The past few weeks have been very busy here in Ngara. I have been finalising some new designs to be included in next year’s pricelist and training artisans to do lots of different sewing projects. We have been preparing ourselves for the Christmas season – as I’m sure you are at school too! It’s so strange to be in a different country away from my family a Christmas time. The weather is so different and I find it hard to believe it’s actually Christmas time at all – especially when we have a hot day and I’m wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops! A few weeks ago I had an astonishing morning! I woke up to discover that my house was surrounds by hundreds of Grass-Hoppers. It was quite a shock as you can imagine – they make such a loud noise. I was amazed to see as I walked to work lots and lots of children running up and down collecting all of the grass-hoppers into water bottles and plastic bags. When I arrived a work I asked what was going on. Mama Mpizele told me – oh it’s ‘senene (grass-hopper) season, we gather them up and eat them like peanuts!’ So, she wanted to know – will you try them today Ellie? Well, I thought – when else will I get to try Grass-Hopper? So I bravely said – YES! So I helped to pull the legs and wings of a whole bag of them which she had bought with her. Then we fried them in butter and salt. Steeling my stomach I popped one in my mouth... and chewed. I was amazed – It was salty and tasty and not too crunchy. I ate about three. It was difficult to forget that they were Grass-Hopper after all. But it was a pleasant taste and for people who are struggling to get the right nutrients in their food. The Grass-Hopper swarms are a blessing! Do you think you could eat a Grass-Hopper? I have recently just returned from a visit to Singida (Central Tanzania) because I will be moving there to work in the New Year. My time at WomenCraft is sadly coming to an end. However, I have fallen in love with Tanzania and know that this is where I want to continue my career here, using design skills to help improve people’s lives. My new Job is for a project called ‘The Kanga Project’. I will be the Design Manager, heading a group of women who have recently learnt to sewing on a pedal machine and are hoping to make new designs which they can sell in the UK and other western countries. Singida was very nice, but very different for Ngara – HOT HOT HOT! And many more mosquitoes, I will have to be very careful to avoid sunburn and malaria. Someone told me that they have Flamingos there too. I didn’t see any on my visit – but I’m certainly going to go looking for them once I’ve moved. How exciting to have such beautiful birds nearby! The most exotic bird we have here is this.... I’m not sure what it is – perhaps you can find out for me? I love it’s yellow headdress and sometimes when you see them they are hopping about from one leg to the other! I ‘m sure you are all very excited for Christmas! My friends and I are sad to not be at home so have decided to go white-water rafting on the white Nile on Christmas Eve! I think it should be fun enough to take our minds off of missing out on Turkey and the Queen’s Speech. Merry Christmas Everyone and a Happy New Year, Ellie x