I took a bus to Mugumu last Saturday by myself for the very first time and made it here in one piece. Of course, the ride wasn't without its high points, like when the bus driver was forced to drive on the side of the dirt road because of road work and at one point the ground gave way and we got stuck at a heart-stopping angle. All the passengers piled off the bus and waited by the side of the road while the bus operators and male passengers tried to dig out the wheels. By this time, it was late afternoon and little did I know we were only 20 minutes away from our destination (probably a good thing). After a brief moment of spine-tingling panic, I sat down and prayed. I did not want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere with no cell reception and no way out. One hour later, a dump truck driver took pity on us and pulled out our bus. Prayer answered and an overwhelming sense of relief!
My bus experience sums up my last four months well. There have been unexpected twists and turns, challenges around every corner, and I'm ready for more. My first semester of teaching had many bumps, a few near misses, and a couple breakdowns but, overall, I've emerged stronger and wiser because of it. I am reminded on a daily basis that I cannot do it alone and that relying on God is so much easier, not an easy lesson for an independent, do-it-yourself person to learn.
Theo and I went over my students' evaluations and I discovered that they'd enjoyed my class but had two complaints: the class was too long (two hours twice a week following lunch and naptime is not ideal) and the homework too much (ironic, considering they often did not complete their assignments or copied their neighbour's). Although Theo reassured me this had more to do with my students' work ethic than my teaching ability, it's given me all the more reason to try and motivate my students more and put in the extra effort myself. My students' have found it hard to understand why they should learn the complexities of English grammar and speech when they are surrounded by Kiswahili and probably won't need it in their line of work. They also have a heavy course load that requires them to write one research paper a week in English once mid-terms are done. To say they're exhausted by Week 12 is an understatement. I noticed that towards the end of the semester, they began to show up late or not at all more frequently. I wonder what they'd do if I decided to 'take a day off'…
My range of Kiswahili vocabulary seems to be expanding at a snail's pace. I haven't spent as much time as I'd have liked going through my flashcards (yes, I know, I'm a nerd) and I find myself coming up short in the most basic of conversations, searching for that missing verb. Language is the key to building good relationships; hand and foot gestures can only take you so far. The language itself is fairly simple but it's remembering all that new vocab that can be so frustrating. On top of strange grammar rules, some words resemble each other so closely that changing just one letter can completely alter their meaning. It definitely helps me relate to my students' struggles with English. I have managed to master the majority of greetings although someone always seems to slip in a new one when I'm not paying attention. A response of 'Nzuri sana' is usually sufficient and I ask my host father later what was actually said. Most Tanzanians genuinely appreciate my efforts at speaking Kiswahili and assure me I'll be fluent in no time!
My host family has been great throughout and living with them has made it even easier to feel at home. I'm grateful that all of them (except for my host mum) speak fairly good English. The 'fish story' is the extent of our misunderstandings. My host father has been diligent about pointing out small cultural nuances I consistently overlook or forget. My host siblings and I swap new English and Kiswahili vocab and I've even honed my chapatti-making skills to where I can assist my host mum with making dinner.
All in all, these past four months have flown by with lots of adventure and experiences in between. And thanks to all of you, I've gotten through every moment of 'homesick-itis' along the way. Keep the emails, calls and prayers coming - Thank-you!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Plans
My first semester of teaching is behind me, my marking is complete, and final grades have been submitted. These past two weeks have flown by as I prepared for the next semester, got creative planning the Games for our upcoming team retreat, and edited a project proposal. My original plan had been to leave today but it fell through at the last minute and, instead, I will be enjoying the comforts of a local bus first thing tomorrow morning. I'm off to visit one of our MCC families in the nearby village of Mugumu. They are working on an MCC-supported HIV/Aids program and I hope to write some of the content for their upcoming program website while I'm there.
A week from now, we'll be on our way to Nairobi for a retreat with all the MCC and EMM (Eastern Mennonite Missions) service workers of East Africa. Among them will be several other SALTers currently serving in Ethiopia and Uganda. I'm excited about exchanging experiences and stories with them as we look back on the first four months of our service time.
Many of you already know but for those of you who don't, Dan is coming to visit me for two weeks and arrives in Nairobi at the tail end of our retreat. Once our team meetings are finished, our MCC TZ Team will spend a week in Tanga (located on the Tanzanian coast) relaxing on the beach, snorkeling, hiking, and doing other touristy things. Dan and I hope to fly from Dar es Salaam to Musoma and spend a few days with my host family so he can meet everyone and see the school where I teach and the place I'll be calling home for this year. As you can well imagine, I've been counting down the days and becoming more excited with every passing day. This will be an unforgettable Christmas!
Please pray for travel mercies over the next month as all our team members meet up in Nairobi before driving out to Tanga and returning to our assignment locations by car, by bus, and by plane.
A week from now, we'll be on our way to Nairobi for a retreat with all the MCC and EMM (Eastern Mennonite Missions) service workers of East Africa. Among them will be several other SALTers currently serving in Ethiopia and Uganda. I'm excited about exchanging experiences and stories with them as we look back on the first four months of our service time.
Many of you already know but for those of you who don't, Dan is coming to visit me for two weeks and arrives in Nairobi at the tail end of our retreat. Once our team meetings are finished, our MCC TZ Team will spend a week in Tanga (located on the Tanzanian coast) relaxing on the beach, snorkeling, hiking, and doing other touristy things. Dan and I hope to fly from Dar es Salaam to Musoma and spend a few days with my host family so he can meet everyone and see the school where I teach and the place I'll be calling home for this year. As you can well imagine, I've been counting down the days and becoming more excited with every passing day. This will be an unforgettable Christmas!
Please pray for travel mercies over the next month as all our team members meet up in Nairobi before driving out to Tanga and returning to our assignment locations by car, by bus, and by plane.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Moving Day Has Finally Arrived
I am finally living with my host family in the most beautiful room in all of TZ! I have been staying in the MCC Guest House on campus since my arrival and shuttling back and forth for meals with my host family. When my host family agreed to take me in, they did not have a room ready for me and hoped to renovate the small building in back of their house within a month. Things took a bit longer than planned but I am absolutely thrilled that it all came together before the end of the year.
I spent the morning of working on my final exams before checking things out at lunch. My host father assured me I could pack my things and move later that afternoon. I took him at his word and packed my bags as soon as I finished teaching and waited out an unexpected rain shower/ thunder storm. The first break in the weather, I rolled my faux-leather suitcases across the soccer field to the great amusement of the local boys. I'm sure it must have been quite the sight to behold! My host sisters helped me and I was settled in and unpacked by dinnertime.
My room's walls and ceilings are painted white with a bright blue trim around the bottom; two glass paned windows on either side of the room, one with a view of Lake Victoria, give a nice cross breeze; my own private showering area complete with shower curtain; bright yellow and red curtains; large single bed and a desk for me to work at – pure luxury!
I spent the morning of working on my final exams before checking things out at lunch. My host father assured me I could pack my things and move later that afternoon. I took him at his word and packed my bags as soon as I finished teaching and waited out an unexpected rain shower/ thunder storm. The first break in the weather, I rolled my faux-leather suitcases across the soccer field to the great amusement of the local boys. I'm sure it must have been quite the sight to behold! My host sisters helped me and I was settled in and unpacked by dinnertime.
My room's walls and ceilings are painted white with a bright blue trim around the bottom; two glass paned windows on either side of the room, one with a view of Lake Victoria, give a nice cross breeze; my own private showering area complete with shower curtain; bright yellow and red curtains; large single bed and a desk for me to work at – pure luxury!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Kikundi:Ladies Fellowship Group
A few years ago, my host mother and a couple of her friends started a Ladies' Fellowship Group in an effort to create greater unity and friendship among the women from the local church. Every woman in the group has a 'best friend' that they can rely on for support and help in any situation. Every weekend, approximately 40 women from the Nyabange Mennonite Church gather at one member's home. This member acts as the hostess for the group, providing a gathering place and refreshments.
I recently attended my first Ladies' Fellowship Group with my host mother. Our school accountant came along and acted as my translator so I could get some of what was going on. We arrived to find several benches set-up under the shade of some trees and sat in the back row. I came to regret that decision the moment the hired DJ blasted the first tunes thru the pair of large speakers directly behind us. Apparently, there's no 'happy medium' on the volume control; it's either off or cranked to ear-splitting levels. I couldn't help but plug my ears. My host mother was kind enough to request the DJ turn it down.
