My independence days

I am pleased to say that since Saturday, I have been moved in to my house, since the latrine has been finished being built. Saturday I returned from a trip to the city to attend a memorial service for a health volunteer I trained with, who passed away tragically in a bus accident in the south of Tanzania. Despite the awful circumstances, it was good to be together again with many people from my training class who convened to grieve the loss. 

So Saturday I returned to my village, my emotions tempered, ready to move into my house. My village executive officer suggested that I wait to move in to my house until mosquito screening is put up in the windows, but I told him I would be fine without it (and I'm glad I didn't wait, because it's Wednesday already and still no signs of that project starting.)

It is wonderful to have a new degree of privacy that could not be had living in the guesti... although "privacy" might be a stretch, as I don't have curtains for some crucial windows, and the surrounding children love to come see me in my courtyard many times a day. 

And I can cook! I've made curried fish with potatoes one day, and Chipsi mayai the next - although that turned out more like an egg and potato scramble, but delicious nonetheless. 

Finally got a handle made for my hoe, so now I can start gardening. Mapped out my courtyard, will break ground tomorrow.