Jenny's African Adventure

to fast for me!

2008-09-06T09:25:00.000-07:00

So, the semester is half way over already!!! I feel like it has just begun, but here I find myself in the middle of proctoring exams, marking exams and seeing my Form 4 students about to embark on life(as soon as they have taken their exams) This semester has had its usual problems and frusterations, but I’d say either 1) I’m becoming more and more accustomed to them or 2) I am now a Tanzanian and they don’t faze me. J On the up side of things, the headmaster and I have teamed up together and thigns around school have changed a little! 40 desks and chairs were provided by donors(and finished JUST IN TIME to take exams!), the 6 new classrooms are ALMOST ready….they just need glass in the windows and a chalkboard, and we have had 3 teachers that went away for further studies, come back on their breaks to help us teach. The form 2 students are now taking their “mock” national exams(the real exam starts in November) while form 1 and 3 are taking their mid term exams….I stole an idea from a private school nearby-because we have a lack of desks and chairs and teachers to invigilate the exam, 2 teachers and I organized 9 classrooms, each with about 50 students in it, that combined both the from 1 and 3 students…so everyother desk(form 1, form 3, form 1, form 3…). This(we are hoping) will help to reduce the cheating that regularly happens during exams. Who will they cheat form? WE hauled in huge wodden tables from the cafeteria along with benches so those without a desk could sit all along the bench to take their exams…and if I do say so, its working SO WELL! I’m so happy that my teachers tried something new and different(and I think they really liked the idea-maybe enough to do it again next year!) We printed out the exams of form three, but because there wasn’t enough paper at school, we had to write the form 1 exam on the board…but I’m still over joyed at the progress we have made from last midterm test to this one!!!! I’ve just now counted-I have about 20 teaching days left! We finish exams on Tuesday, I teach wed thursday and Friday(the other students will be “doing cleanliness” around the school…why? Not sure.That’s what we do when we finish exams these days? Then we have a one week break(in which I’m FORCING my students to stay to I can finish the syllabus before the end of my service) then we spend one week preparing for Form 4 graduation….then 3 weeks left, then, if all goes well, I will take my students to climb Kili!!!

We are holding this competition to choose the top 12 students that we will take with us up the mountainJ first, I asked all the teachers to contribute the names of all the students they thought demonstrated good leadership, positive and respectful attitudes, as well as respected by their peers….The list gave me 45ish names to start from. I then told all of them that if they were interested in climbing, they would have to write an essay in English on their goals of climbing and how they would support their peers(which some were VERY cute, and others really bad!) one reads: “ I hear that if you climb from down to up that you will get a blood from your nose. I want to climb Kili to see if this is true”. Then, on Saturday morning, we met at 6am for what I like to call the “Death March”…where we walked 2.5 hours around the area. I guess I forgot that most of my students live fairly far away, so this didn’t faze them one bit. So THIS Saturday, we ran 5 minutes, walked 5 minutes, ran 5 minutes walked 5 minutes for TWO HOURS along the highlands(meaning there were a LOT of hills!). We met at 6am, all with little backpacks and bottles of waters in the bags, formed to colums and plodded along, practicing drinking water every 30 minutes. My dogs ran righ along side us-and the converstation was great! All the kids asking funny and weird questions like “Are there Forests in America?” “I heard(pronounced Heerd) about a snake called Anaconda. Is this a really snake? “ I had a blanst(although it really seemed that we ran UP every hill and walked down the hill…) Got back toschool and led the students to do pushups and situps, which I think has to be my favorite form of entertainment these days. I don’t think that any student here has EVER done a situp in their life. Their legs are flailing, their coordination is completely off…..BUT, they are trying SO hard!!! Its crazy to me to think that these kids, who are amazingly great and hard workers, can work magic with a hoe, can’t do a sit up!!! I’ll try to post a picture next time…. Each Saturday, the students that didn’t show up were crossed of the list, so now, I’m down to 26 students to choose from…and they are ALL such great candidates! I have no idea how I am to choose! Maybe I’ll have to think of some 2nd prize…..

Hope all is well, from the Fontline, we send our love!

No Mans Land

2008-06-28T23:19:00.000-07:00

A vacation needed, and adventure gotten! I have just returned from one of the world'nt forgotten paradises. Kigoma, the hardest to get to city in TZ on the coast of one of the largest lakes in the world-the longest in the world and the one with the most volume(as I'm told)-Lake Tanganyika....may be one of the nicest towns I've been to. Set among the rolling hills, next to a lake that keeps the temperature down with breeze, we were privledged to gorgeous sunsets, good company and an adventreu I can't wait to share! AFter a seminar held in Dar, my 2 friends, my fiance and I all started our adventure by baording the train to Kigoma. We brought a lot of water, some PB&J fixings, some cereal and posdered mild, candies books and a sense of adventure. We had heard horror stories and stories that weren't so bad about the train, so we decided to go for it. Unlucky for us, a theif stole 2 of our 4 train tickets before we got on the train-and Geoff and I had to spend the morning we were leaving in the police station making a report-we had NO desire to have to spend another $50 for EACH ticket...on our meager salaries that was a painful thought. However, luck stayed with us, and when we showed the police report to the conductor, he said no problem, and we all boarded the train hassle free-not having to spend that extra $100:) We took first class, having heard that third class was a bit of a nightmare-like a daladala(think 20 seats, 80 people, sweat, stink, elbow in the face, no sleeping, thirst, big butts, theives....)-there were 2 small compartments connected by a door-a top and bottom bunk/seat in each compartment as well as a small sink with water actually in it! The windows open with a breeze coming in, it wasn't bad at all! It may be because the train was so novel to me, but it was my favorite way to travel long distances in this country-we were comfortable, bedding was provided, great views of large land expanses...the ability to buy just about anything out of the train window...my friend even brought a portable DVD player, so in the evening we watched a movie on the train! The only time I felt the most nervous(which wasn't a lot) was a night-we were told that thieves like to slip through the windows from the top of the train and steal stuff..the conductor told us to leave our door open to the hallway and shut our windows...I thought to myself-there is NO WAY I will do that. I would't be able to sleep knowing that all those people passing on the aisles were able to look at me sleeping...but if we shut the windows, we would suffer the stuffy small space and feel totally clausterphobic. so we left the door locked, and the window opn and had absolutely no problems. It took us 43 hours total to get to Kigoma from Dar and the second day many of the thrid class passangers and travellers from villages in teh middle fo nowhere had boarded our train car and were blocking the hallway completley. You have to think that thrid class was bad-if those passengers were coming to the first class car to stand 5 people in the toilet ...which looked as though someone had a rectal explosion all over the floor. It took courage to leave our compartment of peace to enter the crammed hallway to work your way to the bathroom, ask all the people in the bathroom to scoot over all the sleeping bodies ont he floor so you could pee....however, our compartment was great. We arrived into town at about 12 in the afternoon and went directly to buy tickets out of igoma and back to Dar. To our shock and dismay, the only tickets that were available were third class tickets...and not until the end of July! So that left 2 options...a killer bus ride home or selling our soul and first born child and buying the most ridiculously expensive plane tickets home. We chose the plane-$250 per person for a 2.5 hour trip back home. ouch. So, off to buy the plane tickets then to find a place tos tay. our taxi driver droe us to a hotel, but stopped onthe road first and talked to a man, Brother Dirk who is from Belgium working at the brothers of Charity in Kigoma. He directed us to a safe and quiet little guesti and then told us he'd meet us later. What a great man! We met up with him that night at the pub and he told us he'd help us get into Gombe National Park-in fact, this great guy helped us get a lifti with Tacare(pronounced Ta-car-eh) for free AND told us Jane Goodall was in Kigoma the same day. He took us under his wing and if he ever reads this-here is a shout out to him-THANK YOU!!! We ended up MEETING the world famous Jane goodall-classy and kind would be the first words that come to mind. I got to shake her hand, but my dear friend Cynthia, in her attempt to be cool, attcked this woman with a HUGE HUG! we got a few pics, and then got on her boat and headed into the national park. We satyed in a little rest house on the lake(recommendation-stay at the second house, not the first set of houses...more isolated and nice), enjoying PB&J sammy's watching the sunset after a crazy and refreshing swim in the lake. Bright and early the next morning, we boated over to the entrance gate, near to the first set of rest houses and started our jungle adventure. We hiked with our guide about 2 hours before we stumbled upon a family of 5 chimpanzees..the 'F' family. Every family of monkeys has a letter designated to them-and every child of the mother is given a name by Jane starting with the same letter. The mother was carrying a 7 month old baby with the cutest face I've ever seen...almost looking plastic! There were two older kids and then a male named Titan(not in the same family) Titan is apparently the most aggresive of the chimps and likes to throw rocks at the humans. We all got to sit about 10 feet away and watch the chinmps for about 2 hours. They are so human like its weird-they groomed eachother, tickeled eachother-do you know that chimps can laugh?!-sneezed, and my favorite was the little baby would peek over the little mound of dirt and stare right back at us, try his hardest to come closer, then his mom would grab him by the arm and pull him back to her, trying to make him take a nap. but the little guy wouldn't have any of that napping, he jsut kept tring to get closer to us ovr and over again...Titan however, was the guy we talked about the most. Apparetnly, chimps don't like to have their pics taken when they are tired...when they put their hands over their face of turn their back, it means that they don't want pics taken...and Geoff DID take a picture. Titanl first threw a stone at Geoff and then charged him....THEN, after sunbathing on the path, he comes rushing at our little group of 6! The guides were great and told us just to stand and be calm...Titan just was trying to scare us. He successfully made us all nervous. Titan-with that perfect name for him- headed deeper into the jungle. After our period of time wathcing these beautiful creatures, we headed to a waterfall where we had a little bit of a snack, then headed back to camp. Had a good swim in the lake, ate some tuna salad for dinner, then called it a night. We took the water ferry back to the camp-which was fun for public transport minus the whiffs of vomit you would get ever 3 seconds. We applied layers and layers of bug spray to our hands and every time a whiff of puke was carried our way, we woudl start sniffing our hands-not a great soltion, but better bug spray than me puking over the side due to the nasty smell. the ferry took about 3 hours to get back to kigoma....so we spent our afternoon relaxing, eating ice cream and fruit and reading. OUr last day in Kigoma, we went to an NGO/orphanage near to town to check out the work they are doing-brother Dirk took us there- and then to the small village of Ujiji to see Dr David Livingstone's memorial-which is just a rock falling apart a little. It was under 2 giant mango trees which were said to be the offspring of the original mango tree...this is the place where DL and Mr Stanly had the famous lines "Dr Linginstone I presume?". It was ok-but there wasn't much to the memorial-and we didn't even go in the museum because it was $3(which if I was REALLY into history I would have seen...)we visited the lake, then packed up our bags and spent the rest of the day at the beach. We finished out evening at the same pub we met Bro Dirk and celbrated G's birthday with some cake and ice cream. It was a great ending to a great trip. I'm excited to go back to the village and to get working again. this vacation has relaxed me, helped my mental health and prepared me for my last semester teaching. I'll put up pictures when I can of our great chimp adventure! Love J

