Life in TZ

Wow, its been a long time since I have updated you all.  Life here just seems so normal now that I forget that its not normal for anyone back home. I am so used to seeing a man on a motorcycle carrying a love seat, women walking around with 50lbs of wood on their heads, four year olds herding goats......I forget that in the states it would be very odd if someone tied (with strings) 50 chickens to the roof of their vehicle then drove 30 minutes home. Jason and I had a brief discussion what it would be like if we moved home and we both agreed that is would be nice to be with our friends and family but it would  in one word be: boring. How do you go back to getting all your shopping done at one place, not almost hitting a goat in the road on a daily basis, not seeing women dressed in every color of the rainbow carrying buckets on their heads, not having children shout "how are you" 100 times a day, not making a childs day by simply waving out the car window, not playing cards with Tom and Baran, being in a hurry, shopping for food at HyVee (that just sounds terrible) not flying over the Serengheti, not getting a cuddle for my babies everyday....  Life here is simple and exciting. You truly never know what tomorrow will bring and going back to the predictability of life in the US is just not for us, not right now.

This blog was actually supposed to be about our parents visiting....Oops! I'll get to that soon:)

New Addition to the Family!:)

Last week Jason and I went to look at a 1996 Land Rover Defender about 3 hours NE of Arusha. It was a beautiful drive and to top it off the man that owned the truck lived and worked on a hops farm. It is actually the largest hops farm in Tanzania and supplies all the major Tanzanian breweries. We basically got a really amazing tour for free. The man selling the land rover was from South Africa and had only been in TZ for 8 months but his wife had left 7 months ago for home. She couldn't hack it in TZ but I don't really blame her. Where they were living had no electricity, no plumbing and in the middle of nowhere...a beautiful nowhere, but nowhere none the less. They had to make the trip to Arusha once a week for supplies and I doubt there is much of a night life at the farm!

We not only had a great trip and tour of the farm but the truck was so awesome!!! It has the safari roof! I could already imagine Jason driving around town and me standing up taking it all in. I could also see our family and friends standing with us! I loved it the second that I saw it but had no idea we could actually buy it. I thought we drove all that way to just look but when Jason asked what I thought he told me that if we wanted we could buy it that day!!! I was in happy shock but also a little nervous because if we bought it that day that would mean I was going to have to drive the pajero home. I don't have much experience driving here and I'll tell you what, it is exhausting! Not only do you have to be constantly making sure animals (donkeys, goats, chickens) and people don't run out in front of you but at any moment a car could be coming straight at you on your side of the road and you have to be ready to get out of the way. People are crazy drivers here because the police are not mobile. They stand on the side of the road and if you are violating some law (or are white) they just wave you over, but if you don't pull over there are no consequences. This is really not suprising here when you think about the fact that the government does not even feed their people or care if they are starving why would they provide cars for police officers.

So we drove the land rover home that day! Little did I know that Jason was already planning his next "adventure". When we got home that night Jason started showing me pictures of our vehicle in different colors. I was not a fan of the pea green color that was on the truck but I hadn't even begun thinking about painting it. Jason, of course, was way ahead of me. Jason had already asked around town how much it was to get the truck painted and the quotes he got were way out of our price range! They were asking $1500 for a paint job. Jason had come up with another solution. He started researching on how we could paint the truck ourselves. Car paint is pretty cheap here and if we painted it ourselves it would only cost around $50. He convinced me, it really couldn't look much worse than pea green. Jason started (with the help of friends) preparing the truck for us to start painting on Saturday.

First step: Sand it down

Apply a little paint on roof and watch it dry.....

Prime metal and add first coat.....

Apply second coat and third coats....

Spray paint the metal....

Find green spots and cover with paint:)

Get your picture taken after a hard days work!!

Apply fourth coat and reassemble (which took hours! Glad Luka was there to help:)

Almost done.....in 2 weeks we will sand it down again and apply one or two more coats to make it nice and smooth and shiny.

 I must admit, my husband is a pretty smart fella:)

We painted our truck for $40 and it looks pretty awesome!!!

Happy one year anniversary to us!