All the ladies wore their best kitenges (traditional African dress) and swayed to the music. The hostess, accompanied by her 'best friend' and three other ladies, made her grand entrance and sat at the front facing us. The program consisted of an MC leading us in prayer, followed by some hymn-singing and a devotional. Bible study completed, we moved on to the celebration. The hostess' 'best friend' proceeded to shower her with gifts, including money, kangas and kitenge fabric, sugar, bars of soap, a 50L rain container, a wash basin… The hostess' mother, father, aunt, and grandmother who had come from a nearby village to attend the festivities each received a gift. A hired photographer was capturing every memorable moment on his roll-film camera. The MC invited the group of ladies to come and give the hostess a gift. In addition, every group member contributes 1000-2000 TSH at the start of every gathering. This money is placed in an envelope and handed to the hostess at the end of the evening. The women often put this amount towards school fees, household items, and other practical things.
As a guest, I didn't have to contribute a weekly amount but there was a call-up for guests and I was happy to donate some TSH. Once the gift-giving ended, we all lined up for chai and mandazi, TZ donuts that are like a cross between fritters and rollkuchen. We sat and talked, ate and enjoyed each other's company. The local children gathered round and waited patiently for their turn. They eventually got chai and mandazi, a real treat for most of them.
I was humbled by the generosity and servant attitude of these women. They don't have much but what they do have they willingly share with each other and any guest. I was honoured to be a part of their gathering that evening and hope to attend again in the future.
I recently attended my first Ladies' Fellowship Group with my host mother. Our school accountant came along and acted as my translator so I could get some of what was going on. We arrived to find several benches set-up under the shade of some trees and sat in the back row. I came to regret that decision the moment the hired DJ blasted the first tunes thru the pair of large speakers directly behind us. Apparently, there's no 'happy medium' on the volume control; it's either off or cranked to ear-splitting levels. I couldn't help but plug my ears. My host mother was kind enough to request the DJ turn it down.
All the ladies wore their best kitenges (traditional African dress) and swayed to the music. The hostess, accompanied by her 'best friend' and three other ladies, made her grand entrance and sat at the front facing us. The program consisted of an MC leading us in prayer, followed by some hymn-singing and a devotional. Bible study completed, we moved on to the celebration. The hostess' 'best friend' proceeded to shower her with gifts, including money, kangas and kitenge fabric, sugar, bars of soap, a 50L rain container, a wash basin… The hostess' mother, father, aunt, and grandmother who had come from a nearby village to attend the festivities each received a gift. A hired photographer was capturing every memorable moment on his roll-film camera. The MC invited the group of ladies to come and give the hostess a gift. In addition, every group member contributes 1000-2000 TSH at the start of every gathering. This money is placed in an envelope and handed to the hostess at the end of the evening. The women often put this amount towards school fees, household items, and other practical things.
As a guest, I didn't have to contribute a weekly amount but there was a call-up for guests and I was happy to donate some TSH. Once the gift-giving ended, we all lined up for chai and mandazi, TZ donuts that are like a cross between fritters and rollkuchen. We sat and talked, ate and enjoyed each other's company. The local children gathered round and waited patiently for their turn. They eventually got chai and mandazi, a real treat for most of them.
I was humbled by the generosity and servant attitude of these women. They don't have much but what they do have they willingly share with each other and any guest. I was honoured to be a part of their gathering that evening and hope to attend again in the future.
It's Official
I am now a Tanzanian resident. What a relief! It seems like it was such a huge hassle for such a small piece of paper: that's bureaucracy for you. I can now move about the country freely and without worrying that I might be picked up by the immigration authorities. All four of our permits arrived a week ago Wednesday and I didn't want to get my hopes up until Theo actually handed me my piece of paper. Thanks to him, we were able to have them flown from Dar es Salaam to Musoma with a friend of his the day they were completed.
Peter and I went to the Musoma immigration office first thing the next morning to have our passports stamped and made official (to avoid carrying the paper permit). We were ushered into a sparsely furnished office where the immigration official (barely my age) pulled out a stamp and ink pad with much flare, stamped and signed our passports. The one thing they'd forgotten to tell us was to make a photocopy of the paper for their records, not a big deal considering what we went through just to get to this point. Of course, they had no photocopier on the premises and we were directed down the street to the Musoma airport's photocopy shop (I know, random). In any case, they took the copies and gave us our passports without further trouble. Now that I have the permit, I'm hoping to open my own bank account and apply for a driver's license, although I'm not entirely sure if I trust myself driving on the left side and on these roads. It could be an adventure!
Thank-you again for all your prayers while we waited.
Peter and I went to the Musoma immigration office first thing the next morning to have our passports stamped and made official (to avoid carrying the paper permit). We were ushered into a sparsely furnished office where the immigration official (barely my age) pulled out a stamp and ink pad with much flare, stamped and signed our passports. The one thing they'd forgotten to tell us was to make a photocopy of the paper for their records, not a big deal considering what we went through just to get to this point. Of course, they had no photocopier on the premises and we were directed down the street to the Musoma airport's photocopy shop (I know, random). In any case, they took the copies and gave us our passports without further trouble. Now that I have the permit, I'm hoping to open my own bank account and apply for a driver's license, although I'm not entirely sure if I trust myself driving on the left side and on these roads. It could be an adventure!
Thank-you again for all your prayers while we waited.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Other thoughts...
Most meals with my host family are accompanied by the background noise of the television set. If it's not already on, the TV set is turned on at the start of a meal. This seems to be a common practice in households owning a TV; if it's not a TV, it's a radio. About two weeks ago, a serious thunderstorm hit our area and blew out my host family's satellite TV receiver (yes, I know, I wasn't expecting to get cable television either). Although I'm starting to suffer from international news withdrawal, it's been a welcome change to focus more on the dinner conversation than the 'boob tube'.
My host mother is quick to catch on to anything I particularly like to eat, ie. chapatti, home-made pineapple avocado juice, ginger milk tea, etc. As a result, my breakfast consists of one scrambled egg placed between two slices of toast and a cup of hot chocolate. You can well imagine that my host family's recent trip to Uganda left me a bit out of sorts until Theo, our principal, informed me that my host mum, Rebeka, had left five eggs for me at his house, one for each day they were gone. Very thoughtful!
And I finally figured out why we have only had fish once at my host family's even though we live right next to Lake Victoria and fish are in abundance. All along they thought that I didn't like the local fish, although I had made a point of telling them about how much my family enjoys fishing back home. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding quickly cleared up during last night's dinner conversation when I asked my host father why they don't eat fish. He just looked at me with this curious expression and replied, "Because you don't like it". I just stared at him in disbelief before vehemently insisting that I did in fact LOVE fish and my host mum should have no hesitation about making it. Guess what we had for lunch today? Fresh fish! Delish…
I walked outside the other morning to use the outhouse and stumbled across a small herd of cows grazing in my backyard. That definitely one-upped the group of goats that have recently made the rock formation out back their personal playground.
The recent deluge of rain had everyone out hoeing and planting their fields by hand this Saturday. The elderly worked next to children not more than five years of age. I am absolutely astounded by the amount of strenuous labour the people here do on a daily basis, planting and washing their laundry by hand, transporting water by bike or on their heads, walking long distances to buy basic necessities… But they also know how to enjoy life: after a hard day's work, they visit and spend time together, no appointment or invitation necessary.
My host mother is quick to catch on to anything I particularly like to eat, ie. chapatti, home-made pineapple avocado juice, ginger milk tea, etc. As a result, my breakfast consists of one scrambled egg placed between two slices of toast and a cup of hot chocolate. You can well imagine that my host family's recent trip to Uganda left me a bit out of sorts until Theo, our principal, informed me that my host mum, Rebeka, had left five eggs for me at his house, one for each day they were gone. Very thoughtful!
And I finally figured out why we have only had fish once at my host family's even though we live right next to Lake Victoria and fish are in abundance. All along they thought that I didn't like the local fish, although I had made a point of telling them about how much my family enjoys fishing back home. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding quickly cleared up during last night's dinner conversation when I asked my host father why they don't eat fish. He just looked at me with this curious expression and replied, "Because you don't like it". I just stared at him in disbelief before vehemently insisting that I did in fact LOVE fish and my host mum should have no hesitation about making it. Guess what we had for lunch today? Fresh fish! Delish…
I walked outside the other morning to use the outhouse and stumbled across a small herd of cows grazing in my backyard. That definitely one-upped the group of goats that have recently made the rock formation out back their personal playground.