CTC

2008-06-19T01:39:00.000-07:00

From when I started working at my site, I was told abou the HIVAIDS pandemic and how reactions in a rural place might be....Here in TZ many people in rural areas are stigmatized for being sick...noone talks about it, if someone dies from it, obviously it was malaria, not AIDS(even if there is no malaria in the area). 3-4months of living in the village brought many people to my house, openly discussing their lives, the trials they have gone through... each one with a more horrifying story than the next... from then until now, I have gone from my first four 'friends' to close to 150 friends, spreading out from as far as 3 hour walks away. I was overwhelmed with 30 people all coming to my house, asking how I could possibly assist them...I had no clue! I am just a volunteer! I can offer hugs and a listening ear, but not much more than that! I took a proactive stance, and went to talk to the NGO's nearby which I had heard were doing a lot of work with the HIVAIDS community. I specifically worked along side one of them, referring all my friends to their NGO to get assistance-anything ranging from temporary food releif for those that were starving, those that were freezing in the cold nights of the southern highlands winters, those that needed milk powder for the infants that lost their mothers.....and most importnatly, helping ALL the people in the ward I live in receive transport to the CTC, the closest being 50 KM away. Transport vehicles were found, and provided for by the Catholic Mission nearby-we didn't have to rent the car, but just pay for the fuel. It was taking 20 people every week in a car designed for 15(and by American standards you would be miserable.....)and after a few months, starting going two times a week. There were just SO many people wanting to go and get treated! They started bonding with eachother, talking about the problems they were facing, giving eachother advice...it was a truly beautiful thing to see. Going from a hush-hush topic to something that is openly discussed.....and I was privledged enough to have my villagers share their experiences with me! We cried together, laughed together....dreamt together about a CTC opening in our village togheter.....and now, that dream looks like it will come true! The NGO that I had been working for, received a very generous donation from the US and was able to start plans to build a CTC,as half of the funds to build the whole CTC is now accounted for! Right now, Doctors from the town 50+KM away come twice a month to have a "CTC" day... checking old patients, testing new ones, enrolling others.... There are already near to 200 people registered at Mdabulo, and more being tested every day. This is a phenomenal breakthrough, and somthing that I am extremely grateful for. Lives are being saved, improved and assisted by just having this one service offered twice a month. I can not congratulate the NGO and all of those that donated, enough. You guys are doing something tremendous and inspiring....and all of my friends that I have met over the way had these amazing smiles on their faces as they were sitting in the waiting area in their own village....being able to go home the SAME DAY as their treatments as opposed to sleeping in a guest house or outside or not eating b/c they didnt' have money to spare. Their lives are changing- those that have it hardest and suffer the most in this world are having something done for them, something made easier and I am eternally grateful for all those that have contributed. This is my big shout out and THANK YOU for everyone that cared! I am going to attatch some pics (we are waiting for the funds for the other half of the CTC, and then this can be a full-time service to 1000s of people) and show you the beauty of the people that have shared their stories, lives, potatoes and laughter with me. This is the real reason I love my community so much. It is the everyday people that rock the village and my world.

Pictures!

2008-06-15T01:43:00.000-07:00

The silver lining

2008-06-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

The semester is over! Hooray! Although this cold weather makes it feel more like a winter vacation back home:) The end of the semester ended fairly smoothly and calmly. We held an end of the semester running race from the village offices to the mission, both boys and girls-of the 78+ girls that started, about 37 finished(the winner this awesome girl in form 2) and of the 60+ boys that started, about 20 finished(the winner the hardest working form 1 students I know) It was really fun to watch-I was at the finish line...we set up some teachers at the start with a piki piki in the front to lead the way and clear out any "traffic" and at then end, we set up a string barrier, and conviently, the primary school students were just ending their day during the race, so they all waited anxiously for the runers to arrive near the finish line. I thought it was erally funny-I remember when I was in cross country, the finish ilne was always the loudest place..cheering, yelling, trying your hardest and sprinting to the end...it was the complete opposite! They arrived up a big hill-the last stretch was a big flat lane leading to the finish line. As soon as they got up the hill and onto the flat stretch and saw the finish line, they just sort of jogged their way to it...and no cheering from all the kids! so there is the crazy mzungu yelling at the top of her lungs(along with 2 other students) RUN! KIMBIA! YOU FINISH HERE!!!! and instead of watching the runners-all the kids look our way:) I was REALLY proud of the girls! We didn't time the race so I can't tell you how long it took them to run it, but it was about 1.5-2 miles? My guess would be about 10 minutes. we plan on doing another race next semester, hopefully to tie into our world aids day program!
Did a marathon grading session this week! I think yesterday I put in 16 hours straight of marking, compiling grades and writing up report cards....but I'm finished and the break has started! My students faired better than expected in some areas, and worse in others....My favorite answer to a statistics math problem: what is the probability that a female mathematics degree holder at Dar university is over the age of 40? ANSWER: 169 degrees. :) The way I compiled the grades is a little different than the way we have to write the report cards...I put equal emphasis on the midterm, final, HW and quizzes...so that the students work hard ALL semester, however, on the report cards, we have to give half the points for the final and half the points for everything else. So, grades were a littel different then I expected...some students did WAY better on their final grade, and others(the ones the diligently did the HW and came to class, did group work, but aren't the best at taking exams....) did a lot worse on their end grade b/c of this little difference in compiling. It made me reemmber college finals...
We had a great staff meeting a week or so before final exam started.(and I am actually being serious here!) not too long, in ENGLISH, talking about important topics... Previously, I talked with my second headmistress about all the issues that were bothering me-teachers sleeping with students, teachers asking students to write exams, coming to school intoxicated...beating of students for little things...and she provided me with a lot of insight. I wouldn't consider myself a guest, but I wouldn't consider myself understanding this culture by any means....so there were certain things that I didn't know how to handle. For example, teachers sleeping with students: do you go right up to a teacher and say " hey pal, rumors have it you are shagging some students, how about it? is it true?" or, do you do what the teachers are doing right now? keep your mouth shut, its none of your business, and it will keep happening, but the peace is kept? On this particular topic, she confirmed all the rumors I heard-she heard them too from other sources(including students themselves having reported it) adn said that it was time we had a meeting with all the teachers to discuss it openly....and it was discussed, not as openly as I had thought, but it was great to hear/see all the teachers reactions. The other women teachers looked as disgusted as I felt...the ones that there were rumors floating around about...didn't really look up from the hands. AND one of the male teachers, one that I think has the best english...said "It pains my heart to hear this, and I don't know, maybe I'm one fo the teachers suspected, but this makes me sick and....." and went on and on! He even wanted to set a trap for the "bad guys" to catch them in the act! Proactive, that's a start! the headmaster talked about beating the students, and praised teachers to doing laternative punishments...and emphasized the rule of writing the names in the book.....and I noticed an improvement in the school the following week(granted, it was the last week of school..I hope it continues!) and we talked about the teaching load of teachers. I left feeling good about it. It is our culture, or at least in my opinion, to talk about problems and work towards a positive goal. Change takes time and I think the things that are really bothering me were all talked about, discussed until noone had anything else to say....and we'll just have to wait and see if people are just using words, or if they also use their actions....I went from a really bad month-frusterated, cranky, lonely, irritable(as I'm sure came across in my previous blogs) to now, where I have a feeling of releif, positivity and hope...I just need to remind myself that I am doing the best that I can, as are the other teachers. so thanks for the encouragement that you sent...and the phone calls! It helped me through that rough month. BUT, now onto brighter times, right?

I am SO angry!!!

2008-05-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, the dirt is coming out on all my teachers at school. I have no idea if every other school in TZ is like this, or if its just my lucky fortune to be put into a school like this. Currently there are 12?(10 on a regular basis) teachers at my school of almost 800 students. Only 2 TZ there teach science, and the village alcoholic(and the highest paid teacher at my school) is the only math teacher....than there is me. I have the most periods of any teacher at my school at the moment, which is going ok(not super bad, not by any means super great). I'm mainly teaching the form 4's, so after this semester, my work load will be a LOT less.....There however, has been a lot of trouble at my school.....and I feel so isolated, standing up for things that I feel are right and just: some perfect examples

1) Last year, there was a lot of students pregnancy, and rumors flying around that there were a couple of teachers in particular(one for sure, but NO hard evidence)that were having sex with the students....one of them was one of my favorite teachers. Apparently, the headmaster knew about this problem, but has done NOTHING about it-not even talking to the entire staff...because our school already has a lack of science teachers.

2) It is ILLEGAL for a teachers to 'cheat' on exams-change grades, etc. HOWEVER, I caught 3 of eh brightest form 3 students writing the Form2 exams for ALL the science classes..and the teachers told them that it was a "secret" they shouldn't tell anyone. Of course, we had to talk about what a good secret and a bad secret was....i i reported it right away to the headmistress and master....they say that it is b/c they are too overloaded! My butt! I have way more periods than they do, and I do ALL my own work! And they worst part is, that b/c we have a lack of science teachers, the punishment(up to 20 years in jail) won't be adhered to. They'll get a talking to(maybe) and that's it.

3) Everyone works on Africa time. I don't. this causes a LOT of conflict. Teachers taking the key and showing up an hour late to the office so that I can't et my materials.....and I yell at my students for being late. AND punish them. What a hypocrite I look like.....

That's all the time I have. More to come on why I'm angry:)

why Africa is frustrating

2008-05-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have just completed one of the most frusterating weeks at school...and I'm not sure if its my amount of time in the village without a break or actual real anger boiling up...but I thought I'd punch most teachers at my school right in the face! I've come up with a short list of reasons the TZ school system will NEVER work:

1) a teacher will not teach a class because the class does not greet her appropriately...instead of being week and humble when they cower and say "shikamoo" they look out the window....bad bad students....

2) teachers go to town "just for fun" instead of teaching classes for 2 weeks

3) we can't make over 100 copies in 1 day on our brand new photocopier because it "is bad for the machine"

4) teachers beat students with sticks for not picking up their exam in a timely fashion...

5) Although its been pouring rain for the past week, and no "cleanliness activities" have been done all week...students are beaten with sticks because they didn't do a good job on their morning janitorial duties and must whack the grass and sweep the dirt instead of attending class to make up for the misbehavior

6) students are late to class(specifically MY class) because they were finding sticks for the teachers to whack them with...and the first 2 flexible sticks were too small and flimsy...they had to find the really sturdy branchlike sticks deep within the forest....

7) meeting are held during school hours in KISWAHILI about really important issues so ALL teachers can understand(except the english speaking one...)and let me remind you...all students are beaten severly for not speaking english at school...and this is a room full of TEACHERS! and let me also emphasize: DURING SCHOOL HOURS...which means no teachers are teaching!

8) I have 80 students in one room. 60 desks. 55 chairs. 12 books. gaah.

9)do I really need to go on?

I have stormed out of the staff room in fury, in tears and in jubilation all within a 5 day workday. I needed a break, so I came to the city today....after helping videotape the slughter of a certain "mchusi" the chicken and eating the best burritos ever last night. I'm ready to treat myslef to a night of eating American food,watching movies and sleeping in without people knocking on my door at 7am...

I sound SO pessimistic. Its really not that bad. Its wonderful in teh village-but some weeks are more agrivating than others...and the only way to survive is to look back on it and laugh. If you can't laugh, you'll lose it here....

Thats all I got for now.

its been a while

2008-04-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

I beleive this will be the first entry in the year 2008-I guess that just shows how busy I have been! Went home for the holidays to the frigid land of Minnesota, saw family, enjoyed hot showers and microwaves and tons of different types of cheese.....as much as I loved it there, I think it was also really hard to go back. things that I have seen and experienced here I will take with me for the rest of my life....its different going from one place where yoiu worry about what you will eat, will you have a bed to sleep in and clothes to wear? or planning 2 hours in advance to take a warm bucket bath to a place where a person worries about what type of wine they should serve with dinner or who will pick up grandma and grandpa and with what car? I loved seeing my friends and reconnecting, but i would say that I definately felt out of place......New Years with my besties was phenomenal....and then after a couple weeks of binge eating cheese and cereal, I came back to my 'home'.

