Hello all. Well it has been a long time since I last wrote, but honestly I didn't think that anything interesting had happened (but I guess what is interesting isn't for me to always determine). Anyway, many have asked about the water situation here. It still has not rained here in Dar since late November, but has rained in the up-country so we have had a pretty good waterflow for our pipes. Then again there was the main water pipe break that occurred north of town which had us dry for five days! That has been repaired (replaced?) and we are pretty regular. Even though there has been rain up-country, the lack of rains close by to Dar has caused food prices to rise (kilo of tomatoes was 400 shillings, now 700 shillings; rice was 350, but now 500). We are able to survive nonetheless though!

I did have a short five-day bout with food poisoning which laid me out, but with a little medication and a lot of prayer I am back to my 100% (of what?) self. I got a lecture from the doctor about eating these street foods stuffs, but it was actually from a friend's beach birthday party that I suspect was put down. That was until the hour of one am when my hand (as I slept) decided to fall into the fan which was keeping me cool...real cool...lots of screaming and asking why me, followed by a little peroxide and band aids--that was all I needed.

Classes are going well, the school got a huge shipment of chairs "made in the USA," so now it isn't such a search before class for a chair, but you still have to make your lap into a desk often. Come the 15th of March we'll have a two-week break in which I'll head up to Mt. Kilimanjaro to visit my roommate's family for Easter. Hope all is well in America and take care of yourselves! --John

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First Online Edition: 22 July 1997
Last Revised: 18 May 2024