Hello from Tanzania

Hello from my first week in Tanzania. There are a about 40 volunteers here - most in their 20’s and full of enthusiasm – unfortunately, some are here more for the parties than the projects. Three of us are over 40, and there are a few young girls from the UK that are lovely. Although we have ‘conveniences’ I have been without water in my room much of the time & and our internet at the house is rarely working and we have frequent short power outages.

I have spent my first week on orientation to the use of the local transport to visit Dar Es Salaam and other villages. We do two projects each day.

In the mornings I work at the One Nursery school for children ages 2 1/2 to 6. There are 50 children in a classroom about the 14’ x 18’. Most children cram into the desk with others in the middle. It is hard to describe how loud it is. Some days there are two teachers and myself. Much time is spent writing out the lessons in each notebook by hand for the children to practice, although many really don’t have the fine motor skills to write letters. At recess the children and teachers love singing and circle games and appreciate some new songs I am teaching. The children are also able to practice their writing and drawing– in the dirt.

In the afternoons I teach basic English to the locals. No need to know Swahili. The class is a mix of children, young adults and Massai. All are most friendly and eager to learn. There isn’t a curriculum or materials so I will need to do some planning for each lesson. I made a trip to the ‘western’ mall to buy English language books over the weekend. No printer here to make my own lessons so I will need to hand write and try to make copies in town.

Thursday we visited the Kundichi nursery school located in a local fishing village. They are struggling to find funds for teacher’s salary, tuition and basics – paper, furniture (there is none they sit on the floor & write). It has been open 4 months and the headmaster has not been paid. The headmaster understands early education and has a large classroom so the children aren’t crammed together, but their backs hurt by the end of the morning from doing their work on a concrete floor. The children seem happy. We also attended the daily fish auction and the head master had it cooked for us. This was a way to bring some funds to the village. Lunch was scheduled for 1:00 and we sat down a 3:00 making us hurry back crammed into a ‘tuk tuk’ (small motor bike like car) to arrive after 4:00 with the class waiting to take a test. There was also a games night on Friday where the volunteers played poker and drinking games to raise money. For the many of you who kindly sent donations I have added to the funds! I will match the donations and buy supplies for my own nursery school.

I am looking forward to a trip to Zanzibar this weekend. Jon has put me in contact with a few friends and has given great ideas of places to go and people to see. It will be a nice break. It has been very hot – yesterday it reached 100 degrees and the glue on the sole of my nikes has melted and I have no heels left! I should post again in a week!