"Unhappy in its Own Way" shoot 12/12/09

Me and Sui

The director/writer Joyce Wu

Ellen, Andrea, Sui and Judy

Amato Opera Theatre

Kwa Heri Tanzania! (Dec 2nd)

Banana tree outside my room

Boss and David chilling in their room

always with the blackberry

OK, here's the gloss over.
Last day. With Emily and Fratern we went back to Nkoranga to take measurement of the matresses. The urine ones have been on Boss's mind since we first smelled them. Got the right sizes and put in the orders. In the meantime, Boss falls in love with a little baby boy named Baraka and it is hard to watch her leave him behind.

Went by to check out TFFT's office and subsequently Emily's house.

Met up with Josh and all had a nice lunch at the Blue Heron; pizza in Africa, who knew. David and I try to figure out the best way to sneak Baraka back to Dumbo.

Then it was a quick stop to check out Massai market. Tanzanian bargaining rule of thumb: immediately half whatever is the first price they quote you and work from there.

Afterwards we went over to meet some of the TFFT's sponsored kids at Usa River Academy. They are great kids and it was heartbreaking to tell them that we couldn't come back tomorrow because we were going back to New York.

Last, it was back to Rivertrees to pack up and say goodbye to the wonderful Martina (Rivertrees' Managing Director and invaluable source of info for any NGO). Next thing we know, Boss and I are dealing with stomach issues on some very turbulent flights home.

Thanks so much TFFT! Can't wait to start collaborating with you and try to make a difference.

More of Irente (Dec 1st)

The view from our convent accommodations

David and the Montessori. Nice right?

Back at Irente. I believe this was staff accommodations

Where they keep the cows and goats

I love how we just watch Sister Enna do the manual labor. Even worse...I take a picture of it!

Emily told me how great this goat was...she was right

Look! we have matching bangs!

David learns to make Chipate, which is like delicious Indian Pratha. Don't worry I filmed it.

On our way back from Irente Orphanage we first stop by Irente View Point. Totally worth it, look at that view. That is as close as David would get to the edge. Notice how Boss never ever gets anywhere near the drop off?

Asante Itrene (Nov. 30th)

Where we picked up Sister Enna

Traveling up into the mountains in the good company of the TFFT crew Josh and Emily. Don't worry, they drive on the right side here.

We arrive at Irente. It was a rocky ride but the weather couldn't be better.

Going in for some tea with the sisters

Sister Enna who is obviously well loved by the children. we need more Sister Enna's in the world.

I loved this little girl with those pouty lips...she didn't want anything to do with me or my cameras.

mostly, though my camera gear was a big hit

freshly bathed

Dr. Dre should adopt this little guy, he looks just like him

feeding time, you got a little something right there.

After a really depressing day yesterday touring two orphanages that can be classified as bad and shame on you respectively, we braced ourselves for Irente Orphanage in the Lashoto Mountains. This meant a five hour car journey into the bush and up into the mountains marked by great views and quicken heartrates everytime the crazy packed buses came barreling by. Josh and Emily from TFFT were our guides and I got to learn a lot more about their Foundation which, I might add, is doing incredible things.

About a hour away, we picked up the Director of Irente, Sister Enna from the hair salon (hilarious I know) and she immediately reminded me of my grandmother in some ways. Straight foward, practical, speaks her mind, is often funny without knowing and likes to laugh but don't mess with her.

We got to Irente and all we had to say after looking around was "there is hope!". Seriously, from yesterday to today, like night and day. The children are happy, there is way more staff here that want to be here (it's also a 2 year training course for child care that the girls have to apply for and test into, and if they get in they have to pay for). It's clean and organized and I have to say it again, the children are happy! So the lesson gratefully learned today: a good and proper orphanage in Tanzania is possible.

Spent the night up in the mountains at a Montessori school/convent(?) where a vegetarian main entree means no main entree, and we'll head back to the orphanage again tomorrow.

Nkoranga & Good Hope orphanages (Nov. 29)

some of the kids outside of Nkoranga Orphanage

Boss with one of the babies who was fussy...

...until she swaddled him

David getting some love

Me and my gear

David meets his other half...also named David!

Fratern and Mama Pendo holding a boy that called me something but it was in Swahili...so he got away with it.

Good Hope Orphanage: beware, there is no transparency here. It's all in the Directors name and they get charitable money, but from the looks of it it's not getting to the kids. oh, and he has the kids go out to beg during the day like some Oliver Twist nightmare.

This shipping container (supposedly full of furniture) was a donation from Norway. Fat good it's doing sitting in the yard.

The bedrooms where children (the director tells us) sleep 3 to a bed. That's 6 to a bunk

The Good Hope kitchen

We came away from visiting two of the orphanages in town, Nkoranga and Good Hope, feeling a bit daunted. There is so much to do, so much to fix and so much that we just can't under stand. Why would you lay babies on urine soaked matresses that made the rooms reek, how can there be no running water and yet in the director's office there is a TV with a cable box? How can the government pass bill after bill making adoption so difficult for citizens and practically impossible for non-citizens and yet not offer any aid or support to it's orphans that they are effectively keeping orphans?

It is good that we are here and we've been lucky to have been put in contact with the right people who tell it to us straight. It's not about raising the money. We can get the money, and if you think about it money has been thrown at Africa for ages. It seems, at least in Tanzania, that the key is having the right people on the ground who can ensure that the money goes to where it is most needed it to go and can be there to consistently monitor and work within the system.

Karibu Tanzania! (take off Nov 27, land Nov 28)

As I've told some of you, I'll be filming in Tanzania for a few days in a documentarian capacity for the Swaddle Love Foundation. I do love all things film-making and bonus: I get to go to freakn Africa!

So here we go, Thanksgiving day I spend trying to finish up moving out of my apartment as I'll be in Africa when our official out-day comes and goes. True to form this means that I pull and all-nighter and as I am making my last run down to the new apartment I see a crazy massive hoard of people lined up in from of Best Buy...oh it is a recession black Friday after all. I get it all done (hopefully with the help from my roommate who shall be returning from Thanksgiving to some notes regarding some loose ends). Our flight is at 8am which means 6am shuttle to Newark Airport and I'm so glad my boss is not a follower of the recommended 3 hours before international flight check in rule because I am a notorious, "was that an attempt of my name on the loud speaker" kinda flyer.

OK, so Nov. 27th we fly out without a hitch, we transfer in London and pick-up David, Nov. 28th we land in Kilimanjaro. Fratern from The Foundation For Tomorrow (TFFT) was graciously awaiting us and took us to our accomodations at the lovely Rivertrees Country Inn in Arusha, Tanzania (Boss keeps calling it Two Trees and no one is correcting her, she'll figure it out). Anyway, we all decide that we are too "shattered" (Boss is Australian) to do anything but stay at Rivertrees and I am ready to eat my camera since veggie flight meals aren't terribly filling plus I always need a steady stream. I need to say here that lunch was the most delicious Fish (Talapia) and Chips ever (and I've been to England).

After lunch, it was off to bed except that David needed to make a quick trip to the local hospital and that's what the pictures are about. I couldn't resist snapping one of the sign for the Bleeding Room (which I figure means the room where they draw blood either for testing of for donation opposed for the antiquated practice of blood letting).

CGI Pizza last shoot (Nov 20th)

OK, last shoot day of CGI Pizza. A little gorilla style as we were shooting at La Mama Theatre and trying to use the entering audience as background.