The recent deluge of rain had everyone out hoeing and planting their fields by hand this Saturday. The elderly worked next to children not more than five years of age. I am absolutely astounded by the amount of strenuous labour the people here do on a daily basis, planting and washing their laundry by hand, transporting water by bike or on their heads, walking long distances to buy basic necessities… But they also know how to enjoy life: after a hard day's work, they visit and spend time together, no appointment or invitation necessary.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Perfect Day for a Wedding!
Well, not a real one but as close as you can get to it. The college's Marriage & Family course includes a practical component: how to put on a wedding ceremony. They certainly went all out. The students decorated the chapel with white sheets and fake flowers and the bride wore a white dress, shoes, veil and tiara. The 'guests' were dressed in their best. Everyone involved took their role quite seriously. The cameraman even went so far as to use a fake camera to make things as authentic as possible. The entire ceremony was a serious affair but also a great source of laughter for the 'guests'. I don't know how the main 'actors' could keep a straight face. They definitely do weddings very differently than at home. It's loud and raucous, somewhat chaotic and disorganized and yet it felt like a true celebration. Definitely the highlight of my week.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Nyabange: Party Central
For the past month, I have been unable to experience uninterrupted sleep due to the 24 hour parties happening in and around our village. At first, they were mostly restricted to the weekends but now they are occurring in the middle of the week. According to the staff and students, the parties began about a year ago as a means of raising funds for a good cause or the party host. They usually consist of numerous guests, alcohol, and a set of very large speakers that blare Tanzanian music at all hours. As we are located on a slope, the wind carries the music up or down to us with such clarity you'd think it was coming from your neighbour's home. Even my precious ear plugs have done little to block out the noise. None of the villagers bothers to ask them to turn it down because in all likelihood they'll want to host a party themselves some time down the road and the police don't deal with noise disturbances.
Well, after four weeks of the incessant boom of the bass, I needed to get away. My host family was also gone for five days over the weekend to attend my host father's university graduation in Uganda, leaving me without a reliable source of food and company. I managed to get myself invited to several of our staff members' homes for meals and was promptly spoiled with the best they had to offer, including sodas ('pop' to North Americans). On Friday after class, I headed into the 'big city' of Musoma to stay with Hazel and Rachel, two of my fellow teachers and members of the area's SIL Team (part of Wycliffe Bible Translators).
And what a weekend it was! On Saturday, I played tour guide to a small group off MCC VIPs in town with our country rep, Mike. They wanted to see the MTCEA campus and meet with our principal, Theo. All of a sudden, I felt more like a local than a guest and I surprised myself with how much I knew about the area. I even managed to find my way down to the lake with eight people in tow. The locals we passed along the way couldn't help but stare at the line of 'wazungus' that trudged past their homes. I don't think they'd seen that many 'wazungus' at one time!
My other highlights included: Girl's Night with fondue and pedicures, English movies (Sweet Home Alabama and the latest version of Sense & Sensibility), 'mzungu' food (lasagna, tacos, granola and yoghurt,…), running water, a flush toilet, hot showers, no blaring music, uninterrupted sleep… how much time do you have? I don't think I spoke more than a handful of Kiswahili all weekend and, on Sunday morning, we had our own Worship Service: we sang along to worship songs on Hazel's laptop and listened to a great sermon on Rachel's I-Pod. The wonders of technology! It was great to have a short respite and recharge for the coming week(s).
Well, after four weeks of the incessant boom of the bass, I needed to get away. My host family was also gone for five days over the weekend to attend my host father's university graduation in Uganda, leaving me without a reliable source of food and company. I managed to get myself invited to several of our staff members' homes for meals and was promptly spoiled with the best they had to offer, including sodas ('pop' to North Americans). On Friday after class, I headed into the 'big city' of Musoma to stay with Hazel and Rachel, two of my fellow teachers and members of the area's SIL Team (part of Wycliffe Bible Translators).
And what a weekend it was! On Saturday, I played tour guide to a small group off MCC VIPs in town with our country rep, Mike. They wanted to see the MTCEA campus and meet with our principal, Theo. All of a sudden, I felt more like a local than a guest and I surprised myself with how much I knew about the area. I even managed to find my way down to the lake with eight people in tow. The locals we passed along the way couldn't help but stare at the line of 'wazungus' that trudged past their homes. I don't think they'd seen that many 'wazungus' at one time!
My other highlights included: Girl's Night with fondue and pedicures, English movies (Sweet Home Alabama and the latest version of Sense & Sensibility), 'mzungu' food (lasagna, tacos, granola and yoghurt,…), running water, a flush toilet, hot showers, no blaring music, uninterrupted sleep… how much time do you have? I don't think I spoke more than a handful of Kiswahili all weekend and, on Sunday morning, we had our own Worship Service: we sang along to worship songs on Hazel's laptop and listened to a great sermon on Rachel's I-Pod. The wonders of technology! It was great to have a short respite and recharge for the coming week(s).
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
24 Hours in Shirati
Some of you were worried that I missed out on Canadian Thanksgiving. Well, thanks to the SIL teachers here at MTCEA, I was invited to a Thanksgiving dinner in Musoma this past Friday. It was wonderful to be in a room full of native English speakers and share some of the experiences I have gone through acclimatizing to my new surroundings. We had roast chicken instead of turkey and TZ versions of other Thanksgiving staples. My highlight was eating my first piece of chocolate cake with whipping cream since leaving home!
After mid-terms, I decided to treat myself to a short getaway to a nearby town called Shirati and visit my fellow SALTer, Peter. I was fortunate enough to have Theo, MTCEA principal, along to show me the ropes of the local public transportation system. We walked to the next village to catch a dalla dalla into Musoma and, from there, another dalla dalla to Tarime, about 75 km away. The dalla dalla we chose appeared to be nearly full so we got in and waited, and waited, and waited some more. I had assumed (incorrectly) that the seating capacity of 13 was the required number for departure. One hour later, we were trundling along with 22 passengers and myself, wedged into a tiny seat between a large woman and the window. At least I could feel an occasional breeze wafting my way, dissipating the pungent odours of my fellow transit riders. One and a half hours and several unplanned stops later, we alighted in Tarime and promptly seated ourselves in a waiting car headed for Shirati. Again, the capacity of three to the back and two to the front was stretched to four passengers per bench with the driver sharing his seat. We were stopped by the local police for exceeding the front seat capacity (not the back!) and, after our driver paid a 'tip', we were on our way. By the time we arrived in Shirati, the journey by public transit had taken us five hours instead of the usual one and a half by private car.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that two fellow MCCers (Curtis and Carla plus their two boys, Ben and Aaron) were also in Shirati visiting for the day from Mugumu. We drove down to Lake Victoria and spent some time looking at their windmill-driven pumps. Peter hopes to use these to irrigate the land he will be using for his reforestation project. The rest of the afternoon was spent working on computers (the boys) and relaxing on the patio while the kids played (the girls). It was wonderful to catch up with Carla about the last few months, exchange stories and gather advice. After the long journey, I was exhausted but thrilled to be among friends.
Unfortunately, my planned departure date of Tuesday was revised when we were informed that the Hospital vehicle would not be going to Musoma as usual due to the Nyerere Day public holiday. Instead, I decided to catch a ride with Curtis and Carla that afternoon to avoid an arduous journey alone by dalla dalla. Peter ended up joining us as he had business in Musoma the next day. We had an uneventful and speedy drive with enough time to stop at a local shop and buy some ice cream (I haven't had that since home either!). What a great way to top off a 24 hour 'vacation'!
Prayer Requests: We're still waiting for our Resident Permits to come through. The KMT General Secretary was told they were nearly completed and not to bother buying us (expensive) special passes but no word yet on when the pick-up date will be.
