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Last day on Zanzibar. Means my reality escape mini holiday is over. And what a last night as well!!! Went to bed at around 23, after been watching the intense lightning over the neighbour island. The storm was, as it looked like, moving on to the opposit direction. However, woke up at 1am after my mozzie net had blown away. First I thought it was kinda nice to get some wind coming in, but the wind very soon turned into a hurricane with the worst lighting strikes ive ever seen! it was like someone was turning on and off the light every half sec and the strikes were hitting horisontal over the sky. The rain, which started to come in over fukachani very soon flooded the garden and developed a river onto which my flip flops sailed away. Some of my clothes had blown away by mother wind and prob end up it nearby villages. I hope they will come yo use there...(and sorry diary, your upper right corner got hit as well). Scott had run up in the windmill to turn the power of. The blades of the windmill had got deformed so the energy production was going crazy. Jerry, the cat was terryfied, mjauing and hiding underneeth the couch. While we helped Rohny to shelter all his stuff on the top floor, one of the workers were building a mud wall outside to protect the houses to get flooded.
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Afterwards, we just sat down in the the bed to watch the lightnings. And holy fuck! The storm was just above us at one momant and the noises was just terrible. For the first time in my life, thunder and lightning actually scared the shit out of me haha!
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7 am, after almost no sleep at all we decided to make breakie. And finally, also Matt woke up haha! All my clothes were soaking wet, as was my hair still. So no need for a shower. After making sure the damages wasnt actually to big, the garden had seem to appreciate it due to the previous drought, we drove to Puja beach, which was closed due to low season. So, we went a bit further, dried my clothes in the sun and just rested. The tides were too low for swimming, which they are most of the time here on zzb.
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Took the ferry back at 15.30, although it said depature time was 16. lucky I got there in time. So, end of mini holiday and 5 star hotels. Back to reality and bucket bath. I dont know what to love most! :)

I was meant to go back to Sinza today with the 4 o clock ferry, but decided to stay for another day in this paradise. I still havent seen the even more amazing beaches on the eastcoast, plus, I wanna do a village walk. People here are actually living in the same kind of mud houses as we saw on the village museum. Extremely poor but incredible to see. Unfortunately, its very difficult to get pictures of this. As soon as they see you have a camera, they get really offended. But they will on the other hand take any opportunity to take pictures of the mzungus. Really annoying. And VERY frustrating for someone who loves taking pictures, to pass potential photos every second meter without being able to take a photo. Ill see if I can get some sneaky once...
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My body has been screaming for exercise for a long time now, so this morning, I took the opportunity to do some push ups and squads on the rooftop, overlooking the ocean. Pretty decent place for work out! The termometer showed 34 degrees outside and 95% humidity. I lasted for 30 min, baaahhh! Will be a steep hill coming back!
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After the village tour today, both me and Scott were dizzy from dehydration, so we decided to drive to Kendwa rocks and go for a swim. However, its not very much to cool down in, saying the temperature of the water is warmer than the air. But nice anyway... Three masais joined us in the water. Although, I think two of them might have been fake, since they were kinda short and chubby and didnt carry around on a stick. They did this very entertaining dance on which they lined up and jumped up and down, going hum....hum...hummm.... Haha!
So. We laughed at eachother...

We were menat to leave Fukachani at 9am, however Gosha wasnt ready until 9.40am. Far too demanding to be a CS, since Scott had to be in Stonetown at a certain time. Grrr! When we finally arrived, Scott did his things, we droped of Gosha at the ferry and I got lost in the Stonetown after abt 3 min. It is a very pretty city, somehow remiding me of Gamla stan in Stockholm with its narrow streets, although it uis extremely poor. When Scott was done, he managed to find me somewhere close to the fruit market and we went to African house to catch up with Lovisa and co over a drink. One of her friends, Felix, was missing. He had run off with an African girl the day before haha!
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After a while, we went to pick up Scotts friens Matt at the airport, they had some work to do later on. Matt have been living in dar es for 4 years and is fluent in Swahili. Im so jelaous! Knowing the language certainly makes it easier to get around. We stoped to eat two delisious mangoes on the streets and had a crap omelett at a street restaurant. Hopefully wont get sick haha!
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Went to Zzb in to pick up a massive fish for tonight bbq, and invited some of the staff, Lovisa and her friends plus some of the workers. Although we were abt 10 to 12 people sharing the fish wich we grilled over open fire on the beach and the coconut rice and veggies. We didnt manage to eat even half of all the fod. So, we took the rest of it to feed the neighbour village and gave the head to Jerry the cat.
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I wish I would have brought my massive suitcase so I could fill it with African art. Love it! In Scott and Rohnys houses, all the furnitures are made out of wood from shipwrecks that have just floated up on the beach. So beautiful! I think, whenever I get a house, Ill make it African style!

