Tanzanian Excursion to Zanzibar

In late March, I am planning a trip to the Tanzanian spice island of Zanzibar.  It is a UNESCO (think United Nations project) World Heritage Site.  Check out the photos of Stone Town.  I did not know this until I started searching the internet for information, but Stone Town, Zanzibar is the birthplace of  Queen's Freddie Mercury.  Mercury House is his birthplace.  Although his family eventually moved to the UK to avoid the revolution, Mercury House is one of Zanzibar's most famous residents.

As for my trip, I plan to see the old Anglican Cathedral, the mosques and tour the Hamammni (Turkish Bath Houses).

This is a picture gallery of where I will be staying Mizingani Seafront.

Bon voyage to me!

Looks like a great place to retire!

More beautiful water than the Caribbean.

View of Stone Town from the Indian Ocean

Weekly News from Nairobi (Week of 12/01/15)

Last week in the Nairobi  (Week of 12/01/15)

My Ass is Faster Than Yours

Annual Donkey Race Riots

 

And this week's top story goes to the two (or three) donkeys who may or may not have won the annual donkey race in Nairobi leading to a riot at the finish line.  TV reports indicated that there were only six donkeys in the race.  If all three are declared winners, the donkeys will be just like US children where everyone is a winner no matter where they finish.

All the news that fits, I print.

Gap Year Continues in Nairobi

I have left Kapuwai, Uganda and many friends to work for the Arrow Web Hospital in the Kayole-Soweto slum of Nairobi, Kenya.  I will miss my many friends from Uganda, but it is time to move on.

I'd like to thank my husband, Charles Grose for this gap year in Africa.  I have grown more patient, more understanding and more caring for those who aren't as fortunate as I am.  Thanks honey!

Monkeys near Agnes #1's house in Kumi District

Cheers from Nairobi:)

Mother's Little Helper

The Rolling Stones sang in Mother’s Little Helper the following words “What a drag it is getting old” and nothing could be truer for me this morning.  There is not enough caffeine in this world to get me going, but I go on.

I am now in Nairobi, Kenya working for Arrow Web Hospital as a volunteer for the hospital that is in the Kayole-Soweto slum.  I don't live in the slum, but in a nice townhouse in Donholm with a couple of co-workers.  Nairobi is a far cry in many, many ways from rural Uganda.

My job is to develop a set of spreadsheets that will compile the information that all 14 of the reports that the Ministry of Health (MOH) requires the hospital to report, some are daily, some are weekly, some are monthly, or quarterly or annually.  Much of it is repetitive and the hospital needs something to save time filling out reports.  Hence, I have work to do.  And not enough time in the day to get this done by the time I go home in May, but I will be an Excel wizard when I do go home. 

It is said that time flies when you are having fun, but I say time flies when you hit middle age.  So back to my nested^infinity IF statements and linking cells and endless compiling the same information repeatedly as my need for more caffeine grows.

In case you were wondering . . .

I'm doing well physically, mentally and spiritually.

On the physical side of things, I have lost about 45 lbsf.  This was a much needed weight loss and I hope to lose another 30 lbsf. before I come home.  Now understand this, I am not losing weight because there is no food.  Quite the contrary, I am eating very well.  Ugandan cooking is very good and they eat well.  At least this year they eat well.  The rains have been very good this rainy season and therefore the crops have done well.  I have lost so much weight because of all the activity in a day.  My primary means of transportation is "footing it" as they say here.  The second way is by motorcycle, but more on that in another post.

Mentally, I feel very peaceful and centered (whatever that really means).  Without all the distractions of TV, radio, regular and reliable Internet service, and everything else, it's easier to relax even if there is so much to do that you can't really slow down.  There is plenty of work to be done and I am somewhat disappointed that it is almost time to come home.  The people here are so wonderful and warm and friendly.

Spiritually, well that was an area that I expected to continue to lie dormant as it has for the past 25 years.  But in Uganda, religion is the culture.  People are very sincere in their faith and I have been "taken" to church about 5 times.  The last time, this past Sunday, my namesake was baptized.  I was thrilled when her mother Christine handed little Lisa to me to hold while the pastor baptized her.  What an honor!

Do understand that now that I have a namesake, you will hear about her every movement until she reaches the terrible teens, but probably even then too.

Cheers:)

Lisa

Happy 1 month Birthday Lisa Ellen Grose

Every time I see my namesake, I cannot help but sing this Furman lullaby to her.  In my heart, this song is for for little Lisa and her mother Christine Acham.

Guess what you can't buy in Uganda?

And apparently for a reason I would have never in a million years thought of.  Go ahead.  Google it and see why.