        One year ago today Jason and I got married on the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand. We were with our parents and siblings. It could not have been a more perfect day. I was not a bride hung up on the small details, all we cared about was that we were getting married. The very loud microphone that the preacher was speaking into could not change that. Actually, it just made us laugh. The fact that my father had to keep handing me a rag to wipe the sweat away could not change the fact that I was marrying my best friend. We laughed at that as well. All the small imperfections gave our wedding character. Sure, by time we took pictures all my make up had been wiped off and Jason's shirt was completely see through from sweat, but we didn't care. I look back on that day and it feels like yesterday but our lives have certainly changed. We have been living in Tanzania for a little over 6 months now. I am very proud of what Jason and I have accomplished in such a short time here. Jason is a pilot for a private airline and I have started my NGO, Walk In Love.

        We have been very busy but we are lucky because at the end of the day we have each other. If I did not have Jason to listen to my ramblings, my frustrations, and to make me laugh I think I would have packed up and gone home a long time ago. Life here is good but it is difficult. Just imagine if everything you thought made sense, didn't. It doesn't make sense to charge $550 to volunteer in Tanzania, it doesn't make sense to be tax exempt you have to be a religious organization, it doesn't make sense that if you are paying 2 inspectors $600/day for there expenses that you still have to pick up there $200/ night hotel room or they simply won't let you pass the inspection. I could go on and on, but I won't:) 

T.I.A.

1. A couple of days ago Jason and I were riding the motorcycle and a man on rollerblades grabbed ahold and we took him into town. I turned and said "Karibu" which means welcome, he just smiled:)

2. Our car broke down almost a month ago and we just got it back.

3. Nothing is made in Tanzania. Everything comes by truck from Kenya that is why it takes so long to get anything and why everything is so expensive.

4. You can buy a Range Rover here for $15,000 and buy the same one in the states for $4,000.

5. We see Masaai wearing all black with their faces painted white  with Ostrich feather in their hair on a weekly basis. They are going through circumcision and must dress like that for 3 months. They look terrifying but the Masaai are actually some of the nicest and funniest tribes.

6. I love it when the women make a high pitched noise while clicking their tongues on the roof of their mouths. It means they are happy:) 

7. Spending time with people in the villages makes me happy.

8. If Jason does not take off before 5:45 he has to spend the night in the Serengheti.

9.The milk here actually tastes like a cow and thats nasty.

10. If you import anything, including a package, the Tanzania government charges 48% of what they think it costs.

To see pictures of the white Masaai follow this ling:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8262578@N08/500275296/

My friend, Zulfa

My friend Zulfa is sweet, funny, outgoing, compassionate, optomistic and for reasons I cannot understand, happy. Zulfa is 8 years old and has been through more in those 8 years than most of us will go through in our entire lives. She has been traumatized, victimized and treated like no more than dirt found on the bottom of a shoe.

I met Zulfa a couple of weeks ago when I first started working with Golgotha, the school she attends. Zulfa hung out the weekend we were painting the classrooms as well. She told Jason that she loved him! The teachers and volunteers told me that she was normally terrified of men but she was really comfortable with Jason. It was so sweet!

The next week I was invited to take a field trip with the kids from Golgotha to Lake Manyara National Park. One of the volunteers had arranged and paid for all the kids from class 2 and 3 to go. On the first stop when we all got off the bus to see the hippos Zulfa came up to me and took my hand, the way she was smiling at me I already knew whatever she was going to ask I was going to say yes to, she asked me if I would call her up to sit on my lap when we got back on the bus. Of course, I did this immediately when we got back on the bus. How could I resist that sweet smile! Over the next 5 hours Zulfa sat on my lap. She took pictures, the ones above and below, we listened to music, pointed out all the animals, and drew all over my arms. She wrote “I love Aubree” on her arm and “I love Zulfa” on my arm.  About half way through the trip I had decided, and told the other volunteers, that I wanted to be a bigger part of Zulfa’s life than just the occasional visitor. I am in love with this girl!

Zulfa has only one living family member, her mother, Anna. Anna has done what she has had to do to make a living for herself and Zulfa. Unfortunately, this path has been a very traumatizing and dangerous one for both of them. I requested that Anna meet with me the day I was meeting with the widows. She came, much to my delight! I sat and spoke with her for some time trying to figure what Anna wanted to do and how we could help her and Zulfa have a bright future. During the interview Anna told me that she was taking classes to become a tailor before she got sick. I suspect the “sickness” is related to HIV/AIDs, but unfortunately, there is still a stigma attached to being diagnosed and Anna has so far refused to get tested.