Woke up this morning to the sound of waves and singing tropical birds. Lovely!
The plan was to go snorkeling but we woke up too late so instead, we went to Nungwi to get some chapati for breakie and then took off to Zzb inn, a five star hotel managed by his boss Rhony. We relaxed in the honeymoon room with the other CSs until the tide was high enough for some sea kayaking. We paddled all the way out to the reef hoping to do some kayak surfing, but we were pretty un succesful. When coming back to the beach, we looked like 4 lobsters haha!
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Scott had bought two games in the mall, RISK and scrabble and we decided to give it a go. However, when we opened RISK it was missing all the cards, and scrabble all the letters. Instead, we fell asleep to a bad movie. Aftewards, I made dinner for Scott and Gosha *the polish girl. The japaneese guy had droped off by now. Gosha is an extremely stingy CS, she had forgotten to buy food but contributed the dinner wih a rotten tomato so that she could eat as well. And thats after staying for free in this hotel like paradise. Phu!
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Scott old me that if you run over a duck in the villages, youll have to pay. But if you run over a hen you dont. The reason is, that a hen cant make up its mind in which direction to run, weather a duck only runs in one direction, so if you hit it, you did something wrong.  So far, we havent run over either, but we have been stoped by the police abt 5 times. The car has to be started with a screw driver after scott lost the key in the ocean. And, with almost everything stolen, they certainly have to stop us haa. Just hand some cash over and you are fine to go again. This is the third world.

Yeah, Zanzi time! Was first planning to take the 10.30 ferry but got a msg from an English guy from CS that I could stay in his house, but he shouldnt reach Zanzi until later. So I decided to take the ferry at 14, although I reached st joseph cathedral already at noon. Had abt 10 guys running after me trying to sell me ferry tickets. Figured it would be better to wait for scott on the zanzi side, plus, there was no ferry at 14 anymore anyway. The ferry cost $10 for residents, and $40 for white people. Met a Swedish guy on the ferry as well so was nice to get some company and someone to talk to during the 2 hrs it took to cross the ocean. When we arrived to Zanzi, we had to go through immigration, which I had NO idea abt. Was even considering to leave my passport at home but decided last min it was safer to bring it. However, i did not bring myu yellow vaccination card. Why would I when travelling within the same country... So, I got stuck at immi. First, they wanted to give me a yellow fever shot, but I claimed I already had it, noone is gonna stick a needle in me in this country haha! I had to sign a paper that I already had yellow fever vaccination, then they let me in. Hmm, what if I lied.... Not that I did, but anyway...
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Anyway, me and Matias, the swedish guy went to get some food. Wanted to order curry from the menu, but they told me they only served pizza. So, pizza we had. However, they didnt have even half of the ingredients which should have been on my pizza. And when the lady asked what I wanted to drink, I asked what they had. She got angry haha!
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Lovisa and her 4 friends arrived with the next ferry. So incredibly nice to see a familiar face! Although, one girl in her company refused to pay 40 sek for a pizza and convinced the others to find another restaurant in the tourist paradise. hmm...
While sitting at the restaurat, waiting for Scott, I was watching the staff from the ferry dump all the gabbage in the ocean. Just next to it were kids swimming. I wonder how clean that water is. Might be better off not knowing. Bins does not exist in Tanzania.
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Scotts ferry was in time. After been picking up two hitch hikers, a japaneese guy and a polish girl, we drove to Scotts place in Fukachani. And. OMG! I am still amazed! This place is certainly NOT a CS place, more something in style with a five star hotel with the ocean just outside the window. He built this house by him self after have been visiting Zzb as a tourist. He fell in love with the country, sold all his stuff in England and started a new life here.I guess I got the royalty lounge or something, cause I cant even describe it. Just have to show you pics instead.
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Soon after arrival, we went to Kendwa rocks to an ongoing full moon party. I had my second pizza for the day. The first place only served pizza before 19, the second one only after 19. Have to admit it hurt my nutritionist heart haha! Kendwa beach was incredibly nice. We stayed until 3 am before driving back home in Scotts car which is falling apart piece by piece. It actually got everything possible stolen, including radio and the stick you rewind the window with haha. Nothing left to take!
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Zzb is extreme poverty mixed with rich tourist. Beautiful, but def not the real Africa!

