The Past Week in Tanzania

Last weekend's Safari at Mikumi National Park was very cool! My best quote: "Isn't it great that a bus full of adults gets so excited when they see zoo animals in nature? " I didn't realize until after I said it that I referred to giraffes, zebras, and elephants as "zoo animals, " but up to this point that was my only frame of reference. I'll post the pics next time. It was a much needed break from studying Kiswahili and everyone enjoyed the time away from studies.

Tales of the Nightbird of Manzese A

Nightbird is a bird that I've only seen once. Rarely does he fly during daylight. Rather, he prefers nighttime activities. As I mentioned before, I've only glimpsed him once, but I've heard him nearly every night since arriving in Manzese A. His call is a cross between the quack of a large duck and what a Pteradactyl might have sounded like. I imagine that he hunts small prey at night under the cover of darkness. When I did see him, he seemed to be the size of a turkey vulture and he did a full flying roll, as if he knew I was watching.
I'll keep everyone abreast of Nightbird's adventures as I deem fit. After 9-10 hours a day, 6 days a week, of learning Kiswahili, this is my creative outlet. As it is nearing nightfall here, I must return to my home for dinner. Not to mention that it is against PC policy to ride my bicycle after dark. Carla and I are both doing well, however Kiswahili is the most difficult language I have attempted to learn. While pronunciation is very straightforward, conjugation and structure are next to impossible to master as a non-native speaker. Also, there is no gender, but there are 6-8 noun classes instead. Needless to say, we have been quite frustrated. I will try to post again this week, but I have written and spoken language tests this week. Also, Saturday we leave for a one-night safari in Mikumi National Park. Until next post, baadaye!

This week in Tanzania

Did I already write about the South American soap opera dubbed into English on Tanzanian TV? If I didn't, it's one of the coolest things I've seen here. There's a main character who wears super cool Guayabera-style shirts and an eyepatch! Other things from this week: 1. I bought a bell for my baiskeli. 2. We work on Kiswahili homework everynight for hours. 3. I started doing research on a tree project I want to introduce here, and 4. I learned a cool way of composting for gardening. I know, this is all super boring, but this is my life in Africa. So that's all suckas!