9.28.2015

Right-Handed Challenge

Ok, this week I have a challenge for you. As much as possible, use only your right hand to give someone something.

Here in Tanzania the right hand is considered the clean hand (due to, traditionally/historically, the left hand being reserved for less savory purposes). So, if I pay for produce, I pass the money to the vendor with my right hand. If I am passing a book or piece of paper to my left, I still use my right hand.

This particular aspect of Tanzanian culture has become so engrained in me that when I was in the States last year, even when going through a drive-thru, I would pass the money with my right hand...which is slightly awkward. Also, when I am giving something to a non-Tanzanian, who doesn't care which hand I use, if I use my left hand, I feel like I am being slightly inappropriate.

So, for the coming week, see if you can only use your right hand when you are giving someone something. It may surprise you how difficult it is sometimes to strictly follow this rule.

9.21.2015

An Unpostponed Birthday

Last year I postponed my birthday by a week due to a work related trip (you can read about that here: How to Celebrate a Postponed Birthday).

This year I got to celebrate my birthday on the day itself, and by baking a bunch of cakes and pies for several of the ex-pats in Musoma. I had a truly enjoyable and blessed time making 5 different delectable desserts. It took 2 full days of work and then a few hours in the morning to put it all together, but it was absolutely worth it!


So, on the menu was (clockwise from the latticed pie): Apple Pie, gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with mint icing, passion fruit upside-down cake, and a chocolate layer cake with raspberry marshmallow middle and raspberry marshmallow icing. Not pictured is the mango cheesecake (my third attempt at cheesecake here and by far the most successful)!

One of the fun things about making all of these desserts was cooking from scratch, including the marshmallows! I really loved the creativity it took and the problem solving that had to happen along the way to make all of them turn out. As I said above, absolutely worth it.

Especially because it seemed that everyone who came enjoyed themselves and enjoyed the cakes and pies!



Oh, a fun gift that my mom sent me was this nifty zen garden trowel. I've never felt more calm.


UPDATE!!! I have been informed that this is, in fact, an extendable backscratcher...I guess you never can tell.

9.14.2015

Learning that Lasts in Mbeya

I just got back from Mbeya and teaching Learning that Lasts (How Adults Learn). As an ice-breaker during the workshop we illustrate our connectedness with each other by throwing a ball of yarn to each other and saying how we know that person. In the end we see that even if it is an indirect connection, we are all in fact connected. I had never visited our translation project in Mbeya and while I was connected to it through others, now I feel more directly connected with it!


Another fun part of being a part of this workshop is the shift that happens in the midst of it. For the first two days the workshop leaders stand in front and bring a lot of content to the classroom, giving the practical and helpful tools of Learning that Lasts (LtL).


But then for the next three days, we sit back and relax (to a degree) and let the students become the teachers. In teams of twos the participants prepare and teach two different lessons. I got to sit and be a student. I learned about caring for chickens, Sandawe clicks, German vowels, the power of music, cultural taboos and various other topics that were presented by the participants.


Each of the teams grew between their two different teachings and I enjoyed getting to see that development.


So, LtL Mbeya was a success! Please be praying for these translators, pastors, linguists and translation advisors as they continue in their work. You can be praying that they continue to grow in their abilities to be impactful teachers!

9.07.2015

Mbeya!

Mbeya - what is that? Well, it is one of the larger cities in Tanzania and it is located in southern Tanzania. SIL has a cluster project down here and after nearly 5 years in the country I finally get to visit the cluster! I traveled down here last week to help teach another LtL (Learning that Lasts) workshop. Today is day #1 of the workshop, so I don't have much to say about that yet, but I thought I would share some highlights from my trip so far!


Getting to travel with my colleague Samson on a plane! I had only 40 minutes in the Dar airport to pick up my checked bag and recheck it...and they close check in 30 minutes before the flight. Thanks to Samson running ahead and talking with the counter, checking us in for the flight, I was met at security with a baggage tag and told I didn't even need to go to the counter. Just go straight on through. Yay!!!


STRAWBERRIES!!!


Making home-made marshmallows and getting to show my friend Jane how tasty they are. She said they were the first marshmallows that she has ever eaten!


Mbeya has great coffee. So, what else could I do but go to Utengule (a coffee farm) and spend the day in the beautiful sun having some delicious coffee!

This weeks starts a new highlight of my trip - teaching LtL!!!