I like bananas, I think that mangoes are sweet

As we approached one of the few "stands" at the market (meaning the produce was on a shelf-like structure and not laid on the ground) last Thursday I looked over the cucumbers, lime-type fruits, and aha! There they were. MANGOES. Tiny little green things that look nothing like any mango I'd seen before but they had the tell-tale swoopy lip at the top. "How much?" I asked the young boy standing there. After a short English/Swahili conversation we walked away 13 cents poorer but two mangoes richer each! They were hard, but I placed mine on our kitchen counter with a great hope and excitement! I had heard only good things about Tanzanian mangoes and had been waiting for them to show up at the market. Yesterday I declared one of them ripe enough and YUM! Well, a new sort of yum. They're sweet...ish. They've got an interesting zing to them. Apparently it's just the beginning of the mango season. Ahh I hope it lasts for the next 7 months.

Yesterday at the end of preschool Kezia, Anika, and I took the kids on a walk to buy bananas from the ladies who sit outside of the ADRA gate, on the other side of the compound we live on. They were so well behaved! These kids love bananas. They love any food! I'm not sure if their bellies are ever full. Buying bananas is something that us volunteers do more than once a week. It's such a normal thing for us and so special for the children! They don't get to see very much. I love when they are given new experiences, like going to the local supermarket/restaurant for chips and Fanta.

Lazaro getting the last bit of Fanta that the straw couldn't reach (and taking it very seriously).

Two weeks ago we found out that one of the older girls from downstairs is 6 months older than what we've thought for the yearish that she's been here. A man who we believe to be her father came by to visit and told us this new information. It's not too surprising, she's big! But what's sad about it is how developmentally behind she is in comparison to the children that we now know are younger than her. She does not respond to much in preschool; not the music, hardly the coloring, and rarely with any books. I can tell that something is off with her...but I don't know what. I've asked a few of the other volunteers to look for signs of delay and they've seen it too. But still, we don't know what it is. Another thing is that she is a follower so if Musa is running around during song time and is getting attention for it, she will do it too. So she often ends up with her nose in the naughty corner missing out on games and puzzles. I don't know what to do! If any of you readers have suggestions, words of wisdom, or stories of experience that would be wonderful.

Anyways, it's time for this fruit lovin (especially for so cheap) girl to get under the mosquito net and catch some zzzz's. :) Usiku mwema!