From the foot of Lady Liberty to the heights of the Empire State Building, from Central Park to Chinatown, from the Bronx's Grandparents Apartments to the World Trade Center Memorial Site -- Fatuma Gwao of Mbagala, Tanzania has "done" New York City!
Her reason for taking a bit from the Big Apple of course, was to present on a panel at Global Forum 2010 on our GRANDMA-2-GRANDMA program. But we also had time to sightsee.
We were even treated to a fine meal at an African restaurant and to front and center seats of "Lion King" by Bibi Jann supports Louise Root-Robbins and husband Ken. What a thrill that was!
Plus, Fatuma sampled different kinds of foods, including Italian and Chinese After visiting the Tenement Museum on the Lower Eastside, she noted that America's past (outside toilets and water taps, crowded housing, etc.) is very much Tanzania's present.
Enjoy the photos!
BIBI JANN's GRANDMA-2-GRANDMA Support For Tanzanian AIDS Orphans and the Grandmothers Raising Them
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
ADVENTURE OVER, REPORTS CONTINUE
After three amazing weeks in America, Fatuma is safely back in Mbagala and Jann is in Portland for two weeks before returning to Stockholm.
So now we play catch-up, posting the pictures you"ll want to share with friends: our Tanzanian "Mother Theresa of Mbagala" trick-or-treating as Raggedy Ann and frolicking in her first snow at Mt. Hood with daughter Renee's family.
Yes, we were the oldest costumed kids on the streets, but I explained the candy would all be carried back to the delighted children of the village, where such goodies are called pee-pee. And bundling up to the snow, Fatuma claimed she could hardly walk, but she managed to sled and build a snowman with grandchildren Alexa, Eva, Chloe and Japanese exchange student Miho. The best part may have been warming up with cocoa in the majestic Timberline Lodge, a WPA project.
Enjoy! And stay tuned for reports and pix from our East Coast trip...
So now we play catch-up, posting the pictures you"ll want to share with friends: our Tanzanian "Mother Theresa of Mbagala" trick-or-treating as Raggedy Ann and frolicking in her first snow at Mt. Hood with daughter Renee's family.
Yes, we were the oldest costumed kids on the streets, but I explained the candy would all be carried back to the delighted children of the village, where such goodies are called pee-pee. And bundling up to the snow, Fatuma claimed she could hardly walk, but she managed to sled and build a snowman with grandchildren Alexa, Eva, Chloe and Japanese exchange student Miho. The best part may have been warming up with cocoa in the majestic Timberline Lodge, a WPA project.
Enjoy! And stay tuned for reports and pix from our East Coast trip...
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GETTING THE GOATS HOME
Leading the goats to the pickup truck wasn't easy!
The goats are now at home on the bibi farm, with wide open spaces to graze on.
This where the bibis will raise animals and crow cassava to feed their grandchildren and to sell. Fatuma, Dickson and Jann are in front, with pen to left, unfinished farmhouse in middle and neighbor's nyd watle house in rear right.
SMART GIRLS FIELD TRIP
Smart Girls Club on a field trip to art center to explore career opportunities.
We picnicked...
...And then we went for ice cream.
Emil of Unique Batiks told the girls about his designs.
The girls learned how the primitive Tinga Tinga painting style began.
Can you believe we got 23 people into this van?
ISGR 4th Graders Donate
These students in Goteborg, Sweden raised over $500 for the new Bibi Jann Farm!
DISCOVERING NEW YORK...
St. Patrick's Cathedral
An NYC cop in Times Square
Hors d' voueres at the mayor's Gracie Mansion
Rooftop garden - imagine! with social workers Lysa and Katharine at the4 Grandparent Apts. in the Bronx.
HALLOWEEN
Jann applies makeup
A well-decorated yard
Fatuma and son-in-law Tom in air-filled clown suit
Candy break
Sorting the loot
Fatuma, Jann's son Keith Hess at Eugene Waldorf School
Snow Fun
Tom captures the first sled ride
Ready to go...
Oops!
Warming up inside the lodge
Cuddled up to a carved critter
A cup of cocoa helps
Renee gifts Fatuma with a souvenir snow globe so she can have snow in Tanzania
Fatuma's first visit to American grocery, shopping for Tanzanian fare
...But we can't find the Tanzanian aisle!
Kitchen is more elaborate than what Fatuma is used to
Girls watch Fatuma make chipati
Son-in-law Tom has his hands washed
Chloe, Eva like eating with their fingers
...And so do Japanese visitors Miho, Ruli
Fatuma finds the Oregon Coast more rugged than Tanzania's
A new way to dry hands!
Fatuma, Jeanne, Suzanne enjoy Horn of Africa restaurant
Meeting a sturgeon
Watching barge navigate the dam through the lock
Salmon migrating upstream will die after spawining
Multnomah Falls from afar
FANCY FOOTWASH
Fatuma, Jann and Renee soak their tootsies in warm water while rollers kneads their backs.
...While catching it on camera
...Sparkle on the toes
...Plus a manicure
...Resulting in fancy footwork
...After a day in school
...Including cafeteria lunch
GETTING A GRIP ON AMERICA
Nine-year-old Chloe, Jann's granddaughter, teaches the teaches about local currency.
...And it inhabitants
Pirate-themed kids' concert
..Some of whom dress better
Fatuma with the Heathman Hotel doorman and Miho, the Japanese girl visiting my daughter's home.
And its gadgets
Testing the $3,500 Brookstone massage chair
Even moving stairs!
Mall escalator
But kids are the same everywhere
Chloe, Eva, Alexa and Miho have fun at Gramma's tumbling dominoes