Sunday, August 30, 2009

Celebration to Open the New Teacher House and Standard 7 Graduation






















Here are a few photos from the celebration to open the new teacher housing and the Standard 7 Graduation. This event was the first ever graduation ceremony at Kongei Primary School!


The story to come!












Trip Jounal from a visit to Lake Tanganika

Here is a journal excerpt from a friend who visited us in Tanzania. Enjoy!

Notes on my trip to Tanzania - June 5 - 19, 2009 -- Edie Pierce-Thomas

Flying to Tanzania is not your usual flight. I have flown 13 hour non-stop flights but three flights with two being 8 or 9 hours each can take something out of you. fortunately I slept whenever my body would allow and so arriving in TZ left me fresh and ready to go. I experienced no jet lag going - or coming home! John and Randee were waiting for me at the airport when I arrived. They even had a driver waiting - his name was Eddie! Though I didn't feel jet lagged, I enjoyed catching up briefly with Randee before going to sleep that first night.
On Sunday we went to visit their friend Peter whose lives in a large gated house that is very comfortable. He and his wife work for the US there and the house is provided. Quite a contrast to what I saw later!
Monday we flew to Kigoma. Looking out the window of the Precision Air plane I could see the dessert as we flew over but not much more in terms of terrain or wildlife. Kigoma sits on the coast of Lake Tanganyika and we found rooms in a very nice hotel up on the hill overlooking the bay. there was a gazebo that was the perfect night spot to watch the sunset over the water. One needs to be prepared, however, for Tanzania’s time. We ordered dinner about 6 PM and ate about 8:30 PM. It was tasty and the gazebo was a pleasant place to sit and the weather was beautiful such that it was a nice way to pass the time as we waited.
In the morning the manager of the hotel was also our 'taxi' and our boat handler. For a $150 he accompanied us to Gombe Stream National Park three hours by water north of Kigoma. The boat was relatively small but it felt special to have three men taking just the three of us up the lake.
We arrived around 10:30am or so. We paid our park, guide and room fees; put down our luggage and took off by 11:15am with our guide to go look for the chimpanzees. As we left camp, we walked past Jane Goodall's first house she had when she came here in the 1960s. It was built sometime in the 1970s. Before that she and her people were in tents. We soon came upon her current house. Since she is currently in the UK, researchers are staying in that house. Guests often stay in the first house as well.
It was about an hour hike straight up the overgrown green mountain when we came upon the F family. We first saw Tarzan, a small female - not sure why her name was Tarzan when she was part of the F family, but she was up in a tree eating a fruit that she would suck out the inside and then throw the remains down. We soon found several others taking a mid-day nap. There was Froto (Flo's grandson and Fifi's son) and several others of the F family. There were about 11 chimps around. They all looked slightly different. Some had white faces, some had black. Some had gray hair and others did not. While the relaxed they would spread their legs and arms all over the branches and trunks of the trees. Sometimes it did not look particularly comfortable, but apparently they were. They would lean their heads back. If there was another chimp around they would encourage some nit-picking. At one point there were at least four lined up each one nit-picking the one in front. Tarzan, the one who had been in the tree eating her fruit, swung along the branches and came down to the ground where the others were. There was one chimp with a newborn clinging to her chest.
After an hour or more of watching and hanging out with the chimps, we headed back to camp. It was humid enough and wearing long pants and all, Randee and I immediately got into our swimming suits when we got back and went swimming in Lake Tanganyika. The water was so clear and refreshing. We could see the fish and the bottom with no difficulty. Randee had rented a snorkel and mask and fins, so I just used her goggles and I could see well. I just had to remember to come up to breath! It was great to just relax a little.
It was very peaceful, no noise except the slopping of the water and the insects. We read and had coffee and tea and watched the baboons walking around camp. Being here reminded me of being at Ghandi's ashram last year - simple, open and where he/she works on their life mission.
When it was time for bed, Randee had to show me how to use the mosquito netting that hung over the bed. I had never actually seen one let alone use one. It is a bit cumbersome and it takes up more space from the bed then one would think it would. ...all part of the adventure.
I slept well and woke about at 6:30am to the sounds of what I thought was a thunderstorm. Fortunately it turned out to just be the wind. After breakfast we took off on our next Safari. We hiked up and soon found the G family - Gremlin, the mother; her two children, Gimlee and Gaia and Gaia's 6 day old baby. A professor and one of his grad students were there. He told us that Gaia is not a very good mother. Her babies are not strong but worse, her mother, Gremlin, as taken 4 of her babies (twins last year) and they have all died. This 6 day old baby appears to be weak. He told us that a baby should be able to grab and hold on to its mother by day 3 or 4 and this baby at 6 days needs to be supported by Gaia.
Gimlee, the toddler (between 3 and 5 years old) is curious about people and came up to me THREE times. Each time I walked away as I had been instructed to so avoid chimp/human exchange of germs. Each time he followed me until he gave up. The third time he showed his frustration with me as he swung his right arm in disgust. But it was soon forgotten when he noticed John's boot which he promptly knelt down to and licked. He was very entertaining! However, the grad student told us later how Gimlee is very interested in humans and they are trying to get him to ignore them more.
Soon after, the family of chimps headed up the path. We slowly followed behind and stopped along the way when they did. We reached Jane's Peak. This is where Jane Goodall sat in her initial days with a powerful telescope or binoculars and looked and listened to learn where the various groups of chimps were. We also looked and listened and with Randee's binoculars we saw the Red Colombus Monkey. Their tails must be 7 feet long! They jump from tree to tree and look like they are flying. Amazing! So we watched the G family and enjoyed the view of the mountains, monkeys and the lake. After a bit the G family disappeared and we soon left to hike to Kgombe waterfall. This is where Jane reportedly sat for an entire week waiting for the chimps to come to her out of their own curiosity. It apparently worked since as they say, the rest is history. We hung out at the falls for a while. John took a nap and Randee and I took pictures.