This year has flown by so far....partly because I've been so busy teaching! This year, we are extremely short on teachers-there are about 750 students at my school, and 10 teachers. The space is limited, so overcrowding in all classrooms is an issue. I did a survey one day at school-went classroom to classroom and counted...I knew we didn't have enough desks and chairs-but our school need 381 desks for every students to have one-that is more than half! and 442 chairs! I was blown away! we are in the process of building our school 6 new classrooms-they were supposed to be ready for the Form 1 students in Jan, but as of right now, there is no windows or doors, no blackboard, and no floor. No desks or chairs either..... good intentions, but everything here takes SO MUCH TIME!!! I sound like debbie Downer, but if you don't have a person supervising, making sure the work is getting done, its very normal for the people in the village to just not do the work....maybe they arrive at work at 10am and leave by 1...and half the time, they sit around drinking tea and gossiping! so, needless to say, progress is SO SLOW! I am teaching Form 4 math and physics, and got roped into teaching form 3 math as well....I have to be honest-the form 4 physics is SO HARD!I learned some of these things a LONG time ago, and other things I learned in my senior year of college! Because I ma teaching so many periods, and the timetable has a lot of conflicts-me being in 2 places at the same time- I am teaching at night as well....AND teaching extra math classes to those that are in Form 4 to get them prepared for their national exam in october. This means that I am at school Monday through Friday from 730am-10pm...with about 3 hours in teh afternoon to myself to rest. I don't mind it, but it makes the year go my so much faster and exhausts me....

I started a health club this year-we're working on learning more about HIVAIDS and STD's as well as good positive life skills, so that they can act as peer supporters....its gaining popularity-I started with 20 students, and now the attendence is up to about 30....I do this thing at the end of our weekly meeting, where I have them write a question about anything ro if they don't have a question, just to write me a note saying hi so that everybody is just writing something...I got this one note that made my heart break " My love has just left me and my heart is hurting. what can I do to make her love me again?" isn't that so sweet and sad at the same time? I'm hoping for AIDS day in DEC we can do womthing really cool and really big and have the health club lead it...

I was running a lot at site at teh beginning of the year to prepare for the Kilimanjaro Marathon....however, with my timetable, I got to run 40 minutes just one time...on average, it was 25-30 minutes....but I decided to run the half marathon anyways...what was I thinking!!!! I lost 4 toenails!!!! But I finished in enough time to get a medal! It was embarassing though-a 150 year old man(exaggeration I know, but this guy was SO OLD) passed me! I blame my bad knees:) Saw some amazing sites of kili, saw some olympians-man are they FAST!, and saw this one amazing man that had no legs running with fake legs!!! incredible!

I, sadly enough for me, inducted myself into the "poop in your pants" club this year. Had a nasty case of bacterial dysentery and was caught on a coaster(a mini bus) with no way to escape.....I tried to hold it best I could...but to no avail. I pooped in my pants(just a little though) :( I never beleived people when they said they just couldn't help it, afterall, we are adults and should have some control over our bowels....however, that being said...I now change my veiw. there are jsut some times when you just can't do anything to stop it from happening. Guess now I just have a good story, eh?

My fiance and I are busy planning our wedding-we're going to have an AFRICAN wedding next year....so that's exciting...and a little bit of a challenge....we got offered a job at a nearby NGO, so we'll be staying for an indefinate period of time-maybe until our oldest kid turns 5 or 6:) -in a beautiful house in the middle of the village. My job will be working with orphans and tyring to help PLWHA(people living with HIVAIDS) and starting income generating projects....just what I'm sort of doing now, but this time I'll be living in a bit of a nicer house with my husband:)

Hope all is well in your lives, and I'm going to post some pics soon. Would love to hear from you!

A trip to the village

2007-10-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

A picture of Geoff and I outside of Iringa, wading by a river.

The sunset from Iringa town

My new friends from my Memory Book workshops with our counterparts. We learned how to succesfully reach out to families affected by HIVAIDS and orphans. GREAT seminar!

My counterpart, Mr. Vanjetho(striped shirt) and his new friend from Pemba. Mr V is one of my adult ed. students

Miss Megan and I-she is my new hero...was the leader of the seminar and did the entire week in Kiswahili. SO motivational for me.

Some friends of mine hanging out on a rock in Iringa

Relaxing after the seminar on a rock, baskin in the sun.

These two women sell Mandazi(like fried donuts) everyday to all the students and the teachers. I beleive one of them is a known witch doctor in my village(the one standing). They are helping cook ugali, beans, rice, and pilau(spiced rice) for Agnes's wedding.

Mr. Stan(the shorter of the 2) and the other guy are the gaurds at my school-Mr Stan is also an English student of mine. They are preparing to gaurd the graduation ceremony.

All the parents/friends/neighbors that came to show their support to all the Form 4 graduates. The funny thing about this graduation is that not all the students are going to pass their national examination...and if they fail, they can't continue their education at a government school(and that usually means that they start working in the family farm, instead of trying to get into a private school to take the exam again). The parents are lining up to throw a necklace or two around the grad's neck, and shower them in shiny gifts and hollar African style(the tongue waggles back and forth as they yell at a somewhat high pitch/tone)

"Karibu Sana Wageni Wetu"
You are Welcome our guests

written on the board of my Form 3 classroom. We(staff and form 4 parents that wanted to) ate lunch there on the day of graduation

This is the kitchen at my school. The big vats are used to cook Ugali/rice/beans for the students that are boarding there.

One of my HIVAIDS friends, also the cook at our school. She is carrying a pitcher of 'common', a local made alcohol, looking like the color and texture of vomit on her head to deliver to the gaurds. She is cooking Kachumbali, a mix of cut up tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green pepper and carrots(or, really, whatever's available) mixed with salt. Its GREAT!

Form 4 graduates, waiting for their ceremony to start. In the background is my school and at the top of the hill in the distance is the mission hospital, or where I go to talk on the phone:)

One of my 'Habari Hill' kids....everytime I reach this part of the road to the dukas(the small shops) a gaggle of children comes out of every nook and cranny to give me these HUGE hugs and smiles. She is one of my favorite(still don't know her name). I swear I am the Pied Piper of children in my village.

Most of the Habari Hill gang. The boy in red doing Karate always asks me to sing a song to him in English and he tries SO hard to mimic me...and how cute is the little girl on the bottom right-she was so excited to have her picture taken that she fell on the ground, rolled around a few times and giggled. I swear most of these kids aren't getting the love they crave-mom and dad are too busy at the shamba or making local brew or dying of HIV. Breaks my heart every time...yes I crave their love just as much as they want mine.

THUMBS UP!

My besti, Agnes, getting married. In TZ, brides and grooms look absolutely miserablewhen they are at their wedding party. In this pic, they are getting ready to cut the cake-we are having their party in the dining hall at my school.

Form 4 graduation....we spent all week preparing our school for the big event. classes were canceled so we could build teh stage(aka duquis) and decorate it with bed sheets and streamers. tops of pine trees were cut down and thousands of calla lilies from the forest were collected to decorate around the stage and school. These students in this picture are here to watch the ceremony.

This is a view from Mr. Fox's Farm to my village on the top of the distant hiltop. The faint white you can see is the mission hospital a NGO is trying to rebuild and the Catholic Church

These are beans from my bean farm in my courtyard. They are drying right now, and when they are done drying, we beat them with a large stick to remove the bean from the husk. The dried beans last FOREVER...I swear I'll be eating beans until I am sick at my house.

Another view or my beans in my courtyard from my outside kitchen. My front door is open and my student is helping me wash my dishes. The student in the green sweater, Zamda, helped me harvest beans that day.

A strawflower in my garden-it closes tightly if theer is any rain, and opens only when its sunny. When you touch it, it feels like straw(completley dried)

Apparently you can eat both the flowers and leaves of these flowers-which are taking over my fence(pretty, huh?)

Issa and Willi, 2 months after being in an orphanage. Issa has gained weight-he is 5. willi is 3 and is now smiling!!! No scabies, no worms, no cough...big bellies and they are speaking in Kiswahili now(instead of their tribal language) I full out cried when I saw how well they were doing. It was a 180 degree difference-they were different children than the ones that I had brought in 2 months earlier.

Fish out of water?

A students at a performance for visitors at a primary school.

The 'dance team' at the primary school. They all walked to school on a Sunday afternoon (their only day of 'rest')...some about 2.5 hours.....just to dance in their leaf skirts

The little girl in the middle couldn't get it quite right....I think she is trying to 'earn' her leaf skirt. the whole performance, she was a couple steps behind the other girls, but she always looked so determined and focused.

living on a prayer

2007-10-05T00:57:00.001-07:00

Right now, I am sitting in a wonderful internet cafe, having just finished an amazing seminar on how to help, pschosocially, OVC's and PLWHA. After my last blog, majority of you must think that I am in the pit of despair-do not be fooled, life is hard here-full of corruption and poverty and sadness....yet there is also that flip of the coin-and this week I had a chance to work with some of the people that make that side of the coin GLEAM....We worked on a project on making memory books, made by parents for their children, telling them about their family history, their goals for their children....letters of pictures the children might like to have when they are older....and also how to encourage OVC's(orphans and vulnerable children) to self actualize by making HERO books. nani ni shujaa? MIMI NI SHUJAA!(who is a hero? I AM A HERO!) I am excited to take this project back to my village-and my counterpart I took with me may be even more enthusiastic than me! it helps the kids focus their goals, discuss their obstacles in life, what challenges they face and how the 'hero' of the book (them) can overcome the obstacles to obtain their goals. Its really a beautiful project for those children living here-some have never had a chance to use crayons or markers, had someone say soemthing nice about them, or thought that they might be able to obtain their future goal in life. The people at this seminar were very inspiring for me-not only did my vocabulary triple in size(the entire seminar was ONLY IN KISWAHILI-for 1 whole week), but the ideas and stories of these people's lives and projects they are working on are really encouraging. Even if they never read this blog, I want to give a cheers to every one of those people in the seminar. Inspirational is an understatement.

In my life, things are going ok-my semester is continuing forth, I had a wonderful fall break-i was able to visit my friend from the US-she was in Kenya working and had a chance to make her way to TZ....went to a coffee plantation and learned the entire process of harvesting/selling....and was able to help a little-tried to see the crater for the second time, but was efforts weren't enough. the prices were just raised in April to some astronomical price($50 per non resident, $200 for the entrance fee OF THE CAR, and about $150 to rent the car). a little disappointing, but it was still fun to go on a hike around the coffee.

In my village, half my adult education students just left to start the preform class at a private secondary school and the other half is continuing with me until January(they will ALL start form 1 in Jan.) I was able to see most of those that went to preform over the weekend, and they are doing so well, and love being at school-they are working off their tuition by building the school. It's an amazing thing-giving a person a chance at an education. My appreciation for my schooling and all the opportunities given to me in extra curricular activities has exponentially increased by living here. Most schools had at least 5 extra curricular activites...we have none. no arts, no music no sports. imagine the potential most of these kids have and will never get to try.... Form 4 just graduated last friday and we had an all day celebration-students prepared songs and dances, raps and skits....even a karate demo! It was great! soon the Form 2's will be taking their national exam and leave school for the year, and form 1 and 3 will be the last one's left. Unfortunatly for me this year, I am only teaching form 1 and 3, so my job doesn't finish until the very end....Lucky and unlucky for me next year is that I will be teaching Form 2 and 4, so I will finish teaching early, but will also have a HUGE work load while they are in school.

My beans are all harvested, my wheat is just being started to harvest, and I have1.5 months left to teach. 8 weeks of craziness! wish me luck!!!!

I am somehow here

2007-09-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

I have just finished furiously grading my students mid term tests, and I am sad to say, despite me efforts in my form one class, majority failed. HOWEVER, the class that normally fails EVERYTHING actually is improving, so my efforts are not futile...unless they all cheated, which is quite possible. Someday I wish that you all could just see an exam that I had to grade:

Questions: state Hooke's Law
Answer: Yes.