Praise Items: I completed my first mid-term and am slowly starting to figure out this "teaching thing". I have also been blessed with an amazing host family and a group of staff and students who have all been very supportive and encouragin
After mid-terms, I decided to treat myself to a short getaway to a nearby town called Shirati and visit my fellow SALTer, Peter. I was fortunate enough to have Theo, MTCEA principal, along to show me the ropes of the local public transportation system. We walked to the next village to catch a dalla dalla into Musoma and, from there, another dalla dalla to Tarime, about 75 km away. The dalla dalla we chose appeared to be nearly full so we got in and waited, and waited, and waited some more. I had assumed (incorrectly) that the seating capacity of 13 was the required number for departure. One hour later, we were trundling along with 22 passengers and myself, wedged into a tiny seat between a large woman and the window. At least I could feel an occasional breeze wafting my way, dissipating the pungent odours of my fellow transit riders. One and a half hours and several unplanned stops later, we alighted in Tarime and promptly seated ourselves in a waiting car headed for Shirati. Again, the capacity of three to the back and two to the front was stretched to four passengers per bench with the driver sharing his seat. We were stopped by the local police for exceeding the front seat capacity (not the back!) and, after our driver paid a 'tip', we were on our way. By the time we arrived in Shirati, the journey by public transit had taken us five hours instead of the usual one and a half by private car.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that two fellow MCCers (Curtis and Carla plus their two boys, Ben and Aaron) were also in Shirati visiting for the day from Mugumu. We drove down to Lake Victoria and spent some time looking at their windmill-driven pumps. Peter hopes to use these to irrigate the land he will be using for his reforestation project. The rest of the afternoon was spent working on computers (the boys) and relaxing on the patio while the kids played (the girls). It was wonderful to catch up with Carla about the last few months, exchange stories and gather advice. After the long journey, I was exhausted but thrilled to be among friends.
Unfortunately, my planned departure date of Tuesday was revised when we were informed that the Hospital vehicle would not be going to Musoma as usual due to the Nyerere Day public holiday. Instead, I decided to catch a ride with Curtis and Carla that afternoon to avoid an arduous journey alone by dalla dalla. Peter ended up joining us as he had business in Musoma the next day. We had an uneventful and speedy drive with enough time to stop at a local shop and buy some ice cream (I haven't had that since home either!). What a great way to top off a 24 hour 'vacation'!
Prayer Requests: We're still waiting for our Resident Permits to come through. The KMT General Secretary was told they were nearly completed and not to bother buying us (expensive) special passes but no word yet on when the pick-up date will be.
Praise Items: I completed my first mid-term and am slowly starting to figure out this "teaching thing". I have also been blessed with an amazing host family and a group of staff and students who have all been very supportive and encouragin
A Teacher's Work Is Never Done
As we near the end of Mid-Term Week here at MTCEA, I have gained a new appreciation for the teaching profession. My experiences thus far have taught me that:
After pouring hours of your time into preparing for the next day's class, you may (on occasion) experience some disappointment when your well-thought out lesson plan is received with blank stares and confusion. My remedy: go back and revise, revise, revise! It may be that your ingenious approach was simply the wrong one for your students.
You may arrive in class on time only to find that your students are despondent, absent, or very late. My remedy: still working on it…
A teacher's reward is the glimmer of understanding that appears on a struggling student's face or the eagerness with which your class grasps a new concept or their exuberance when debating hot topics and trying their level best to express their opinions with burning passion.
These are some of the ups and downs of teaching ESL in Tanzania to young men and women who will be the leaders of their local churches and communities; short-term struggles that will lead to long-term gains!
After pouring hours of your time into preparing for the next day's class, you may (on occasion) experience some disappointment when your well-thought out lesson plan is received with blank stares and confusion. My remedy: go back and revise, revise, revise! It may be that your ingenious approach was simply the wrong one for your students.
You may arrive in class on time only to find that your students are despondent, absent, or very late. My remedy: still working on it…
A teacher's reward is the glimmer of understanding that appears on a struggling student's face or the eagerness with which your class grasps a new concept or their exuberance when debating hot topics and trying their level best to express their opinions with burning passion.
These are some of the ups and downs of teaching ESL in Tanzania to young men and women who will be the leaders of their local churches and communities; short-term struggles that will lead to long-term gains!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Culture 101: Part II
Neighbourly Visits:
Observation: My host family has a constant stream of visitors coming through their door. Showing up unannounced is completely acceptable and everyone is made to feel welcome. If you come at mealtime, you join the family as there is always enough for a few extras. But don't expect to receive your host's complete and undivided attention. If you arrive as they are fixing the next meal or doing other household chores, you sit down nearby and chat while your host continues with the task at hand.
Late Arrivals:
Observation: At Neema and Paschal's recent Primary School Graduation, students and staff were walking in and out until the program began. The invitation stated 11am – the actual presentations didn't begin until 12ish. Parents wandered in until just before the end of the official proceedings.
No one blinks an eye when you saunter in well after an event begins (even Sunday morning church service) or abruptly get up and leave during the event for whatever reason. You may or may not return. Things usually don't get started until at least an hour after the designated time, so there's no need to hurry.
Greetings:
Observation: People always greet each other as they pass one another or begin a conversation.
This sounds relatively simple until you realize how many different forms of greetings there are. It all depends on your age: if the one person is younger than you, they will greet you with "Shikamoo, mzee/ mama/ bibi/ baba/ bwana" (Greetings, elder/ mother/ grandmother/ father/ sir) and you reply with "Marahaba. Hujambo" (I accept your respect. How are you?) followed with a response of "Sijambo" (I'm well.). It's all about showing your elders respect; this goes for parents and children as well. (Conversely, if you are the younger person in question, you must begin with "Shikamoo"). Younger people have their own set of greetings ranging from "Mambo" – "Poa" to "Nipe tano" (Give me five), accompanied by a local handshake – no hugs. If in doubt, you can fall back on "Habari gani?" (simply, how are you?). As a guest, they'll forgive you your innocent mistake.
Observation: My host family has a constant stream of visitors coming through their door. Showing up unannounced is completely acceptable and everyone is made to feel welcome. If you come at mealtime, you join the family as there is always enough for a few extras. But don't expect to receive your host's complete and undivided attention. If you arrive as they are fixing the next meal or doing other household chores, you sit down nearby and chat while your host continues with the task at hand.
Late Arrivals:
Observation: At Neema and Paschal's recent Primary School Graduation, students and staff were walking in and out until the program began. The invitation stated 11am – the actual presentations didn't begin until 12ish. Parents wandered in until just before the end of the official proceedings.
No one blinks an eye when you saunter in well after an event begins (even Sunday morning church service) or abruptly get up and leave during the event for whatever reason. You may or may not return. Things usually don't get started until at least an hour after the designated time, so there's no need to hurry.
Greetings:
Observation: People always greet each other as they pass one another or begin a conversation.
This sounds relatively simple until you realize how many different forms of greetings there are. It all depends on your age: if the one person is younger than you, they will greet you with "Shikamoo, mzee/ mama/ bibi/ baba/ bwana" (Greetings, elder/ mother/ grandmother/ father/ sir) and you reply with "Marahaba. Hujambo" (I accept your respect. How are you?) followed with a response of "Sijambo" (I'm well.). It's all about showing your elders respect; this goes for parents and children as well. (Conversely, if you are the younger person in question, you must begin with "Shikamoo"). Younger people have their own set of greetings ranging from "Mambo" – "Poa" to "Nipe tano" (Give me five), accompanied by a local handshake – no hugs. If in doubt, you can fall back on "Habari gani?" (simply, how are you?). As a guest, they'll forgive you your innocent mistake.
Rain Rain Come Again…Rain Rain Go Away
As I write, my freshly washed laundry is receiving a second cleaning in the current downpour. The rainy season has definitely arrived, accompanied by the usual claps of thunder and blinding lightning bolts. "When it rains, it pours" is a good way to describe the amounts of water we are receiving. My host family has already filled every available container to overflowing. Last night, I was in the middle of a phone conversation when the rain began to fall. The roof is made of metal sheets and there are no ceiling tiles to even dull the pounding noise from up above. Ear plugs seem to be called for. I am loving the cooler weather, now hovering around 25 degrees instead of the usual 30 to 35.
I went for a walk early this morning with my youngest sister Clara as my guide. She and I have decided to make a habit out of our Saturday morning excursions. The area is beautiful with lots of paths to follow to the lake or up the many hills and local rock formations. After breakfast, my mother insisted on washing my clothes for me. She didn't want me re-injuring myself after last Saturday's results - I managed to rub the front of my fingers raw. Not so pleasant. So now I've been relegated to watching her and trying to do my smaller 'personal effects'. My father keeps repeating that I have to learn kidogo kidogo (little by little).
Prayer Request: Our resident permits are still being processed. Theo (the College Principal) flew the paperwork to Dar es Salaam on Monday but unfortunately was unable to complete them. The Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, a public holiday that closed any and all businesses. We are hoping they will be ready some time this coming week.
