My Month in Bullet Points

So I kept holding off on writing a post, for what reason I do not know, and now the month of June is almost gone. That truly is amazing, for it has been quite a month. So I'll just pick out some "lights" (both high and low) from the past month.

• Training sessions with our translators: At the beginning of these sessions, I was quite literally in a cold sweat. Full blown freaking out nearing on anxiety attacks. Yet as the month has proceeded, it's gotten worlds better, thanks to God alone, for I am fully certain it has nothing to do with me. I've started to really enjoy teaching, and I feel like my Swahili is slowly improving, at least to the point where most basic communication isn't traumatizing. Praise the Lord!
• Earlier this month, around the time of my freak-out sessions, I was struggling with the fact that I didn't feel any hope, and I also saw people around me struggling with this same thing. One morning, I was lead to read the first few verses of Romans 5: that suffering leads to perseverance, perseverance to character, and character to hope. I've never considered anything I've faced as worthy of the title "suffering," but I decided that I was in pain, so I would count it. I also realized that I wanted the hope first, in the midst of the suffering, but I see that God builds our character through the suffering and persevering. When we go through it, and trust God with the results, that's when we have true hope. I also looked at Hebrews 12, where we are told that the discipline of God is proof of his love. If he didn't discipline, it wouldn't be love. And it says that discipline is painful, but that it doesn't last forever. For the first time in my life I think, I really felt like God was saying to me, "Ellen, I love you enough to put you through this. And trust me, the work I'm doing in you is worth it." So now the new fight is to view the pain in my life as evidence of God's amazing love for me.
• I've been working through a prayer journal that goes through the names of God and invited you to pray using those names. I've done things like this before, but in this case, a friend of mine wrote a prayer for me at the beginning of each week in the journal. Every Monday I look forward to reading what she has prayed for me. What a great way to start the week.
• I teach several guys at the office English, and my favorite word to make them say is "rarely." Tanzanians have difficulty distinguishing l and r and don't use that first vowel much either. I seriously want to record there attempts for when I need a good laugh.
• Alias and Lost and Doctor Who: aka my evening entertainment in the month of June
• My first experience with amoeba. Yes, I had an amoeba living in me and was well aware of the fact. I got to experience a local clinic, where you bring your personal "sample" in a matchbox to the lab. I walked in, gave the man my matchbox, he took a little blood (malaria test), and 45 minutes later learned I had amoeba. And let me tell you, that antibiotic is strong. I don't think I got out of bed for 24 hours.
• After having amoeba all weekend, I returned from work early in Monday to find our househelp wearing only my blanket while her clothes were drying. I said nothing, but went right to bed.
• I baked oatmeal bread for the first time, little sketchy, but turned out pretty yummy

Well, that's my month in a series of bullet points, and I'll add a couple pics, so it can be my month in bullet points and pictures, though the pics are older than that. Oh well. Happy June!

With great friends on a big rock


Cooked a pumpkin for the first time. Made roasted pumpkin, roasted pumpkin seeds, steamed pumpkin, and a rather unorthodox pumpkin soup. Yum.

Tips for Driving in Musoma

1. Supposedly you are supposed to drive on the left side of the road here. This is arguable. I typically find that on the main road from my house into town, the safest place to drive is down the middle of the road, thereby avoiding pedestrians, pikipikis (motorcycles), and bicycles with massive loads of sticks, coal, or occasionally poultry
2. Take special care on rainy days. In order to avoid puddles, the bicycles and pikipikis will randomly swerve in front of your car.
3. Be aware of bicyclists carrying long pieces of lumber. You won’t necessarily see this until the lumber is about to go through your windshield.
4. Large buses hurdle down the exact center road at extreme speeds. Move as far over as you can without hitting anyone and pray.
5. Honk early and often. The horn is a useful tool, especially if you drive a “small” and “silent” Rav4. The honk lets people know you are there. Occasionally when you honk, a bicyclist will actually move over. But this comes with a warning attached: they might turn their head to look at you and in doing so swerve directly in front of you.
6. When preparing to make a right hand turn, check to make sure you are not in fact being passed on the right by a pikipiki. This can cause problems.
7. DO NOT assume that when you are passing a vehicle you will not in fact be passed as well. This includes passing large vehicles on narrow roads, it can always happen. So I would like you all take a moment to picture yourself attempting to pass a slow bus in town only to realize that you are in fact being passed by a daladala (15 passenger van used for public transportation) on a narrow road with oncoming traffic. Experience the joy and terror.
8. Demonstrate extra caution at the town’s roundabout. Rules vary, and pedestrians sometimes ignore the whole situation.
9. Start your car with a prayer every time.
10. Have fun and enjoy the insanity!

