One month ago...

One month ago, I took my first step on Tanzania ground. The plane landed around 10pm, it took about an hour to go through customs and retrieve our luggage. Finally, we departed the small airport around 11 feeling invigorated and slightly exhausted. Since then, I have resided in three different places, visited multiple districts, and learned many different customs.

However, despite all the excitement over the last month, it seems that I have finally fell into a somewhat mundane routine. While it makes my days hard to distinguish from one another, I think my routine has also helped me adjust to my very foreign home.

6:00 My alarm goes off.
6:05 I complete a benign morning workout, just to burn off all the carbs and fried calories!
7:15 The District Education Officer (similar to a superintendent) arrives to pick me up.
8:00 Class begins.
9:30 Classes break for porridge, where students can also purchase donuts, chapati, sambusa, fish, or nice pops from local vendors.
10:00 Classes resume.
1:00 School ends and shortly after the DEO picks me up to bring me home.
2:00 We eat lunch, which is usually rice with some sort of sauce.
3:00 Morgan and I usually settle in to the porch's shade to read. Some days the village children come, so I break to play with them.
7:00 Morgan and I usually eat dinner, but the boys tend to eat later, but we all sit together and usually analyze cultural contrasts.
7:30 We take turns in our outhouse for bucket showers.
8:00 When possible, we take turns showing movies on our laptops. We've enjoyed both American and popular Tanzanian films.
9:30-10: Time for bed!

Typically, we try to use the weekends to break up our prosaic routine. We have visited historic ruins, spent days on the beach, and are currently planning a day trip to visit some of the other district volunteers.

While I've noted that my days mimic each other in routine, my experience so far has emphasized how distinctive the small moments are. Each day brings minor struggles, minute successes, and brief learning opportunities. Together, these moments are building the foundation to my unforgettable endeavor in Tanzania.