I went for a walk early this morning with my youngest sister Clara as my guide. She and I have decided to make a habit out of our Saturday morning excursions. The area is beautiful with lots of paths to follow to the lake or up the many hills and local rock formations. After breakfast, my mother insisted on washing my clothes for me. She didn't want me re-injuring myself after last Saturday's results - I managed to rub the front of my fingers raw. Not so pleasant. So now I've been relegated to watching her and trying to do my smaller 'personal effects'. My father keeps repeating that I have to learn kidogo kidogo (little by little).
Prayer Request: Our resident permits are still being processed. Theo (the College Principal) flew the paperwork to Dar es Salaam on Monday but unfortunately was unable to complete them. The Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, a public holiday that closed any and all businesses. We are hoping they will be ready some time this coming week.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thunderstorms, Power Outages, and Heated Debates
The rainy season announced its arrival with a raucous thunderstorm and tremendous rain shower that had everyone running for cover. My family was busy filling every available bucket with rain water and avoiding the occasional drop from up above as we sat and ate dinner. My room is not yet finished and in the meantime I am enjoying the intermittent quiet that comes between meals and class at the guest house. We had an excellent debate in the Diploma class around the question "Islam vs. Christianity". There was some heated discussion between the two teams and several moments of great laughter as one side tried to extol the benefits of polygamy vs. monogamy. It is wonderful to hear my students become so engaged and utilising the English they have to explain their position. Something to keep in mind for future classes...
This Sunday, I looked around the church and, for the second time this weekend, realized I was the only 'mzungu' in the room. I'd had this experience on Friday at Neema and Paschal's Primary School Graduation. The invitation said it started at 11am but when we arrived at 11:45, we were among the first guests. The staff were milling about with the younger students and the graduates were wandering in and out of the building. The DJ had set-up two speakers from which music was blaring and the microphone was giving off feedback throughout the entire program. The only way to describe it was organized chaos. Once things got started, the kids lined up and walked in singing a song. Each of the younger grades performed a skit or songs or both while their teachers pulled and pushed them into some sort of line. Then we were treated to a 40 minute speech about various types of loans by the local banking manager - most people were dozing off or completely bored halfway through. It didn't seem to bother anyone though.
What i found interesting was that parents were still walking in until just before the end of the ceremony and during the entire proceedings, people would simply get up and walk out and back in as they chose - I'm learning that this is acceptable behaviour. Once the official program was over, chaos ensued as parents and friends went up to congratulate the graduates and give them fake flowers or put leis over their heads, moments that were captured by three entrepreneurial photographers armed with ancient film roll cameras. If anything, this special event gave me greater insight into the culture I am surrounded by.
This Sunday, I looked around the church and, for the second time this weekend, realized I was the only 'mzungu' in the room. I'd had this experience on Friday at Neema and Paschal's Primary School Graduation. The invitation said it started at 11am but when we arrived at 11:45, we were among the first guests. The staff were milling about with the younger students and the graduates were wandering in and out of the building. The DJ had set-up two speakers from which music was blaring and the microphone was giving off feedback throughout the entire program. The only way to describe it was organized chaos. Once things got started, the kids lined up and walked in singing a song. Each of the younger grades performed a skit or songs or both while their teachers pulled and pushed them into some sort of line. Then we were treated to a 40 minute speech about various types of loans by the local banking manager - most people were dozing off or completely bored halfway through. It didn't seem to bother anyone though.
What i found interesting was that parents were still walking in until just before the end of the ceremony and during the entire proceedings, people would simply get up and walk out and back in as they chose - I'm learning that this is acceptable behaviour. Once the official program was over, chaos ensued as parents and friends went up to congratulate the graduates and give them fake flowers or put leis over their heads, moments that were captured by three entrepreneurial photographers armed with ancient film roll cameras. If anything, this special event gave me greater insight into the culture I am surrounded by.
Friday, September 26, 2008
I've been adopted!
With only two week's notice of my impending arrival, Theo (MTCEA Principal) secured a place for me with a wonderful family that lives on campus. Everything seemed to be on track until several days before my arrival in Nyabange. Theo emailed to say the family could no longer take me in as they had no adequate room for me. The father had returned from Uganda three weeks before after completing his degree in Business Management and was in the midst of resuming his duties as manager of the Musoma Press. This left no time for him to adequately prepare a room for me.
The alternative: to stay with an elderly widow who lives in the next village. For various reasons, Mike (CR, MCC TZ) felt that this would not be a suitable arrangement and perhaps the original family could be persuaded to take me in. After discussing the situation with Juma, the father, he agreed that I could stay with them with the condition that he would first build an additional room for me. As we speak, the back building of their home is being extended to accommodate two large rooms and a storage area. Baba Juma has assured me that he planned on doing the renovations in the near future but with his absence (he was in Uganda studying for three years) he could not afford to do the work. Once my time here is complete, his two boys will have a beautiful room to sleep in while the second bedroom will be reserved for his elderly parents and other guests that pass through their home. Until the construction work is done, I am staying at the Guest House on campus with my 'two' sisters – in the African way, they have moved in with me so I won't be alone.
Juma, my 'father', works as the manager of the Musoma Press while Rebecca, my 'mother', is a full-time housewife. They have two boys and two girls: Makeme, 17, is away at secondary boarding school and Pasko, 15, and Neema, 14, will be joining him in January. Clara, 11, attends the local primary school and will keep me company once the other two leave. Baba Juma introduces me as his 'dada mkubwa' (oldest daughter). I have all my meals at their house with them and am trying to spend as much time at their home so I can get to know them better. I am truly grateful for the way they have accepted me into their family.
Prayer Request: Please pray that our resident permits will be granted within the next week. The Musoma immigration officials assured us they would be ready this past Monday. Turns out we were misinformed and the paperwork must now be processed in Dar es Salaam, located on the other side of the country!
The alternative: to stay with an elderly widow who lives in the next village. For various reasons, Mike (CR, MCC TZ) felt that this would not be a suitable arrangement and perhaps the original family could be persuaded to take me in. After discussing the situation with Juma, the father, he agreed that I could stay with them with the condition that he would first build an additional room for me. As we speak, the back building of their home is being extended to accommodate two large rooms and a storage area. Baba Juma has assured me that he planned on doing the renovations in the near future but with his absence (he was in Uganda studying for three years) he could not afford to do the work. Once my time here is complete, his two boys will have a beautiful room to sleep in while the second bedroom will be reserved for his elderly parents and other guests that pass through their home. Until the construction work is done, I am staying at the Guest House on campus with my 'two' sisters – in the African way, they have moved in with me so I won't be alone.
Juma, my 'father', works as the manager of the Musoma Press while Rebecca, my 'mother', is a full-time housewife. They have two boys and two girls: Makeme, 17, is away at secondary boarding school and Pasko, 15, and Neema, 14, will be joining him in January. Clara, 11, attends the local primary school and will keep me company once the other two leave. Baba Juma introduces me as his 'dada mkubwa' (oldest daughter). I have all my meals at their house with them and am trying to spend as much time at their home so I can get to know them better. I am truly grateful for the way they have accepted me into their family.
Prayer Request: Please pray that our resident permits will be granted within the next week. The Musoma immigration officials assured us they would be ready this past Monday. Turns out we were misinformed and the paperwork must now be processed in Dar es Salaam, located on the other side of the country!
Teaching ESL
I have made it through my first week of ESL classes thanks to the helpful advice of my mother and Tante Cha and many prayers from all of you! I managed to persuade the Academic Dean, Carren, that it would be better to place the Certificate (Beginner) and Diploma (Intermediate) students in separate English classes. As a result, my weekly schedule consists of two one hour afternoon classes from Monday to Thursday focusing on conversational English. My greatest challenge has been preparing appropriate lesson plans and encouraging the students to speak freely, not just in response to my questions. They are quite used to sitting and receiving instruction versus active participation.
We had somewhat of a breakthrough yesterday when we played the game '20 Questions'. I split the Diploma class into four teams and each team had to choose a person from the Bible while the other three teams had to guess who their person was. The object of the game was to ask as few questions as possible to find the correct answer. Once they understood, we were off and they became so engrossed in the game that they kept passing me their next name idea. We had some heated discussion when one team gave incorrect answers in an attempt to mislead the other students and win the game.