What?! or the exact same spelling mistakes and completely wrong answers that are on4 students exams? what do you do? On the other hand, my form three physics class got nothing below a C(although I started out with 75 physics students and am down to 20 that really really work hard). My math classes have been quite a struggle for me. I was given form three math this semester-HUGE daunting task in front of me. In TZ, or Africa, there is this stigma against math-it is 'hard' or 'impossible' and only the 'really smart kids' can pass math class. So, I enter my class, trying to play math games and do math puzzles...and throwing myself into this class but for what?! my students don't listen in class(or don't come at all) they don't come prepared.....and there are a total of 12 math books for about 120 students. Like I really can successfully teach, right? I believe I have just entered into a time period called the 'one year slump' in my contract. I may have cried at school at least 4 times in the last two weeks by being stressed out and overworked(partly my fault). My school is in the bush, and most of the people that go to my school are from the bush. Which means that discipline is SO hard to manage. For example: this school year, there have been 7 girls thrown out for becoming pregnant(they were sleeping with villagers...some for pleasure, others for school fees or cooking oil or pens!), this semester there have been 2 girls with chronic 'demon' problems-i have personally witnessed 2 exorcisms held on the floor of the staff room, and corporal punishment has stepped up a notch this semester. We have trouble with drinking and attendance everyday. there are a lot of students who don't want to go to school-but their parents are forcing them to go. 75 students in one classroom.....650+students, 20 teachers...and now we have lost 8 teachers to further studies, so starting after fall break, there will be 12 teachers total at my school. Gaah! If only I could talk with the minister of education! there would be so many things I would want to talk about! Great ideas...bad planning here in TZ. So, stressful school situation to start with...but when your students start misbehaving...what do you do? I came up with the shoe punishment-take a shoe when they misbehave, keep it all day and return it after the school day is over. Take another shoe if they act up again. In my math class if they don't come prepared to class(prepared means they bring a ruler, a pencil and something to make a circle)then they give me a shoe. Just recently we had a school assembly with students and teachers to discuss problems-and my punishment was brought up. They didn't like it....go figure....don't like a punishment, eh? isn't that the purpose?....well, my wily students, who LOVE to come late, decided that they would rather be truant than to give me their shoe. So now I have the small class sizes I want, but completely the wrong reasons. This drove me crazy and when I talked to the other teachers about it, some of them had the nerve to tell me I was causing more damage to the student by taking their shoe than to hit them with a stick! what?! Also, I was told to give names of students that didn't come to class to the class teacher, and the class teacher would talk to them...except he didn't. so I came across looking like this softie that doesn't know how to manage my classroom. SO FRUSTRATING! I flipped out at the other teachers in my department-this whole system is new to me, I am trying my level best to do what they want me to do, to teach the material and to go slow enough for the students to understand. I just need a little cooperation and guidance....not ridicule. One teacher finally helped explain a whole lot to me, then looked at me and said " I know you are trying very hard and must be so frustrated" to which I just broke down there in the staff room and cried-FINALLY, someone not in my culture realizes that living in a country halfway across the world, where you don't speak the language fluently, you don't understand the system, you are the only one of your kind and you feel like a 5 year old most days because you are incapable of doing the basic survival needs(making a fire, cooking...both I can do know but it takes time....washing your clothes and dishes, caring)...this person that finally realizes your life is frustrating is quite nice. I recently had a discussion with a white Canadian doctor who is working at a nearby NGO-I told him how there are some days, like when I am hodi'd(someone knocks on my door) at 630 in the morning, or a sick person comes to my school looking for me to tell me their problems, or someone comes to my house begging for food because they are sick and their husband left and they have small children-and can I also look at their abnormally shaped foot and diagnose them and give them medicine?, when I just want to open my door, scream GO AWAY and slam the door right in their face, stay safely in my house, my security blanket.....but instead, i suck it up, talk to this person who sought me out...and feel even more frustrated at my life. It was reassuring to find out he also had that period of his contract too. There comes a time that one must realize: this is not my culture, and it will never be fully mine. I can appreciate everything that Tanzania has given me, taught me and made me appreciate, but I grew up somewhere completely different. No matter how fluent I may be in a language, or how integrated I am in my village, I am still a guest. People will always look at the way I do things as 'different' just like I look at the way they do things as foreign. It has made me appreciate the 'land of plenty' for the melting pot effect....I have friends from all over the world, and generally, they seem very accepted....A wise friend of mine gave me a great piece of advise: It is better(but harder) to look for the commonalities you have with the other culture rather than the differences. I'm working on that one now.
So, aside from feeling a little depressed about my service and feeling frustrated, I have had the opportunity to also see the fruits of my labor. The two orphans that I helped(their mother died of AIDS) are doing SO wonderful right now-they are like the complete opposite side of the coin-clean, no scabies, no fleas, well fed, HAPPY...they sang us a song and gave us a dance when we arrived at the orphanage to visit. Too cute for words. They remembered me and gave me huge hugs....I think they were a little nervous to see me at first-maybe I'd bring them back to where they came from....but when they realized I just came to play things got better. Again, it made me cry to see how well they were doing. I'll post a before and after picture as soon as I get a chance to upload pics. Also, my garden looks fabulous. I've become queen of homemade zucchini bread in my village, and everyone of my neighbors has asked me to help them plant zucchini in their garden or to pick some of my veggies.....right now I am growing carrots, onions, strawberries, zucchini, lettuce, spinach and kale. soon...passion fruit. Also trying for papaya, but i think it might be too cold for that. Its always a great feeling to go directly to your garden to pick your veggies.....

We just threw a party to welcome all the 'newbies' to our area-showed them Iringa town for a night....all the newbies now are environment-some ed volunteers are on their way!!! I'm hoping to get some support out in my area......we need as much help in the bush as possible!

trying to stay motivated and optimistic...keep in touch. Your support means the world to me.

2007-08-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

No time to write, but here's some pictures finally!!!!

Its been a LONG TIME

2007-08-04T04:06:00.000-07:00

I have about 7 minutes to tell you about about 2 months of activites....and I'm struggling to find the words. I in the midst of an HIVAIDS revolution...that may be the most important event going on in my life.I have villagers talking to villagers openly about Aids-kind of a grassroots movement where women are talking to women at homes and the duka...they are realizing that they do have a chance at life-that they can live a long time if they make good life choices....There are 2 local NGO's that I'm working with-they are rebuilding the mission hopital I live by and are looking at trying to make a CTC(for those of you who do not know what that is-its a place where HIV/AIDs patients can go and receive treatment for oppurtunistic infections as well as get the ARV's..the med's) They have already opened an orphanage and are giving bus fares for those villagers who cannot afford to go to town(which is 53K away) where the nearest local CTC is. I have so much more to say about this..but no time...so, I'm going to leave you wondering...and hopefully get a flahsdrive soon, so upload my LONG blog i wrote at school....until another day...siku nygine. Nakupenda sana.

news of the bush

2007-06-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

The verdict is out. I have convinced Bibi of Alice to let the children live in a newly opened orpahnage nearby. that means clean house, BEDS!, clohtes, baths everyday...with warm water, even!, an EDUCATION!!!! and health care. I think Willa just is getting over Measles-she had a fever and her lips swelled up to about 4 times their size, she had red swollen goupy eyes...miserable to look at....poor kid.And like usual, no money to go to the doctor, so they just pray to God that she gets better. and, her scabies are back. BUT things will start to change. End of June, they are moving into the orphange. I've never felt so grateful/satisfies/releived all at the same time. Very interesting process though. After Alice died, bibi, who turns out to be great great bibi has a family conference with any relative she can contact of hers because both mother and father of the kids are gone...what is one really to do? So, after a 3 day ordeal, deliberating who will taek the child, who is able, or what's best for the family (not the kids)....they MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE! Those kids now have a chance! Thank God.
Anothe interesting event happened in school-the first day of finals was SUPPOSED to be on Friday-however......someone mysteriously burned down the room where all the exams were kept....the students burned down our school!! Again, one of these, "only in Africa" moments....Then, the next morning the staff discover that 2 girls have also mysteriously dissappeared from the hostel. To this day, I don't think anyone knows where they went. I'm in the dark-they may have already figured out the answer to everything,but I know nothing.

Yesterday, school/community members held a 'welcoming' party for me and 3 other new teqachers-was kind of fun and ridiculous at the same time. I had to translate a story from Enlgish into Kiswahili and then 'open the disco', which means they play the music, and watch ME dance.Sort of felt like I was an exhibit in the zoo-but what the heck, when duty calls, you must entertain!

Hope all is well!

No way out

2007-05-25T00:20:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last month and a half in my village with no visits to town, which was actually a fairly amazing expereince for me. Running out of food...or so I though, and somehow the same day I'm wondering(almost kicking myslef in the butt for not going to town on the weekend) what I would eat, a guest comes to the door with a sack of sweet potatoes, or corn or eggs. I'm invited to tea...I actually didn't WANT to leave-what's going to happen in two years? Can't even imagine how I am going to feel then. A lot has been going on in my life-things that I feel are very important for the rest of the world to know.

HOME: I have now 'adopted' children-5 actually. Two girls are living with me during the school year because of terrible family situations. Frolida, my house girl when I first arrived is one of the girls living with me. WONDERFUL gilr. I was so uncertain abou ther when I first arrived. Shifty eyes(which I'm now understanding as shy and bashful eyes), but a hardworker. She lives with a father and a mother-the mother is an invalid, the father is a drunk. He drinks his life away -not helping build the thatch roof that leaks during raniy season, not helping in the farm....just drinking. I'm paying for Frolida's school fees. I kept asking other teachers her grades-and was shocked to learn that she was getting F's. WHAT?! WHY? The reason is b/c everyday after school, she would go home and help her mom clean, cook, farm....and she was having trouble with English. I sat her down and had a long chat with her about her grades. She wasnts to be a Doctor!!!(most girls here want to be nurses...so this is GREAT that she thinks she is capable of being a doctor!)We decided that it would be best that she stays with me-and her grades have soared. She comes home every afternoon, helps in the gardne a little, speaks English with me, and studies.I'm so proud of her! Zamda is my other 'daughter'. She has no father, mother or gaurdian-she has the bibi(grandmother) of her father and a younger sister. She has a good heart, but noone there to look out for her. I don't think she's ever even had a hug in her life. She is a Form 2 studnet, getting F's in every subject because she doens't understand English, but I also think that she has a learning disability. she studies all the time-but doesn't understand one thing she is reading. Any advice for helping with learning disabilities? Her English(speaking) has improved tenfold by staying with me, but I think I might put her through an intensive English course at a local NGO, then make her start Form 1 all over again. I don't want to see her slip through the cracks. Akida is may knight is shining armor-teaching me Kiswahili and Kihehe....and my runner between the local NGO and myself...ehlping me in the community with the sick and the elderly....Ester My house girl and her baby Felix. Its quite an assorted family-all different backgrounds, but the most wonderful thing to come home to at the end of a long day. To see everyone working together, some playing cards, some studying together, they are singing, or working in the garden-it warms my heart.

SCHOOL: I have started successfully teaching a TEFL(teaching English as a Foreign Langauge) type English class in the evenings to students-and I do think I'm startging to hear a difference. They are excited to learn, and always come early(which in Africa is a rare thing) and always come to my office asking questions "May you please give me homework Miss Jenny?" How do you say.... Miss Jenny? I LOVE IT! My Form one's are giving me gray hairs. One stream is doing well-after midterms(b/c majority got F's) I required that they study with me every friday afternoon...and if they couldn't attend, they would have to ask permission. I told them(because apprently noone in AFrica is taught responsibility) they must ask before FRIDAY not ON friday. But guess what? They were shocked when they did not get permission when they came TO MY HOUSE to ask permission. There is this one little trouble maker in my form one C class...EVERY period, he is iether talking, doens't have his notebook, or a pen, or this or that...EVERY PERIOD! I make him sit right by me in front, make him answer all the questions I ask...and as much as he hates me now, I think its really helping his grades-I'm seeing an improvemnt....of maybe I'm just biased. In my Form three class, we staarted out as 75 or so...and now I'm down to about 35-40. People are starting to get used to the idea that I'm just a normal person, even though my skin is different..and the novelty of a white teacher is wearing off. They are realizing that being white doesn't give me the power to magically make them understand physics. They still have to WORK at it:) The students that have remainde behind though are wonderful and brilliant.