With your help, I would like to send Anna back to school and take care of her and Zulfa’s basic needs while she is attending school. Anna has one year left of tailoring school and once she finishes WIL will hire her to make our products. It will cost $100 per month for Anna’s tuition, rent and food for her and Zulfa. Anna wants to change her life and make a better future for Zulfa, but Anna has not had the opportunities in life that most of us have. She has no family, no education, and has been on her own for most of her life.

If you would like to sponsor Anna or contribute to her education please email me at walkinlovetanzania@gmail.com and/or use the donate button that is located on our website www.walkinlovetanzania.com and on the blog walkinlovetanzania.blogspot.com. WIL is in the process of registering as an NGO in the USA and all donations are tax exempt for this years taxes.

"Is this my life now?"

    On Friday I got a text message from Jason that said "Do you want to go for a helicopter ride to the Serengheti this Sunday?" My response, of course, was "Oh hell yes!" I apologize for the language but it is what I said and I was that excited!! I did not realize it was going to be a photo shoot for Jason's company as well as a lodge that was chartering the helicopter but I am really glad it was. I got a call from Jason on Saturday while he was at work telling me that the helicopter ride was a photo shoot and we were leaving in a  couple of hours. Oh, I forgot, he also told me that I had to wear all white! I was pretty freaked out about all that! I am not a person that really enjoys getting their picture taken and especially if it is for a marketing campaign! I am very thankful for the "white" clothing package I had received from my mother last month after turning all my whites into yellows. So I put on all my whites and we were off to the airport.

Pictures from the our "intimate" photo shoot.

    When we got to the airport I was really excited. I had never been on a helicopter before let alone over the Serengheti. We all got in the helicopter and Jan started the engine. As I sat there looking around all I could think was "Is this my life now?". I was sitting in a helicopter surrounded by friends that I know one day will be like family. Jan was flying the helicopter with Jason seated next to him. I was in the back taking pictures of Hannah and laughing with Cecile. We were  all wearing white which made it seem even more surreal.
    We took off with one swift movement upward. I loved it! I loved take off and I loved every second of the flight. I did not think I could be any more excited until Jan tells me to look at him over the radio. I look up at Jan as he is giving me two thumbs up, which means Jason is now flying the helicopter!!! It got even better when Jan took back over for the landing. We were circling this amazingly beautiful crater. When I realized we were about to land on the edge I think my heart skipped a beat then it skipped another beat when Jan decided to have some fun and turn really sharply over it!
  When we found a place to land Jan dropped us off then took back off. We needed pictures of the helicopter so Jan got the chance to show off some by swooping down over us and flying off into the sunset. He also hovered right in front of us for awhile. It was all very amazing! Once Jan landed I informed him that if he did not get all the girls then he should!
   As soon as Jan landed we could see Masai in the distance running over the hills. Within 5 minutes we were surrounded by about 150 Masai. The day just got better!! I happen to love the Masai people and was absolutely thrilled they had shown up. The only problem was that we were supposed to be selling an intimate and romantic moment. We went ahead and took all the pictures and asked them to step back when they were too close. In the end we got some amazing pictures! It was not intimate or romantic at all but it was one of the best experiences of my life!! As a gift to the Masai we gave the elder the bottle of wine we had been sipping on for the shoot.

Video of us taking off

I guess the answer to the question "Is this my life now" is yes. Yes, this is Jason and I's life and we are determined to never take it for granite. Jason and I are living our lives to the fullest. We decided years ago to follow our dreams and move to Africa. We saved our money, we didn't go on a honeymoon, we weren't scared the unknown, we were only scared of not trying. It was good decision! We have been lucky but more than that we have been determined. We have also had unconditional support from our families. Most people thought we were crazy but from the beginning our parents told us to follow our dreams and that has made all the difference.

Jason's Birthday BBQ/Bonfire/Beer Pong Bash!

