Snapshot of Life in Dar

To give you more of a taste of life here, some friends and I have (discreetly) taken pictures of daily life. Now a lot of people don't like their picture taken, so some shots are not the best. But i want to show what living in Dar is like...and what is see every day! So Enjoy! Feel free to ask questions....

Here is an example of DSW show warehouse!! In the ourdoor markets they can have rows and rows of sneakers. But always just one so you can't steal the pair. All are second hand and the guys that sell them take hours to clean and shape them up!



You see this all the time, carrying water back to houses. It is hard work to live here when there is no electicity and you can't afford to have clean water delivered.

Massai. They keep their clothes and customs and haven't adapted to western influences. But the men love to try their english out on Mzungu girls!

Peanuts are always available and often young children are trying to sell them. They are so cute, i end up with a lot of peanuts!

Pepsi distributer!

We were driving fast when this picture was taken, but this is how you get fish! It is quite fresh since they bring it in from the boats less than 2 miles from this place! Good stuff, although keeping it cold or in CLEAN water, does not seem to be a priority to these guys.

Nice resaurant (outside of downtown).

Furniture stores....all over the road selling everything you could need for a house.

Seems shady to sell out of a van, but saves on rent. here is Tanzania's version of Bed, Bath and beyond.

Cement bricks anyone?? Needed much more often here.

Some of the zanzibar doors and beds. The intricacy is hard to see, but this wood work is amazing!!

Electronics store!

Victoria secret!

Whenever there is a traffic jam, vendors come to sell whatever people need.

Here is a portable store!! he would have anything on that cart...changes from day to day.

Fast Food!

Sugar cane! They make juice from it or just sell to suck on.

Pineapple season....there are just piles of pineapple everywhere.....I can't wait for them to come back...so good.

Drive-by store.....literally.

One of the local buses (dalla dalla) that has Obama. I have seen his picture on so many windows, wrap skirts (kanga), his name imprinted on every brick on houses....people love him here!

Fruit sellers...

Lowe's :-)

Local Bar/fast food restaurant....chips miyai (french fries cooked with eggs....mmmm so good)

here are some more bajai. They always hang out at certain corners, but is a cheap way to get around if you don't have time to walk to the market.

Clare buying fruit off a bike. Watermelon season...

SEW- Can someone think of a better acronym??

SEW- service emphasis week

The secondary took the week off of classes to spread out throughout Tanzania and donate their muscles, time and energy. The school was in such a buzz of excitement, it was awesome to see the kids pumped up to get involved in their community. Even the younger kids were excited about praying for them and hearing what they were doing.

Since one team was last minute, they needed some teachers to volunteer and I got to go with one of the day trips on Saturday. The team went up to Madala (William's village) that i have talked about before. Usually on Saturday's a few of us go up there and are working on Bible storying as well as building friendships and playing games.

Downpours did not even pause the soccer game.

This little girl started dancing when it poured! But i can understand why, since it filled their water bucket and this was the first time I saw any of them drink water!

The teens did an awesome job though! very into, plus so many of them were fluent in swahili! It was great to see them talking with the children. Usually the kids talk at me and i nod my head trying to pick up a word or two. Sometimes I understand, but other times I am sure I have no clue what they are saying.

I was blessed to spend the day with them and it was so exciting to see the younger ones stepping out of their comfort zone to lead stories or pray aloud. It reminded me of my STEM short term trips.

Some local volunteers!

Update!

Wow, so its been a little while...excuse the lateness. It is just before the end of TERM 2!! After the Easter show tomorrow....VACATION! I can not wait. Kate and I intend to go up to Kenya...and the best part is ....I"M NO LONGER SICK! Praise God. Every since i came back from the Amani trip (mid February) I battled one illness or infection after another. It is so nice to be healthy and deal with the heat!

But to fill you in on what has been going on....the kids trip to Amani went so well! We hiked, walked, did a night hike, played in a HUGE waterfall, played team building games, capture the flag...so much. But after 4 days, I was EXHAUSTED!


Below are some highlight :

Kyle showing some details about the OLD tree.

Team building games!

The visit to the tea factory was very eye opening to the students. They got to see how hard the work was and how very little all the workers were paid. Most of the agreed that they wouldn't work that hard for so little.

The packed out bus! steve is smiling despite the 8 long hours spent with 25 screaming children.

Our guides explaining more about butterflies.

Everyone playing in the waterfall!

Wandering down the trail.

Kids with Amanda investigating what they can find beneath the grid. The loved digging to find bugs and decaying leaves.

The overflowing exciting before the first hike...if only they kept these smiles after hiking for an hour...

Angela and Libby!

Nathan is our resident "Rocky". Along with several other boys in my class, they decided to see what would happen when they kicked over a bee hive!!!!! I mean doesn' anyone watch, My Girl anymore?

All kids only recieved minor injuries...but learned a great life long lesson!

Although, I was a bit panicky when he got injured he was alright in the end. thankfully his mom is a Doctor and when I called to ask her advice on what to do, she handled it very well!!

Our triumphant hike to the top of our mountain! Gorgeous view of the canopy layer behind us.

This picture (below) reveals the true class that I deal with!!