed and said ‘hahahaha mzungos’. Morgan said he had explained to them before that ‘God made your skin black so you couldsurvive in this environment’. What abt evolution? However, I have learned NOT to mention anything abt that. I would prob get kicked out haha.
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Anyway. This is a nice place. I have only 4 days left. Then its time for lions and I am SO very excited. I feel like working with animals instead of people will be a very pleasant experience and I cant wait!

Some pics from Saadani.

I dont know where to start! I think I just witnessed African exorcism. Since I first arrived her, I have promised Salome to go to church with her on a Sunday. She told me the session would last for 3 hrs. It went on for 5 and it was really an experience! Goooooodness!

Went to meet Hatibu in the city today to talk abt my situation again. I think he was sad that Im leaving but he also admitted he has been extremetly busy. We went for a walk in the neighbourhoods of Tandale and to his house in Mwanaynamala. I think he was trying to make it up to me a bit. Although, he should have done this my first week already. A bit late now...

Dear all,
Tomw, I'll be taking the bus to Saadani national park. Will spend a few days up to a week lying in the bush with my camera, loking for zebras and girafes. According to the rumors, there is no connection out there. Just wildlife, mozzies and relaxing beaches. (Dont be jelaous!)
I promise to take a lot of photos and update the blog as son as I reach Arusha!

Laters!

Had planned to go to White beach with Silje and Maria, but the long rain stoped us from going. Since it is there (and now also my) last weekend in dar, we decided to go to Mwenge hand craft market instead.
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Afterwards, we met their supervisor over a drink. He's a really nice guy who is doing his PhD in Denmark. He knew a lot of projects I could have worked on. What a pity I didnt meet him until now! However, I took his contact details in case I want to come back one day.
He tols us a story abt when his relatives came to visit him in Denmark. They came during summer so there were no stars on the sky at night. The kids thought they had reached the end of the world and started to cry hysterically. He said he felt sorry for the scandinavian people since they seemed so lonely and since they devided everything into mine, theirs and yours. Its interesting to see your own country from abroad and to hear other people talking about it.
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Scott and I decided to take the bus to Saadani after I had a dream abt a plane crash. Haha, better to be safe than sorry! Plus, we will save a whole lot of money! Things that we like!
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Sure came over later at night to keep me company since Salome was in church. I told him abt my new plans and gosh! He got so sad! He almost started to cry, poor thing. So, I gave him the muse key ring which was meant for Tapida and his happyness was compleet. He told me that Tapida told him she used to 'do things' to me at night. I asked him what type of things, but sometimes, communication fail. He didnt manage to explain to me. But I might be better off not knowing. I bet she cursed me!

Last day of March. Went to the clinic to meet Ahmed who turned up more than an hour late. We didnt really have anything to do and the clinic was closed so just to kill some time, I suggested we should go and visit vodacom again. I didnt expext the manager to be there, but since he hasnt picked up or returned my calls, I thought we may as well give it a go. He wasnt in.
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Afterwards, I went to Mlimani to meet Gizelle. She recognized the problem I told her about and understood there was nothing for me to do here. She told me that when she last contacted the group before I arrived, it seemed like they had things to do, and I dont blame her. There was a proposal and people claiming to work on it. However the whole group relies on only one person, who is working fulltime with five other projects. Unfortunately, he and Saleem is the only once who really seem to want this vision to become real. The others just want to dance for a living. And they should! Cause they are really good and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its just, I cant help them to do that...
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Its always nice meeting with Gizelle. She told me abt her mother in law who kind of had two personalities. She could go from being really lovely one day to harassing people with a knife the next. So she was taken to the  Loliando man to get her 'cup'. Appearantly, the medicin is the (avkok) from the same kind of leafes as the girafes are eating. The are poisones as well. Hmm. And the medicine is the same no matter condition. Cancer, diabetes, HIV, schizofrenia! Gizelle told me that her mother in law became normal after she went. Still, she didnt know what to believe, but she asked if I couldnt smuggle some of the leaves to Sweden and analyze them. Haha! I told her that if this miracle medicine actually did work, iot would be worldwide already. But I have to admit I am of the opinion that placebo is the best treatment so I guess it gives hope to the people in this very uncontrollable situation. I understand that they at least have to try it, if that is the final way to go.