so now i'm home.
but i thought i would do one last update about the last days in africa....
the greatest part of it would definitely be spending an entire day and night at anna's house. anna is one of the widows in the positive test club, and she invited barbara and i over. she has 6 children, and has adopted 2 who were orphaned by her her sister and brother. it was such a fun day. we colored, she showed me pictures, and we ate together. she showed me how to cook ugali and then how to eat it. ugali is basically boiled water plus flour. it's thicker than mashed potatoes and looks like them. you pick it up with your fingers and roll it into a ball. then we dipped it in the beans which we ate with it. it was amazing to see the family unit. the children are so disciplined and help out with chores. i watched a 10 year old use an ax to chop firewood for the outside wood-burning stove! we also sang songs together. they sang me some in swahili and sang to them in english. i sang mama cass's song "dream a little dream" and some gospel songs, too. i began to teach the children one of them. i slept there. they all sleep in 3 beds. i was in one with anna, pius (her youngest, who's 4), and ruthi (whom she adopted and is about 11). Another bed was shared by the twins, harry and harriet, and the oldest three who are 12, 13, and 16 shared a bed. it was such a fun time and the kids are all so sweet.
i did wake up sick the next day, and that was not all that fun, but it passed.
we've gotten a lot of work done on the website for the club. try checking it out at tumainipositivetestclub.org. i taught a few more english classes, which is so fun. on the last day we played simon says, and taught them "you are my sunshine."
another fun day was nane nane. that's the annual farmer's holiday that was held o tuesday, the 8th. in the morning we went to a fair in town, which sold and showcased different agricultural things. it was also like a market, with people selling things, plus there was a swings ride, and a little zoo area. the animals there, were so sad! there was a hyena in a cage literally the same size as it was. there was also a baboon in a cage the same size. plus, there were these boys who kept tapping or hitting the cages with sticks. while there, i held a hedgehog and a chameleon, which was cool, but i was mostly disgusted.
the afternoon of nane nane, cross cultural solutions played soccer against the positive test club. we lost 2:1. i did not play, because i'm afraid of the ball, but i did cheer. the club would get so excited when they scored. after the game, they were all so happy, and both teams turned into a mob of people hugging, shaking hands, congratulating. it was great. after the game, all of ccs went out for ice cream! it was a good day.
another thing was going to pete o'neils. he's a guy who was once a black panther in the us and was accused of carrying a gun across borders, so he moved to tanzania. he started a school where they teach different art and crafts, english and computers. he's been there for 30 years, and the school was awesome. every building and wall is a mural. pete is such a presence, and we had a group discussion with him and dinner there. he uses great euphemisms like, "that;s the biggest lie since the devil learned to talk!" while there, we saw a dance class that was going on and some of joined, and danced traditional african dances for half an hour.
my last night, we went to the bar next door for an african dancing show. it was pretty cool. there were 2 drummers, and one was so funny to watch--he just had the time of his life! i got pulled onstage to dance with a guy wearing a big mask. that was interesting...

so on thursday i left and had a long adventure coming home. every flight was delayed, and i missed my last one to LA, so instead of getting in at 6:30, i got to california at 10:30. it was long and tiring.
it was sad leaving and i could've used another week, but it's also nice being home. i've learned to appreciate so much, like sugar, the english language, hot running water, gas and electric stoves... it's strange being here, too. every one's white, and that's not weird! every inch of the city is developed and lit up! no stray dogs or hens. that was an unforgettable 3 weeks, and i've learned a lot. the best part of being home is family! (cheesy, yes), but it was great seeing my mom and sister at the airport. and tonight i'm back in my own bed in an air-conditioned house...i guess i could get used to that. but i'll always keep in mind what a luxury this life really is.
i guess i've given the moral of the story...