Deep Thoughts from Annica

Hi everyone this is Annica. I hear there are a lot of people who want us kids to write more on the blog.

Life in Africa is different but very fun I am getting used to our apartment and sleeping later. I now know where lots of things are like food, plates, cups and silverware. I have moved in to my room and made some changes like moving the two single beds together to make a double and all my stuff is where I want it since we are not leaving everyday like to Wasa or Ruaha.

Like I said before living in Africa is different and so is shopping. We walk to the market with shopping bags.  We first go to the produce market, then we move on to the little grocery stores and that’s it, unless we need something different then normal. We do this routine about two or three times a week.

The food is good I like it best when we make it and choose what we eat.  We always eat at Noel and Sharon Petit’s apartment. They live in the apartment building next door (we eat there because they have the bigger table). We learned how to make pizza and its good. We found a bread store that sells wheat bread and donuts! They are great.

Safari at Ruaha National Park is great! My favorite animals are the lions and the cubs. The cubs were super cute but the males were amazing, they were my favorite. I just love their manes, they are so amazing!
We saw many lions and prides but my favorite lion sighting was when we were like ten feet away from three females, six cubs, and two males. It was amazing. All the other animals were super cool too, but lions were my favorite!

Dogs in Africa are not very friendly and nobody really owns them but they are all over Iringa.  They bark all day and all night and they are barking has I am writing this now. Not the kind of dog I would like to own. I like my little Golden Retriever Casey!

I know some people on Facebook have asked about exchanging money.  It’s simple, the bank is just up the hill and has an ATM.

My dad heard about a little cafe behind the bookstore that had really good milkshakes. So on Tuesday we went to try it and yes they have amazing milkshakes. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana, super good!

On Thursday we went to the orphanage with lots of toys and pillow case dresses. We got a tour and played with them for about half an hour. I made a friend named Liss. She is eight years old and speaks no English but she is a really good drawer. She drew a picture of me with a top-hat on and she can write my name with a C not a K.  She teaches me Swahili and I teach her English. I do know how to say (what is your name) in Swahili-Jino Lako. We went back on Monday and I took videos of Liss and her friends dancing and they would watch the videos.  Other kids would watch too and every video I took of them there would be more kids in it.  They loved it! Can’t wait to go back.

My friend, Liss



Here's me with my friend, Liss



We also have a housekeeper named Mariam she has a lot of laundry to do.  She cleans a lot too.

Last of all some highs and lows of living in Africa.

Here are some highs                                       

Doing lots of fun new stuff!                            

Getting to read lots because of no TV                                                                

Safari                                                                     

the orphanage
all the kids and people

here are some lows
No TV

being away from Casey

missing my aunts, uncles, cousins, and Nana and Papa 

missing all my friends.