First week at site

22 December 2012

Today, Friday, marks exactly one week that I have arrived at my site in Image Village in the region of Njombe.

I spent the first 48 hours "cleaning", organizing, unpacking and arranging with what already existing items in the house along with my belongings in my suitcase, backpack, 2 refugee bags and a small duffel bag including a small amount of food items to last me until my next food shopping excursion.

Food has been, still is, and will always be a security and comfort item for me. For being in lack of food makes me insecure. I always need to have an emergency stash back up. I supplement my "pantry" daily with tomatoes, some onions, and twice leafy greens that I gave money to kids to fetch for me and yesterday I was given a plate of fresh garden picked beans from a lady who woke me up in the morning as her hospitable offering. I was grateful for her food as it means protein for my body and one less thing to buy where I can save money.

In this one week, I have been relaxing, reading, doing housework, preparing meals and briefly talking and spending time with my new villagers. I wake up already tired which makes me unhappy for I know the day will start out with low energy. It's possible that the gloomy mornings here are making me lethargic.

I've been housebound unless I walk to the tiny "store" to buy tomatoes. At least this gets me out of the house.

What amazes me is that a big village of 3,700 people feel like a ghost town. Where the hell is everyone? Except for some tiny stores in front of my house where opening and closing time are at the whim of the villagers, there are barely anybody walking on the main road which is in front of my house. I've been told that villagers go to their farms to work which is far from their home.

I have spoken this morning to the village chairman, a small group of farmers and teachers about a need in the village that I feel strong about. They like my thinking and think it's a good idea. We'll see if it pans out. An Idea is one thing but execution is another....