Holy fuck, I almost just died in a heart attack! Was preparing my bag for my weekend trip when a mouse just ran across the room.
Me and Ahmed went back to the headquarter of Pepsi this morning. The guy acted really nice, but they only spoke Swahili.  As the TTB, they will get back to us next week.  We went to Posta to meet up with Hatibu and saleem and the 4 of us went to Mohammed Enterprise.. Outside the office, we saw Mohammed himself. He is prob one of the richest people in Tanzania. We waited for the manager for 2 hrs and had just given up when he finally could see us. He as well, asked why they had missed their last appointment in jan this year and questioned the seriousness of the project. He told us that if they had come back in Jan as they were told, he would have given them money, but for this year, the budget was pretty much already set. I told him I sold my furniture back home in order to have money for the flight to Tanzania so I could support this group. To have a white person in the group really gives a better impression for them. Sadly, I would say.
Back home, Salome who had a 'pinning' (ed note: pain) finger 2 days agoand who caught the flu yday (ed note: NOT)had gone crazy after I gave her an Australian day flu pill this morning. I told her only to take it at daytime, cause it will keep her awake during nights otherwise. Prob explained by placebo, she has been running around, cleaning my room, washing my clothes and pressed the most amazing juice out of passion fruit, mango and ginger. Too bad I only had two of these flu pills with me…

Hatibu and I had a really nice talk today. He reminds me of one of these playful high school kids and its hard to see him as the manager of the place. However, he is one of these rare people who does a LOT of things and is practically working his ass of just in order to feed his family. He does not have a wife or any kids himself, although he is already 32. But he told me he really wanted to, however with 6 siblings and all their kids, he already had enough mouths to feed. He asked me if I was married or wanted kids and I told him I'll prob never get married, but I might want to have kids one day.  He did not make that equation to work. For him it was impossible to even imagine to have kids without being married first.
Hatibu told me he wanted to start yet another project to improve the relationship between farmers-distribution-market-consumers. He told me that here in Africa people fail to handle food. If it rains a lot, all the food gets damaged. People don't have resources to store it. As much as I would have loved to work on a project like that I told him its better just to focus on one project at the time. And 'row it in land' as we say in Sweden (Em and Arash joke, actually got another one just for you Arash: Wood taste in the bum! Haha!) He somehow agreed.

Gizelle, my coordinator outside the Bajaji station where we waited for 4 hrs for the useless guys to fix our bajaji.

Bagamoyo

Bagamoyo, the old slave trade city and the ruins it which slaves were waiting to get transported to Zanzibar.

Me and tapida, the witch who paralyzed me haha!

Baby zebra at the zoo <3


My clinic

The lab where I do the testing

Tandale youth development group is practicing their performance.

kiddos playing with hand made toys in stone town.

Ok folks, thats it for now. Hope you enjoyed it and Im really sorry you just got to read all the boring text without pics in it, but its really difficult to find placed where I can actually upload a picture in less than 5 minutes!

So...the plan today was to start collecting sponsors for the youth development project. I got informed yday that Stanely, the guy who worked on this project before me will be back 1t April. Company, yeah! I dont know exactly when he was here, but I think it was for abt 6 months ago. Since then, the group has achieved nothing. It seems a bit like they continue only because Stanely is coming back and they dont wanna dissapoint him by have done nothing. They have had half a year to follow up the companies at which they started. Half a year to provide them with a budget and a proposal (which were both already done at the time, they just had to give them to them, but failed).
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So this morning, after Ahmed surprisingly showed up in time, we took the first daladala of many. 1.5 hrs in the direction towards the airport. First thing on our schedule was to visit the headquater of Pepsi to see how they responded to the half a year old funding request. We were told to come back tomw at 9 am.
Second, we went to TTB (Tanzania tea blendders) and got to talk to a very nice man. He asked why noone had turned up at their 3 months ago appointment. Me myself were wondering the same... He took the budget and proposal and told us to call back next week.  I think there is a chance they will provide the festival with tea and coffee, but no money. I cant see any reason to why a big company would NOT want to helt out with the HIV challenge. To set up 6 festivals (including everything) will cost abt 6000 sek and in return, the company will get free advertisment for half a year (since there will be 1 festival per month). Also, they would be associated with the decline in HIV which we are expected to see long term. However, they could still pay a whole lot of money for a sign hanging somewhere above the highway... hmmm, I hope that msg got through... Tomw, well return to Pepsi.
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After todays mission, Ahmed took me to kariakoo market, a very hectic place, plus to his suburb to introduce me to his family and friends. Wherever I went, I had at least 3 kids running after me screaming Mzungu! And I KNOW, its just kids but I strongly dislike it. I dont point at all dark people in Europe screaming 'looooook, nigger!' If I did, I would probably get killed...
Richard, (the best dancer in the group according to me) lived very close to ahmed so we went to visit him afterwards. He lived in a very small room, fitting a bed and a couch, with no fan and with holes in the roof, which he rent for 15000Tsh per month (abt 60 sek). i really like Ahmed and Richard, they are both really nice.
Outside R's room were a kid playing with a branch onto which he had attached an aluminium slice as a wheel. He looked so satisfied playing around with it. Just as yday outside my house were three kiddos had connected a rope to small cartoon boxes and put bottle caps as wheels. As long as you get enough love and appreciateion, you dont need a mountain as high as Kilimanjaro made of expensive toys in different coulours, right? Something to teach the spoild kids back home?? ;)

