Jambo & Tutaonana

Hello all!

This is my very first attempt at blogging... I can't promise I'll be very good at it, but I will try to update as often as possible. As most of you know, and as implied in the title of this blog, I am moving to Magu, Tanzania in three days. I was hired to be Clinical Director at the Janada L. Batchelor Foundation for Children (JBFC), an organization that serves to shelter and rehabilitate young girls who have been orphaned and/or lived on the streets. Again as most of you know, I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing... I just know that I've blown hundreds of dollars on bugspray and flashlights and malaria medication. That is why I've started this-- to keep you all informed as to what we end up doing wayy over there in East Africa.

Even though I've said goodbye to most of you and have impending goodbyes with the rest, I will miss you terribly, and I hope you keep me informed as to what you're all doing. Everybody is starting exciting jobs and lives as social workers, politicos, teachers and grad students, and I really hope to continue hearing about all of it.

Please keep me up-to-date as I will with you.. I love you and will hold you in my thoughts and in my heart.

xo jtru

p.s. The reason I've chosen to call this blog "Hakuna Matata" (Swahili- national language of TZ) is because, as part of a volunteer group last summer, we performed this Disney classic for the girls and staff at the orphanage. Needless to say, our dancing and singing was a huge hit with them and they have since asked for encore performances. Now, had this been performed by the same group of people in the states, we would not have survived a crowd. Thus, I feel that it says something about there vs. somewhere else -- perhaps, even if you suck on stage and can't hold a tune, we still love you. Feel the love. I think that stuck with me.

p.p.s. Also, follow the organization at www.jbfc-online.org