My school here in Africa is located in a city called Iringa, which is responsible for growing most of the food in Tanzania. So, as you can imagine, it is very green and full of life!
Iringa is a small town in the middle of Tanzania. I am studying at Ruaha Catholic University here. The road to Iringa is very high up in the mountains and passes through the Morongoro Animal Reserve, where I saw my first giraffe in the wild! It was so big I could not believe my eyes. I was so excited that I dropped my phone when I tried to take a picture. The giraffe was eating leaves from a tree with about five other giraffes. I also saw a family of baboons eating red fruit on the side of the road. We had the chance to stop at a fishing village where they sell hundreds of different types of shells found along the coast and in the Indian Ocean. I was able to buy some rare purple cowry shells, which used to be used as a form of money.
After about 13 hours in the car we reached Iringa, and soon after we arrived at my new university. It was raining very hard, so my bags got soaking wet during my search for my room. When I found it, I met my roommate, Luanda, who was laughing. He said, “Ka ribu,” which means “Welcome” in Kiswahil. I unpacked my belongings and began to settle into my new home. The dorms are small and cozy, and I sleep under a huge mosquito net, which is like a butterfly net that covers my bed so I do not get bitten by any bugs in my sleep. I love my room and new roommate and am excited to continue to share my experiences at school and in Iringa with all of you. Have a great week!
