Why DID the chicken cross the road?

I sure couldn't say but all I know is next time he better look both ways because this morning it almost cost him his life when we nearly ran him over! just one more thing that never would have happened in New York!

I've just had the BEST weekend! Regina, the other American woman here, invited me to come and stay the weekend at her place which is unbelievably nice (by that I do mean it has a western toilet.... no no everything there was great!) We went into town on Saturday morning and went to the market which I saw the first time I went into town but couldn't really explore. It was like a movie! everything it should have been. giant stalls of fruit and rice and beans and vegetables... hand carved wood stuff, baskets made from banana leaves... I'm so glad that I got a chance to see it again! And now I know how to go and get some vegetables for myself! I had decided before coming here that I wouldn't be a vegetarian in Tanzania. I firstly don't want to be a burden of any kind to the people I am here to serve, I want to fully experience the culture and also, most of the reasons I don't eat meat at home are not pertinent here because there isn't a big farm system like we have at home. A family keeps a few animals and every once in a while butchers one of them and sells the meat to their neighbors. But most of the food we are eating is starchy, rice, spagetti, something called Ugali which is like if you cooked cream of wheat too long so that it became a solid (it's actually a lot better than that sounds) most of it pretty tasty but more on the cheap side than the healthy side. so now I've found I can go into town and buy some veggies to eat yay!

I will say that it's kind of nice to be in a position where the smallest things can make you so happy. I've realized that the best thing that can happen to me most days is that we will have pineapple with dinner... it is by far the best pineapple ever grown anywhere on the planet and I am always thrilled when we get it. Six months ago it would have taken a lot more than a piece of fruit to make me that happy. I am so grateful for these experiences! WELL.... for the most part...the other night I helped my new friend Anna to feed her pigs.... that one I could have done without.... GROSS! new on the list of people I respect: farmers. (a bit of a contradiction, I know)

We also discovered this great little cafe... WITH CAPPUCCINOS! they have a little storefront and some tables outside covered by a thatch roof. I can tell it will be a great place to go and escape for an hour or two. It's no Tea Lounge (holla!) but it will do!

ok this is long and mostly about nothing so I'll end it. if you've read this far, leave me a comment and thank me for entertaining you, shout at me for boring you, whatever, just be clever about it.

LOVE!!!