Hey everybody.....
My internet time is very limited, so this is quick...

I LOVE my host family, I love the town I'm in...my group is the furthest out of Morogoro than all other PC groups. I get to ride a bike to school, eat at school-rice/beans/veggies...my language skills in kiswahili are most impressive for being here 5 days. Guess thats what happens when that is all you hear:) Fun things about my life here: I take a bucket bath everymorning-with hot water...I'm actually enjoying taking a bucket bath, which is very different than what I was expecting. The water tastes horrible(because its boiled it tastes like charcoal...)I am living in a household of mama/baba and 4 children and 2 relatives of sorts. They all speak enlgish beautifully which helps me with my swahili even more. I have my own bathroom-everyone else in the family shares one, which makes me feel a littl bad, but I am very lucky I guess. At the moemnt, I am having a fight with the misiwizi(ants). The live in the wood in the house and apparetnly want to share my room. Grrrrr.......Everyday I come home from school I am greeted by 4 small children running out for hugs "dada(sister)!" I have learned how to wash clothes by hand in buckets outside, how to 'mop' my floor and Sunday I will learn how to cook a few dishes. For now, this is all the time I have, more to come soon-I hope. I will be buying a cell phone next week, so Ill let you know about that later as well! Love you all!

In Africa, finally

NOTE: THESE ARE MY VIEWS AND NOT THE PEACE CORPS

I have never wanted to get off a plane more than I did this last time. Cramped leg space, followed by swollen legs and ankles(my cankles have now formed into non-existing ankles, reminds me of little Italian old ladies ankles), and bad veggie options.....Long waits in the airport.....but I made it. Read some of your comments ni my address book-made me laugh! you guys are great! So, we have been riding in these cool vans that drive around manically-British style-and i will say, my life is most definatley in the hands of my driver. The roads here remind me a little of Haiti and a lot of Iquitos, Peru(just a lot bigger and more like a city). Food so far is OK, we take bucket baths with cold water, but b/c its so humid, you dont really realize that its cold-more refreshing. Mosquitos are SO BAD-MN, you have NOTHING in comparison! Since today is the first day I have seen in the daylight, I am still absorbing. so far: LOTS of colors, lots of people, crazy traffic, lots of stares....interesting music.....but more to see, right? Not a lot of time, so I love you!

It is really and truly coming true

Well, in the past few days I have met some of the most amazing people I will encounter in my life. And in 2 days, some of us are very close already-what will we be like in 3 months, eh? We've shared our fears, our ideals, our hopes and dreams. We have opened to eachother and talked about things not many others will understand. Unbeleiovable expereince. this is in a hurry, so sorry about the spellings-no time to fix them. I am getting ready to head tot he airport-and it has finally sunk in that i am moving to AFRICA!!! On the way to the Philly airport, I kept thinking to myself, What the HELL am I doing here? Do I really want to do this? I do. I know that answer. and to meet people just like me, but very very different is amazing. I will be travelling for the next 2 days-keep in mind that NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. I will tryp my hardest to get to the interent asap, so keep your lives in touch, i want to hear everything-even if you dont think that you have anything to say. and thank you I LO for telling me how to do this! I love you all, you have been a wonderful support for me, and as much as I am doing this for myself, I am doing it for you all as well. Good luck to you in the next couple years, I will be praying for you. Peace.

The Day I left the USA

I am 7 hours until departure, a little nervous, a little excited and a little of everything else. My family in MN to my surragate family here-I love you and I appreciate all of your support and help to get me here. This is something I have talked about doing for years on end-and I am actually doing it! Peace Corps, prepare yourself. A gust of wind is blowing me into town! Here is to new friends, crazy adventures and a sense of self I will bring home with me. Love you all and keep in touch!