Every night from 5-7 I'm teaching an English class, origianally started in my home with 4 women, expanded to 20 village farmers, got shut down by my school, and my class was so excited that they BUILT ME A CLASSROOM in their own home! I have 20 adults that come everyday(which again, is shocking in AFrica) and that I have just sent to a private school and they were ALL ACCEPTED!!!! EVERYONE is going to start Form one next January. I feel like a proud mother hen, my little chikcies going off to school. When they returned from their interviews, they were all grins and laughter and have stepped up a notch studying their English with me. It is the highlight of my day to teach these wonderful people. They went from not speaking ANY english at all, to being able to understand what I'm saying, ask quesitons when they don't understand, and now they are starting to bring their friends. I have never felt more encouraged to do anything more in my life! It was my birthday this last week-kind of depressing not having my wonderful family with me, but as soon as I stepped foot in my classroom, I was greeted by a harmonized song wishing me well on my birthday. I almost cried.

VILLAGE:
Truly is home now. Recently asked what my favorite thing in Tanzania, I had to think-not too long. There is a place I call "Habari Hill". The hill from my house to the main part of "town" goes around a curve. at this junction, there are about 10 little girls ranging from 1-8 who every time see me, scream out MISS JENNY, run as fast as their little legs carry them and fling themsleves at me, giving me hugs and kisses. I just eat it up!! They are so cute! I want to take them all home! Then, we dance a little, laugh a little and then they excort me either down the hill to my house, or to town, singing a little song. Its so endearing and something I will greatly miss when I leave (if I ever do....)

I have recently hooked up with a local NGO that is fighting the HUGE battle against HIV/AIDS and orphans created by this problem as well as others. Huge differences are being made-these people absolutely inspire me. villagers once afraid of talking about AIDS openly share their experiences with one another, the community support is something I didn't know existed in AFrica...and people are starting to understand that not everyone with HIV is going to die a miserable and early death. In February I started getting hodi's(knock's) on my door...asking for help. Openly telling me that they had AIDS and what could Ido to help them! AMAzed that this was actually happening, I have now started a program where I am able to get bus fares for the sick to go to the local hospital each month to get ARV's. However, I'm also started to learn of the little injustecs of the world. I fyou are a healthy looking person living with AIDS, you aren't given ARV's. Why? good quesiton. maybe because there just isn't enough med's to go around? I honestly have no clue. Also, if you have liver problems, you don't get ARV's. you get other meds that prevent opputunistic infections....so these poor villagers, go there religiously every month, thinking that they are recieving treatment, but NO they aren't!!! My empathy goes out to the hospital, but it still angers me to no end! I now have 8 families I'm assisting each month. Well, 7 I guess. My first 'patient' just passed away on May 23rd, in the early morning. Death first hand is a new experience for me. Going into dark, mudhuts, thatch roof, not really being able to see(which is probalby best....you don't want to see the grime these people are living in-bedbugs, fleas.....glah), talking with the sick...Let me tell you about Alice.

Alice was a beautiful lighter skinned woman who, because she was kind of fat and light skinned had all the men after her. she went away to work, came back with a child named Issa. Father abonded them because he was a drunk and they were both VERY young. She went away again once Issa could walk, and yet again, came back pregnant. She caused her own abortion and was very sick for quite a while. Another man yet again, another preganacy, this time the child died after a few months. Then ANOTHER man(really, she is not trying to be 'easy', she is trying to look out for her family, and women have no choice about sex in this country....)and along came Willa(who I'm madly in love with). Mom gets AIDS, starts on Meds, but also continues to drink...because its at the pubs that you find the men that can 'take care of you'. The hospital tested her liver enzymes, pulled her off the meds, and she got sick. That's when she came to see me. She was shivering, sweating, coughing, askling for food. We made a bargain..I'd help her if she made me a basket....Well, then I met the NGO, got money to help her...her children were a pitiful site-dirty times a thousand becaseu bibi couln't wash them-she was too old and frail and was trying to go to the farm to help get food for these poor kids. So, the kids have scabies, they have worms, and they both had chest infections. I befriended a doctor who has been a Godsend...he told me tha alice probably had TB, a HUGE liver-most liekly was in liver failure...she started to go crazy and just babble...couln't eat, and then because she couldn't eat, her liver wasn't workiing , all the water that she drank went straight to her legs and they swelled up. Her feet were about 4 times the normal siz. Think HArry Potter 2 when the auntie swells up. she couldn't walk....her health was rapidly worsening. My two daughters I sent everyday to wahs the kids...we baught them clothes at the used clothes market, the NGO helped sith money for food....we started a wonderful veggie garden nearby for them to start getting healthy foods...but now, Alice, with no more will to live, is in a much better place. Going to the funeral at first was fine-I detatched myself at teh beginning, but then bibi of alice came up to me, crying, saying you helped! you helped! but for what?! she wanted to die! I almost lost it right there. So please pray for these kids. They have no faterh, mother or grandparents. They live in a mud hut with great-bibi(grandmother). There is a local orphanage that I'm trying to get hooked up with and see if my babies can live there. This is just one example. hundreds more happen every day.
So, everyday is great and terrible in their own ways. Hope prevails, these people amaze me and I hope that one day, you all will get to experience a little bit of what I am....

Jen

2007-04-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in a village far far away, there lived a girl by the name of Mzungo. Just kidding, I am not called that anymoreJ School is in full swing now hat baseline is over(baseline is the 6 week crash course in English that the form one students have to take). Let me tell you my enormous frustrations with baseline. First of all, at my school, all the form one students were together in one room. That means that about 180 students are sitting at tables (meant for maybe 6, but at each table there are about 15) in the dining hall, it’s bloody hot in there and chaos reins. I had the “privilege” of teaching a few lessons to this class. Now, the first time I went in there(in the first week), it was quiet-mainly because I think all the students were a little overwhelmed by their new school, as well as the fact that I was their first white teacher ever. I again was ‘lucky’ to teach in the last week of baseline. I absolutely could not teach. I couldn’t even get my students to be quiet. Who wants to listen to someone teach about body parts? I tried to make the class as fun as possible by trying to play Simon says….FAILURE! Then to sing head shoulders knees and toes. So, while I am trying to explain to my students how the song goes-literally, I am singing in front of 180 students a children’s song- a group of a 2-3 boys start all out wrestling. Fists swinging, headlocks…the works. I have to go to the back, I bring them to the front and I have them sing Head shoulders Knees and Toes, standing on the table in front of the class. They can’t-why?! Because they don’t know any English. Ok, one situation diffused. Yet, as soon as those boys go back to their area in the back, they start to wrestle again. Gaah! Then I decided that maybe I should divide the classroom into small groups of 15 or so students. I go around to each group, explain what we are going to do…then go on to the next group only to discover that as soon as I leave one group, they are farting around….playing outside, picking their noses(true! It’s a very common thing to witness here!) standing there like I didn’t say anything. I tell them to go back to their seats. By this time, I have no ones attention. I am standing on the bench trying to get the class quiet. Maybe half are silent. I stand on the table. Still, no quiet. Then, the shortest teacher in school comes in and the class is silent. I have no idea what the difference is between him and me, but it was very frustrating. There is a school rule, set by the government that there should only be 40 students to one teacher in every classroom, but how is this ever possible in a country that lacks teachers as well as supplies to build classrooms? The school chooses to ignore THIS rule, but not the one regarding corporal punishment. The reason the students are silent is because 1) he is speaking Kiswahili(a privilege I do not have) and 2) he beats them for being bad (a privlegde I CHOOSE not to excercise). Needless to say, He told the class that I was angry, then looked me in the eye and asked me to forgive them. Hah. Not that easy buddy......Went home crying that day. and the next.....it just KILLS me how this school is run somedays! There has been other issues lately with my headmaster and an English class in my home-I sent home and email about it. The trilas and tribulations of working as a teacher......

Love you all, and must run. More later.

Its not a boil

2007-02-16T00:31:00.000-08:00

Well, the diagnosis is out. It was not a boil. it was not a tumor(thank god). It was no worm. drum roll please.......it was:
Pyomyositis, also known as tropical pyomyositis or myositis tropicans is a bacterial infection of the skeletal muscles which results in a pus-filled abscess. Pyomyositis is more common in tropical areas but can also occur in the temperate zones. Pyomyositis is most often caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The infection can affect any skeletal muscle, but most often infects the large muscle groups such as the quadriceps or gluteal muscles. In tropical regions, the infection often follows minor trauma, while in temperate zones the infection typically occurs in people with immune deficiencies. The abscess within the muscle must be drained surgically and antibiotics given to fully clear the infection

How I got it baffles the doctors. One doctor had seen quite a few cases while working in the bush, but it was difficult to diagnose in me because of my syptoms. I Perhaps because I had pnemeunai before my immune system was weak? I dont know. Perhaps because I just live in the bush? who really knows. but I NEVER want to ever have one again. That was the worst experience I have had medically. Horrid pain in my chest muscles. and they had to SQUEEZE the pus out-pushing on tender, swollen bruised muscles. gaah. it was wretched. On the upnote, I have a wonderful friend who has a wonderful conection on a island off the coast of Dar that I will recover on. I have no idea how I can repay him.

Last night was a bittersweet night for me. My very best friend in Tanzania, my sister and my confidant, was sent home due to logistics of paperwork in a silly beuracracy. A talented, motivated, inspirational and driven volunteer sent home for a trivial and assinine reason. We spent our last night together remembering our crazy adventures and laughing at how much we have grown up in just the last 5 months we have been here. Laura, I love you. I will continue to love you and I know you will do amazing things with your amazing amount of energy. Tanzania has lost a beautiful soul. Take care of yourself. You will always remain in our hearts.

I go with a heavy heart and a releived heart. I am going to miss a great friend, and I do not have a tumor. to every good there is a bad-thank you for your prayers for me. Please say some for my friend.

back in Dar

2007-02-13T06:28:00.000-08:00

Hello hello!

Back in Dar, yet again. I am a medical nightmare for the Peace Corps! I have some sort of weirdo lump on my ribcage....perhaps a boil? perhaps something else? if it doesn't "come to a boil" in the next few days, I get to have a byopsy....and if its nothing benign then who knows? maybe a trip somewhere to get it removed? I'll let you all know more when I know more. But PRAY that it isn't serious. I have just found my niche in my village, I have great project ideas and I am NOT ready to leave by any means what-so-ever.

This last weekend, I had a 'house-warming' party and invited the teachers in my school, neighbors and some of my wazungu(white people) friends in the area and we taught the Tanzanians to cook burritos. Although we had to use chapati(like pita bread sort of) instead of tortillas. They were delicious! homemade everything! we were supposed to kill a chicken-yes, the vegetarian WAS going to kill it herself!, but it didn't arrive until my guests were leaving on Sunday, and seeing as though I dont eat chicken, I gave it as a gift to my house girl. I dont think I have ever seen anyone so happy. Made me feel good.

In the village news, I now have a huge rat problem. six. let me repeat..SIX rats. HUGE. and I just moved my bedroom into the room that has no ceiling b/c I am turning the other room in my house into a classroom for the people I am teaching English. I go to my room the night before I leave for Dar and I see a rat ON MY BED! the size of a small cat and damn! it runs fast! Ran all over my room, so I decided to spend the night in my 'office'. they are probably taking over my house while I'm here...but little do they know that I am about to wage war as soon as I get back. its on!

