Back in the land of computers :)

Hello from Arusha, Tanzania!!!!

We have just spent a wonderful two weeks away from the world of computers and phones and in the peace and quiet of Malawi... the "warm heart of Africa!"

We were able to spend a few days in Nkhata Bay relaxing on the shores of Lake Malawi and I was able to reconnect with lots of people that I had met in my previous two trips. Even better we were able to reconnect with the Peace Corps volunteers that we all know and love Austin and Sarah. We spent a few days in their village getting to know the area and the groups that they will be working with for the next year and a half and we also went to a beautiful and fun hostel in Nkhotakhota call the Nkhotoakhota Pottery. It is right on the shore of Lake Malawi and has a fully operational pottery workshop. Lauren was able to spend a couple hours at the potters wheel and we were also able to purchase some very beautiful pottery for friends and family... and ourselves!!

I can't think of a better place to end our trip than with good friends on a beautiful lake!!!!

I do have to report that we had our first, and hopefully only, run-in with the ever-present African scam artists. And we came out a little frustrated, and out $10, but hey... that isn't so bad. When we left Dar we went to Mbeya, TZ a town near the Malawi border. We arrived as it was getting dark and wanted to find out the best way to get to Malawi the next day. We thought we had done the right thing by booking tickets for a bus that was supposed to leave at 6:30 the next morning. The tickets seemed a bit expensive but hey... we gotta go. So we show up at 6:00 in the morning and there is no bus to be found. We ended up paying again to get on another bus... and again got overcharged for out tickets. So a ride that should have been $4 was now costing us each $24 :( But we made it to Malawi... and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It really helped me to get the closure I need to get ready to head home. And in the end we did get some money back for the tickets when we went back to Mbeya. Now that we are done with most of the long-hauls (17.5 hours from Mbeya to Arusha yesterday) we are all getting ourselves ready to return.

I can't speak for everyone but I think it is safe to say that we all had an amazing trip... and will all be overflowing with pictures and stories when we get home. (I have 2000+ pictures I think)

So we all just got some very very very bad news over email that a good friend of ours has had one or multiple strokes and is in a coma at UNMC so I would just ask that all of you think some good thoughts... or say prayers... or whatever you can. I have a lot of hope that she will recover, she is young and strong, but as of know things sound pretty scary.


All my love from Africa, stay safe, and we will be home in a week.

Peace, Jill