Well! I can't remember the last time I literally had NOTHING to do. And now, here I am with literally NOTHING to do. It's kind of blowing my mind right now.
This week, the students took their March monthly exams. The exams started on Tuesday afternoon and continued all the way until Friday morning. I really feel like the process could be made more efficient and thus shortened if they would not give the kids an hour long break after every test, but maybe they feel it's necessary? Some days the students have gotten two hours to run around and play before the next test was given. For me personally, it's very draining to sit around and do nothing for so long. I did have tests to grade, but once that was done, I had nothing to do. I ended up bringing my Kindle to school and reading most days to kill the time. I ended up finishing two books this way. Also, I spent quite a lot of time monitoring, giving English work to, and just plain hanging out (meaning all the girls sat around and did my hair for an hour or so. Haha!!) with Class VII since they weren't taking tests this week. They had their "mock test" last week which is intended to prepare them for the national test they must take in August in order to qualify for secondary school. Only one of my students failed and I was very proud that so many did so well!! They all have worked very hard in English and that was everyone's best subject. I'm now wondering if/how I can help the students in other subjects since they seem to be struggling so much. I'm wondering what factors are playing into the inability of the students to succeed in their other subjects. Something about the current system is obviously not working if everyone did so poorly in Science, Social Studies, and Kiswahili (the math scores were also fine for the most part).
Back to the monthly exams, I was very pleased with the results and the fact that some of my lowest scorers from last month have made quite a bit of progress. Although none of them mde it to the cut-off point (which is a 60%), progress is progress. I think that if they continue to work in this way, I will be able to work them up to "passing scores" in no time.
Things at the school are going quite well, even though I don't know what's going to happen half of the time. We're told things like "Class VII may be taking their mock test starting Tuesday or Wednesday, but we're not sure. Also, it make take one day or two days, but we don't know." I'm so used to having a set schedule! It drives me a bit crazy not knowing how to prepare for my day or what to expect. But, I guess that's part of the experience and I'm coming to accept it. As I have mentioned in previous entries, here, nothing is in my control and I've learned not to expect anything (even when it comes to electricity and water). The other day, I really needed to do laundry, but the water wasn't on, so I couldn't fill up my buckets. Thus, I had to wait until the next day to do it, which turned out to be fine anyways.
For now, I am on Easter break as of Friday afternoon. Yesterday, after school I had multiple students come over to receive extra help in English and I have my two piano students who also came over. We worked for almost two hours before I sent them home. Then I took my weekly trip to town to buy groceries. Last night I got to skype with my friend Krista from Centenary and my sister Sarah!! It was so great to talk to them. I always enjoy hearing about how things are going back home. I also got to watch a movie that I got from Chris and Emily on my laptop. Thus, yesterday was quite busy.
In contrast, I feel like I have done nothing today (and maybe that's a good thing since I've been so busy). I woke up, ate breakfast, did yoga, practiced piano, and then sat around. I felt the need to get out and do something, so I went to Ricky's for lunch and brought my Kindle so I could read while I was waiting for my food (it can take quite a while for food to be prepared in restaurants here). Now, I am sitting around once again trying to think of something to do. Currently I feel like a college student who has just finished exams. During exam week, you are so busy, running around, doing this, taking this test, writing this paper, studying for these exams, etc. And then, once finals week ends, you have nothing to do, and it's like you've just hit a brick wall after going 90 mph.
I'm planning to talk with Pastor Umba to see if there are any near-by places I could visit next week. I definitely would like to take advantage of the time off to see some sites. The main problem, however, is that it's not exactly a good thing for me to be traveling on my own. I would like to visit the Serengeti and Mt. Kilimanjaro, but there's nobody for me to go with. Thus, I'm kind of stuck here for now.
"Therefore, as it is written: 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord'. " 1 Corinthians 1:31
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Mikumi National Park!!!
So, this past Saturday, I got to go on my first ever SAFARI!!! YAY!! I got to visit Mikumi National Park which is only about an hour away from Morogoro! I could tell you all about it, but the easiest way for me to share about my experience is just to show you the pictures of everything that I got to see! So here it goes! Enjoy!! :D
(fyi, the whole collection pictures is on facebook. There's about 80 of them, so I didn't feel like posting them all here. Haha!!)
After the park, we went to a village (I'm afraid I can't remember the name and no one else can either) where Mama Nema (a member of our church) has a project. The village (which is VERY tiny) is about 10KM down a poor dirt road from the main road. It has no clean water supply and the women have to walk about 12KM round trip to retrieve water. The houses are composed of mud bricks or branches held together by mud with thatch roofs. There was pretty much nothing except for the homes and the crops that they grow. The village is also about 18KM (about 12 miles) from the nearest school and no one has a car or transportation to bring the children. Mama Nema has helped make it possible to build a school building for the students, but it is a temporary building for now. The village is very grateful because their children are able to get education.
From what I gathered, this village is mostly an agricultural village and we were given the grand tour of all the different crops as well as the nearby water sources which are used strictly for agriculture. (I'm glad they don't use those for drinking because it's pretty bad as you will see.) The crops that they grow include: watermelons, maize, tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, beans, etc. I think the goal is that soon they will be building a water well, so that the women will not have to walk so far for one bucket of water. I'm sure that by doing this, the quality of life for the women will be greatly improved as they will have more time to maintain their homes, work to help bring in extra income, and take care of their children.