We then ventured to the feeding station where Jane and her researchers at one time fed the chimps bananas through a storage box they could pull-up on with a rope from a distance inside a shed when the chimps approached. They stopped feeding them in this manner around 2004 but will use it to give medicine via bananas if they have to. While at the feeding station, Randee and our guide did a little bird watching while John and I just took a break. Suddenly we looked up the path and were startled to see the T family. The T family appeared equally startled. What a wonderful surprise for us! We followed the three of them as they went down to the creek to drink and as they went into t he brush. Soon they climbed so high into the trees we lost track of them. They were Tonga, Tom and Tambora. It was so unexpected and an exciting extra perk!
That evening as I read comments in the guest book, some spoke of their wonderful visit to the park even though they were not fortunate to see any chimps. And we saw three families! What a treat.
Thursday we got up early to catch the public boat taxi back to Kigoma (for only about $3 each). This is a very large and deep boat with basically an empty hull. We sat along the edges and squished together. The hull carried the luggage and baskets of the people and only a few people chose to sit down there on the bottom. At one point John counted the number of people on the boat and counted 76. It could have easily have held 100. Most of the passengers were locals many with baskets to take to market and others going up and down the lake shore for various reasons. We rode back with our fellow Gombe Stream guests, two German doctors. They met in medical school which they attended in Ulm -where Volker and I lived. They knew Grimmelfingen and Kuhberg!
These large taxi boats are painted a teal blue with stripes on the outside. It was very colorful and very large. One of the guide books say they are safer than the smaller boat we took up the lake. The boat made several stops at the small villages along the lake as we travelled back to Kigoma. It was amazing to me how close to the shore they could get this humongous boat! When we finally arrived back at Kigoma, the wind pushed the boat sideways and they were having trouble getting as close to shore as they wanted. People were rushing to get off anyway. I was confused. John had gotten off, Randee was waiting and people were pushing to try to get pass me. Not sure what was happening, I decided I would take off my shoes and get out - I didn't mind walking in foot of water - it was clear, fresh and warm. Unfortunately, between my boots having shifted to one side of my backpack and the awkward ladder type contraption I lost my balance and ended up in the water on my butt! Boy did everyone think that was funny! Everyone on shore and in the boat were laughing - not helping me mind you - just laughing. Randee told me after we both were on shore that the Tanzanians always enjoy a good laugh when someone falls - it wasn't just that it was me - but that I fell! OK. I was a little concerned that everything in my backpack was wet and that the back of my white capris were now quite dirty, but when we finally arrived back to our hotel, I was pleased to learn that my backpack kept everything nice and dry! My capris are washable.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped in town to have breakfast. John bought us 'street coffee' - coffee from a guy on the street that has the kettle attached to a tray of hot coals and a bucket full of little demitasses. It is strong stuff. We ate some fried pastries from a little shop. One had a hardboiled egg in the center of a potato based pastry. Very nice.
We walked up to our hotel deciding to stay at the same place as on our way out since we liked it so well. after settling and washing clothes, and checking my pack for wetness, we walked back to town to 'shop'. On the walk back I found a 10 Tshcillingi piece!! (That's less than 10 cents) However, I even find money in Africa - how cool is that! John took off on his own and Randee and I went shopping for a Kitange. I decided I would look for one to make a tablecloth and napkins. I found one for that and also another piece for capris and a top. And if there is enough left over, perhaps a bag.
