8 Month Inventory

As of last Saturday, we’ve been in Tanzania for 8 months! In lieu of full paragraphs today, we will commemorate the anniversary in Letterman style. 

Most Memorable Africa-Related Books We’ve Read:

1. Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela
2. The Invisible Cure, Helen Epstein
3. West with the Night, Beryl Markham

Five Random Skills Gained:

1. Determining the freshness of an egg (Does it sink or float? float = bad)
2. Making Tofu (It’s pretty easy, just time-consuming)
3. Being able to “do nothing” for long periods at a time (At least longer than before)
4. Cooking successfully by candlelight
5. Ability to watch the same 10 movies, and same 20 or so episodes of 30 Rock over and over and over...

Top 3 Things Duncan Misses Eating the Most

1. Cantonese--anything
2. Burritos (but especially from Anna’s in Boston)
3. Smith and Wollensky steak

Top 3 Grocery Store Items Jen Misses Most

1. Boneless, skinless chicken breast
2. Celery
3. Fresh berries

Favorite Swahili Proverb to Say

“Haba na haba hu jaza kibaba” = little by little, you will reach your goal

3 Unexpected Good Things We’re Thankful For

1. Eight months, malaria free
2. For Jen, not missing the two most important issues of Vogue of the year of and a French Vogue thrown in too! (Thanks to kind and generous friends)
3. Inheriting a treadmill

Top 3 Moments when We Knew We Weren’t in Manhattan Anymore

1. Driving by a crowd of dozens that had just gathered to watch a man caught stealing being stoned to death
2. Sitting less than one meter away from a full-grown male lion on our way out of Ngorogoro Crater
3. Being awakened by the mournful sound of the Muslim call to prayer at 5 AM on our first night here

Things We Admire about the Tanzanians We Know

1. Stoicism in suffering
2. Speaking about important things without raising one’s voice
3. Being able to accurately predict the next rainfall 

Three Really Important Things We Miss 

1. Christian fellowship
2. Being able to understand what people around you are saying, and what they really  mean
3. Being with friends and family (or at least being able to talk without making an appointment)                    

Four Things We’re Thankful for About Life in Mwanza

1. Our friends and neighbors, and especially our small group (when most of us are here, come April!)
2. The Drumsticks of Heaven at Diners restaurant
3. More time together as a couple than in our first 3 years of marriage (We still feel a strong connection with Frodo and Sam on their long, lonely way to Mordor...)
4. Heightened awareness of our dependence on God for everything, every day