   If you know Jason very well then you know that three of his favorite things are BBQ, Bonfires and Beer pong (maybe more of a past favorite but he still enjoys it!). We had a great turn out for Jason's 26th birthday party. Jason and I spent Friday afternoon and Saturday morning preparing for it. While we were in town we decided to run by DHL to see if the package from my mom had made it, and it had! Jason was really excited about the velveeta and rotel! We even bought the expensive chips to dip in it.  Now, the dip was not for the party, we were going to eat all that ourselves another night! We bought several crates of good beer, soda and 4 kilos of potatoes! We ended up buying a lot of food for our 25 guests but the landlord supplied most of the meat. We bought all the American BBQ essentials such as hamburgers, hotdogs and steak. Michael, our landlord, bought half a goat! They brought in the goat to be trimmed and marinated. Luckily our friend Daniel had come over 2 hours early to help out. He had the privilege of trimming half a goat. The trimming includes getting rid of 2 legs, a tail, some intestines and kidneys. We then added my marinate and cooked for a couple house on there grill. While Daniel was doing take trimming I was preparing 4 kilos  of potato salad and making the cupcakes. We had tried to bake a carrot cake (Jan's amazing recipe) the night before but ended up with burnt sides and top and completely raw in the middle. It was one in the morning when we finally took it out so I just stuck in the in the fridge and decided to make cupcakes out of it in the morning. I also make chocolate netalla cupcakes with netalla frosting and, thanks to my mom's package, we had yellow cake with chocolate frosting! Jason made some great pasta salad with a little smoky gouda cheese and deviled eggs!

   

   This was going to be the first time I met Jason's bosses (Cecile and Johan) and I was pretty nervous! Luckily (sarcasm) they showed up while I was wearing an apron, kinda sweaty, skewing steak kabobs! I was so embarrassed but they are about the nicest people I have ever met. Jason has always spoken very highly of them and I knew he really like them but I was still surprised at how incredibly nice and fun the were. They also have the cutest little girl! Some of Jason's colleagues, Jan (helicopter pilot) and Eugene (pilot) and Sarah (pilot) also made it to the party. It is very comforting meeting people that I feel we could spend the holidays and special occasions with since we will be so far away from home.  We had a so much fun with everybody. We had the grill and bonfire going most of the night. When the meat would come off it would be passed around. The steak kabobs and goat were fantastic right off the grill! 

    

   After the bonfire had gone out and most of our guests had gone home we decided to teach some of our Tanzanian and English friends how to play beer pong! It was a great way to end the night! I can't wait to have everyone over again!

Lots of love,

Aubree and Jason

What has Captain Jason been up to?

What has Captain Jason's been up to?

Jason has been very very busy the past week. He has been flying a lot to get his hours up as well as putting in hours at the office. He usually leaves around 7:30am and gets home about 6:30, M-Saturday! His boss reassures him that all his hard work with pay off in the long run and we are very optimistic about Jason's future with this awesome company! I cannot remember the exact plane it is but I do know that Johan, the bossman, refers to one of the plans as "Jason's plane". It is a smaller plane but it is faster than the caravan and they expect to have a lot of flights. Things just keep getting better!

What has Aubree been up to?

I have also been busy this week! Most mornings I leave with Jason or leave shortly after. At 7:30 in the morning the Dalla dallas are bursting with people so I usually wait until about 9 so I won't be hanging on for dear life. Things have been very busy with Walk In Love and Neema House. Neema house now has 4 babies! Two new babies this week. WIL has officially started it's women empowerment working program. Merchandise will be for sale online this weekend!

Check my other blog at walkinlovetanzania.blogspot.com and/or check out my website at www.walkinlovetanzania.com

We have had virtually no social life because we have been working so much but we do try to get out every Saturday night. We met a nice American and have made plans with him this weekend. I am also trying to plan Jason's 26th birthday party! We have decided on a Mexican theme. That means margaritas, coronas, tacos and a piñata! We are very excited to have all out new friends over for the day. Wish me luck in finding presents because "good" things are few and far between here.


In other news, Jason is tired of me complaining about it taking almost an hour to get to Neema on the local transportation so he is going to teach me to drive the motorcycle this week! I'm excited and terrified:) Michael has found a back road between our house and Neema so we are going searching this weekend and hopefully it is motorcycle safe of I'll be on the road people. Exciting! Terrifying!
Thats all the news for now folks.
Lots of Love
Aubree and Jason