Thats all for now! Over and out.

whirlwind week

2007-02-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

hello to all! What a week! hit the ground running! My week has been quite full-i started teaching computer classes to all the teachers-private half hour lessons, and encountered quite a dilemma-there is only one outlet in the 'computer lab'...which means although we have 8 computers, only 1 can turn on. So, at the moment I am trying to get that fixed as well as get more computers to my school and MAYBE a printer if i'm lucky....we'll see. all the teachers are super excited about this opportunity and are practicallly at eachothers throats trying to get to the computers-at the moment i am teaching everyone to type....and its actually quite humorous. its like watching a 3 year old learn to type...we were all there once. also i started a community english class out of my home-teaching some mamas in the village that live near me;) I LOVE it, and they are so happy! I hear them practicing with eachother all day....my next plans are to start up a 'English club' at school, with the assistance of some of the teachers at MDabulo, we will facilitate classes for all the students so their englsih could improve a little more.....After that, I think i'll be stretched thin, with teaching 27 periods at school, community englsih classes, school english classes and trying to help plan hiv/aids seminars. Whew! BUT, I'm loving every minute of it. Its the most rewarding hting I have done in a while. AND my students are finally starting to warm up to me, coming to my office to ask questions, participating in class discussions....i can't wait for you to come visit and see(this is directed at those of you who are coming...) my school! And THANKS TO ALL who responded about my book project so well. This weekend I am hosting a 'housewarming' party for myself.....going to learn how to kill and cook a chicken so I can make my friends chicken burritos...from SCRACTH, literally, everything I make I will either grow or kill!

Last weekend, i met with a fabulous family, the3 vintons, who are doing amazing work in the villages-the run a program called Village Schools, where their students speak outstanding english-ranked one of the top schools in the region. I got tons of ideas from them on how to teach english, as well as their support on some of my HIVAIDS work. if you have time, you should read about them! thats all, love you!

The ups and downs of the Village days

2007-01-31T00:45:00.000-08:00

What a week. what a few weeks! I spent the middle of Jan. in Iringa at a seminar about PEPFAR-and I got to bring a counterpart..a teacher from my school. and, i know i brought the right one. I have never seen a more aggressive Tanzanian! The day afte we got back, he asked when we could start our HIVAIDS projects...he started writing proposals, started asking around for speakers to come....its wonderful! I'm very encouraged. The day after I returned to my village, I started teaching. Well...school started at least. I was exhaused from staying up late at night with my friends and getting up early...a wise person once told me you should never soar with the eagles and fly with the owls...smart! I got a new housegirl Monday also because Florida is now at school-struggling with her Enlish. Ester is an amazing 17 year old girl, with a baby, who helps cook chai and lunch, do my laundry and help weed my garden. Soon my veggies I planted will be ready!!!! Fresh produce will be so great! A requirement I made to Florida, who I'm helping go to school is that she comes over everday after school to practice Enlish. This has become one of the most daunting tasks I have faced yet. Its like talking to a brick wall somedays! but she is trying so hard....my heart goes out to the new form one students. I have been allowed to teach a few BAseline classes-the intro to english, 6 week crash course-and im getting a really positive response. Physics is interested-the first day thre were 40 students, and then th 2nd day, there were also 40 studnets, but half of them were new. then the third day I had about 70 students. I can't get it straight! what is going on?! Maybe next week it will iron itself out. I've introduced Sudoku to my students-they ahve to complte it by the following week to get extra credit on their homework...and they are SO into it! My class uses protractors and rulers in all ts calculations, yet there are only about 5 rulers and 2 protrctors for ALL my studnets, so i have deided to start a program where there first person to complete the puzzle and give it to me will get a prize-ruler/protractor/pencil/notebook.....out of my pocket. Its the best I can do. The weekend after my irst week of school, I went to visit my Mzungu neighbors(the othr white people in the area). I spent the weeken discussing plans to better the district ith hospitals, orphangages, computer labs...these people are actually doing it too. I am inspired every time I talk to these people. And then, besides talking about our aspirations, we went canoeing, played croquet, went hosebackriding, watched movies...i took a HOT BATH!!!!!!!(when the heck is the last time i got to do that?! Water was yellow, but it was hot! Thats so amazing to me! and i was in a bathtub-haven't seen one of those since I left the US! Mr Fox has been an inspiration to me, and i really think that if I start working with him, we can combine our resources and get some groudn shaking in our community. He introduced me to a couple running a program called Village Schools...they have /will build 12 schools in my area and have started an amazing English program in the Primary schools so maybe when the students get to secondary school they will actually understand things and Pass with B's and A's instead of D-'s. The woman in charge is up to her ears in HIVAIDS work-if anyone in the area is tested positive for HIV and shows here the doctors note, she will give them bus fare every month so they can go to a nearby village to get free ARV's. Their family lives about a hour bike ride away from me...and are some of the most energetic people I have met. I'm going to discuss some HIV projects/English projects I want to start in my village with them this weekend! So this weekend was a HIGH..great ideas, great foods, great friends.....I was ready to get the balls rolling. Then Monday came aroun and i went to the hospital, saw the facility. There is one nurse running the entire thing, day in day out. The doctr had already left for the day, and the other nurse had left because her child had died. The maternity ward had 4 beds, no sheets no blankts...pnes of glass missing from the window. The largest baby there was almost 3Kilos....the other two in there were what I would call preemies. SO SMALL. The woman who was almost in labor didn't even look pregnant. These ladies starve themsleves because there are no drugs to be had...or they can't fford them. So, the samller teh baby, the less painful. Which creates sickly babies. I left, after tourin the entire factiliy, wanting to cry. My heart just hurt. And of course, I had to offer to ehlp on the weekends/...how can I just enjoy my weekends when I see somethig like that happening!? Then Tuesday rolled around. i am training to be Teacher on Duty-to make sure all students are behaving properly, that they go to class, come to school on time, that th boarders don't have problems, etc....and I'm being trained by 2 other teachers. I tlked tot hem both about how I didn't like corporal punishment and how maybe this week we might be able to try different forms of puishment and not the stick. Well, one listened to me, the other idn't. The Form 4 students that are the 'leaders', making sure that other students clean the grounds in the morning apparently didn't do good enough job. So kthe one teacher takes out her stick. I had to walk awaw. I got the other teacher, and he grabbed the other students before they were hit, and I set them up with helping me in the library, organizing books and papers. I still felt so guilty...even though I didn't hit those students, i couln't stop them from being hit. Any suggestions on what I could do? I suggested detention, library duties....but i dont think my ideas are flying very well.....

So, I have a millin and one projects I'm working on....thanks for all you letters and packages, they keep me going. love you all

My wonderful life

2007-01-13T03:11:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know I haven't updated this in a while... but my oh my has my life been busy! In the not-stressed-out-wonderful-I'm learning-too-many-things kind of busy. I have been going to the shamba(the farm feild) with some teachers to learn to hoe beans and corn....and my skin is not meantfor this work, let me tell you all that much. blisters up the wazoo.. not to mention I get to wear these unbelievably sexy green rubber goloshes that go up to the middle of my shin:) I have successfully moved into my house and made it my own, I have found a young girl to help me in my house...NO, it is not child labor, I am paying her school fees, buying her school uniform in exchange for her help in my garden and to wash my dishes and clothes on the weekends only. During the week she has to focus on school! Her name is Florida...she is 15, and I will tell you all, this whole house girl process is SO odd for me. At first I didn't trust her, because I have been taught to beware of my belongings here, that poor people try to steal at any opportunity....everything was going well-she speaks no english, I speak kiswahili not so great, and her native tribal language of Kihehe I only can say the greetings. SOooooo, the going was rough, but we got going! She makes an incredible bread!(and since I cannot buy any in my village, its much appreciated!) A friend came to stop buy my village to say hello, a fellow peace corps volunteer from the area, and we got back to discover some money was missing...she also had had friends in my house when I wasn't there. Which was a very uncomfortable situation to have, especially since I am new, I can't tell her exactly what I want to say but have to rely on other people to translate...but you can't translate the tone of voice you want to get across, which stinks! We told her that God knows if she or her friend stole that money, that if it was returned there would be no problems, that if she says that she did not take the money, I beleived her, and that she was on probation with me. No beatings...just a lecture. There have been no other problems. BUT, maybe this is Karma?, she was walking in my house the other day while it was very rainy, slipped while carrying a pot of bioling water, and burnt he leg pretty badly. I didn't realize how poor and desperate her situation was until that day. I sent her to the hospital b/c she had developed a HUGE blister on her thigh (for only $2 she was treated!!!)I went to visit her at her home, seeing as that is the custom in AFrica...altough, really all you want to do when you are sick is NOT to have people visit, curious isnt it? She lives in a mud hut. They cook in the same hut they sleep in which is no bigger than half of my living room in Kansas for those of you who know my old house. its smoky, hard to breath, no windows and has a thatch roof. Her mother is unable to walk, uneducated, her father is also sickly....I felt sick to my stomach. To think that I felt uncomfortable at one point with her eating my food and wanting to live with me! She eats the same thing everyday..and only one meal a day! I made a resolution then, at that moment, that she would be mine to help. I can't garden-she grew up gardening. I can help her with Englsih, she can't speak it. Part oif my deal for her is that she has to come to my house everyday after school and practice speaking elngish. everyday M-F!!! I think it will ehlp!So, if any of you feel like paying $20/year to send a kid to school, karibu! anything you want to donate, send cash to me at my address. There are so many kids desperate for an education, and no money to even buy a notebook or a school shirt:(

I think in my village I have had a breakthrough. I am actually considered a villager now, no longer the crazy white MZUNGU! All the little kids...and there are thousands I swear!....know my name and shout and wave at me until they can't see my anymore everyday. I have befreinded the ladies at the dukas-they love to tease me, braiding my hair, painting my nails,asking why I wear a bra because apparently my boobs are too small and I am not nursing(awwwww, ouch!) :) I brought an American music CD from some friends to the Duka, had a dance party in front of everyone with all the kids, and I think that won their hearts over:) It was an AWFUL CD...think Gay Bar from the 80's.....'the rains down in AFrica', the 'thong song', 'loveshack', etc. They LOVE that kind of music! 50 cent is the biggest guy over here-he should really thinki of doing a show here, I think the country would shut down!

Yesterday, I had the funniest village experience. I have decided to run the International Run for Peace in Rwanda in May, making it a girls empowerment event, getting students and teachers to form a small group, I want us to find a sponser in the US to help fund our way there...its to benefit all the fmailies from the Rwandan genocide. Whats cool is that many of these kids NEVER get to even leave their village because they have so little money. so this will get the girls doing sports, same as the boys, AND they get to travel. It will be awesome, but the plans have just began forming.....SO, anyways, I was jogging by the monestary by my house, at a time I thought not many people would be there. BOY was a wrong! I started jogging a couple laps with some guys in the community that play soccer everyday. Well, they kice=ked my butt! They are fast! Tehn, I walked a lap, ran 2 more laps, walked another one, said hello to a friend I had made who was working on a bridge near my house and from god know where I had about 15 kids surrounding me. 15 turned into 27...27 into 40...and within a matter of seconds, I was surrounded my 68+ shildren. I am kidding you not, I counted the stationary ones. There were others running around. All eyes on me, wanted to touch me, but afriad! So, of course I had to talk with them...I invited them to run a few laps with me, and a chorus erupted! I was the Pied Piper of these children...Imagine a tall white girl running with 20+ short skinny african kids trailing behind and others cheering and laughing along....I couldn't help luaghing! I couldn't imagine what a spectical it looked like.Then, as icing on the cake, they all decided to walk me home. ALL of them:)What a trip! I can't wait for you guys to come here and see what I experience...its too great!

School starts next week, this week I am at a conference learning about PEPFAR(presidents emergancy plan for Aids Releif), and then I start in on the Physics! God save me!

