The Guta Apartments are nice and full of ICTR interns from around the world. Everything in the apartments reminds me of London since they have the same power outlets and little sinks and showers. I was "home sick" for London a little bit since there is more to do and you can walk alone at night. The owner Mr. Guta is very protective of all the residents almost to an extreme and was concerned that I was walking alone to the market on a Sunday morning. Now that Beth and Jason have arrived I will not really be walking alone, too much. However, Mr. Guta did not like that a man was staying with us even after we explained that he had just been traveling with Beth for 3 months across the middle east and needed a place to stay for a few nights and he wanted to charge him for his stay! So I'm not too sure how he will take to visitors we will have to ask this of him. He is an interesting man who I can hear praying to Meca each night of Ramadan, but he is very helpful and will make sure you are getting along with everyone and eating enough food... which sometimes feels a little patronising but I think he means well. The UN interns seem nice but I have yet to really talk to them since are schedules are so off but I have three months to get to know my neighbors. The apartments are in the village area of Arusha so out our balcony you can see single room cement building with mini gardens and roaming chickens, goats and lots of banana plants.
Tomorrow we start our first day of Swahili lessons which we are excited for and wish we were getting more than a weeks worth of lessons...maybe we can negotiate this with Sherry, the program coordinator, once she arrives Saturday. We also have yet to find out when are safari will take place so there is a lot we don't know yet. However, we are getting a tour of the UNICTR on Thursday which should be interesting. Maureen my other roomate will be arriving on Tuesday night and then our apartment will be complete!
On a side note, there is a dormant volcano that lies at the base of Arusha named Mt. Mero which is visible, but Mt. Kilimanjaro I have yet to see which is annoying, but I have time I guess. Well that is all for now.

peace