Half a world away...: Goodbye's and Life in General

I had a really rough day today as two of my best friends in Tanzania left me to go back home to France. In the last two weeks I have had to say goodbye to five of my closest friends here. After Elise and Oliwier left today it made me even more upset to think that very shortly I will be losing even another of my closest friends. Being here for three months is a blessing and a thing that mostly everyone envies of me when they are heading back home, but it is hard to sit and watch all of my great friends head back to their lives back home, and knowing that I may never see some of them again.

Yesterday was departure day at school for Oliwier, Elise and Zuzana. On departure days we have school as normal in the morning and then after lunch instead of brushing teeth or an activity, the children group up together underneath the tree and say goodbye to the volunteers by singing. Every departure day is sad, but this one seemed to hit me harder. Elise and Oliwier spent three months teaching at the school and even living there with Mama Mary as well. It was difficult to see them have to say goodbye to the children and to the teachers as well.

Usually when volunteers leave they bring a snack for the children as a gift. On this day they got lots of candy and even popcorn. They were in Heaven and most of them scarfed it down in under two minutes. Zuzana is from Slovakia and her mom sent a huge bag of children’s clothing and homemade blankets to her to hand out to the children. The three of them also gave away the majority of their own clothing that they brought with them to Africa. I had to look away many times to hide my tears as they were handing out this clothing to the kids. They had enough that each child was able to get at least one item and some of them two. They were so excited to be getting clothing that most of them put them on right over their own ratted and filthy clothing that wear every single day to school. Oliwier even gave his underwear and socks out to some of the older boys who needed it most, most times they just don’t wear underwear because they do not have any, and every single pair of socks I have seen on their feet have many holes, some of them with half the foot missing. It broke my heart to see their faces while clinging onto their new prizes. It made me wish that I had had my mom send me all of my siblings old clothes the first week I was here so that it would be here now. More than anything though, they need shoes. Older Johnny at school is autistic and I have mentioned before how he runs to school and home from school every day in front of the super safari. He is a tall boy and runs with little coordination. I have seen twice where a little boy will throw sticks and rocks at him on his run home. He lives in a 5 foot by maybe 20 foot stick and mud massai hut and his only pair of shoes is a plastic orange pair of sandals. Today before Johnny left to run home, Oliwier gave him is own pair of sandals which are incredibly nice hiking sandals and will probably be used by Johnny for a very long time. Again, this broke my heart.

Angie was visiting my school this day as was one of the other volunteer’s boyfriend and the four of us went to collect Yeyoni from her home. Angie had witnessed the state I was in that first day when we went to collect her and she was locked in the hut and had since then heard many stories about Yeyoni. This was my 6th time going to Yeyoni’s house to beg her mom to let her come to school but it was the first time I would be going without a translator. She is Massai and speaks very little Swahili. The four of us walked into their wooden gate and I asked in Swahili if Yeyoni could come with us to school that day. I had no idea what she was saying back to me but we could all clearly tell she was saying no. We acted like we didn’t understand her and sat down to wait for her to get Yeyoni ready for school. Yeyoni was so excited to come with us that she was jumping and singing the whole way back to school. Sometimes, the language barrier is a blessing. Her mom did not want her to go but could not tell us that, so she had no choice but to get her ready and send her with us.

Even though I shed tears at the departure I was holding it together well because I knew I would have the night to spend with Oliwier and Elise as they didn’t leave until today. We had a great night and then today I was able to spend three hours with them before their cab picked them up to head to the airport. I was crying too much to tell them everything I wanted to as we said goodbye, but they know I love them. :) I am very excited because I think Elise will be able to come and stay with us when Amanda and I spend our time in Paris on the way back. Unfortunately, Olwier will be away at school in England.

Good news: We discovered an amazing roadside food cart that sells the best hamburgers I have had yet. I am sure it is not terribly sanitary and I could quite possibly end up sick sooner or later from the veggies or mystery meat they put on the burger, but I will take my chances and will guestimate me going there at LEAST ten more times before October. I had it once with Oliwier and Elise a few days ago, then I took Angie there yesterday and Amanda wants me to take her this weekend. For a burger and fries it is 2,000 Tsh, less than 3$, I love it. While Angie and I were finishing up eating yesterday I saw a boy in his early teens picking left over scraps out of the trashcans behind the food cart and eating them. I told him to come to me in Swahili and then gave him my leftover fries that I had. He grabbed them up eagerly in one fist and said “Thank you!” As we were leaving, him and his friend started following us begging for money. Oh, Africa.

Just a reminder, we are blessed :)