Update

Hello everyone!

I can officially say that I have survived malaria! I am all done with my medication and feel 100% better! Right now I am still in Sumbawanga with James and Dan. The plan is for me to return to Laela this weekend sometime, so I can start teaching again next week.

I am both excited and little sad to be leaving Sumbawanga. The past two weeks have been really fun. It has been nice to stay with James and Dan, and have friends to hang out with. I have gotten to know some of the Monks here very well also. They are absolutely fantastic, and they have been so welcoming and taken such good care of me. Many of them have told me that they don’t want me to leave! They said they’re going to tell Msolwa (the headmaster and Laela) that I am still sick so I can stay here for another week, haha. They are so great. I’m sure I’ll be coming back to visit often.

I’ve felt better for the last week or so, so let me give you a little idea of what I’ve been doing all day since I’m not in Laela teaching! I’ll go to church with James in the morning (if I get up in time), then I’ll go to breakfast at 7:15 with James and the Monks. Breakfast is always bread (sometimes they have peanut butter!), and tea or coffee. After breakfast James will had off to school, and I’ll come back to my room and get ready for the day. During the day here are some things I spend my time doing: I study Swahili. I read. (I’m on book number 3 since I’ve been sick). I walk into town and go to the internet (it’s about a 30 minute walk). Sometimes I’ll go visit James at school … I know a lot of his students and many of the teachers there now, so I’ll go visit with them for a while. School is over at 2:30, and then its lunch time with James, Dan and the Monks.

This past week the students have had sports tournaments every afternoon at 4:30. Every class will play a different class in soccer, volleyball, and netball. (For example, yesterday Form 4 played Form 5 in soccer …Form 5 won). James and I have been going to the fields in the afternoon and we’ve been able to play volleyball with the students (and a few other teachers). That has been really fun! We are usually there until dinner at 7:00. After dinner James, Dan and I usually read, study, play cards, or watch a movie on Dan’s computer.

So, that’s what I’ve been doing with my time the last 2 weeks! Minus the fact that I was sick, it has been very nice and relaxing. While I will be sad to leave, I am excited to get back “home” and back into the swing of things at Laela. It will be nice to start teaching again.

There have been some requests for me to post some pictures, so I will try to do that soon! Other than that, life is good here in Tanzania! Hope to hear from you all soon! I love getting long emails – just throwing that out there!