Oh, and enjoy this video of my roomie driving in Musoma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxAbhi8LsQw&feature=related

OK, so this isn't actually in Musoma, but going to a village and trying to make sure we get through. Fun though.

Doing One Thing At A Time

So I've been experimenting the last few days. After reading an article about a man who gave up multi-tasking for one month, I decided that it would probably be a good example to follow. It seems lately my mind is completely chaotic. I can't focus on any one thing for any period of time. While reading an orthography sketch I'm Skyping with a friend, picking at my fingernails, and possibly playing minesweeper. At home I talk on the phone, clean my room, and again, most likely play minesweeper. This is not an effective way to live.
So, the last 3 days I've been trying to do just one thing at a time, or at least strongly suppress my multi-tasking tendencies. Here is what I've discovered: For the most part, I find that I'm happier, because I'm actually able to get things done. By focusing on just one thing, the time actually goes quite a bit faster. I find that I enjoy the things I'm doing more. I actually get more out of a phone conversation when all I'm doing is talking, rather than talking and cleaning my room. I'm also learning that doing one thing at a time requires planning. If I can't do all of these things at the same time, I have to give myself the time to do each of the things individually. I also am more aware of just how out of control this habit has gone. I want to be clear: most of my multi-tasking is not mandatory, its voluntary.
So why has this bad habit become more and more noticeable in my life? My best guess is that I've been using it as an avoidance technique. If I feel like I suck at my job, at least I can suck at it while chatting with a friend. But then if I spend time at work, I need to be productive at home, so when I should just chat to a friend, I then feel obligated to simultaneously cook or clean. And so the cycle continues. I only recently considered that if I actually focused on things, maybe I wouldn't do such a terrible job of them. Revolutionary, I know.
Anyways, just more musings. I think my little experiment has been good for me, and I plan to continue it for a good while. Feel free to ask me how it's going!

On the Peninsula

A Little Lecture

Well I got a little lecture today, a nice and needed one, but a challenge nonetheless. I sat down at chai time next to one of our translators, an older pastor. He's one of the best, always a smile on his face and a real heart for the Lord. Well, he asked me if my Swahili had gotten better or worse since I left language school. I told him quite truthfully that it had gotten worse and he asked why. I responded that I am embarrassed/ashamed to speak Swahili because my Swahili is so bad. He told me that I shouldn't be embarrassed and then told me a story about two little boys, one who was shy/embarrassed. Quite honestly I didn't understand the story (he spoke quietly and in Swahili), but I got the message that being shy is bad. He told me that I would never get anywhere that way, that I needed to be willing to speak and make mistakes, and that if I did, God would bless me.

So I almost cried, but didn't. Language has been such a frustration to me, and I realize now that others have noticed, which then becomes even more embarrassing. He was trying to challenge and encourage me, but you know that feeling when you realize that others see your weakness as clearly as you do?And then I fight the battle of comparison, looking at others and seeing how wonderfully they speak Swahili and start up conversations with strangers. So today I just felt exposed. Then I went back into my office and studied Swahili for an hour to make myself feel better. We'll see how long that lasts.
So please be praying for this my friends. I'm not sure the next steps to take to improve my Swahili, and lately seem to utterly lack the gumption and bravery to do so. Pray for creativity, boldness, and small encouragements.

!!Now, For Your Amusement!!!
A sign from a guest house I stayed at in Nairobi. A little vowel can make a BIG difference

Tidbits

Happy News!
I have a beautiful new nephew named Owen! He is a beautiful kid, and every new picture I see makes me want to find the soonest flight home. Both mother and son are well and adjusting to this new and ever so slightly different life.

Sad News
A couple weeks ago I got news that my grandmother went to be with Jesus, following her husband who left us in March. This has been a difficult time for my family and a hard time for me to be away. Maymay and Papa both knew the Lord and are resting and rejoicing now as they haven't for years. Maymay had Alzheimer's and hadn't been truly with us for many years. I am so glad I was able to spend time with them both at Christmas, and I have no regrets about things left unsaid. Praise the Lord!

