Mt Meru and More

So...it's been a while....always a good sign if you are wondering about my state of mind. If I write often it can be deduced that I am brooding over things that are probably pointless and will change soon enough anyway....instead...I have been climbing mountains again. I climbed Mt. Meru about a week ago with two 'mama's" from the kids school. I already loved and admired these women but there is nothing like hiking for 14 consecutive hours and clinging to rocks in the dark to solidify a friendship. Meru is steeeeeeep and technical and somewhat scary in the most exhilarating kind of way. I LOVED it....but to anyone who cares or who has climbed Kili it is harder. Kili has great altitude and one usually feels drunk or sick as a result....but Meru has huge rock cliffs, with dizzying drop offs....when the sun comes up and you are headed down...the realization of what you did (in the dark) hits hard. Nericia, my friend, choose to tell us that this was her first experience hiking...while we were in the dark....oh and that she was afraid of heights...needless to say she summited...asking me to take her picture at the summit with Kili looming in the background. When the sun decided to rise during our ascent it came up directly behind Kili...we had to sit...and take it in. ONCE AGAIN I was reminded how freaking beautiful this country is....and how I will be forever changed by having a year of mountain climbing, running on dirt roads, hiking with my kids to waterfalls, seeing monkeys in the trees....ahhh....the list goes on and on. It was glorious.

Then...however...this morning...the reality of where we are on the otherhand sunk in again...as is life here. After droppingthe girls off at school and strapping on my running shoes...I encountered many people on the road near a car. when I got close I saw a woman lying in a pool of blood. She had been hit by a speeding Daladala (local bs/mini van). I don't know if I have mentioned the crazy reckless speed of these vehicles before...byt they have caused me to cringe oh so many times. Seems this woman ( older mama) had been simply walking down the road....and bam...so strange to watch people's reactions....the Tanzanians have a way of just reacting, but not showing any emotion in comparison to my friend elaine and her husband who were trying to load the woman into their car. Elaine was horrified beyond belief ( understandably) and was crying and shaking...strangely no one else was....their calm and acceptance of horrible events struck me. So many struggles for the people of this culture...hard to even react to others pain. Must get these bananas to market so my family has food tonight...must get these jugs of oil back to the shamba(farm), must get this huge bundle of sticks to my home before it rains again and the firewood is wet.