4. 12-04-14

"I've just woken up from what feels like the longest lie in ever and it has just turned 9am. How things change eh? We have been in host homes a week today and it is safe to say I'm starting to feel at home. Mama Ester knows more English than she lets on, Rhoda continues to be an absolute saint and Frank is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Grant is going home."

So then there were 3. Me, Rhoda and Frank.

12 days in and the inevitable happens, there is a whole diary entry about food. Reading this back I want to have a little giggle of my naivety, little did I know what would happen further down the line, but as it stands 2 weeks in...

"The overriding perk of living with Mama Ester is the food. If you had asked me what I was most worried about coming the Tanzania, mealtimes would have rated quite highly (on a ruddy long list by the way.) In reality dinner has become my favourite time of day. Breakfast consists of hot chocolate and peanut butter with bread, sometimes with cake and/or freshly squeezed passion fruit or pineapple juice.* Lunch is generally eaten in town, usually chips mayaii, which is basically a chip omelette (something I definitely think I will be taking home with me, throw in some bacon and cheese and it would be a hangover breakfast of the Gods!**) Dinner could be anything and so far hasn't been the same twice. There is pork, beef, chicken, the nicest fish I have ever eaten. Served with rice, pilau, matoke (mashed plantain with beans,) potatoes or pasta. We also always get fresh fruit or vegetables, usually avocado as there is a tree outside the front door and Mama Ester seems to have noticed my love for it. Apparently a local delicacy is fried grasshoppers, so I very much look forward to trying them***!"

Left: black beans doused in chilli sauce, boiled rice, spinach and avocado - this became my favourite food as nothing is fried and it is all edible. 

Right: dagaa (small fried sardines) with ugali (flour and water stirred into a doughlike consistency) - a local dish

* We never saw cake or fresh juice again after the second week.

** I never ever want to see chips mayaii again.

*** Fried grasshoppers are most certainly not a delicacy or a treat.