Ive been here for 2 weeks today. And I FINALLY got to meet the manager of this project. I couldnt sleep at all last night. Salome told me to lock the door in case Tapida would come back and try to steal things. And seriously, she is a witch, which in this case should not be forgotten. Because of that. This story (which I have been considering not to tell you) may seem crazy.... But. I woke up to a noise, after finally fallen asleep at around 3ish. Strange thing was, it was totally quiet. However, my whole body was cramping like never before, and I thought that I could see someone standing in the end of my bed. It went on for prob abt 15 sek before I mananged to 'break' myself out of that paralyze. Seriously..? Am I an offer for witch craft??? Gaaahhh! This is just getting worse.
(Im telling you just because it didnt happen again, so dont worry, but I was freaked out at the time)
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Gizelle actually called me this morning to explain why Tapida ran away. She told me the argument was abt Tapida stealing a top from my bag (which I actually didnt even notice). but she said the reason she left was because she had found someone else to work for. And honestly, if that really wa the case, I could understand that. Although Salome is very nice to me, she is really treating Tapida like a slave...
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Life without Tapida is very different. Didnt get breakie until 11am this morning, after eating 2 emergancy biscuits. She promised to have lunch ready at 13. It was ready at 14.30. I started work 14.45, so I had to rush. Appreciated Tapidas food a lot more haha. Ugali (an traditional african dish pretty much consisting of wheat flour and water boild together as a thick porrige) (tasting nada) and fish. I really dont like the days I get fish, since fish here pretty much consist of a piece of fried skin and bones, with fins, eyes and everything still on it. uuuaaa! But, what can I do, other than pretened I like it. Smile, and swallow with water.
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The manager came 2 hrs late, so I wouldnt have had to rush lunch. Although, it was probably better to just have it done. It annoys me how little they get done here. I could have done whatever they have been trying to do for half a year in the first two weeks Ive been here. its a time killer.
At least, me and Ahmed (english speaker) planned to meet at 10 am tomw to start applying for funding at different companies. Well see how that goes!
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(Note: Sorry for not updating for a while, have had a little adventure on Zanzibar but are now back on the mainland)

Im not working today since we are out of tests and drugs. According to Anna, I might not be working for the rest of the week, which is silly cause this would have been the perfect opportunity to start trying to get some funding.
Anyway, according to my photocopied version of the lonely planet, the raining season starts in half March. Very correct, it was pouring down this morning. Actually really nice since the dust kinda settles a bit.
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Another thing happened this morning as well. Or last night. Tapida and Salome had a fight, which resulted in Tapida packing her bag and leave. Salome doesnt know where she is or why she ran away. She told me Tapida have a bfriend somewhere in the city, but I stroungly doubt it saying that she is working for Salome from 5 in the morning to 11 at night. I really hope it wasnt me causing this situation. I told Fatuma that tapida keeps going through my bags and she prob told Salome...
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At noon, Salome said she was going to prepare lunch (she always says she is the one making the food but its always someone else). Still, at 15, the lunch wasnt ready so I had to leave without.Luckily I store some emargancy food consisting of dry weetabix musli bars kinda things in my room. Eating on the street is not an option. Not even the Tanzanians do so I really wonder who eats all the street food.
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I went to the clinic to watch the dancing group practicing their performance, something they do every monday-thursday 16-18. I knew nothing abt this until Anna asked me yday why I never came around. And believe it or not, i also met the manager and we booked a meeting tomw at 15. Well see if he comes or not.
Anyway, the dancing group was amazing! What an energy these people have and they are all so good! They wanted me to dance with them next time but seriously, after been watching how they move their bodies, that would be such a shame haha! I tried to tell them that white people cant dance.....
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They are doing this performance in order to collect money for the youth development project, which will educate people abt HIV and teach them basic working skills. Hatibu, the manager told me that they usually only get to have one real show per month. I told him that if they would do this performance on the streets in Europe, they would be rich. prob though, I guess that they could never afford to go to Europe...

