Home, Sweet Home

Sorry to my readers out there who have been anticipating the first Hanga post for almost 24 hours now. You will have to wait another 24 hours or more for photos, but here is the journey so far:

the bus ride was more full of motion than i had anticipated. i didn't expect a fully smooth ride, but i didn't think that i would feel more motion than i did when i was on a boat on the ocean for one week, either! it was really bumpy, fast (the driver still goes 100 + km/hr when the roads are windy and narrow, but not too crowded. i think there were only two more people than there were seats :) but i had a seat the whole time. we stopped along the way for food breaks at little towns, and for bathroom breaks where you just get out and everyone takes a leak on the side of the road (!!) girls to the left, guys to the right. i am glad that i am a guy. the in-ride entertainment was either a REALLY bad Tanzanian movie, Celine Dion v. Jennifer Lopez music video dvd, or some pretty catchy Tanzanian music videos. all in all, not terrible

our last day in Dar we spent with Adan- the young guy that we went to Mass with. When i asked him why he didn't come with his family, he said that his dad is muslim, but his mom is christian. and he could choose so he has chosen to be Catholic right now...and so makes this journey to Mass every week by himself. after Mass we hung out with him a bit in the afternoon. we went to parts of the city that i wouldn't feel comfortable going to by myself...but it was fine since he was there.

Hanga is a completely different place. the first thing i would say is, clean. but i guess that is just because Dar was so DIRTY. and it is cooler here. meaning temperature. i am actually wishing that i had brought more clothes that are warm (amy, i blame you). i will have to get another longsleeve shirt made at the tailor shop here and then maybe get a jacket or sweatshirt in Songea.

it was tough walking around here today without anything to do...i just want to start and know where i am needed/wanted. it is also hard not being with the monks. i guess i was expecting more contact, but already i can tell this is going to be more of a task to get to know the monks. we eat separate from them, sleep in a completely different building, and only see many of them if/when we go to Mass and prayer. which we are welcome at, but also sit separate from the monks. makes me extra thankful for the acceptance into the community we received in Collegeville at SJU!

the internet is pretty fast here actually! i am surprised. and the computers are all connected wirelessly. i am in a lab right now (alone because it is after hours) with 8 laptops that are all relatively new. and i can even bring my laptop in here and get wireless internet. i will have to figure out a schedule of when i can come in here, though. i think this time of night would work best for me, but i dont know if somone will have to let me in every time and then stay after and lock it up...that would get to be too much of a hassle. we will just have to figure that out...

thanks for reading this extra long special post in honor of it being the first from Hanga. pictures coming soon.