Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
so where am I going?
Sometimes I feel like I don't know the answer to this question, especially when people ask for specifics about Arusha, my home for the next year. All I've been able to offer in the past is a blank look and a shoulder shrug because I really didn't know. Oops! I guess I should have done my homework.
I finally made myself do a little research and came up with some interesting info about Arusha, Tanzania. Now we can all be informed (although my main source was Wikipedia so don't assume its all 100% true).
click on the link to see a map of Tanzania, Arusha is in the northeast, west of Mt Kilimanjaro.
Map of Tanzania - Lonely Planet
The city itself is only 3.22 degrees south of the equator but has an elevation of 1400m which all boils down to a pretty temperate climate. Humidity is low and the temperature ranges between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius with an average of 25. (Now you have to do your homework and think back to 5th grade science class where you learned how to convert Fahrenheit and Celsius.)
The population is just under 300,00 and Arusha just became an incorporated city in 2005. Arusha has played an important role in African history, it is currently the home of the East African Union. It is also the site of the the signing of key documents including the documents which ceded independence to Tanzania (Tanganyika at the time) from Great Britain in 1961, the Arusha Declarations in 1967, and the Arusha Accords which mediated an end to the Rwandan Civil War in 1993. Arusha is currently the host of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which has been going on since 1994 and is scheduled to end by 2008.
Arusha is the center of a busy tourism industry in northern Tanzania. Its location on the Eastern Rift Valley and proximity to many famous national parks including the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater as well as Mt Kilimanjaro keep the city bustling with tourists from all over the world.
Some other fun facts about Arusha:
It was the setting for the 1962 John Wayne film Hatari!
Its sister cities are Kansas City, Missouri and Durham, North Carolina
The clock tower in the center of town is reportedly the midpoint between Cairo and Cape Town
Its known as A-Town to some locals (I guess I'm leaving one A-Town for another)
I hope you enjoyed your brief look at Arusha, I know there is so much more for me to learn. Thanks to everyone for asking questions, keep 'em coming!
I finally made myself do a little research and came up with some interesting info about Arusha, Tanzania. Now we can all be informed (although my main source was Wikipedia so don't assume its all 100% true).
click on the link to see a map of Tanzania, Arusha is in the northeast, west of Mt Kilimanjaro.
Map of Tanzania - Lonely Planet
The city itself is only 3.22 degrees south of the equator but has an elevation of 1400m which all boils down to a pretty temperate climate. Humidity is low and the temperature ranges between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius with an average of 25. (Now you have to do your homework and think back to 5th grade science class where you learned how to convert Fahrenheit and Celsius.)
The population is just under 300,00 and Arusha just became an incorporated city in 2005. Arusha has played an important role in African history, it is currently the home of the East African Union. It is also the site of the the signing of key documents including the documents which ceded independence to Tanzania (Tanganyika at the time) from Great Britain in 1961, the Arusha Declarations in 1967, and the Arusha Accords which mediated an end to the Rwandan Civil War in 1993. Arusha is currently the host of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda which has been going on since 1994 and is scheduled to end by 2008.
Arusha is the center of a busy tourism industry in northern Tanzania. Its location on the Eastern Rift Valley and proximity to many famous national parks including the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater as well as Mt Kilimanjaro keep the city bustling with tourists from all over the world.
Some other fun facts about Arusha:
It was the setting for the 1962 John Wayne film Hatari!
Its sister cities are Kansas City, Missouri and Durham, North Carolina
The clock tower in the center of town is reportedly the midpoint between Cairo and Cape Town
Its known as A-Town to some locals (I guess I'm leaving one A-Town for another)
I hope you enjoyed your brief look at Arusha, I know there is so much more for me to learn. Thanks to everyone for asking questions, keep 'em coming!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Images of Tanzania
Here are some images of some of the wonderful people I met and the beautiful places I visited on my last trip to Tanzania. Enjoy!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
my first post!
My description should read "I am preparing to live in Tanzania for a year" because the reality is I have not arrived yet. While my plan has always been to depart the US sometime early in September I am unsure if that will be true. My journey up until this point has surely been a wild ride, but one that I know has been led by the sovereign hand of God.
I have had a hard time getting started with this blog mostly because I'm not sure how I feel about putting my thoughts out into cyberspace for the whole world to see. However, during this period of my life I want to stay connected to you and share my experiences with you. I want to be able to encourage you with what God is doing in my life and in Tanzania, and selfishly I want and need to be encouraged by you. So please come to the blog often and leave comments. I will keep it updated as much as possible, although my internet access will be limited at times.
As I alluded above I am not yet ready to leave for Africa or even to plan the specifics of my departure. At the present time I am very much in a state of limbo due to the fact that I have not sold my townhouse yet. The other pieces of the puzzle are falling into place but this particular piece remains an obstacle to me at this point. Will you please join me in prayer for this? I know that the Lord has a perfect plan in all of this and if He wants me in Tanzania next month He will provide the way. Right now my struggle is remaining faithful in trusting Him. Please also pray for my financial support, I have come close to my goal but I am not there yet. I am still in need of a few monthly supporters. If you are interested in giving financially please email me and I will send you more details.
Thank you all for your ongoing support, prayers and words of encouragement. I am overwhelmed every time I stop to think about the people in my life. From family and friends to coworkers and church community I have been so blessed and well supported. You are all so important to me. Thank you for being a part of my life!
I have had a hard time getting started with this blog mostly because I'm not sure how I feel about putting my thoughts out into cyberspace for the whole world to see. However, during this period of my life I want to stay connected to you and share my experiences with you. I want to be able to encourage you with what God is doing in my life and in Tanzania, and selfishly I want and need to be encouraged by you. So please come to the blog often and leave comments. I will keep it updated as much as possible, although my internet access will be limited at times.
As I alluded above I am not yet ready to leave for Africa or even to plan the specifics of my departure. At the present time I am very much in a state of limbo due to the fact that I have not sold my townhouse yet. The other pieces of the puzzle are falling into place but this particular piece remains an obstacle to me at this point. Will you please join me in prayer for this? I know that the Lord has a perfect plan in all of this and if He wants me in Tanzania next month He will provide the way. Right now my struggle is remaining faithful in trusting Him. Please also pray for my financial support, I have come close to my goal but I am not there yet. I am still in need of a few monthly supporters. If you are interested in giving financially please email me and I will send you more details.
Thank you all for your ongoing support, prayers and words of encouragement. I am overwhelmed every time I stop to think about the people in my life. From family and friends to coworkers and church community I have been so blessed and well supported. You are all so important to me. Thank you for being a part of my life!
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