By the way, thanks for all your comments, really appreciate them all!
Grrrr

For the first time since I got here, I managed to take the Daladala to work myself 'proud'. Its actually not that difficult, although you carefully have to watch your belongings at all times and ignore people who are trying to speak to you or hold your hand while walking. A lot of people hold hands here while walking, even two males. Normal for them....weird for me...
I arrived before Anna today. The doctor tiold me they had run out of medicins and tests so Anna had gone to get some more. She came back abt 2 hrs later with only 17 tests and no medicine. 5 of them were positive.
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As usually, I sat out most of the time today, speaking to Anna (with help from Rody). She told me that when medication has started, a HIV infected patient could expect to live for another 3 months only. I would have thought they would have much more time left, but Anna explain thit is because they can only afford the cheapest treatment. However she and the doctor told me abt a man (Loloando) in Arusha who is said to be able to cure HIV with traditional herb medicin. He boild some pices of wood together and let the people drink the water in which it boiled. When I aksed them weather they believed in it they just stared at me 'Ofcourse, he has cured people!'. Hmmm.....scientists, really??
This man lives in Arusha, abt 12 hrs north from here on a bus. People are lining up for months to see him and he chharge only 500 Tsh (abt 2sek) per person. However, bus companies and restaurants etc uses the fact that so many people wants to see him so going to Arusha is a lot more expensive than it used to be.
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And, speaking of Arusha, Linda gave me the contact details to a swedsih couple who opened an orphanage there a while ago. It is called hopeforchildren. So I emailed them to see if I could come to visit them during my 6 days off and wwas told it would work!! Very exciting! Im also gonna see if I can see the line up for Loliandos magical medicin while Im there!
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After work, I took the Daladala to Mlimani shoppning mall to meet up with two norweigan girls who I ran in to a few days ago (Silje and Maria). They have been here for 3 mths, working with handicapped children. Maria already caught malaria twice and typhoid once. We went to the....very....local cinemas. Like...developing country cinemas haha! It was just the three of us plus one more person. One hour commercial where they practically went through the beginning, middle and end of all other movies. The sound went up and down throughout the movie (noone had to worry to fall asleep). In the background, there is a constant fly fighting noise. However, I really appreciated the company and the American movie. Very good as a change!

Last night, the electricity was out between 18-23. Appearantly, the surrounding neighbourhoods take turns in using electricity, and last night, it was someone elses turn to have it. It got pitch black and extremely hot, despite this, its still better to stay inside since the mosquitos are everywhere outside the house. Lucky I bought a tourch and mozzie repellent haha! As soon as Salome sees a mossie, she says 'ahhhh, malaria, baaaad, eeyyy, I can feel malaria, eeeyyy, bad, hospitali'. To be honest, my its not my favourite place being at home. Lucky I found this very good (but hot) internet cafe nearby.
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Me and Fatuma went to Mwenge souvenir market later on today. A really nice place! It was, however so hot that I actually fainted right in the middle of the bargain on a piece of art. Haha! The guy ran away to get me water so how could I not end up buying the pic?? (exactly, I couldnt.) It is really nice though and I really wanted it!
Afterwards, we went to Mukumbisho...something where I had been told they have traditional live music every day, all day long. We turned up at abt 14 and it still hadnt started but they had some sort of village museum closeby where you could watch traditional housing from all over Tanzania. It was really nice to walk around in the park and unbeliavable to see the houses in which people used to live....and still live in according to Fatuma. Most of them were built in mud and plantain leafs, and some also had cow poo as stabelizing agent in the walls haha! Fatuma showed me what kind of house she grew up in. It had the same size as my childhood room...
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The music festival never started so I accompanied Fatuma to the hospital to visit her friends dad who got really sick a few days ago. Apart from heart failure and diabetes, he also caught malaria. He didnt recognize Fatuma at all and was not contactable... Fatuma told me you are only allowed to make visits between 6-7am and between 4-4.30pm so that the patients get their rest. However, on a field just next to the hospital was some sorta meat-eating festival taking place. The sound level was equal the one at a night club, so I dont think they got any rest anyway... Also, the hospital doesnt provide food to their clients, so friends and family have to cook food at home and bring it. They arent really well planned like that. There is no infrastructure what so ever and the word 'organize' does not exist. Noone pays taxes on their salaries so there is no money for these public sorta things. Even the buses and bajajis are run privately. Anyone can just buy a bus, get a licence and decide what route they want to drive. The money they earn for the day is all theirs.

