nyoka nyoka...

So our first weekend has passed and there were some fun moments to speak of at least. Saturday we visited a cultural museum outside of town. It was built by missionaries who were interested in cultural preservation for the Sukuma people who form the largest ethnic group around Lake Victoria. The "museum" was really a variety of small buildings all outside which displayed the architecture of the housing structures traditionally used, their main means of sustenance, their symbolic rituals, their tools, etc... generally what you would expect I guess from a cultural tour. It was quite interesting nonetheless and we had Andrew sit on an old Chief's throne adorned with a hat and symbolic sword like object. Somehow I'm not so sure that was exactly what it used to look like...

After the tour we were able to see some traditional dances performed by a local dance group. It was pretty much as you would imagine it - women moving their hips in ways you didn't think possible, men jumping and flying through the air, drumming, bright clothes. They encouraged us to give monetary donations as the show was going on in a basket that rested in the middle of the stage just in front of us. As you were getting up to give, most people would do a bit of dancing of their own as shown to us by our tour guide. Our professors of course thought that was hilarious and ended up pushing a few students up there to engage in a small African dance-off. Thankfully I was sitting in the back row...

The end was definitely the best part though. The local people do a "nyoka" (snake) dance. Out from a box come two huge pythons, at least 8 ft long each. Our ecology professor casually told us that these snakes are actually not poisonous, rather they are just the type that strangle their pray in order to kill it. Nevertheless, that didn't stop two of the girls in the front row from jumping three feet in the air backwards when the snake came flying towards us and hissing. But the donation/dancing scheme continued and as the brought out the third, much larger grand finale snack, one of our students, Lena, decided she should get up and dance then. I could not believe how close she got! I absolutely thought she was a goner when this thing came hissing and rapidly slithering toward her and she started back-tracking on her heels quickly just barely holding her balance. I could just picture it happening - she falls and within seconds a huge python has got his fangs in her abdomen. Luckily she kept her footing and made her way off the stage, and only with some really cool pictures to show for it.

There isn't too much to do in Mwanza at night. It's a much smaller city and there are only a few hotels and restaurants that are really accommodating of foreigners/tourists. We went to one of those on Saturday in the evening, but it really wasn't too eventful. Sunday was free so myself and two of the other girls went on a nice walk for at least a mile down through the local village. We really created quite a stir, the three of us, with entire households getting up and yelling "Karibu" (welcome) and doing lots of pointing. A young man started walking with us and we chatted with him for a bit. I think by the end of the walk he had become something of a celebrity for walking with the wazungu. Beyond the people, the scenery was beautiful. You can see Lake Victoria on the horizon and these amazing rock formations like nothing I can really describe. It was so peaceful and just so quintessentially African-Savannah-like.

This week I just have more class and am spending more time at my NGO. We spent time today with an 8 year old girl who had been sexually assaulted by her uncle and her mother who was trying to figure out what to do with her because her new husband wasn't really interested in taking care of the child from her first marriage. It was really emotional, yet the little girl was just absolutely beautiful and really quite cheerful and happy despite her circumstances. We'll be going back Thursday to see her again and then on Friday to help set up a in-school program the NGO runs to help educate the youth about domestic violence. This NGO does such a fabulous job in this area; clearly there is just a great need for many more like it.

I did have a small incident last night with a frog. I went into the bathroom and what do I see in my toilet but a small frog sitting in the bowel, struggling terribly to get out. My first reaction was of course to run and yell for Andrew. haha He came along with the rest of our group to check out the scene and we rescued the frog and set him free outside. He was actually quite a cute little critter. But I think the real question is, how exactly did that frog get in my toilet....