So, all is well, I'm adjusting into my community well, I can cook really yummy soups/breads/desserts....ALL by scratch now....watch out Betty Crocker! I'm pretty amazing:) My paca is good-i think he thinks he is a dog, he heels! walks with me wherever I go-to the dukas, do watch the news everynight(which is ehlping me improve my kiswahili a LOT).....

ANyways, I miss you all! this is a great week to call because I'm in a town with phone reception! My love to you all!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

Twas teh night before Chrsitmas(almost) and all through my house, not a creature was stirring.....except for my cat Mogli and the damn rat/goat that lives above me...:) Its hard to beleive the season is upon us...I thought about this past year, that I will be bringing in a new year in a new country...and I thought to myself what a transformation year this has been for me. I started off this year at a job a HATED, I sold out to the man! I needed to make money! doesn't everyone? I went through s discovery of myself, who I was, who my friends really were....found a lot out about my level of tolerance and patience through family and other jobs....

I have come to discover that maybe, for the first time in my life, I am truly happy. I am doing something with my life, something that has meaning to me, something that I enjoy. I have no stress, no anxiety, no worries. I am not rushing from one hting to the other...I am taking my time to smell the roses. I have learned to adapt to the Tanzanian lifestyle quite nicely. I love to chat with my neighbors...whether I understand them or not, its to be determined.....i made three life rules to live by: 1)the more the merrier 2) alwasy talk to strangers b/c you never know who you will meet and 3) never fear making an ass of yourself. I am LIVING these rules. I am experiencing life.

I took some time to contmplate where i was in my life...and I hope with all my heart that each one of you that has entered my life knows that you helped me get here, helped me reach my goals and helped me become who I am today. Thank you. with all my heart, thank you.

Things are good....things are interesting...and the things that are bad, you just have to laugh at. For example, my only bus that leaves my village leaves at 430 in the morning. it was an hour late! so I just sat in the cold dark and hoped it would come...what else could I do? laugh about it! Then my bus got caught in mud going uphill and I had to stand in the pouring rain for 2 hours waiting for the men to try to get it unstuck....andluahged to myslef for not bringing a raincoat.

Life is full of surprises. Frusterations also. BUT, its what we live through that makes a stronger and makes me realize who I am.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Tanzania!

Happy turkey day

2006-11-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

To honor the day, I will tell you my favorite quote: I am not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants! :)

Happy thanksgiving to all you Americans. It was odd being in a country where not many people had ever heard of thanksgiving.....I spent the morning swimming in the Indian ocean, looking for seashells and drinking tea by the coast. strolled through some stores, bought myself some amazing jewlery and then went for lunch at the ambassadors HUGE house! It was gorgeous! They had a piano-which of course I just ahd to try out-and an open bar-which I of course had to take advantage of- and a live band and MASHED POTATOES! We only could stay for a few hours b/c our training group had to go back home, but hey!~ We had a great time!

Dar was fun while we were there. We went out with the PCVs, exp[lored and ate some really great food(not beans and rice!!!!). Feeling a little tired today-need some recovery time from my vacation...thats a sin that it was a good time, eh?

This week we are preparing ourselves for moving-swearing in is next Wednesday afternoon, and then...I will be an official Peace Corps Volunteer. Can't wait to show off my hot and beautiful african style dress!!! I'll send pics when I have them.

I'll be at my new site by next Thursday I think-more info when I get it will be sent to you guys:) Love you and happy turkey day! eat a TON for me!

Jen

Nearing the end of training

2006-11-21T05:59:00.001-08:00

hello everyone, I am finally back from my shadow visit, which was WAY in the mountains in the north, with no reception of any phone service, and no computers....pole(sorry) if you tried to get in touch with me:) Today was a kind of big and important day for me! I have now found out where I will be living for the next 2 years-in the southern part of the country in a region called Iringa. Its cool and beautiful and I am surrounded by some of my favorite people. I am actually really lucky I think. I thought for a while they might place me all alone with no friends in sight....but its not that bad! maybe they do like the naughty girl.....:) Health: I have the verdict! I had pneumonia with a bacterial infection on top of it. The antibiotics got rid of the infection, but I'm still trying to get rid of the pneumonia. I have also contracted ring worm on my ankle-which, for those of you who dont know, is NOT ACTUALLY A WORM, why they call it that, i have no idea. It looks pretty nasty though. I took a picture for momento's sake. I figure, during training, I can get all my sicknesses out of the way,so when I go to site next week, hamna shida. No more probs. This week has been a blur, but an absolutely wonderful one! I have been super busy...studied for my final, took it Wed-Tuesday night, while I was trying to study I discovered the worlds smallest snake on my bathroom floor-think maybe 1" long and looking like a small worm...yet it had a toungue that stuck out and scales. we played with it a while, then stayed up late playing with my siblings(my friend Sly was over...his name really isn't sly, but we call him that b/c he just looks sly-esque). The test was easier than expected, after the test we celebrated with a game of football in the field I might have contracted rign worm in, then went home to pack, and headed to Mama P's hotel to stay in town together before catching the early bus to out shadow visit. Shadow is a time where all of us go to stay with various PCV's aroudn the country-my stay, like I said before, was up north in the most beautiful region! Cool breezes, nice days, gorgeous sunsets, waterfalls galore...I didn't want to leave. I got to see a class being taught, talked to the form 3 students about all sorts of things, from 9-11 to abortion to homosexuality to HIV/AIDS. They were so surprised to know that Aids was also a problem in the US. Its nice to know that I can help clear the air up a little and de mystify Americans and the US to some extent. I learned to cook some awesome pasta with spinach alfredo sauce on a kerosene stove, played soccer with some girls(girls empowerment is really important here), hiked 2 mountains, went to the market, and relxed a lot. I took some amazing pics that I can't wait to show all of you-give me some time, and I'll get a CD made and hopefully my wonderful boyfriend can put them online. I would really appreciate some letters and maybe a package or two(hint hint MOM AND DAD....I'm feeling neglected in a foreign country. How is it that Geoff has sent me practially 15 letters already, and you guys....ZERO!!!) I will be spending the next month preparing my home, meeting my community, planting a garden, getting my lessons ready...etc. So, thats about all from my end, love you and PLEASE WRITE!

Recovery

2006-11-12T02:01:00.000-08:00

Thank you all so much for all your love and support on my health! I hvae just finished taking antibiotics for my "chest infection"...not malaria of the heart, not TB.....Im still feeling a little tightness, but I have a check up in 1 week, so hopefully they can tell me whats up before I am shipped off to my site. I have just finished my classes at Uluguru....the name of my school. The teachers threw us this wonderful goodbye party, to thank us for being guest teachers and for coming to their school. They all said some nice things, and then we had some 'bites' to eat-us Americans decided to spruce up the party a little and we introduced Nutella to the teachers. I think it may be their favorite thing in the entire world now! We have just been reviewing our Kiswahili b/c this coming Wed is our final written exam, and then we all leave for our shadow visit-I get to hang out nearby Moshi(in the north) and kick it with a volunteer who teaches Chemistry. i am so stoked to see what it will be like! and all the volunteers that I have met so far might be the coolest people I have ever met(besides all my friends, of course). I have had quite the week, playing catch up from missing a week of school due to illness, but this weekend has been WILD! Thursday we all went to an NGO to see what other organization do in TZ, and I was amazed at this program called Faraja we went to! They want to be self sustainable so they can stop asking for money from gov'ts b/c govt money always has strings attatched-first its was "teach HIV clientele the ABC's of life", now its only abstinence..ABC's meaning Abstinence, behavior and condoms...we talked about all the programs they offer, the things they did in the community-very amazing, and possibly the most successful NGO in TZ...Friday, our group got together to discuss how we wanted to present our thoughts to the larger group at CCT day(when we all learn about issues like PC policies, etc). We ended up just drinking some beers and talking about all of our experiences. It was a nice way to end the last day of school. So, we then all decided that people should come over to my house that night for a littel get together. 9pm rolls around and 9 friends, lots of beer and some snacks arrive. We play cards, teach my shagazi how to play circle of death and P&A,(card games for you adults who dont know what those are), drink beers, listen to music....then my baba comes in with an entire case of 24 beers, some sodas and mandazi(fried donuts like things). It was awesome! Then we moved the furniture around in the living room, had a dance party until 3am, then sat up talking with my family in kiswhili until maybe 430 or 5am....we all had breakfast made by my shangazi-fried eggs, mandazi, chai ya maziwa(tea with milk)...it was GREAT! Went to CCT, where I got in trouble for having a party. I look the director right int he face and tell her I am doing exactly what they want....we have integrated into our community, I consider my home MY home, my family MY fmaily....and my family ASKED all my friends to stay lae. Quite frankly, the director of our training HATES me because of my personality. she looked me in the face and told me I needed to contain myself b/c people were attracted to my charming personality and that they would end up depending on me. and that causes me to be emotionally immature. bite me. I told here to treat me like an adult, that i didn't mean to be a mkorofi(trouble maker)and that I respect here, but I think she is getting the wrong impression of what happened at my house. I have now nominated myself as the 'naughty girl' in my training class, and have formed a small group of others....
so, party at my house friday, get one hour of sleep....will remember that night forever...and then the next day, play football on some feild(and girls usually dont play sports here....)so we have a little audience....b/c I'm playing in a skirt....then had some juice at my favorite little touristy place, played some pool, then went home, helped cook, then went out AGAIN with my baba and shangazi to listen and dance to African music...again, WHAT A BLAST! the way people dance here is so funny-lots of stiff upper body movements, pelvic thrusts, and just the continuous shuffle of feet....stayed out too late again, and got up when the roosters crow.
I'm going to the saba saba(market) with my aunt(shangzi) to get fabric so I can get an african dress made fro my swearing in ceremony. I will hopefully b able to send pics soon....Love you all, please write!
If you are sending a package or letter, you might wait until I know my permanant address, otherwise I might not get it for a couple of months. I will know soon! Letters take about 2 weeks to get here, so the latest I would send a lettr would be the 15th to the training site.

I am doing better

2006-11-01T05:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I want to say thank you to all of you wonderful people that send encouraging words my way...I needed them and i loved them. As for my health, the final diagnosis, if I can even call it that, is still up in the air...according to this doctor here, I never had malaria, but I have a chest infection (I beleive this doctor more than any of the others...maybe b/c she tapped my chest, asked a lot of questions...and I hate to say this, but spoke my language!) and so now, i am on some antibiotics, waiting test results to see if I have TB or typhoid fever. I am hoping to go home(to morogoro) soon b/c I miss my family I miss my friends..and I miss knowing my surroundings! I have only been in my community for about 6 weeks, and yet, I do beleive its home. I know where places are, I know whats going on there...I know my neighbors, they know me.....familiarity is KEY!I know if I can get through this period of extreme boredom and loneliness, I will be fine...I am going to hang out with some PCV's that are taking off this weekend for different destinations around the world...so I will have company tonight! Not much else is new, I am feeling a little better-will let you all know more when I know more. And I have heard wind that my typing is not bad but atrocious....I DO have an excuse...the keys are sticky, and I am on a time budget...and I dont feel like taking time to fix it:) LOVE YOU ALL

a really really bad week

2006-10-29T02:04:00.000-08:00

I have maybe had the worst and best week ever all in one. B/c I dont want to have the public read it, please check your emails....love you all and wish me luck, my health is not doing so well-I will be going to Dar to the hospital there for further tests. Malaria parasites in my heart? I have been told that I have a left ventricular haeert strain....I have no idea, but its not getting any better, but worse. I will let you all know when I return from dar:)