No visitors last night but Tpid is still sleeping in my room. Every time i wake up, she has turned the lights on and the fans of and is either watching me sleeping or herself in the mirror I bought (which she for the record broke already). I'll have to ask Fatuma to talk to her for me. Cant have a witch starring at me every night, ssteeling my sleep. Grrr.
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Today, me, Sure and Hytham took a bus to Kivokoni. From there, we caught a ferry plus two other hardly woking Daladalas (of which one broke down and had to be pushed my the conductor a few times). The trip to dar es Salaam zoo took abt 2.5hrs one way and it is located in the middle of the nowhere. Tanzanians paid 1USD to enter. White people 20. I had pretty high expectations after looking at the webpage of the zoo, but honsetly, this was the worst thing I have ever seen! I really do hope they use the entrence fee to feed the poor animals. The potential of the zoo could have been great, it had a massive land area but most of it wasnt used at all. The animals were sitting in small cages. Or.....sitting must be considered a vague exaggeration. Lying flat on the ground, hardly breathing, is a better description. I felt so bad watching this animals that I sometimes felt I was gonna start to cry. I kept making sure the animals were breathing....although Im sure it would have been better for them if they didnt. The owner plus all workers on a zoo like this in any European country would have been put in jail.
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Hytham told me that we might have to wait for the bus back home for 2-3 hrs since not a lot of them passes the zoo. We were however lucky that a car stoped and gave us a ride back to the main bus stop. Must say my first hitch hiking experience in Tanzania was very pleasant.!
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We went to see Sure's office on the border Sinza-Tandale. He and his friend Jay rent a little asfalt square with a broken desk and two plastic chairs for 300USD/half a year. On the wall, abt 50 different mobile shells are hanging and Jay explained to be that during a normal day, they would sell between 0-4 of them. According to Sure, we were just meant to drop in and say hi, but ofcourse we stayed for abt 2-3hrs. Not  singer custumer came by during this time...
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Everyone finds it very strange here when I tell them i dont really belong to any religion. ppearantly, I am going to be converted to islam by Hytham and to christianity by Sure and Rody. When I tell them I have more faith in destiny, they laugh. They leave everything in the hands of God. 'If God wishes, then I'll sell something today', or 'If God wants, then Ill get a job'. (As if that will happen by just sitting around doing nothing to actively make it happen). I told them that I havent prayed ever and can count the times Ive been to curch, but that despite this, life has been treating me well. I have a university degree, a job if I want and money to travel.
Sure also told me that almost noone here get married because of love, but of economical reasons. I told him I would never marry someone I didnt love. Just another thing they dont understand....

Salomes bfriend is visiting so I think that is why Tapida is sleeping in my room. Although saying 'sleep' is to exaggerate. i am SO GOD DAMN TIRED! Apart from her bfriend visiting, her younger sister and a friend is over as well. They all decided to keep all their belongings in my bed and to have a late night meeting in my room, after I already had gone to bed. I think they turned off the lights at 1.30.
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Fatuma followed me to the clinic today on the Daladala. i start to learn the system but all places look the same to me and no maps exists. Also, you have to run out on the road screaming things in Swahili to make the bus stop. Same procedure for getting off. And not knowing swahili properly, its pretty difficult.
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Anna warned me that Friday would be busy. She was wrong. Only did abt 30 tests today. At least, The clinic had electricity today, as opposite to yday so the fans were working! They only have electricity every second day...
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After work, I took two Daladalas to mlimani shopping mall to meet up with hytham (the crazy Indian guy who loves me). I know this must sound stupid to you but I have to admit I really appreciate the company of some english speaking person. I had a ginger beer but he (and his cousine who came along) were both fasting so I had to drink alone. We planned a trip to dar es salaam zoo tomw. originally, I was meant to spend the a few days with Gizelle, soemwhere 14 hrs away from here where her husband works with food deliveries to refugees. However, not very surprisingly, the trip got cancelles since she didnt manage to transfer money. i really do hope it will happen another weekend though! Would love to see how he works!

Had the worst night ever. For some reason, Tapida decided to sleep in my room and I honestly felt pretty uncomfortable with that. Not only does it mean that my pricacy is totally gone (which it pretty much is already saying I have no door), but it also meant I had to share room with a previous witch. I dont know what is worst haha.
Got chapata for breakie (like a fried pancake), much more preffered than the 4 slices of white untoasted toast that I usually get. Denis had no network this morning so I called Fatuma to ask her if she could accompany me to Tandale. She was staying close anyway. I was one hr late for work, butsince I am normally the one waiting, I dont think it really mattered.
I still havent met the manager, so I continued with testing. One little girl (5 yrs) came in with her grandad. Her mum had died in HIV the previous week so they wanted her to have a test. OMG, my inside hurt when I saw her. She was so terryfied when she saw the needle and refused to enter the lab. Screamingly, she was held down on the floor outside the lab and Anna took the test. I was crossing all my fingers, hoping that she wouldnt have to take the second test. She did. 5 years and HIV positive. That kinda blew all my problems away.
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Another man tried to bribe the doctors so that his wife wouldnt get to see his result. And a 3rd one (my first english speaking client) asked if i could marry his son He said, if I am ready, we could just go straight ahead. Haha. i said I wasnt.
(Note to myself: Put a ring on my finger ant tell people I am engaged). i do get a lot of offers. people are crazy. The neighbour guy Sure (also english speaker) send me a msg last night in style with 'I like you so much, I hope you'll stay here in Tanzania for ever so we can be together always'. Next time I get online, im gonna search for nearby travellers on CS, i need some European friends, that is for sure!
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Fatuma told me she got a job interview on Zanzibar but she coulnt go since she didnt have money for the ferry (35000Tsh). I knew she would eventually ask me for money so I offered to pay for her. I know she has been working really hard to get the interview. She has even been studying the menu for two weeks just in case they'll ask. So ofcourse i wanted to help her and she is always being so nice to me! I really do hope she gets the job!