Internet Access!
This week I finally got a modem so I'll now have internet at home! And man, have I been blazing through it. I have only had internet at the office up til now, which has been fine except that it has made phone calls exceptionally difficult because of the lack of Skype. I've just been using my cell phone, which has been running up costs, especially with all the family stuff that's been going on. Getting things done up in Musoma can be a real challenge, so I am extraordinarily content to have more internet time and am looking forward to many phone calls with friends in the near future.
A Week of Planning Meetings
This week I have been in Dar es Salaam for branch-wide strategy planning meetings. They seem to have invited all of the big-wigs and new people. It's been a good week, but long meetings and LOTS of meetings, talking, arguments, discussion, strong personalities, and more. I've learned a lot, and even put my two cents in every now and then. Good week. Right now I'm just tired and ready to go back though. The best part has been catching up with friends Crystal, Marie and Jo. And its also been nice getting beef that tastes more like beef than beef flavored gum; something I've really grown to appreciate!

Two New Words

Well I’ve spent a considerable portion of my time here attempting to learn Swahili. Though it is considered an easier language to learn, it is still a new language full of new challenges. Whenever you are learning a local language but also participating in expatriate community life, certain words from the learned language make it into everyday speech, no matter what language you are speaking. I would like to take a moment to introduce two of those words to you, as I am apt to use them in phone conversations and emails.

Karibu! (kah-‘ree-bu) The nearest translation of this word is “welcome” but here it has a much broader usage. For example, when someone knocks at your door, enters your home, car, or office, you say “karibu.” To invite someone to take a seat, you say “karibu kiti” (welcome to the chair). To invite someone over to your home, you say “Karibu kwetu.” When someone says thank you, you answer “karibu.” You can also use it as an affirmative answer to a request. For example, if someone asks if they can borrow something, you can simply answer “karibu.” I love this word and use it with an inordinate amount of frequency.

Pole! (‘po-ley) This means something like “sorry.” Its uses are seemingly endless. When someone trips, you say “pole”. It’s a word of sympathy, whether you just sneezed or a family member just died. If anyone ever says anything bad or sad that has happened, the correct response is “pole.” If I get in someone’s way at the office, I can say “pole.” When someone’s sick or has just returned from a long trip, it’s the same. I have become completely addicted to this word, because it always seems terribly appropriate.

So there’s your Swahili lesson for the day. Karibu!

Serengeti Adventures

Here she is: the promised fun post! (Just about a month later than originally intended.) A few weeks ago I went with several co-workers on my very first safari to the Serengeti. Incredible! The pictures really tell most of the story and honestly they don’t even begin to capture how amazing it was. The landscape is as vast as I had always imagined and the animals so close and incredible.
Some highlights of the day:
Birds! The driver, my friend and co-worker Dave, is an avid bird watcher. My sister gave me the book “Birds of East Africa” for Christmas, and I am now starting to keep track of all the birds I see. Dave has good eyes to find the birds and can usually name the bird family immediately. This is then followed by a frantic search through the book in an attempt to identify the bird before it flies away. Some we got pictures of, some we didn’t. The birds here are unreal to me; the variety and colors amaze me. What a creative God we serve! I never imagined birds being a focus of a safari, but with Dave there, they certainly are. At one point, he cried out “Bird emergency!” and quickly shifted into reverse so we could get a better look at a bird we had nearly missed seeing. That might just be me in a year or two…
A Leopard! Though none of us got a picture to prove it, we did indeed see a leopard. He was lazily perched in a tree about 50ft away from our car. Dave spotted him first, and we all sat in shock. Then during our frantic scramble for binoculars and cameras, the leopard slowly stretched and descended from the tree. One of our crew got a picture where you can kind of see his tail if you know what you’re looking for. Nonetheless, we saw him, and people go on many safaris and can’t ever say that.
Crazy Roads! We are now in the middle of rainy season here (even as I write it’s pouring outside). This means that some of the roads in the Serengeti weren’t exactly smooth and friendly. We had a few close calls in the Land Cruiser, sliding around on the slick roads, sometimes a foot deep in mud. As a passenger in the back with no responsibility for our safety, I felt like a kid on a roller coaster and had the time of my life. Near the end of the day, one bump came out of nowhere and I think I hit the roof. Great fun!