my one month aniversary

2006-10-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

I have officially made it ONE MONTH living away from all my loved ones! I cannot beleive how fast time flew! Everything here is still great-My language skills are at the intermediate low level, and in 6 weeks I will have to test at th intermediate mid level-so, not that bad, eh? My family is doing wonderful....everyday I like living here even more. This past weekend, I went hiking to a place called Morningside, an old German hideout in the Uluguru mountains, from WW2. It is a 4 hours hike to the top, and going down makes your legs just as tired:) I went with my sisiter and my friend Gregor...the night before we made Mandazi, little donuts like things, to bring with us...they call them "bites" instead of 'snacks'..I love that! We ate them by the waterfall we found 1/2way up the mountain-gorgeous!!!! we got rained on on the way up, but the afternoon turned out to be symmetrical. Rain in the morning, beautiful weather at teh top, rain right at the end...it rains here a LOT more than I ever thought it would! On other notes, I have been having some interesting chats with my family-apparently leg hair and chest hair is the sexiest thing in the world...as are cankles and thick legs! I am set! I really should stay put here-I would be a rockstar! (no, i do not have chest hair...the guys here do though:) ) Last friday I went out and had quite a little adventure with some of my buddies....we went to study/hang out/drink a beer on a friday night, and then by the time we tried to gt a taxi home, none of the taxi services were working b/c of ramadon...so, I ended up getting a tazi 2 hours later, after my friend broke the toilet off the wall at some hotel, spilling water evreywhere, and realizing that it was 2am....the time I have to type this does not give this story any justice...nontheless, I had a REALLY great night friday, relxed Sat and hiked a mountain sunday. I am running every morning with my dada(sister) and trying to stay in shape. since I have no protein and no fats in my diet, I am losing a lot of muscle mass...so I have to keep running to stay toned, I guess. I live my this river that one of my neighbors told me I could go swimming in-I got really scited to do this until my sister, on a run, told me there were crocs that lived in the river and would eat me. My neighbor doesn't like me? I'm not sure.....
My fmaily is doing well halth wise,including me. I do not have malaria, although the deadly mosquito lives in Morogoro, which makes me a little nervous....fannie, my little bro has Malaria as do all the children at some point. I guess its not that big a deal here? Most of them get over it fairly quickly.
I just taught for the f9irst time this wekks-my class told my contact teacher that I was a great teacher and that they wanted me to stay, which made me feel really great....A lot of peole have asked me for teaching advice, makes me feel like a mother hen. Friday is midterms for me(I have to take a oral exam and a written exam) so wish me luck!
Time is out, so I love you, please write!

WHAT A WEEK

2006-10-08T03:23:00.000-07:00

Well, its definately getting a lot hotter....sweating severly has become a daily occorace, and I actually look forward to taking my bucket bath both in the morning and when I come home from school....School has been quite the adventure this week, and we have all been given the lessons topics we are to teach at the schools we are training at as well as assignments from our PC trainers to research on our free time. So, when I'm not busy at school or sleeping, I'm hangin out with the fam-I really felt happy this week b/c I have finally bonded with my sisters. Everynight last week they woudl always whipser and talk and wouldn't say anything when I walked in the room. This week, however, I talk to the often, and dont want ot go to bed b/c I am having so much fun haning out wiht them. It helps to know that they actualy do like me...makes me feel like part of the family. I went to town this morning to buy some clothes-got a skirt and some material to make a dress, and a scarf that will serve amny purposes. Other than that, not much is new...I have been feeling a little werid-my muscles are all ache-y and my head has felt weird...signs of malaria, but I am just being apranoid. I am doing a blood slide test just to make sure. I can't ell if I have a fever or its just the heat...Apparently I can still get malaria even if I do take my medicine-didn't know that until yesterday! Anyways,I send my love-please write to me soon!It is so wonderful tog et letters from you guys...thanks you Geoff Knight for your beautiful letters-I loved them and I have posted my pictures you sent on my wall. It brightens my day and you made my week so much better:) Keep me posted on your daily events!

Life continued

2006-10-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

WEll, twice in one week is a HUGE deal everyone, so just to let youy know,it wont probably happen often. Today we took a feildtrip into town to 'discover' the market. All I can say was WOW! Beans.peanuts/cocnuts....it was awesome, and of course I took some pics...The only thing that truly disgusts me as of right now is the sardines. I came home from school yesterday and my mama asked if I like fish-I told her yes, not knowing what lie ahead. She then offered me these minnow looking fish in a mango paste(it looked like human guts). I told her I wasn't hungry but she insted I try at least one...I chewed on that stupid minnow for about 5 minutes, about ready to gag. I was just about to say I didn't really like it when sh told me it was a family favorite and that everyone loves them. yippee! :( Then today at the market I SAW where these sardines came from-they are in HUGE piles in these flat baskets...basking in the sun...gross gross gross! I also tried cocnut milk for the very first time with the cocnut flesh-it was AWESOME! That I will do again hopefully soon.
Back to the education system. This place needs some work. 60 students 1 classroom. no chalkboard-just chalkboard paint on the wall, some students are sitting on a bench meant for 6 and they are 16. Some students are sleeping b/c they had to leave their house at 5am to get to school on foot by 745. Some are sharing books with those lucky enough to have money to buy them. The problem with the secondary schools here is that the govt made it a requirement that everyone should be able to go to praimary school and get and education. They opened a lot of new schools, so secondary teachers, money and supplies all went there. Now the students are older, mroe and more secondary schools are being built but with lack of teachers and neccesary things. The teacher on duty is in charge of being janitor, principal, discipliarian, role taker and teacher. It switches each week, but with the Aids epedemic in full force, so many teachers dont even show up let alone students. Thats where the PC comes into action-we get to teach at secondary schools that need teachers. Basically, the things we write on the board, the students copy and consider their textbook. Taht means no mistakes, and perfect diagrams. no pressure, right? Besides the fact that you will have to teach in 'special' english...meaning that most students don't speak english very well. Secondary school in taught only in English -so the students who dont know english suffer. If we talk extraordinaly slow, some pupils might get a grasp of what we are saying, and can explain tot he rest of the class.....I'll let you know more when this happens:) I'll find out in 2 weeks!
Time here is so weird-the first week it felt like I had been here for 5 months, and this week flew by...hard to beleive that this SUnday I will have been gone 3 weeks already!
My mom had asked wabout my living conditions-my room has a cement floor, 2 largewindows that dont have glass-I have a screen and a metal thing so robbers can't break in on the outside of the screen. My ceiling is wood paneling and I have a large bed(usually sleeps a family of 5). My toilet is a 'western'...very unusual...but it doesn't flush so I have to pour a bucket of water into the basin to vlush it.....any other questions?
I ahve a new kitten 'doto'..dream...he got fleas pretty bad, but he is SO CUTE! keeps me company at night...love you all! until next week!

EVERYDAY LIFE IN AFRICA

2006-10-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sawa.
Habari za leo? Za nyumbani? HOw was your day? Your home? Nzuri. fine. The langauge here is actually a thousand times easier than I thought it would be to learn. I am speaking tarzan swahili at the moment, but everday I learn a cool phrase and make my host family chuckle by using it at dinner. My family: wonderful and warm. The make me feel better when Im having a hard day-all the little kids running out to greet me after school, to take my bag for me and to hold my hands and pat my head when I sit down. I love it! Although I feel like Im livingin te 50's. Dad is alwasy right, kids should be seen and not heard, women do chores while the men play. women should not drink or else they are easy....never show your knees in public, but whne your are home "BE FREE". I am a littel tired of eating rice....but I'll get over that. I think I'm going to introduc my fmaily to Grilled cheese-wonder what they will think? Still am fighting with all the stupid ants in my room. Kill one, 1000 more show up. grr. The scenery here is stunning-mountains right in my backyart-and in the morning, its nothing but stunning to see at sunrise. Yes everyone, I do wake up at sunrise. Why, you ask? The mosk. and the roosterthat lives next door(I can't wait until he is EATEN!) The mosk blares out the call to worship everdya at 4am...sleeping through it these days though. Cathy knight, you will be proud to know that I wen to church this Sunday......for EIGHT HOURS! I think thats enought church for me to last 5 years! And to top it off, I didn't understand a word! I did get a free meal of rice and beans out of it though. I have just purchased a cell phone and will email you all my number...I receive calls for free, and can text, but calling it about $3/min. So you call me! I start teaching next week...observed a class being tought math. 2 of the 5 problems were taught incorrectly....and in English that I didn't understand. I can't wait until I am under fire! Must go, but more latr! Loveyou all!

2006-09-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody.....
My internet time is very limited, so this is quick...

I LOVE my host family, I love the town I'm in...my group is the furthest out of Morogoro than all other PC groups. I get to ride a bike to school, eat at school-rice/beans/veggies...my language skills in kiswahili are most impressive for being here 5 days. Guess thats what happens when that is all you hear:) Fun things about my life here: I take a bucket bath everymorning-with hot water...I'm actually enjoying taking a bucket bath, which is very different than what I was expecting. The water tastes horrible(because its boiled it tastes like charcoal...)I am living in a household of mama/baba and 4 children and 2 relatives of sorts. They all speak enlgish beautifully which helps me with my swahili even more. I have my own bathroom-everyone else in the family shares one, which makes me feel a littl bad, but I am very lucky I guess. At the moemnt, I am having a fight with the misiwizi(ants). The live in the wood in the house and apparetnly want to share my room. Grrrrr.......Everyday I come home from school I am greeted by 4 small children running out for hugs "dada(sister)!" I have learned how to wash clothes by hand in buckets outside, how to 'mop' my floor and Sunday I will learn how to cook a few dishes. For now, this is all the time I have, more to come soon-I hope. I will be buying a cell phone next week, so Ill let you know about that later as well! Love you all!

In Africa, finally

2006-09-22T02:11:00.000-07:00

NOTE: THESE ARE MY VIEWS AND NOT THE PEACE CORPS

I have never wanted to get off a plane more than I did this last time. Cramped leg space, followed by swollen legs and ankles(my cankles have now formed into non-existing ankles, reminds me of little Italian old ladies ankles), and bad veggie options.....Long waits in the airport.....but I made it. Read some of your comments ni my address book-made me laugh! you guys are great! So, we have been riding in these cool vans that drive around manically-British style-and i will say, my life is most definatley in the hands of my driver. The roads here remind me a little of Haiti and a lot of Iquitos, Peru(just a lot bigger and more like a city). Food so far is OK, we take bucket baths with cold water, but b/c its so humid, you dont really realize that its cold-more refreshing. Mosquitos are SO BAD-MN, you have NOTHING in comparison! Since today is the first day I have seen in the daylight, I am still absorbing. so far: LOTS of colors, lots of people, crazy traffic, lots of stares....interesting music.....but more to see, right? Not a lot of time, so I love you!

It is really and truly coming true

2006-09-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Well, in the past few days I have met some of the most amazing people I will encounter in my life. And in 2 days, some of us are very close already-what will we be like in 3 months, eh? We've shared our fears, our ideals, our hopes and dreams. We have opened to eachother and talked about things not many others will understand. Unbeleiovable expereince. this is in a hurry, so sorry about the spellings-no time to fix them. I am getting ready to head tot he airport-and it has finally sunk in that i am moving to AFRICA!!! On the way to the Philly airport, I kept thinking to myself, What the HELL am I doing here? Do I really want to do this? I do. I know that answer. and to meet people just like me, but very very different is amazing. I will be travelling for the next 2 days-keep in mind that NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. I will tryp my hardest to get to the interent asap, so keep your lives in touch, i want to hear everything-even if you dont think that you have anything to say. and thank you I LO for telling me how to do this! I love you all, you have been a wonderful support for me, and as much as I am doing this for myself, I am doing it for you all as well. Good luck to you in the next couple years, I will be praying for you. Peace.

The Day I left the USA

2006-09-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

I am 7 hours until departure, a little nervous, a little excited and a little of everything else. My family in MN to my surragate family here-I love you and I appreciate all of your support and help to get me here. This is something I have talked about doing for years on end-and I am actually doing it! Peace Corps, prepare yourself. A gust of wind is blowing me into town! Here is to new friends, crazy adventures and a sense of self I will bring home with me. Love you all and keep in touch!