i have arrived

i write this from a small computer lab that is part of the guest house in Dar es Salaam. it was quite a long weekend of traveling. the longest part of the trip was the 8 hours from 2 am - 10 am in the DC airport. once we got on the plane to Africa, though, it was better. it was still long, and not too comfy to sleep, but we survived. i was sitting next to Charlie for the whole trip. we even had one extra land and take off in ROME! they had to change the flight crew after the 8 hour flight from DC to rome and then it was another 5 hours to Addis ababa. when we arrived there this morning we were just in time to go load the plane for DAR and that was another 2 1/2 hour flight. so i am done with planes for a while. and i am glad of it.

we will spend a day or so here in DAR and then take the bus (12-13 hours) to Songea and then to Hanga. the good part is we will most likely be traveling with another monk who we met at the airport today. he has been studying in the states (in Washington) and is just coming home for the summer. and he speaks english very well. i think i am already picking up some Swahili too. this language thing is going to be a challenge, but a good one. I heard more Italian than Swahili at the dinner table tonight, as there is a group of 8 or 9 Italians who will be traveling to Hanga to do some work there :) i can understand more Italian right now than Swahili.

it is nice to be in Dar es Salaam, but i am also very anxious to get to Hanga and start to get settled in. i am happy that we didn't have a 12 hour bus ride after our flights today, though.

i havent slept much the past two nights...actually i havent really had a second night yet because it is really still 1pm for me, but it is 9pm here and has been dark since 6:30. the sun sank so fast. i will have to get used to writing letters by flashlight.

the pictures are from the grounds of the guest house. more to come soon.
out for now.