The market is very close together - about 3 feet for the walking lane and the 'dukas' are all along on both sides. In some places there wasn't much light since the make-shift roofing in places overlapped . At a craft duka, Randee found a lovely beaded necklace.
The next day we flew back to Dar Es Salaam. We stayed with their Peace Corp friend, Peter. We walked to the local grocery store that catered to the Ex-Pats and when I walked in I saw a very European grocery market. The prices were also rather European. But if you are craving something from 'home' that was the place to get it.
On Saturday, June 13, 2009, we took a bus from Dar to almost Lushoto where we got off the bus and their neighbor, Ali met us to take our packs. Somehow mine did not make it onto his bike, but Asha, a young woman that cleans and waters the garden for Randee and John, also met us and though she was quite petite, she carried my backpack up the 5 K hike back to their place. Since I had a little intestine distress going on, I was happy to let her do that and pay her all of about $1.00 to do so. I walked slow as a result of my ailment and had to stop sometimes. Once Randee and Asha had to cover me with their Kitanges during one of my more distressful stops! I didn't feel like eating that evening. But I got 9 hours of sleep and I started to feel better.
Since the next day was Sunday we had thought of attending church but it seemed church was not being held locally that day and so we saw that as a sign to take it easy! We did yoga and laundry and visited with another teacher that had stopped by. John decided to bike to Lushoto. Randee and I walked up and saw the primary school and the house she had raised the money to help get built for teachers’ quarters. They wanted to have us for lunch and dinner while I was there to honor me as a donor. The house looked great and they assured us it would be complete by the time I left for home.
We stopped at the little duka in the village to buy sodas. I had them and as we stepped down a slippery, damp stone step, I slipped and I heard breaking glass. Oh, broken soda bottles with soda in them! But fortunately, only one broke - it could have been worse! According to Randee and John, to break things there is just part of daily life.
Monday we all biked to Soni. We planned to see the waterfalls and buy fresh roasted and locally grown coffee from a German priest by the name of Father Rudolf Lorenz or Attanis. John continued up the mountain to the next village to get port wine and macadamia nuts from some Brothers.
The biking is not the easiest. It is true cross country. The roads are rocky, and sometimes muddy, and there are ruts. The road turns and winds around. The view is spectacular! Green and mountainous 360 degrees. There are people walking between villages and they all greet us and Randee speaks with them - she says it is part of her job. Midway we went through two villages - Luwandai which was at a peak and had more wonderful views and Mshizii.
At Soni I bought two kilograms of coffee beans to bring home from the priest's coffee farm. The priest wasn't there when we stopped on our way to Soni so we continued on. We looked at Kangas and I found one I liked but it had a stain. It seemed many had flaws and we decided it was best to wait until we went to Lushoto. Randee and I had lunch at a sidewalk cafe (my language) that looked over the waterfalls. We had “chipsi mayai” which is scrambled eggs with French fries cooked into them. It was good - surprisingly.
On our way back to her place, Randee bought potatoes and carrots. Back at her house we 'showered' which means dumping water from a bucket over you, washing, and then dumping more water over you. It felt good after all the biking and getting sticky. We then got dressed in African attire to go to dinner at the vice-Principal's house - Ruben Masenga. I borrowed a dress from Randee and John took pictures of us in our local attire. At Masenga's house we watched the end of the Brazil-Egypt soccer game in the Fifa Confederate cup and saw the News where we learned of the Iran election debacle. Masenga's young sister cooked dinner for us - fresh chicken from their coop; a bean called soya but different from soy beans; a tomato basedsauce and fresh avocado. She also made fresh homemade passion fruit and avocado juice - it was the best juice I had ever drunk! Masenga escorted the three of us home in the dark. It had been a wonderful day.
