Life in Africa is INTENSE. Every moment of it, every day.

This is just a short entry as soon I'm off to visit my lovely colleague Larry at the orphanage she's teaching at in some little village. But I wouldn't want to leave my fans without an update of course! (Kidding.)

So, jut briefly, visiting Paskazia and her family was... eye-opening, heart-breaking, hope-giving. If I had previously held any doubts, it restored my faith in the work of World Vision who truly are carrying out transformational development in communities, in partnership with the communities and the Tanzanian government, with funding from New Zealanders. I hope to write a detailed account of the visit when I have the time and energy to - Brooke Fraser says, "Now that I have seen, I am responsible" and I feel like that, there's a lot I feel I have to tell. But for now, I will just say: New Zealanders, your monetary gifts and your prayers truly are changing lives - thank you.

Am exhausted, and getting a little sick (don't worry mum, not VERY sick). Yesterday was the first day I felt frustrated with the way they do things here. Until then, I had been enjoying the way of life here and, for the most part, I really still do. But it was frustrating to have to catch a bus at 4:00 in the morning when it arrived at its final destination a little after midday; to have to wait a long, long time in the heat for the daladala to fill up so I could get to the border; to have to wait again almost every time the "taxi" to Masaka dropped off a passenger to find a new one, because running a 5-seater car with less than 8 people inside wouldn't make enough profit - yes, we had 10 people and a baby in it at one stage and yes, the driver was also sharing a seat; that people feel the need to comment on the mzungu as though my colour of skin has anything to do with anything; to stay in a dungeon with no power because it went out shortly after I arrived; to only eat bananas all day because that was all I managed to buy and by the time I arrived at my destination in Uganda it was too dark to safely leave the guesthouse...

But in reality all those things are what makes life such an adventure here and you just have to learn to sit back and enjoy them. And I am really am, really am loving this place - this amazing continent - with all its intensity of life. And don't even get me started on the amazing hearts of the people here, the family who put on a banquet for us which was probably more than they'd cook in a week, the countless people who have helped with directions even walking me to the destination rather than just pointing it out, the people who have acted as translators for us, trying to prevent us getting charged mzungu prices...

And yes, it's going to be hard to come home. As some of you will know, I have been offered a full-time job with World Vision which I'll start when I go back. So, as hard as it will be having to leave this place which has so captured my heart, it has also reminded me of why I'll be doing what I'll be doing; the visit to Paskazia showed me that while a lot has been done already, we still have a long way to go.