three days in

hi, kids.

it is a cruel twist of fate that the only time blogger has worked quickly in the last three days is the time that i only have 10 minutes to check mail and write...but i will write more later. quickly, now, and without capital letters...sorry!

it has been a really interesting few days. i have not felt much like writing because there has been so much to process - some good things, a few frustrations and uneasy bits, and then what to do with my time. the difference between here and berlin in terms of having an agenda has really been striking, but that is starting to change slowly.

i found a swahili teacher today at the university. not at all what i had set out to do - i went to talk with professors, and found no one there - but zipora sort of swooped in as a guardian angel and then we talked for a bit about her tutoring me. this is pretty standard,finding a private tutor, and i was going to check into a school for lessons today anyway, but now i have someone who i know is nice. we start tomorrow, for two hours in the afternoon. i have so, so much to learn, but it will really be good to get started.

i have so many little anecdotes, but am wary of blogging about just the weird things, the unexpected things. it's a place to start, though.

there is a great french bakery, epi d'or, where i have been having breakfast, and have been slowly working my way up to asking for things only in swahili. it has good reviews in the lonely planet guide and is chock full of european and american tourists every morning, as well as a bunch of locals. yesterday's success was at the post office - i bought stamps to mail letters & postcards, though i have yet to see any touristy post-cards. most people here are on their way to zanzibar or a safari, so there is a big "greetings from lovely dar!" postcard industry. i'll do what i can, though.

i saw the seaside today for the first time, on the way out to the university (which is FAR from the city, but i realized that's a good thing) - it was wide and flat, shimmering, and a huge beach. i think this weekend i may go up to one of the touristy hotels (which also has a good bookstore) and wander around. apparently there are some little americas and little englands here, still. but more on that later on.

my time is up, but i'll post again later on. all is well, more peaceful every day, and your love and support across the miles keeps my buoyant even when i don't know what i'm doing. that's hokey for a public blog, but i can't email everyone at once - so this will suffice. thank you.