First visit to Arusha

After a safe and smooth journey, I made it to Tanzania last night. I was greeted extremely warmly at the airport by CCS staff, who came to pick me up along with other volunteers who arrived on my flight. They had my room ready for me at the home-base so I did not stay at the Jacaranda Hotel as planned. A few of us ventured into Arusha town today which is about a 20-minute ride from Tengeru Village where the home base is. We took the dalla-dalla, which is essentially a smelly, overcrowded van. It's 400 Tanzanian shillings, which is about $0.40. They pack them so full that people are sometimes on top of each other, literally. We said no thanks to about the first 6 that stopped because they were so full, though they would gladly have squeezed us in. We've walked around town a little and have already learned to constantly say no and keep walking past the scores of guys trying to sell various souvenirs, who will follow you for blocks if you seem remotely interested. I just stopped by the Jacaranda to settle up since I had been a no-show and they had been very friendly and helpful when I booked my room. The girl at the reception desk just sent me on my way, although I'd offered to pay a penalty for being a no-show. And then I met a Maasai for the first time, a young man in traditional Maasai garb. He came to chase us down as we were leaving, apparently because the boss had heard I was there and wanted that penalty fee, but he spoke no English and we couldn't understand what he was saying and just kept on our way. Another guy, who sells his paintings in a hut outside the hotel, then came and explained and we realized the Maasai man was working there as a bell-boy. I apologized, chatted with them for a while, paid, and now we are heading back to the home-base. Till next time...