And Then There were Two

Our house is very quiet. On Saturday, we said our emotional and teary farewells to Eric, Donna, Joan and Clare as we reluctantly dropped them to Mwanza for the first stage of their long journey home. We had a fantastic time with them and having family over for Christmas was a privilege and blessing.

Highlights included:

• Cooking our pre-slaughtered and pre-prepared Christmas chicken outside on our new ‘Jiko’ (big thanks to the Masasilas of Shinyanga for stepping in as chicken buyers, killers and slicers!) 
• Climbing papaya trees - using Paul as a somewhat unsteady ladder
• Playing Christmas Day charades
• Attending a significant number of church services
• Enjoying an incredible trip to Serengeti, seeing animals that should only be found in National Geographic (see photographic proof here)
• Talking and talking and talking and talking
• Lazing about in the hammock, Paul’s excellent Christmas present
• Comparing mozzie bites
• Visiting Bishop Nkola Secondary School and giving the staff tour
• Looking out over Lake Victoria from high on a hill in Mwanza (Photos here)
• Sampling the many variations of ‘kuku na wali’ (chicken and rice) in the not-so-many restaurants of Shinyanga

After a 40 hour journey, we received confirmation this morning that they've all arrived back in Ireland in one piece, albeit an exhausted and slightly frazzled piece! Ever the adventurers, their 9 hour layover in Dar was put to good use as they were taken on a tour of the city by a chance contact. Despite being Tanzania's commercial centre, Dar is renowned here for its sweltering heat and terrible traffic and by the sounds of an email from Eric, they certainly experienced the latter "Minibuses came left and right. Single lanes turned into 3 lanes. We even went through a cemetery at one point as a short cut! We drove on the wrong side of the road and had a game of bluff and dare with crossing traffic at junctions. The girls sat in the back in hysterics - I was in the death seat!"

Having such wonderful, flexible and encouraging ‘guestys’ for our first Christmas in Shinyanga is something we will forever be grateful for. Eric, Donna, Joan and Clare; thank you for being so much fun! You each brought something unique and we love you all for that. Paul and Lynne, you guys were missed. Steven, thank you for giving up your family for Christmas, your selflessness brought us much joy.

We know that each of our visitors have been impacted by the poverty and unfairness that you cannot help but be confronted with here. Discussing global issues over countless cups of ‘chai’ was therapeutic – we owe a great deal of thanks to their patiently listening ears. Even though it was a quick 2 weeks, we feel glad to have been able to share the sometimes harsh realities of life here.

And so, the house still feels empty, but we’re doing fine. We both feel excited by conversations we’ve had over the past few weeks and are looking to the New Year with anticipation. Maybe something amazing will happen. Maybe life will just bumble along. But either way, we’re very happy to be here in Tanzania.

Swahilli word of the day: Safari Njema (safe journey)