Let the Whirlwind Begin

So much work. But before I get to that...

For those of you that don't know, Frankie Manning, the original Lindy Hopper, passed away yesterday at age 94. It is a great loss and truly marks a new era in Lindy Hop. I am so grateful that I got to be around him while he was alive (although I wish I hadn't let my being intimidated stop me from knowing him well or dancing with him). http://web.mac.com/stubbsrcs/Blog_3/Aug_08-July_09/Entries/2009/3/31_Arcadia_University_%26_Making_Drums.html
There was a 95th birthday event for him being planned in May, and I am pretty sure it's still happening (you should all go...it's in New York...www.frankie95.com) Although I can't go, I will there in spirit!

It is an interesting experience being so absent from anyone who knows what Frankie means for tens of thousands of people all over the world, and not having lindy hopped in somewhere around...95 days. I'm actually really glad that I had a sort of forced fast from lindy hop, as I am pretty sure my new awareness of how important it is to me will mean that I dance 3 million% harder when I get home.

Right now though, mo' work. Like really...I'm stressin'. It actually isn't anything compared to Goucher, but there are a few added stresses on top of it:
1. I'm in Africa. Please. Homework?!
2. I'm in Africa. Just thinking about the internet makes my whole body twitch.
3. Dad comes next week, and I just want to hang out with him. I'm teaching two lindy hop workshops on top of everything and it's the most work I have had yet.
4. My first big internship assignment is this week and it's so scary!
5. Thesis proposal. Arg.

Otherwise, I'm back to having a good time and I love Tanzania. I'm also ready to go home. I don't think that would be the case if I knew that I were staying for another year or something, but I guess I'm kind of feel like things are winding down and I'm ready to be out. I've spent most of my money, sufficiently ruined most of my clothes (such a pain in the a**, actually), and exhausted myself on most fronts. I'd say my work is done.

I don't know if I ever mentioned finishing the drum that I (painstakingly)(agonizingly)(joyfully) slaved away on and spilled much blood over (literally). Well, I finished it a few weeks ago and, not to toot my own horn, but it's pretty much the sweetest drum to grace this planet. It doesn't have a name yet but I'm thinking either 'busara' which means wisdom, 'kujituma' which means self-drive, or maybe something that means agony (not really, but it was only fun for the first few hours). We'll see. One of my professors posted pictures on his blog:
http://web.mac.com/stubbsrcs/Blog_3/Aug_08-July_09/Entries/2009/3/31_Arcadia_University_%26_Making_Drums.html

We moved our closing ceremony up a week, so it looks like I'll just be chillin' around Tanzania for the last week. I might try to do some kind of travel either here or in Europe...we will see. I'm so close to being done. And then I get to dance...ahhh I can't wait to dance!

Sarah