Next - Lushoto. The biking was hard work going to Lushoto since it was 15 kilometers uphill on a rocky, bumpy, dirt road for the first 5 K and then the next 10 K were tar--- it was awful. It was gradual but constant. It took us about 1 1/2 hours to make it to the Montessori school where Randee wanted to buy cheese and jam. We then checked out the 'gift shop' (they also have a hostel) and I found the same kanga I had seen in Soni but it was in better condition and so I got it along with a dress for myself and a couple of little necklaces. Randee decided to have the exact same dress made for her sister-in-law and bought a shirt - for whom - not sure...
Trekking further on to Lushoto we stopped at a stationary store that also had some statues. I bought one for Volker or Oma and a wooden knife with a hippo on the end for Vida. Later I realized it was really a letter opener, but since she collects knives I decided to keep calling it a knife.
We ate at one of their favorite Lushoto eating spots and had ocean fish -with the scales, head and fins and all and I did OK with it. It also tasted good. We then went shopping in their market. I bought a Pashmina wool and silk shawl; a very intense purple kikoi ( later I learned it is really a man's fringed sarong but it will most likely be a shawl for m. I also bought a painting done with a knife instead of brushes of Massai women. I also bought a scarf for Rozi, banana gum for Philip, a little Chai spice and a little tea. It rained and it got heavier and heavier as the day went on so when we decided to go back to Randee's it was a constant shower. The ride down the hill was fun though wet. The last 5 K were now not only rocky and bumpy but also muddy and slightly uphill. It was nice to get back and bathe and have some tea and get into dry clothes.
I showed John my purchases and after supper Randee and I went through all of her clothes she had purchased over time and discussed options of things to do with them all. John gave me his graduation shirt for Volker - lots of embroidery and sort of a purple tie-dyed material.
On Thursday we took the bus to Moshi - a longer ride than I expected. We stayed at the Backpacker's Hotel instead of the YMCA and it was in the center of the city. We found a restaurant that had a balcony and from there we got a look at Kilimanjaro. It came out albeit briefly - but it came out! We shopped a little more - I bought Erika and myself bags made from Kangas. The market was definitely a market of a bigger town and the people were unrelenting, but we made a few good finds.
I took it easy Friday morning and did a few more errands and had lunch at the same place and we got another glimpse of the mountain. John found a place that sold Tanzanite which my friend wanted me to buy for her. I negotiated with the shop owner and think I came away with a pretty good deal. Bargaining helps when you really have no money left and so, are truly limited to how much you can spend! After that Randee escorted me by bus to the road to the airport. There we rented a motor-rickshaw (at least that is what we called them in India) to take us the little ways down to the airport and her back to the bus stop.
It was an adventure and an experience I won't forget. I don't know if I will ever have the opportunity to go back to anywhere in Africa. I hope so. I know Volker thinks he would like to do the Peace Corp when we retire but after my visit I am not sure I can imagine 2 + years of it- I know I would get used to it - but not sure I would want to.
The flights home were generally uneventful but the last leg from Houston to Indianapolis was the most difficult - I was antsy and tired and just could not get comfortable. It was great to see Volker waiting for me when I walked out of the airport in Indy!
Thanks Randee and John for an awesome time and thanks Volker for holding down the fort while I went on my adventure.