I am diligently reading through the many ESL teacher books I brought along and have a major project looming before me: Carren and I have decided to give credit for my course. That means I must put together a course outline for the remaining eight weeks of the semester for her approval and come up with mid-term and final exams, all by Sunday! It's a daunting task but I'll get it done with some help from home (hint hint) and your continued prayers. My abilities and creativity are being put to the test - that is exactly what I asked for when I decided to do SALT…
We had somewhat of a breakthrough yesterday when we played the game '20 Questions'. I split the Diploma class into four teams and each team had to choose a person from the Bible while the other three teams had to guess who their person was. The object of the game was to ask as few questions as possible to find the correct answer. Once they understood, we were off and they became so engrossed in the game that they kept passing me their next name idea. We had some heated discussion when one team gave incorrect answers in an attempt to mislead the other students and win the game.
I am diligently reading through the many ESL teacher books I brought along and have a major project looming before me: Carren and I have decided to give credit for my course. That means I must put together a course outline for the remaining eight weeks of the semester for her approval and come up with mid-term and final exams, all by Sunday! It's a daunting task but I'll get it done with some help from home (hint hint) and your continued prayers. My abilities and creativity are being put to the test - that is exactly what I asked for when I decided to do SALT…
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Quick Guide: The Ins and Outs of Daily Life
If there is no running water, you… bike it up from the lake:
The community pump for Nyabange broke down several months ago and no one has been able to organize the villagers to pay for repairs. In the meantime, the situation has created a burgeoning business among bike owners who strap large yellow buckets (two to five at a time) onto the back sides of their bikes and cart up litres of water from Lake Victoria on a daily basis, dropping off their heavy loads at the doorsteps of the local population for a small fee. The existing indoor plumbing is out of order for the near future and, as a result, I have quickly learned to make the most of 'cup and bucket' showers and the closest outhouse.
Before and after every meal, you… wash your hands:
My parents would be so proud: I'm finally learning to wash my hands before and after every meal. At first, I found this to be somewhat of a nuisance until I realized that most people eat part or all of their meal by hand. This includes the mainstay of the Tanzanian diet, ugali: a thick cream of wheat/ porridge made from cooking ground maize and water. Most households have a wash stand next to the dinner table. It consists of a bucket with warm water, a bar of soap, and a second container to catch the used water.
When common household appliances are missing, you… make due:
For the duration of my stay in Nyabange, I will be washing my clothes by hand. I was forewarned but, for some reason, it didn't sink in until I was sitting in front of a bucket of water and a pile of dirty clothes. I watched as Agnes soaked the clothes and demonstrated the best techniques for washing. Let me tell you, it is not easy. You have to bend from your waist down (I gave in and accepted the stool that was offered) and rub the clothes with your right hand/ wrist against your left. After a while, your back is sore and your wrists are aching. Agnes reassured me that within a few months, I'll have built up enough stamina to do a whole load on my own!
No stoves mean fires for cooking. The locals use small 'jikos' that pots and pans are balanced on top of while charcoal fires are lit underneath and fanned into flames. Most women are up by 6 in the morning to make certain that breakfast is ready on time and warm water for bathing is available. Breakfast is served by 7:30am – chai ya maziwa or chai rangi (tea with milk or black tea), bread, honey, boiled eggs. Lunch at 1:00pm and Supper at 7:00pm or later – various varieties of starch (ugali, rice, potatoes, pasta in that order), a meat dish (usually fish or beef), seasonal vegetables and fruits, and pineapple avocado juice (you have to try it – it's quite delicious!).
The community pump for Nyabange broke down several months ago and no one has been able to organize the villagers to pay for repairs. In the meantime, the situation has created a burgeoning business among bike owners who strap large yellow buckets (two to five at a time) onto the back sides of their bikes and cart up litres of water from Lake Victoria on a daily basis, dropping off their heavy loads at the doorsteps of the local population for a small fee. The existing indoor plumbing is out of order for the near future and, as a result, I have quickly learned to make the most of 'cup and bucket' showers and the closest outhouse.
Before and after every meal, you… wash your hands:
My parents would be so proud: I'm finally learning to wash my hands before and after every meal. At first, I found this to be somewhat of a nuisance until I realized that most people eat part or all of their meal by hand. This includes the mainstay of the Tanzanian diet, ugali: a thick cream of wheat/ porridge made from cooking ground maize and water. Most households have a wash stand next to the dinner table. It consists of a bucket with warm water, a bar of soap, and a second container to catch the used water.
When common household appliances are missing, you… make due:
For the duration of my stay in Nyabange, I will be washing my clothes by hand. I was forewarned but, for some reason, it didn't sink in until I was sitting in front of a bucket of water and a pile of dirty clothes. I watched as Agnes soaked the clothes and demonstrated the best techniques for washing. Let me tell you, it is not easy. You have to bend from your waist down (I gave in and accepted the stool that was offered) and rub the clothes with your right hand/ wrist against your left. After a while, your back is sore and your wrists are aching. Agnes reassured me that within a few months, I'll have built up enough stamina to do a whole load on my own!
No stoves mean fires for cooking. The locals use small 'jikos' that pots and pans are balanced on top of while charcoal fires are lit underneath and fanned into flames. Most women are up by 6 in the morning to make certain that breakfast is ready on time and warm water for bathing is available. Breakfast is served by 7:30am – chai ya maziwa or chai rangi (tea with milk or black tea), bread, honey, boiled eggs. Lunch at 1:00pm and Supper at 7:00pm or later – various varieties of starch (ugali, rice, potatoes, pasta in that order), a meat dish (usually fish or beef), seasonal vegetables and fruits, and pineapple avocado juice (you have to try it – it's quite delicious!).
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Extreme Safari
I have arrived at my final destination - the Mennonite Theological College of East Africa, located just outside Musoma, in Nyabange. It was a long safari (journey) filled with car trouble, exotic animals, and pot-holed 'roads'. Although we left at a reasonable hour, our progress was slowed by some trouble Curtis and Carla were having with their vehicle, something about a leaky fuel tank. Once they heard funny noises coming from under the hood, they decided to turn around and head back to Arusha to get it fixed. Mike, T, and I continued on to Mugumu, driving first along the Ngorogoro crater, then across the vast Serengeti.
It was absolutely fascinating! Animals I've only seen at zoos or in books were running across the road or looking bored as we passed by - water buffalo, hippos, giraffes, ostriches, antelope, monkeys,... We didn't have much time to stop and observe along with the other tourist types but it gave us a taste of the year to come. The roads were bumpy at best and washed out at times. We had the truck in four-wheel drive almost the whole way and the locals just watched us skitter along, trying desperately to stay on track. Lack of street lights and signage makes driving at night nearly impossible so the boys drove as fast as they dared before the sun disappeared. We made it to Mugumu with a few minutes to spare before total darkness set in.
The journey provided a cross-section glimpse into the extreme changes in landscape although the living conditions remain similar: mud huts scattered between brick buildings, cows and goats herded through the countryside by young boys, women carrying jugs of water on their heads, men huddled in circles around checker/ chess boards, people pushing bikes loaded with goods to sell at the local market,...
We met Theo, the College Principal, and several other staff members and enjoyed a short tour of the campus - it has wonderful views of Lake Victoria. They are in the process of renovating various buildings and completing the women's dormitory. We met Theo's wife, Agnes, and their three children, William, 6, Joyce, 3, and Lucille, 5 months. I haven't quite processed the fact that I've finally arrived at my assignment location; it only started to sink in as we wandered the streets of downtown Musoma. I'm looking forward to being in a routine and settled in with my host family. I'm discussing my teaching schedule with Theo and the Dean of Students this afternoon and meeting my host family later today. And finally unpacking my suitcases!
Thank-you for all of the emails - this is the first time I've had access to the internet in five days and my inbox was bursting with new mail! I love hearing from all of you and getting the latest news from home. Thank-you!
It was absolutely fascinating! Animals I've only seen at zoos or in books were running across the road or looking bored as we passed by - water buffalo, hippos, giraffes, ostriches, antelope, monkeys,... We didn't have much time to stop and observe along with the other tourist types but it gave us a taste of the year to come. The roads were bumpy at best and washed out at times. We had the truck in four-wheel drive almost the whole way and the locals just watched us skitter along, trying desperately to stay on track. Lack of street lights and signage makes driving at night nearly impossible so the boys drove as fast as they dared before the sun disappeared. We made it to Mugumu with a few minutes to spare before total darkness set in.
The journey provided a cross-section glimpse into the extreme changes in landscape although the living conditions remain similar: mud huts scattered between brick buildings, cows and goats herded through the countryside by young boys, women carrying jugs of water on their heads, men huddled in circles around checker/ chess boards, people pushing bikes loaded with goods to sell at the local market,...
