Coach Leah here! Wow--- what an AMAZING day. What could be better then a rooster being your alarm clock? Along with the girls, I ventured out to spend the night with a Banjika family last evening. After talking and visiting the girls today, our accounts seem to be quite similar. Upon arrival at the houses last night, we were greeted with warm hugs, big smiles, and a "Kanga" which is a piece of beautiful cloth that is tied around your waist. Shortly after we were offered a cup of hot tea or coffee. After a delicious cup of "chai" (tea in Swahili) , we starting prepping for dinner. The kitchen is typically a separate hut that has a cement mound with two holes in the top. Sticks are usually placed beneath where the fire is lit on a dirt surface. From this spot on tiny stools rice is fried, veggies are chopped and sauteed, meat is trimmed and cooked, and potatoes are skinned and boiled. In the corners you often see Hens sitting on their eggs. I was stirring up lamb and onions when 3 chicks crossed over my feet. Most kitchens are 8' by 10' with a 5' tall doorway. Perfect for me :) (not for Greg) Preparation and cooking for a meal usually takes over an hour.
While dinner was cooking we were offered a place to shower. The shower was under the stars, in a tin or wooden stall separate from the house, with a bucket of hot water, cup, and a bar of soup. Simple, but absolutely perfect. I have never seen stars SO CLOSE! After washing up, dinner is ready to be served. With no electricity, the families gather inside their home (4 small rooms) with lanterns or candles lit. Last nights menu was cooked rice, cooked spinach and carrots, lamb potato stew, and fresh bananas from the tree out back. YUM! It is common for Tanzanian families to eat in silence so that was something to get used to :) Taking seconds is HIGHLY recommended and is a true compliment to this culture. After dinner we exchanged photos of our families and shared common similarities and differences of our cultures over a cup of tea or coffee. We all felt like princesses with our Mosquito nets hanging above our beds. Sleep came easy with the deep darkness of the night.
After a restful night of sleep, the rooster was right on point with waking us as the sun was slowly rising. As soon as we said our good mornings, we sat down for breakfast of tea/coffee, slices of bread, and hardboiled eggs from the hens in the kitchen. The morning is also a time for chores. It is common to see big bins filled with soap and water sitting outside by the kitchen where dishes are scrubbed and rinsed and also bins for hand washing the families clothes. Floors are hand scrubbed and the dirt in the kitchen is swept. A few of us also were able to get our hair braided Tanzanian style by the mothers and or daughters. Sitting still for that was tough! We all brought gifts to our homestay families to thank them for their wonderful hospitality. Common gifts were multi-purpose tools, colorful fabric, playing cards, puzzles, and pictures.
I was picked up by the rest of the leaders in the early afternoon to visit the rest of the home stay sights. There we saw lunch being prepared by the girls, a cow manure powered gas stove, tons of Kangas, babies being held, hair being braided, games being played, and a lot of smiles. The girls have one more evening with their families. They will return to the campground in the afternoon. We are looking forward to hearing more about their adventure! Here is a hug for everyone back home!
-Kari
PS: Picture is of the beautiful Grace Chang holding her home stay families youngest baby girl.
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