Today I started at the clinic at 11.00 western time (saa tano kiswahili time). Again, I was meant to meet up with the manager but as on Monday, he didnt show up. Instead, I continued to do some testing but it wasnt very busy today. I also had a meeting eith Anna and Salim who were informing me abt the project, what they want to accomplish and what they expect from me. none of them speaks english.
Their idea is to set up a number of 6 street festivals in Tandale and the neighbourhoods. There would be quizes with prizes, information, traditional dancing and on site HIV testing etc. The plan was to have the first festival in January this year but they still havent been able to get sponsors. Sadly, as Salim told me, it is very difficult for black people to ask even local sponsors for money. So they want me to walk around among the officies of local companies and try to get their interest for funding.
To be honest. This is not really what I wanted or expected to do. I wish I could have used my nutritionist degree more and I somehow wish I would have picked an english speaking country such as Kenya. Language is really a barriar. Anyhow, I still learn a lot and I will really do my best during my time spent here. i really hope we couold set up the first festival in April, although I strongly doubt it saying the pace in which things tend to happen here is slower than slow. Time is def not highly valued.
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LATER:
I wonder if this is a typical African life. if it is. I might have to buy cards, 100 of books, gameboys and batteries to stay busy. I have never been waiting so much in my entire past and future life together, as I have been during my first week in Tanzania. If not malaria or any other tropical disease will kill me, boreness certainly will.
My host mum Salome is extremely hypochodrical. As soon as she sees a mosquito, she thinks she has malaria and needs to go straight to the hospital.Hur hurt leg, which prevents her from working is hardly bruised and she is doing nothing but worrying and watching tanzanian soap operas all day. Everythime she needs something which are more than 5cm out of reach, she calls Tapida to get it for her.
For the last 5 hrs, I have been starring at the roof. The 'door' is locked from the outside. I have nowhere to go to be alone. Not even my room since Tapida will follow and watch every step i take.
Evenings after work is what I would imagine worse than a prison. At least every night Fatuma is not around.
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Oh, seems like I have been complaining enough now. Maybe I just had a bad day.
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(For the record, I am copying straight from my diary and following days are better, so dont worry, I am fine!!=))

Today,. I had a day of because of the international women's day. I tried to sleep in this morning but woke up already at 7am since the fans had stoped working. It happens pretty often and it gets extremely hot.
Fatuma came over at around 11.30 and we took a daladala to the city centre where I posted some post cards (hope they will make it the whole way). Afterwards, we went to Fatumas old job (Hotel kilimanjaro). She used to work in the restaurant for 100USD per month!!!! Full time. Its just insane. And that is a 5 star hotel. She told me she might try to start her own buissness again. Most people seem to have their own buissness here, just selling crap things along the roads who noone needs. Also, they are all trying to sell the same things.
Before Fatuma got pregnant, she told me she used to have her own buissness selling chickens. Abt 3 times per month, she would go to Dadoma (the capital) and buy chickens really cheap there and then sell them in dar es with a 10% profit. I think a bus to Dadoma would take abt 15 hrs so when she got pregnant she couldnt continue.
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After the city, we went to a friend of her's and I was sitting there for 2 hrs listening to swahili, understanding nothing. Later, I was told that her friends maid wanted to quit and Fatuma had to try to convince her to stay. I think it worked...
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Back home, I figured Tapida had gone trough my bags. I know she has done it before but this time it was really obvious since things that had been weel packed in my bag were all spread across the room. I dont think she had taken anything but it still made me very dissapointed. Luckily I carry all my values with me in my napsack and dont really have anything of value back home.
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Well, tomw I got work on. Feeling a bit down since its terrible not to understand anyone and knowing that I hardly can trust anyone. It makes you feel pretty lonely. I hope Salome will be back tomw so she can keep an eye on Tapida for me...
Now, its close to bed time....so Lala salama!
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(Oh, I just got to mention, I bought a mirror today so for the first time since I arrived, I know what I look like again!) =)

