Nipo Dodoma

I am in Dodoma.

I arrived here at 9 a.m. this morning, and I'm very happy to be here.

Last evening Malasi, the Jesuit scholastic who is part of the OLQP project, arrived from Dodoma to fetch me and my things. We left the language school and headed to the Salvatorian Institute, where we had rooms for the evening. After looking up Bart Murphy and getting settled, we headed out for a farewell dinner of beer and chicken with some friends.

As we returned from a long, very enjoyable evening, there were sprinkles on the windshield. I suggested that we switch out cars, locking ours in the safety of Bart's garage and parking his outside -- not only for security but also to keep my things dry. Well, I was thankful for that when about 45 minutes later the clouds opened. I've never in my life witnessed such rain -- no associated with a storm, just buckets of pouring rain, coming straight down. It rained like that for about an hour. I thought how nice it would be to sleep following the rain, for surely it would cool down. It didn't. I barely slept two hours before the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.
As soon as I woke up it began to rain again, though not as hard. This doesn't seem an important detail to narrate except for this fact: we had no canvas. We had to be in Dodoma for a 9:00 a.m. site meeting at OLQP, so there was no other option than to just face the fact that some things were going to get soaked. I did say to Malasi that my experience told me that as soon as we got away from the mountains we'd be fine. And in fact that was the case. I enjoy his companionship and we had a good drive. I've been on that road now five times; driving it after the rains made it a new experience, so green -- even the dusty Dodoma region

The site meeting went well. The buildings are going to be very nice, I must say. I must also say that I am very happy that we did not set a 2010 opening -- there is no way we could be starting school and boarding for 140 form one students in six weeks.
It's very nice to be home, very nice indeed. Speaking mostly English today, but Sr. Euphrasia, the head teacher of the primary school, insisted on speaking some Kiswahili, which I appreciated. She informed me that I would be celebrating Mass at the convent on Monday in Kiswahili -- and preaching. Yikes: Ninahitaji msaada wa Mungu! I need God's help!

Now to work.