Our Site Assignment

Mambo!

We just recieved our assignment. We are going to the Tanga region near Lushoto. This is in the Usambara Mountains. We are told this is a beautiful place and is cool to cold, yet not a far ride to get to the Indian Ocean for some days at the beach. We will both be at the same school, a girls boarding school with 360 students. It has a highly committed faculty and the school has a stong reputation for student success. They are in great need of a Math and Biology teacher because a PCV is leaving(Math) and the Biology teacher left a month ago. There is a Science lab with equipment and a well stocked library.

I visited a girls boarding school last weekend near Kili and really enjoyed hanging out with the girls in their dorm area and am told that in boarding schools, projects, like sustainable Gardens and clubs(sports, health and academics) are easier to have work.
We are told we have a house with 4 bedrooms!, running water but no electricity. Yet the school does have electricity for us to use.
There is camping and hiking nearby and we can bike or hike to town for major supplies and such. Andrew is the PCV leaving and has been talking to us about the school and site all day,,, so we are confident of the infomation.

We will be cooking with wood, kerosene or charcoal, and will be warmed by a wood stove at night. It is still warm compared to MN so it should be a great life weather wise. The PCV leaving also said the teachers like to colaborate on teaching and projects so we are very excited!

This is said to be the beauty of Africa.

By the end of Next week we should be heading to site!

Enjoy the winter for me!


Happy Thankgiving and peace to all,

Randee and John

p.s. We are in Dar es Salaam and headed back to Morogoro tomorrow to finish training, have our swearing in ceremony, and say goodbye to our TZ host families. We had a Thanksgiving dinner at the PC directors house on Monday and have enjoyed roaming around Dar after sessions. We ate at a French Bakery this morning as we talked kiSwahili with the agriculture expert for the chamber of commerce and then learned the Kiswahili word for "the tide going out" from a man on the dala dala. Being in view of the Indian Ocean is also very fun. It is the first time I have seen this body of water and it is nice to smell the ocean and look at the ships and waves off shore. We are really enjoying the adventure of learning the language from the people and being in a different place.

November 1st, Morgoro, TZ

Habari za Yako (What is the your news?),

We are very busy each day and have little time to think of anything but learning Kiswahili and preparing our lessons or learning important cultural activities like cooking ugali( a type of corn meal mush) and fish in coconut sauce and of course rice and beans. This all starts with catching a ride on a dala dala to the market, bargining in Kiswahili and paying the price -- after figuring out the money and the amount communicated. Then, at home using the slow cooking electric burner and washing dishes that have piled up all day because there is not water during the day. Then of course boiling water for the next day to drink and taking a bucket bath with cold refreshing water after a hot day. It is a real education and I have a great respect for accomplishing employment and school duties on top of simply living!

Also, our Kaka (brother) arrived home this week unexpectedly from boarding school. He had been sick and was getting worse, so they took him to the hospital and found he has ascaries (worms) which was causing extreme diarrhea and weakness. He is on medication and is getting better each day. It was good to see him this morning in the kitchen getting some uji (porrage made from millet, corn, and rice flour) and a smile on his face. He is worried as he has national exams in two weeks and has missed school. But he is a good student and we hope he can get better and study hard. In Tanzania if you do not pass your exams you cannot go on to higher education. (And, all schools cost money that is very difficult for families to afford.)

Last weekend all the PCT(Peace Corps Trainees) took a vacation trip Saturday and Sunday to visit Mikumi National Park. We went on an afternoon and early morning safari ride to see the wild animals. We say a lion pair (on honeymoon), zebras, elephants, crockadiles, giraffes, impalla, water buffalo, warthogs, Hippopotomi, monkeys and more. I had my birding binoculras and my bird book. I saw many species that I learned three years ago. I saw several violet breasted rollers, fish eagle, egyptian goose, ibis, plovers, superb starlings, and more. I really enjoyed this. It felt like the first time I really got to enjoy the outdoors since we left.

This was our last week of teaching. I have only to write a test and grade projects and my internship teaching is done. We go to shadow another PCV(current Peace Corps Volunteer) at their site, week after next. Then, we get to learn where we will be placed - maybe - the following week.

John had a wonderful birthday party on Wednesday. I am so glad because we really missed being with you all for his 60th party. Mama Flora invited our PCT(Peace Corps Trainee) colleagues, teachers and some neighborhood/church friends (16 people). It is hard to explain but it was like a wedding reception with balloons, flowers, a fancy cake (with candles and Happy Birthday John) and a special table decorated for John and I to sit facing all our guests. Our Mama is a trained chef so the food was fabulous and plenty of it! Everyone sang to him and then they started clinking their glasses ( American custom thown in) to get him to kiss me. I liked that part a lot! Also, Mama brought in a full stereo system for music. We had a fun time visiting with new neighbors and our PC friends.

Siku mjema,
(have a good day)

Randee

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

Dar es Salaam

Habari za asubuhi,

Well...I have to start trying. They tell us learning the language is the most important tool to have for our safety and success.

We arrived late last night in Dar es Salaam. It was a beautiful flight where we were able to see the Alps, the Italian coast, and the Saharan desert.
It is warm and rain sprinkles every so often. I feel well cared for and very safe. We are told Tanzania is one of the very best Peace Corps organizations -- long lived and well organized. We got our shots today and met the staff that will be supporting us. Tomorrow we leave for Morogoro and Sunday we meet our host families. Our training will be in groups of 8 (5 different training schools, I think) and most of our learning/teaching will be done by our host families. Once a week we meet all together for large group trainings. Language and culture are at the top. We will also be observing and practice teaching in the schools of Morogoro. I feel confident that we will be prepared. We are also told that HIV/AIDS education will be a big part of our job and is well funded. The PC Staff seem very excited by the quality and size of the educational efforts here.

John and I have a TV in our room for these two nights. It is helpful to watch Tanzanian TV and hear them speak.


Thank you for all your e-notes to me. It is very fun to read these.

Kwaheri!