Will Miss, Won't Miss, Do Miss

Two more weeks!!!

Let’s pretend for a minute that things are slowing down instead of speeding up. 

Ok, now let’s pretend that I’m being productive during my alone time instead of spending my time watching movies and hanging out on Facebook. 

Finally, let’s pretend that I’ve got everything sorted and ready to start packing.  Are you there with me? 

Good.  Now let me know what it’s like there because I’m a pretty far off. 

So, as a means of spending more time pretending that I have more than two weeks left in Tanzania, here is a little post I’m going to call “Will Miss, Won’t Miss, Do Miss” in which I tell you about the things I will miss when I leave, the things I won’t miss when I leave, and the things I do already miss from the states and am looking forward to when I get home.

Food:

Will Miss – Mishkaki, chips mayai, ugali, mangoes, pineapple, papaya, passion fruit, grilled bananas, and chicken mango wraps from Lazuli.
Won’t Miss – Samaki.  Something about getting a whole fish on a plate, and being laughed at by Tanzanians when you opt to skip out on eating the brains…
Do Miss – Mexican food, real hamburgers, Miracle Whip, jams and jellies that actually have fruit in them.

Please ignore the Flat Jesus and just take in the wonderfulness that is Ugali, Mishkaki, and Mchicha, with a Mirinda Black soda in a glass bottle!

Clothing:

Will Miss – Picking out a cool fabric, taking it to a fundi, and going back a few days later to pick up an amazing dress, skirt, or pair of pants for literally less money than buying something new at home.
Won’t Miss – Making sure my knees are covered at all times and my shoulders are covered at school.
Do Miss – My jeans… why didn’t I bring them again?

My new favorite Kitenge.  I am planning on getting it made into a skirt before I leave. :) LOVE the fans!!  I will wear it when it is hot out, to cool me off. 

Shopping:

Will Miss – Fresh fruits and veggies, fabric shops in numbers that equal or surpass the plethora of mini supermarkets, true small businesses run by families, most of which are in one room the size of my small bedroom.
Won’t Miss – wondering if I’m getting a higher price because I’m a mzungu, while getting preference at the counter for the same reason.
Do Miss – one-stop shopping.  Food, fabric, shampoo, and new plates all at the same place?  Not here!

School:

Will Miss – My kids!!  They are some of the best ever!  Also, the fantastic staff, who are also pretty great!
Won’t Miss – 24 6-year-olds in a class.  It’s a lot of little bodies, and a lot of energy all in one room!
Do Miss – Updated technology.  What CAMS has isn’t bad for Tanzania, but is MUCH less than what I have ever had in the states.

Home:

Will Miss – My houseworker.  She’s the best part of my Tuesdays. 
Won’t Miss – Having to remember to turn my water heater on 20 minutes before I want a shower, not having hot water in my kitchen sink, and the goats next door.
Do Miss – Having a yard to chill out in and a BBQ to cook on.

Traveling:

Will Miss – Exciting stories that are readily available after every trip somewhere.  (This includes marriage proposals!)
Won’t Miss – Overcrowded busses, dalla dallas, and the crazy drivers who think they’re invincible.
Do Miss – Getting in the car and just going somewhere for no reason at all.

People:

Will Miss – Friendly, helpful, and thoughtful people that seem to pop up everywhere.
Won’t Miss – Being shouted at (Mzungu!!) wherever I go and having to ignore beggars on every street.
Do Miss – Conversations with strangers that won’t inevitably end with a question about my phone number or how to get to the USA.

Money:

Will Miss – Feeling extremely wealthy all the time, but especially after visiting the ATM!!
Won’t Miss – Piles of money after visiting the ATM.  (International fees = taking out a month’s worth of money at once.  Notes in small denominations = LARGE piles of money after every transaction)
Do Miss – paying by check or debit card.

Church:

Will Miss – Listening to the music at the end of the Tanzanian service before the English one starts.
Won’t Miss – Power cuts on Sunday mornings that make my flute the only instrument to lead the congregation.
Do Miss – Episcopal liturgy, my church family, and my youth group kids.

Weather:

Will Miss – Warm enough weather to be comfortable in a t-shirt all year.
Won’t Miss – Hot weather that makes it hard to sleep at night.
Do Miss – Snow!! 

Bugs:

Will Miss – So many different kinds of cool bugs!  They are fascinating!!
Won’t Miss – Fleas in my bed, mosquitos that think I’m a tasty treat, and ants that invade.
Do Miss – Ladybugs that mean summer is on the way!

This dude was sitting in the window in my classroom one day last week. He's about as long as my finger.

 

Lizards:

Will Miss – Peter, my colorful friend.
Won’t Miss – Lizards jumping out at me when I open cupboards in my classroom.
Do Miss – Are there really any Lizards in Wyoming?  Hard to miss something that doesn’t exist.

Internet:

Will Miss – The amazing feeling of Skyping with Panama, Honduras, the USA, and Hong Kong in the same week.
Won’t Miss – Taking 2 hours to load a 5 minute video, dropped Skype calls, and loading 40,000 shillings of internet 5,000 shillings at a time.
Do Miss – Consistent connection speeds, even if it is consistently bad.

Eating Out:

Will Miss – Mishkaki, chicken mango wraps, Coke in glass bottles, biryani, plastic chairs and tables, eating under the stars.
Won’t Miss – Hand-written bills that are frequently wrong or just confusing, not being able to order something on the menu because “it is finished.”
Do Miss – Delivery Pizza (or anything someone brings to my door, really!)

My Name:

Will Miss – Watching taxi drivers and other Tanzanians try to pronounce it. (I get a lot of Irene, Had-ee, and Head-ee)
Won’t Miss – Trying to explain how to pronounce it.
Do Miss – ONLY having to explain how to spell it.