Mambo!
I will start by apologizing for how long this first post took, it seems I am not as good of a blogger as I may have suspected. In any case, I will do my best to update my blog every so often (note: no real time specific promises here) to document my experiences.
I will bring you back to the very beginning, over 2 weeks ago now, stepping onto my plane in Toronto en route for Amsterdam. This flight was fairly uneventful, and touched down bright and early on a crisp day in the Netherlands. With a numb bum and the realization that another 8 hour flight was on the horizon, I got a ticket and headed out to my first destination. Utrecht, a smaller city a short 15 minute train from the airport, was the perfect place to stretch my legs. A quiet, pretty little city was the place of my first 3 hour power walk in the brisk air. I have to admit, by the time rush hour was upon the city I felt quite like a tourist walking around instead of hopping on a bike, which everyone seemed to be riding.
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| Utrecht |
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| Christmas decorations in the streets- Utrecht |
My travels then took me on another 15 minute train to Amsterdam Central. I was determined to keep walking and in another 3 hours was able to make my way to the Anne Frank Museum and the 'I Amsterdam' sign.
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| My 'friends' posing with the sign |
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| A skating rink right in front of the sign where many were enjoying some winter fun! |
It took my a surprising amount of time to find this famous landmark, and once I did, there were of course many people climbing all over it. I decided to take a picture from the back to pretend no one was there. By the time the sun was setting I was tired and made my way back to the airport on my last 15 minute train.
Once boarded and settled, I was actually glad to be sitting after my 6 hour hike. This plane only had a choice of 2 movies that were played every few hours... Wolverine and The Watch. Two interesting choices, but I was able to sleep for some of the flight which made it seem much shorter. On arrival in Nairobi Kenya, I was greeted with the knowledge that the fight I was supposed to be getting on in an hour was cancelled, and a new one rescheduled for 3 hours later. After waiting it out in the heat (I was still in long pants, socks, runners, and a long sleeve shirt) the flight was delayed yet again. My 1 hour layover became more than 5 and everyone was happy to just be on a plane again once we finally boarded. My flight landing at Kilimanjaro Airport was a bumpy one to say the least. People were whooping and laughing, but I mostly just felt sick. After a rocky landing, we had a 15 minute break before taking to the skies once more. Landing in Mwanza was a much smoother ride, to my relief. Stepping off the plane and into the Mwanza Airport was an interesting experience. There was a dirt floor room where luggage was dropped off, and I was about to leave with another intern Emily, before realizing I should probably get a Visa first. Emily, an intern who has been living at Mlango Moja (the area of our apartment) was thankfully waiting for me upon my arrival.
I spent the next week getting to know the city, some other foreigners also working in Mwanza, and the African Probiotic Yoghurt Network (APYN) team.
Views from the 3 balconies of our apartment
Don't let the serene-ness of the photos fool you, this place is loud and going ALL the time. Weddings, Djs on the back of trucks, dogs, car horns, piki pikis (motor bikes), and dala dalas (city buses) out and about at all hours.
Oh, and the title refers to my new favourite lunch here, it tastes just like home!
That's all for now!
Asante :)
My last few weeks in Mwanza have been filled with new sights and sounds as I orient myself to the city. Dinners out are a regular occurrence here, as it's a time where everyone can meet and relax after a long day. Some of the restaurants I have been to include Sizzlers, the New Mwanza Hotel, the Richman, Goldcrest, and Isamilo Lodge. These restaurants all have similar food selections- most with Indian/Chinese/Authentic African options. Goldcrest, my new favourite place, is a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city. Most nights there is a keyboard player that sings the oldies (to my delight many of CD 98.9's set list was played) with female vocal accompaniment. This pair is a delight to hear. 
