First night in Arusha

Tanzania was really cool! When we arrived at the hotel, I was a little nervous because it honestly did not look like a hotel at all; it looked more like a run-down store or something, at least from the outside. I looked around at everyone else, and I think they felt the same way. I think everyone had a moment of wondering what the heck we were getting ourselves in to. But when we got inside the hotel, it was totally different than we thought it would be. All of our rooms opened up onto a patio, where we spent our first night talking about what we were about to experience (after we unsuccessfully wandered around Arusha searching for an internet café).
The rest of the night was really interesting too. When we were unpacking, all of the sudden the power when out, and it was pitch black. That was one of the things I first noticed about Africa; it is sooooo dark. That does make sense of course, but when the lights went out, I swear I experienced a whole new level of darkness. I grabbed my flashlight, which I had just unpacked, and tried to turn it on. But of course, the batteries had died!! So my roommate and I were just standing there for a minute, not knowing what to do, and then the lights flickered back on. The lights did flicker a little the rest of the time we were in Arusha, but luckily they were never out long. (So far in Rwanda, which is where I am right now, the lights haven’t even flickered at all. But last night when I was about to take a shower, there was no water left. There was literally no running water, and I had no idea what to do. So I just went to bed, haha). My first experience sleeping in a bed net was really funny. It hangs from the ceiling, and you have to tuck it into the mattress all around you. So basically once you get in, you can’t get out. It was kind of frustrating because I kept remembering things I needed to do. I just decided to stay in bed, because it was honestly too much trouble to get out.
So that was my first night in Africa! I think it went well, and I was starting to feel completely at home.