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.
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