PST Training

I have tried two different ways to save and download pictures on to my blog with no luck. I buy kompyuta minutes at an internet shop and use most of the time just waiting for the things to process. I can burn an hour with out writing much of anything.

So, this week is draging. It is hot and we are not doing much of anything new-- just more Kiswahili. Sunday I went with Mama to the Saba Saba market. It is like an art fair but bigger and people are selling everything from kitchen utensils to cloth, food and tools. Vendors come from far and it is packed. We found material for a dress, a pants out fit, a kitenge wrap and a scarf to wrap my head. These will be my professional dress when on site. John was with and found material with bikes on it for making a shirt. Mama bought the identical material for a pants out fit for her. This week we will visit a tailor to make these. It was a fun day.

Sundays begin with church. Mama is in the choir so we go early (7am). I am learning many of the hymns as I go to practice with her during the week when I can. After church John and I wash clothes in teh yard using the water from a huge cement container that holds water for when the water is off. ( The water is off from 6am till 4pm everyday because it is diverted for livestock uses.) We use two large buckets, one to wash and one to rinse our clothes. They dry fast in the hot sun on the clothes line.

I told you about Tiaga, the dog. I started giving him a dried fish snack every morning on our way to school. Mama cannot understand this. I told her it is a crazy American custom to treat our dogs in the morning.

The dala dala that many have asked about is actually a van, about a 12 passenger van. But, it has seats for about 22. Then more people fit on, squished, if needed. They are quite fun to ride because we are all so close with no hope of being polite to avoid touching or steping on each other-- so everyone just laughs, enjoys the music they have playing and makes it possible for people to get off when needed. Also, cheap rides! Each dala dala is privatly owned. In Morogoro center there is a dala dala stand that has maybe 50 dala dalas moving in and out all the time-- all going in one of about 6 main directions leading to various regions/villages. Each dala dala has a driver and a person that collects the fair as well as solicits riders by hanging out the sliding door window, banging on the side of the van and yelling out the destination/direction it is headed. This behavior happens at the dala dala stand and all along the road as we pass people walking. We(John and I) think it is the perfect job for John. He would get to ride hanging out the side of the van, yelling at people and.. he gets to do math, collecting fairs and giving change. Then, of course, laughing, keeping people happy and being a referee when there are squabbles, too.

I will keep trying to get pictures loaded. You can send letters or email. I am getting emails but maybe not answering all personally as I have such little time at the computer. It may change when we get to post site in December.

Love to all, I miss you,

Randee

Third and Forth Week in Morogoro

Here are pictures of my Tanzanian family, the School where we are practice teaching and studying Kiswahili, and our Lutheran church service on Children's day.

Oh.. and a dala dala (mini van that can carry atleast 30 people at a time I think.

I am having problems loading pictures now. I will try tomorrow.

I took my midterm exam for Kiswahili today. I definitly have what they call survival language ability and maybe a little more. I taught my first Biology class on thursday and enjoy the kids very much!

I cannot wait to get to post! Next Saturday we get to take a trip to a national park to see animals and take a rest.

More later,

RAndee

First Week in Morogoro Training

Mambo!
Habari za Marekani?

We have been with our host family for almost a week and it already feels like home. I am so glad to get home after being in a hot classroom all day and trying to learn Swahili. I feel most successful with my language progress at home with my brother, 2 sisters, Mama and
Baba. Also, when speaking with the students at our school and around town. It is very fun being able to speak well enough to have stangers willing to talk to me.

We have outstanding Kiswahili teachers. It is challenging but very well organized to give me what I need immediately and build a base to , now, start making sebntences of my own as needed.

Our home has four bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom. We do not have a flush toilet or shower but we do have running water in Morogoro(except between 7am-4pm).It is common for us to take 2 bathes a day because it is hot and it is what everybody does to stay cool and sweet smelling! We have electricity. Our family has many fruit trees (banana, lemon, orange, avacado) and chickens. Yesterday, John and I found a nearly dead rooster from another rooster pecking him. When we got home, our brother told us that we would be having chicken for dinner on Sunday!

John and I have attended ( with our host mama and baba) a Kitchen Pot Party and a Send Off Party.These are for a woman getting married. The Kitchen Pot is for married women only to teach the new bride how to be a good wife. ( A man has a party,also, to learn how to be a good husband.) We have been told by our Kiswahili teacher that John was very lucky to have been invited!) The Send Off is a huge celebration for the woman's family to send her off and the man's family to invite her into their family. Also, the friend spresent gifts. Both have dancing and lots of funny stories along with the serious matters.


I have also met my contact teachers for practice teaching at my school. Our school has a biology lab with sinks and gas at lab tables! We have begun looking at the Syllabus. It will be another week before I actually observe or practice the classroom. I am excited to work here. They whole staff and faculty are very attentive to student needs and enjoy collaborating to make things work for every student.

Times up!

Kwa Heri!

Randee

Second Week in Morgoro Training Site

Salama!

This week we have learned how to construct sentences and how to bargin in the market. We have also started working on lesson design and how to adapt to the Tanzanian schedule and school structure. I asked Babu ( the school elder that brings chai at 10 am everyday and mush more that I am discovering. I asked for supplies I needed for a lesson of my contact teacher. She sent me to Babu to get me a hoe to dig for insects and also mentioned that Babu catches grasshoppers for her when she needs them for classes.

Today, coming into town on the dalla dalla and it actually felt normal. In teh market I bought fruits of the Baobab tree and successfully bargined to get the amount I wanted and at a local price (not the price that is given to wazungu).

Yesterday, I picked up the dress that was made for me by a local tailor. My mama picked out the material for me and helped me decide on a good pattern. John has a matching shirt and black trousers that were made for him. I am starting to feel like I fit in and that dresses fit with me.

The people in our small neighborhood near our school are talking to us more. I got stopped by a woman that wanted to talk about teaching. She is a elementary teacher in a school right in Morogoro. She is very experienced and is the head teacher. It was like talking to one of my colleagues in MN-- but we were talking every other sentence in Kiswahili. People are so patient and so kind to help us.

AT home my youngest (5) dada (sister) Shose loves to ride on my back and twrill until we both get dizzy. She is very strong and loves to run. My other dada is 10 years old. She helps me with my kiswahili and I help her with her science. When I come home hot, she likes to comb my hair and it cools me off. Finally, we have a dog, Tiaga. He is not a pet but he does greet us everyday when we come home and I like this.

Got to go.. times up

Siku mjemi.

Baadaye

Randee