We met Theo, the College Principal, and several other staff members and enjoyed a short tour of the campus - it has wonderful views of Lake Victoria. They are in the process of renovating various buildings and completing the women's dormitory. We met Theo's wife, Agnes, and their three children, William, 6, Joyce, 3, and Lucille, 5 months. I haven't quite processed the fact that I've finally arrived at my assignment location; it only started to sink in as we wandered the streets of downtown Musoma. I'm looking forward to being in a routine and settled in with my host family. I'm discussing my teaching schedule with Theo and the Dean of Students this afternoon and meeting my host family later today. And finally unpacking my suitcases!
Thank-you for all of the emails - this is the first time I've had access to the internet in five days and my inbox was bursting with new mail! I love hearing from all of you and getting the latest news from home. Thank-you!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
I fell in love with Africa...
To celebrate the conclusion of our Kiswahili lessons, Mike took myself, Peter, and Fairchild to a campsite located in the mountains outside of Arusha, Maa'sai country. The place belongs to Daniel, an aquaintance of Mike's, and has no running water, a squatter version of a toilet (insert mental image here), no lights - you get the picture. Nothing I'm not used to from home but Fairchild had never stayed in a tent before, let alone a campsite without running water. I think she was serious when she asked about showers. After bouncing around on an over-inflated air mattress, I rolled out of bed and watched the sunrise from the edge of our site. It was amazing with Mount Meru in the background and the expanse of the Rift Valley illuminated before me.
After a quick breakfast, we headed out on a two hour hike with two Maa'sai guides. We traipsed down the side of the mountain and up and over the next before coming to an opening with a view over a larger part of the valley. It's the end of the dry season here, so everything is dry, dusty and brown. Even so, it was breathtaking! We even managed to catch our first glimpses of African wildlife - a giraffe and some baboons. We didn't realize how far we'd come until the guides pointed in the general direction of the camp. Two hours turned into two and a half before we made it back, exhausted but thrilled with the views we had seen.
After a quick breakfast, we headed out on a two hour hike with two Maa'sai guides. We traipsed down the side of the mountain and up and over the next before coming to an opening with a view over a larger part of the valley. It's the end of the dry season here, so everything is dry, dusty and brown. Even so, it was breathtaking! We even managed to catch our first glimpses of African wildlife - a giraffe and some baboons. We didn't realize how far we'd come until the guides pointed in the general direction of the camp. Two hours turned into two and a half before we made it back, exhausted but thrilled with the views we had seen.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Challenge: Kununua Capatulla Mmoja Sizi Tatu!
Our Kiswahili lessons came to a close this morning and Maguy decided it was the perfect opportunity for us to practice what we had been learning over the last three weeks. We headed out to the local second-hand clothes market, a long row of tin roof-covered concrete pads covered with piles of clothes and their owners sitting in the midst of them. Upon our arrival, Maguy promptly let us out on the curb and we were left to fend for ourselves.
Our mission: 'kununua capatulla mmoja sizi tatu' (to buy one pair of shorts size three) for no more than TSH 2500,- (approx. $2.50 CA) Unfortunately, theory and classroom conversation don't always work that well in the real world and mispronunciations are a common occurrence among the three of us. The locals find it quite amusing. I found that out first hand today as I tried to negotiate a better price for a pair of boys shorts. When I ran out of Kiswahili words, the lady I was bargaining with switched to English with a knowing smile. I managed to close the deal in Kiswahili and feeling a sense of accomplishment from a small milestone, Icontinued down the row of vendors loking for another deal.
The market is filled with people buying and selling used clothing shipped in from all around the world. Some even have the price tags attached from their last home. The idea is to be at the market early on Tuesday and Friday to get in on the newest shipment. As bales of clothing are cut open, hands start grabing at whatever looks appealing. Many times, a person will purchase a handful of clothing for next to nothing, make their way to their own spot and sell the items for double or more what they paid originally. I simply stood back and watched as the sellers yelled out what they were currently selling and groups surrounded them, searching for a much-needed shirt, skirt, pair of pants. You can buy just about anything here - it's second-hand heaven...
Our mission: 'kununua capatulla mmoja sizi tatu' (to buy one pair of shorts size three) for no more than TSH 2500,- (approx. $2.50 CA) Unfortunately, theory and classroom conversation don't always work that well in the real world and mispronunciations are a common occurrence among the three of us. The locals find it quite amusing. I found that out first hand today as I tried to negotiate a better price for a pair of boys shorts. When I ran out of Kiswahili words, the lady I was bargaining with switched to English with a knowing smile. I managed to close the deal in Kiswahili and feeling a sense of accomplishment from a small milestone, Icontinued down the row of vendors loking for another deal.
The market is filled with people buying and selling used clothing shipped in from all around the world. Some even have the price tags attached from their last home. The idea is to be at the market early on Tuesday and Friday to get in on the newest shipment. As bales of clothing are cut open, hands start grabing at whatever looks appealing. Many times, a person will purchase a handful of clothing for next to nothing, make their way to their own spot and sell the items for double or more what they paid originally. I simply stood back and watched as the sellers yelled out what they were currently selling and groups surrounded them, searching for a much-needed shirt, skirt, pair of pants. You can buy just about anything here - it's second-hand heaven...
Monday, September 1, 2008
TZ: Up Close and Personal
The transportation system I described in one of my earlier posts became a lived experience for me this afternoon. We stood by the side of the road and hailed an oncoming 'basi' or 'ice', squeezed into the remaining seats and headed to our first transfer station. A large part of this system is unofficial with no bus stop signs, very little signage on buses, and no real bus shelters. You have to rely on the direction the bus is coming from, the colour of the stripes on its side and the hurried cries of the 'conductor'. Personal space is not an option with everyone crowding in and more passengers trying to secure a spot, even if it means hanging out the window! At one point, our 'basi' had 30 people squeezed into it, the only way all of us fit in was with the sliding door open. I was so grateful that Lucia, one of the local MCCers, was along for the ride, making certain we got on and off the right buses. Tomorrow, we make the drive on our own...
This past weekend was a nice break from daily Kiswahili lessons and meetings/ orientation we've been having so far. We had an opportunity to visit the St. Joseph orphanage outside Arusha, a project supported by MCC and run by Sister (as everyone calls her). She started the orphanage single-handedly in 2000 and is now caring for 40 children who have lost both parents. The property the orphanage is located on consists of two dorms (one for the girls, one for the boys), a three-room schoolhouse, a dining hall and semi-outdoor kitchen, a large garden, and a hand-dug well. The progress made is impressive but once you meet Sister you understand why the place has come so far. She is a diminutive woman, barely 5'4", and a fireball of energy and enthusiasm, overflowing with love for 'her' children. She is an awe-inspiring example of the people who care deeply for Tanzania and her future.
This past weekend was a nice break from daily Kiswahili lessons and meetings/ orientation we've been having so far. We had an opportunity to visit the St. Joseph orphanage outside Arusha, a project supported by MCC and run by Sister (as everyone calls her). She started the orphanage single-handedly in 2000 and is now caring for 40 children who have lost both parents. The property the orphanage is located on consists of two dorms (one for the girls, one for the boys), a three-room schoolhouse, a dining hall and semi-outdoor kitchen, a large garden, and a hand-dug well. The progress made is impressive but once you meet Sister you understand why the place has come so far. She is a diminutive woman, barely 5'4", and a fireball of energy and enthusiasm, overflowing with love for 'her' children. She is an awe-inspiring example of the people who care deeply for Tanzania and her future.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
First Impressions: Arusha Tanzania
The first thing I needed to adjust to was the change in traffic pattern. I nearly yelled out a few times, You're turning into oncoming traffic! Turns out, they drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right. Most intersections consist of large roundabouts. The first traffic light in all of Arusha was installed about a year ago and crowds of people came out to view the changing signals. Speed bumps serve to slow down traffic as well as doubling as pedestrian crossings. Most drivers are quite good about letting you cross. Public transportation consists of 'dalla dallas', minivans with seating for 10 and capacity for 20. Once any available space has been taken up, people will hang out windows or the sliding door for added space. Apparently, I can join the melee as a driver once I've aquired my resident's permit, although I'm not sure how I'll fare with the change in driving directions and general organized chaos...
We arrived in the middle of Mike and Maggie (our Country Representatives) moving house further outside Arusha. We pitched in and helped pack up their things into their two vehicles. Moving vans are not an option here as the back roads can be particularly difficult to navigate at times. We averaged about two trips per day and managed to get them settled into their new home by week's end. Now that's moving TZ style!
