Today was like what yesterday would have been like if it went perfectly. I went to school, only two teachers were there but they made it work because we combined the youngest two classes so that there could be one Swahili teacher in each classroom. We should have done that yesterday. But really the day couldn't have gone better. We got to do a fun little art project where I had cut slits into the edges of paper plates and poked eyes in the middle and then they colored them, creating a lion head. They would hold it up to their faces and "rawr!" at me. It was really cute. Then I read them a story in English, which is good for them to hear even if they don't understand it. The more exposure the better. After lunch we practiced numbers and it was time for me to go home!! The combination of me teaching and the Swahili teacher sitting in a chair at the front of the class staring the fear of death into these kid's eyes really works well! They are SO well behaved when she is there. Not necessarily for good reasons, but it makes teaching for me easier. Today two boys got in a fight, like one was choking the other (African kids are very aggressive and easily respond with violence), so I ended up taking them to one of the teachers since they don't understand when I lecture them. The teacher lightly slapped one of the boy's faces. Not hard, but enough to give him a start. I've heard worse from the other placements, like whacking their head with the pointer. Something I realized yesterday is that this country is like our country one generation ago. With the blackboards, teachers disciplining the children, old workbooks with only lines in them, etc. A lot of the music here sounds pretty behind the times as well. 


I'm the same age as two of the teachers' youngest daughters, so they basically love me like they would their own child. Like the other day they had me eat some of the rice and beans for lunch with my right hand like they do in Tanzania. I have been raised NOT to do that, so it was a very strange feeling. As I was doing it though I was making faces during the process and probably dropped half my rice on the floor. The teachers just laughed and laughed. They'll pat my cheek and say "mwalemu" in a sweet tone (means teacher - I don't think any of them know my real name). It makes the school day a lot better when the teachers like you though because they keep the kids quiet and yell at them to listen to me. Whatever works.


Random fact that I learned yesterday I forgot to post - a woman came in to teach us about gender issues in Tanzania. Women here do EVERYTHING. Clean, cook, take care of the kids, tend to the crops, sell things to get money, laundry, everything. Meanwhile the men sit at the bar drinking with their friends. Adultery seems to be nearly accepted here as people talk about it (one of our tour guides) like it's nothing! A wife and a girlfriend - that's how it is. I also found out domestic abuse is extremely prevalent. They guesstimated about 4 out of every 10 marriages. On top of all this, divorce is nearly impossible to obtain. The women don't have enough power, and even if they did get a divorce they would be left with nothing. No land, money, maybe even lose their children. Efforts are being made, and they might get somewhere in a couple decades, but as of now, it is a really sad reality. 


After my perfect school day I went home, had lunch, and got picked up by the same touring company we did the safari with to go to the hot springs! It's just an afternoon-long trip and comes with the safari. After an hour long drive trekking through the most intricate, complicated route we finally got there. I mean we drove through villages, up off-road hills, through puddles the size & depth of a small pond, and over two foot deep ditches in the dirt ground to get there. It was intense, but well worth the hassle. It was the most beautiful natural spring I have ever seen. Equivalent to movie versions of paradise.

It was almost scary swimming in this water because of how insanely clear it was! I could see straight to the bottom like I wouldn't know water was there unless it rippled. I've never seen anything like it. I now understand the term "crystal clear" because it does strangely look like crystal the way it's like you can't see water, just a reflective surface and then liquid that magnifies the bottom. It's so clear it's like an illusion, stroking through perfectly clear, body-heat temperature water. This might be the closest thing to swimming in air. As I was enjoying myself, the thought struck me, "What would Trent do?" so I proceeded to try fun tricks off a rope that was attached to a tree like backflips and dives. Naturally, those got boring, so I tried the next level up. Most of it was captured, and they finally loaded. Here you go:

I promise I actually dropped into the water, the photographer just didn't get that part. Cool, huh?! It was a blast. 

Later on that night the other volunteers and I hung out because it's this one girl's last night after 3 months of being here. We probably got along the best out of all the volunteers so I'll be sad to see her leave. Tomorrow I'm climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro - not to the top - but still climbing some of it!! It's just a day hike up to a waterfall, but I'm excited to see the infamous mountain in real life. Love you all! I miss you and I'll be seeing you soon!