Day 2

My first full day here absolutely flew by! 

Here are a few pictures of where I am living this summer. I haven’t taken any pictures of the rest of the compound yet but it’s all very nice. I have my own room and bathroom, with a shower that even has hot water! All I  have to do is flip a switch right before turning it on. However, I had two uninvited guests while showering this morning. Two spiders decided to join me! Thank goodness they were on the floor and I was able to easily step on them before washing them down the drain.

We also have a kitten who the current volunteer coordinator, Emma, has decided to adopt and feed. 

Meet Thomas:

Today our driver Frank, who is employed by The Small Things, drove us to downtown Arusha so we could exchange our US dollars for Tanzanian currency and stop at a market for groceries. They drive on the opposite side on the street here and speed bumps mean absolutely nothing. My mom and sister spent the week before I left with me in Boston and weren't a fan of my driving. Well mom, I have news. If you didn't like my driving, I'm not sure you'd even get into a car here! The current exchange rate for 1 US dollar is about 1,600 shillings, which meant my liter of water cost about .75 cents. The market was small and about the size of a gas station convenience store. I bought some pasta, bread, jam, rice crackers, and tea. Good thing I love carbs! We have a refrigerator but with frequent power cuts, it's hard to rely on proper refrigeration. 

Jill, I bought these cookies thinking of you!

This afternoon we also had a chance to stop by the orphanage and meet the children. I won't be working there full time, but I know all of my free time will be spent there. The children are adorable and are all so happy! I was greeted with hugs and kisses and many refused to let go of my hand. There are also three very small babies (under two months) who have just come to the orphanage, two of which happen to be twins. I was in heaven holding and feeding these little ones! 

We went to dinner at a nice restaurant that served delicious, inexpensive American food. I ordered more carbs, margherita pizza. 

XOXO,

Amanda