Team TFFT

Happy 2010! Hope everyone rang in the New Year in some fun way. I spent it in the snow of the Rocky Mountains with my family, skiing, relaxing and eating delicious food! I’m thrilled to be back in Tanzania now, where the kids are back to start a new school year; the rain is still coming, and my new roommate is getting settled in!

That’s right…new roommate! Anne Palmer joined TFFT in Tanzania on Monday night. She arrived at about 10 pm to Fratern and me waving a sign with her name on it and acting totally “professional.” Anne is here as our resident EMT, as well as the new Program Director for TFFT’s Full Circle Afterschool Program. She seems to be a freak of nature as well, seeing as she’s jumped right into things with only the slightest signs of jetlag! Our askari Lazaro, my dog Henry and I are all thrilled to have the extra company in the evenings as well (I’ll let everyone picture the funny trio we made on their own).

So, with Anne’s addition, Josh Nassari (our Scholarship Program Director who is absolutely amazing and has probably learned the kids names and personalities faster than any other TFFTer), Fratern, and myself I’m feeling like we’ve found ourselves a nice little team!

Last night, we were invited to dinner out at Rivertrees with Dr. Betsy Glasser a volunteer with Nkoaranga Orphanage and wonderful TFFT supporter. So, at about 7pm last night Team TFFT along with Cheri Sims (a TFFT volunteer who is spending 2.5 months working out at Matonyak as well as Usa River Academy), piled into our Subaru Forester and cruised out to Rivertrees. Along the way, I played DJ, and tried to play a little something for everyone, so after Hakuna Matata, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and John Denver we found ourselves all singing and dancing to Sweet Home Alabama. Everyone agreed / told me I needed to blog about the moment...to which I happily agreed. A great team, a beautiful Tanzanian night, some good tunes and mini dance party in the car…who could ask for more??