Today, Fatuma and I went to the beach.....eventually. She actually showed up pretty much in time, but then she got a phone call that a friend of her back home forgot her sim card in Fatumas phone and that she had to return it. Her friend lived 2 hrs away....so we took a number of busses to get there. Every bus trip cost 300 Tsh and you pay for every new one you get on. I think today, I have been on abt 15 busses, 2 motorbikes, 2 bajajis and 2 ferrys. Haha! Fatumas house in Tegeta was nice, although prob even more poor then the house in which I am staying. She shared her house with 4-5 other women and told me its very common for 2 familys to share a house of two rooms.
Eventually, we reached the beach (at around 15.00 western time). To enter the beach, I had to pay 7000Tsh for each of us. Like I said....if you are white, you have to pay for it all!
Note to myself: Bring more clothes for swimming next time. I was the only white and it seems to be a good idea to cover as much skin as possible.
Everyone wanted to be my friend, especially this Indian guy Haytham. 5 min after I met him, he told me 'I am going to do everything to show you how much I love you' and 'I cant live without you, you are the only one who can make me happy' etc etc.... Pob a mistake to give him my number haha, but I was so happy I met someone who were speaking ok english... Since then, I have got abt 10 msg a day from him in style with ' Im so happy we met, I need to see you again, I cant stop thinking abt you, even when my eyes are closed I can still see you, I hope you do realize how much I love you' Haha!! I told him you cant love someone after just 10 min but he disagreed. According to Gizelle, I seem to attract indian guys.
Anyway, we had a really nice time at the southern beach and I'll prob go back there another weekend. I am also really glad I met Fatuma, she is so nice and takes so well care abt me!

G's son Rody were meant to pick me up this morning at 10 am. He didnt turn up until 11. I dont think he was very happy to leave his TV and laptop back home and start his new job as my translator. Because of that, I found it very hard communicating with him. Anyway...we took a few buses to an old city called Bagamoya. I was told the trip would take abt 45 min. It took close to 2.5 hours. My first bus experience were chaotic. Mini busses (daladalas) are running everywhere and people are squeezing into them. You are lucky if you get a seat.
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People are starring at me all the time and are screaming Mzungu (means white person). Must say I HATE the attention. Yday, two kids were poining at me, laughing and screeming Chineese, she is even wearing chineese shoes! Haha, as if Birkenstock is chineese.
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Anyway, while in Bagamoya, we started out on an old museum. In there, Rody found us a 'guide'....he totally sucked. He was only pointing at buildings mumbling what year they were built. I think he made most of it up. After that, we went to an old church....I dont know how old, cause I cant remember..... We also passed a hospital, which tome looked more like ruins. Today was also the first time I spotted the beach =))) Fishingmen were all around and they were drying their fish in the ruins of a building which previously served as a pison for ethiopian slaves waiting to get transferred to  zanzibar. It smelled pretty bad...
Nextm, we went to the ruins of an old moske. I had to pay 1000 Tsh just in order to use my camera. (Ofcourse I also had to pay the entrance fees for both Rody and the guide). Its pretty annoying how everybody equals white with rich. EVERYONE expects you to pay for EVERYTHING.
Anyway, the ruins of the mosk were more or less like a grave yard. At the time, the whole village had died in malaria, except one couple who had died in an accident. There were even a massgrave for kids.
After that, the weekend journy kind of ended since I ran out of cash....
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Later at night,. Fatuma, a friend of Salome came over to keep me company since S had to go away for a few days since her uncle died. Fatuma actually speaks english so its lovely to have her over! She is totally anmazing and I learned so much by just talking to her. Its almost like she confirmed everything I learned in school. However its one thing reading it in a text book. And its totally different to hear it in the real life.
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Fatuma is 32. She has 2 sons. One is 4 yrs old and one just a few months. She also used yto have a bfriend and they were meant to get married. However before marriage, they decided to take an HIV test. Or she did, cause he didnt do it. She turned out to be positive, and so he left her, although the possibility he gave it to her is pretty high. She had to quit her job with the consequenses that she no longer could take care of her children, so she had to leave them to her mum who lives many hours away from here. Despite all this, she is still happy. She told me how many peoples life just stops after getting the diagnosis, but she means its important to stay happy cause otherwise no medication will help. She is hoping that maybe next time she takes the test, it will be negative. What in the world do you reply to that?!!Do you just crash someones dreams and hopes bu telling them it wont happen. Or do you just pretend that it might...She is also very worried her kids might have got it, they havent had a test yet. She decided not to breastfeed her youngest baby since the transmittion rate mother-to-child is very high. However this was a very tough desicion for her and normally HIV positive women in Africa get the advice to continue breastfeeding due to stigma and the economic situation. In the western world, a HIV positive woman who breastfeed her child is breaking the law. Fatuma spend all her money to buy formulas for her kid and she told me he has grown well. However many people do not have a choice. Or the education not to breastfeed. While she was pregnant with her youngest, she also had malaria, which in turn increases the risk.
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Like I said, despite all this, she is still happy and she says she might have yet another 20 years to live. The only thing she is sad abt is that she is allergic to dust...