A quick update on the Hillmans.

We have been two days in Arusha with a wonderful couple (thanks Dave. D. for the contact) who took us around and showed us how we can get started on living on our own. Our house should be done by Monday so I think we'll be able to move over on Tuesday or Wednesday. Still no pics, but I'll have them next week for sure. It will be a bit like camping for a while. All furniture has to be made. I've brought my trusty IKEA and Pottery Barn catalogs since they can make furniture from a picture, but since most don't speak English, it will be a bit comical trying to get things done. We'll be buying more expensive food for a bit at the grocery store until we find other places to buy our daily things.

We are also in the interesting/uncomfortable position of hiring workers. We met with a man who speaks very good English and has been working for a Baptist mission school and is looking for work. We are desparately hoping that he will agree to come with us. We don't know exactly how to go about having housekeepers, etc. and Tanzanians will not tell you up front what they really need. We have servant's quarters at our house....2 rooms that are each 10x12, a shower/toilet, and an outdoor sink. That's it. This man has a wife and 4 children. They will all live in that space. Happily. It's a very difficult thing to come to grips with...we've raised the issue with everyone we've met and all agree that the chasm between the haves and have nots is huge, but eventually we'll be more comfortable with it as we meet more Tanzanians and see how they live. We had our new friend look at the quarters and he assured us that it was more than adequate. So...how many rooms does your house have?

There's also this thing...probably American...that has me uncomfortable when a black man is carrying my things around or doing work for me, saying "yes, ma'am". It is true that just the act of living is very time consuming...things just can't/don't get done easily so having workers is really pretty essential. Plus, we are wealthy by TZ standards, and employing someone in an honest job allows that person to provide for their family. I think it will be one of the most difficult things to adjust to. We also have to hire day and night guards to make sure someone's always around the property. We will be hiring a security service for the night shifts and will probably keep the Masaai man for the days, along with a part-time gardener/yard worker.

Eventually we will also need at least one large dog that can bark at all the right times, and probably two since they stay outside all the time. There is a vet's clinic that posts dogs from expats who are leaving, so we're hoping to strike something lucky. African dogs all look alike--yellowish, scrawny, etc. Dogs that look like a particular breed, like the kind we're used to, can be very intimidating/frightening to Africans. Our new friends have a boxer...the meter reader asks them to cover the dog's eyes while he's at the house because he thinks the dog can see inside him (the pushed in face really bothers people, apparently)! So does their Jack Russell, because she moves so quickly and goes in the house. We probably won't need dogs once we are at the school so we'll need to make sure whatever we choose can make a good transition.

We also visited the kids' school and fell in love with it at first glance. It is an international school, with kids from all over the world. The Arusha campus has kids from 3 through 10th grade, with 11-12th graders going to the Moshi campus as boarders. It runs an international baccalaureate program, which is very demanding. They place a big emphasis on inquiry and discovery and do alot with local issues and resources. They have great materials (and a fabulous pool) and classroom resources. The kids were so excited as they walked around campus and met their teachers and classes. Cameron's class is scheduled to go on a week long camping trip on his first day of school--he was so thrilled! Talk about brave--I don't think he's ever been away from home for a week before, not to mention in a school with complete strangers! We're very proud of his willingness to jump in. His teacher, Lloyd, will be a great fit for Cameron as he adjusts back to being in school. If you want to learn more about the schools, you can check out their website at www.ismoshi.org.

After being led around for two days by Americans who know what's what, we are feeling more comfortable with striking out on our own. We'll be in Arusha for 10 days, then at language camp for 3 weeks, then it's the real world for real! I promise more pics! In fact, I promise a whole entry of mostly pics and minimal words!

Thanks to all of you for your emails and prayers. Each one makes us tear up, but we treasure every word that you write. We are looking at a service that will allow us to call home for 2-3 cents per minute, so you may be hearing from us sooner than you think (or like)!