We arrived in the middle of Mike and Maggie (our Country Representatives) moving house further outside Arusha. We pitched in and helped pack up their things into their two vehicles. Moving vans are not an option here as the back roads can be particularly difficult to navigate at times. We averaged about two trips per day and managed to get them settled into their new home by week's end. Now that's moving TZ style!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Journey to Africa
After 30 hours spent in airplanes and four airports, we (Peter, Fairchild and I) arrived safely in Nairobi, Kenya. Amazingly, we did not lose a single piece of luggage along the way! I even managed to cut a whole suitcase stuffed with excess clothing to make up the difference of 42 lbs. of ESL course books. I think I saved MCC a few hundred dollars at least.
Nairobi: we arrived late at night and still had to wait an additional hour to have our on-the-spot tourist visas processed - no officials to turn me down this time! A drived was waiting to take us to the Mennonite Guest House only there must have been some confusion because he dropped us at the Methodist Guest House. His sign at the airport had clearly stated 'Methodist Guest House - Peter Widmer x3', so we naturally assumed the Mennonites and the Methodists must be working together. Our first hint to the contrary should have been the big 'M' on the side of the building and the sign indicating 'swimming pool'. It was more embarassing than anything else, especially considering that Peter, Fairchild, and I had done our fair share of travelling in the past. We did end up getting to the right Guest House thanks to Tony, our Kenyan taxi driver, and once the security guard handed us our keys, we went straight to bed...for twelve hours.
Arusha: After one day of rest, we were on the road to Arusha, TZ early the next morning. Once we had clarified that we did in fact have spots on the designated bus, we piled in with 15 others and began the approx. 4 hour drive. It was an adventure in itself! Our driver was very skilled as evidenced by his ability to maneuver around large potholes and cracks in the highway. The highway consisted of two lanes. The absence of a passing lane didn't seem to bother anyone - they simply squeezed in between the two existing lanes, forcing oncoming traffic to use the shoulder in order to avoid catastrophe. I held my breath for the first few passing attempts by our driver but, by the end of the trip, was relaxed enough to doze off.
Our only hold-up was at the TZ border: we got stuck behind an Italian tour group waiting for TZ visas. The customs official collected $50 from each of us (except for any Americans: they had to cough up $100) and went to the back room with an armload of passports and bills. An hour and a half later, my patience was wearing thin and the Italian chatter wasn't helping. Finally, we were on the final approach to Arusha. Mike, our Country Representative, was waiting to pick us up and the first order of business was lunch consisting of goat meat, something that resembled chicken, chips or fries, and roasted bananas (not the sweet kind). All in all, a good journey but an even better destination...
Nairobi: we arrived late at night and still had to wait an additional hour to have our on-the-spot tourist visas processed - no officials to turn me down this time! A drived was waiting to take us to the Mennonite Guest House only there must have been some confusion because he dropped us at the Methodist Guest House. His sign at the airport had clearly stated 'Methodist Guest House - Peter Widmer x3', so we naturally assumed the Mennonites and the Methodists must be working together. Our first hint to the contrary should have been the big 'M' on the side of the building and the sign indicating 'swimming pool'. It was more embarassing than anything else, especially considering that Peter, Fairchild, and I had done our fair share of travelling in the past. We did end up getting to the right Guest House thanks to Tony, our Kenyan taxi driver, and once the security guard handed us our keys, we went straight to bed...for twelve hours.
Arusha: After one day of rest, we were on the road to Arusha, TZ early the next morning. Once we had clarified that we did in fact have spots on the designated bus, we piled in with 15 others and began the approx. 4 hour drive. It was an adventure in itself! Our driver was very skilled as evidenced by his ability to maneuver around large potholes and cracks in the highway. The highway consisted of two lanes. The absence of a passing lane didn't seem to bother anyone - they simply squeezed in between the two existing lanes, forcing oncoming traffic to use the shoulder in order to avoid catastrophe. I held my breath for the first few passing attempts by our driver but, by the end of the trip, was relaxed enough to doze off.
Our only hold-up was at the TZ border: we got stuck behind an Italian tour group waiting for TZ visas. The customs official collected $50 from each of us (except for any Americans: they had to cough up $100) and went to the back room with an armload of passports and bills. An hour and a half later, my patience was wearing thin and the Italian chatter wasn't helping. Finally, we were on the final approach to Arusha. Mike, our Country Representative, was waiting to pick us up and the first order of business was lunch consisting of goat meat, something that resembled chicken, chips or fries, and roasted bananas (not the sweet kind). All in all, a good journey but an even better destination...
Saturday, August 16, 2008
I have posted my mailing address for Tanzania on the left side of my blog. Our Country Representatives have let us know that sending letters is not a problem. However, any sorts of packages should be small, no larger than the size of two or three books. Example: they received a Christmas package from home a few weeks ago.
I look forward to hearing from all of you as you read my blog updates and rest assured, i will do my best to answer any and all emails as internet access allows it.
I look forward to hearing from all of you as you read my blog updates and rest assured, i will do my best to answer any and all emails as internet access allows it.
Orientation - Akron, PA
A long week of sessions, training and new people is coming to an end this evening. The hymn singing (yes, Oma, you read right) has just ended and all 54 of us SALTers are now focused on our impending departure times. Our journey of learning included helpful information on culture shock and cultural adjustment, dos and don'ts while on assignment, spiritual nourishment and personal care. In addition, our SALT Orientation Team introduced us to the ins and outs of MCC - what its purpose is, what functions it serves, where they run programs, etc. We had the pleasure of meeting the new MCC Executive Director Arlie Klassen who spoke at length to us about a revisioning of MCC called "New Wine, New Wineskins" that will be happening over the next year.
There is an air of excitement about this whole place: over 100 young people aged 18 to 27 gathered in Akron, Pennsylvania to prepare for there year of service around the world. We had people from Honduras, Bolivia, Korea, China, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Laos, Cambodia, etc. It was amazing to see and experience the diversity of the global Mennonite church. Everyone made a concerted effort to get to know each other and it was not uncommon to walk into a very loud dining room at meal times and find a good mix of people at every table discussing in broken English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Khmer, Arabic the differences in culture, mannerisms, food, and everything in between. Some of our most interesting and hilarious conversations occurred around these very topics. The facial reactions of the girls heading to Indonesia as they learned about the "specialty foods" was priceless. I can only imagine how strange some of our cultural idiosyncrasies must be for them.
My highlights have been the evenings: you could find people at any time of night playing card games, watching the Olympics, roasting marshmallows, having ice cream, learning new languages in the various houses here. New friendships have been formed and we have all gained new understanding and appreciation for those around us. It will be difficult to leave this all behind but we know that the year ahead will be unforgettable!
There is an air of excitement about this whole place: over 100 young people aged 18 to 27 gathered in Akron, Pennsylvania to prepare for there year of service around the world. We had people from Honduras, Bolivia, Korea, China, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Laos, Cambodia, etc. It was amazing to see and experience the diversity of the global Mennonite church. Everyone made a concerted effort to get to know each other and it was not uncommon to walk into a very loud dining room at meal times and find a good mix of people at every table discussing in broken English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Khmer, Arabic the differences in culture, mannerisms, food, and everything in between. Some of our most interesting and hilarious conversations occurred around these very topics. The facial reactions of the girls heading to Indonesia as they learned about the "specialty foods" was priceless. I can only imagine how strange some of our cultural idiosyncrasies must be for them.
My highlights have been the evenings: you could find people at any time of night playing card games, watching the Olympics, roasting marshmallows, having ice cream, learning new languages in the various houses here. New friendships have been formed and we have all gained new understanding and appreciation for those around us. It will be difficult to leave this all behind but we know that the year ahead will be unforgettable!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Travel Itinerary Change
I am departing at 10pm tonight for Akron, Pennsylvania to begin one week of orientation along with 53 other SALTers. As many of you have heard, my visa application for Vietnam did not go through. As a result, I will be now traveling to Tanzania to be an ESL teacher. The change in plans came as a complete shock to myself and the SALT Team in Akron. They have been working tirelessly to make all the necessary arrangements for my departure to Tanzania next week.
Thank-you to every one of you who supported me financially and in prayer over the last several months. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I undertake the journey of a lifetime!
Thank-you to every one of you who supported me financially and in prayer over the last several months. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I undertake the journey of a lifetime!
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