umepotea wapi?!

where did you get lost?!

I have been back in Misungwi for, oh, about 4 hours now, and have already been asked this question 5 or 6 times. It's like these people think they OWN me and that I have to ask every single person permission to leave! It is nice to be missed though, and it's always nice to return home.

Arusha was great. I didn't actually see any of the city (nor it's crown jewel to Peace Corps Volunteers, a SHOPRITE supermarket), because I was at work from about 8am til 6:30 pm every day, and then in the hotel bar drinking my 2 free beers a day (and then purchasing more myself). On top of a good 4 beers a night, we had 5 meals a day - breakfast, 11am tea, lunch, 5pm soda/snack, 8pm dinner. I probably gained at least 5 pounds, and loved every second of it. The food and amazing company of my very energetic and talented coworkers was definitely the highlight, but work planning was very helpful as well. I'm too burned out by this year and intimidated by the daunting number of seminars and follow-ups to be performed next year to think about any of it at the moment, but after I get back from Dar (and Zanzibar!) vacation, I will be ready to start preparations for a very challenging and exciting work year.

REQUEST: Anyone who can help me in the next 24 hours (in America, by Tuesday early AM) with a small research project. I am holding a seminar for guesthouse workers in Misungwi, 14 in total, to teach them proper usage of condoms and also to help them develop marketing strategies to improve sales and make customers feel more comfortable purchasing them. So aside from lessons on condom misconceptions, facts, demonstrations, etc... I was hoping to provide a fairly in-depth and amusing history of condoms, from the early sheepskin ones used by Egyptians right up to Trojans and their counterparts, with an emphasis on the Salama condoms in Tanzania. Anyone want to help me by writing up this brief history and sending it to me?? I'll do the best I can, but it would be fantastic to have someone help fill in the gaps, and how often can you say you helped out a friend with a research project on condoms?!?