Here are pictures of all of the different crops that the village was growing. While we were there, we walked many KM throughout all of the crops. The area in incredibly extensive!! (we also passed some elephant presents, so apparently they get some wild visitors at the village!!)
Well, in short, visiting this village gave me a great appreciation for what I have. I remember when I first arrived and I was struck by how little was here. But, now that 2.5 months have passed I'm finding myself appreciating more and more what I do have. In fact, I think I am more content with what little is here than what I had in the US. It's like, when you have less, you have more time to appreciate everything. The more stuff you have, the less time you have to appreciate it because you are spending so much time maintaining it, or working to get more.
I would like to close my entry today with some wonderful words from my devotional (which is written as though God is speaking to you):
"Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising my sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining in all of your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fill you with Joy." ~ Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
Continuously, this devotional speaks directly to me and the issues that I face. I can't begin to explain how many times I have experienced a specific issue during the day and then read about that particular issue in my devotional that night. I could not be more blessed that God is in my life and that He is changing me through this experience. As we were arriving to the village, I was listening to my IPod and the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor came on. The lyrics are "You make beautiful things; you make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things; you make beautiful things out of us." As I was listening to that song, I realized that God is making something beautiful out of me just as He is making something beautiful in Tanzania. Through this experience I am constantly being changed and transformed into the master work that God has called me to be.
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
(fyi, the whole collection pictures is on facebook. There's about 80 of them, so I didn't feel like posting them all here. Haha!!)
After the park, we went to a village (I'm afraid I can't remember the name and no one else can either) where Mama Nema (a member of our church) has a project. The village (which is VERY tiny) is about 10KM down a poor dirt road from the main road. It has no clean water supply and the women have to walk about 12KM round trip to retrieve water. The houses are composed of mud bricks or branches held together by mud with thatch roofs. There was pretty much nothing except for the homes and the crops that they grow. The village is also about 18KM (about 12 miles) from the nearest school and no one has a car or transportation to bring the children. Mama Nema has helped make it possible to build a school building for the students, but it is a temporary building for now. The village is very grateful because their children are able to get education.
From what I gathered, this village is mostly an agricultural village and we were given the grand tour of all the different crops as well as the nearby water sources which are used strictly for agriculture. (I'm glad they don't use those for drinking because it's pretty bad as you will see.) The crops that they grow include: watermelons, maize, tomatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, beans, etc. I think the goal is that soon they will be building a water well, so that the women will not have to walk so far for one bucket of water. I'm sure that by doing this, the quality of life for the women will be greatly improved as they will have more time to maintain their homes, work to help bring in extra income, and take care of their children.
Here are pictures of all of the different crops that the village was growing. While we were there, we walked many KM throughout all of the crops. The area in incredibly extensive!! (we also passed some elephant presents, so apparently they get some wild visitors at the village!!)
Well, in short, visiting this village gave me a great appreciation for what I have. I remember when I first arrived and I was struck by how little was here. But, now that 2.5 months have passed I'm finding myself appreciating more and more what I do have. In fact, I think I am more content with what little is here than what I had in the US. It's like, when you have less, you have more time to appreciate everything. The more stuff you have, the less time you have to appreciate it because you are spending so much time maintaining it, or working to get more.
I would like to close my entry today with some wonderful words from my devotional (which is written as though God is speaking to you):
"Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising my sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining in all of your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fill you with Joy." ~ Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
Continuously, this devotional speaks directly to me and the issues that I face. I can't begin to explain how many times I have experienced a specific issue during the day and then read about that particular issue in my devotional that night. I could not be more blessed that God is in my life and that He is changing me through this experience. As we were arriving to the village, I was listening to my IPod and the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor came on. The lyrics are "You make beautiful things; you make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things; you make beautiful things out of us." As I was listening to that song, I realized that God is making something beautiful out of me just as He is making something beautiful in Tanzania. Through this experience I am constantly being changed and transformed into the master work that God has called me to be.
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Adventures in DAR
So, finally the keyboard arrived in DAR this past Saturday!! But, we were unable to pick it up (because it was my birthday and Saturday is not a working day). The first plan was to leave for DAR on Monday, but there was a chance that we could get a tax-exemption form because the keyboard was a donation. Well, true to Tanzania style, we were unable to get the tax-exemption form and it could take weeks or months to get it. Thus, Baba Sesi (my Kiswahili tutor) and I headed out at 6am on Tuesday for DAR to retrieve the keyboard. I slept and read during the 3 hour bus ride to DAR that didn't end up leaving until around 7am (once the bust was full). Once in DAR, we hopped on the daladala to the airport which took another hour or so. At the airport we were re-directed to the cargo area which was a ways away, so we took a cab.
The first thing we were told in the cargo area was that we would not be able to pick up the keyboard on our own; we would have to have an agent guide us through the process. The process is VERY long and drawn out. We were continually directed to another area, another building, another person. Pay this fee for handling, pay this secretarial fee, get a tax quote, and on and on. Not long after our arrival, the offices were shut down for 2 hours for lunch. I'm not sure who needs 2 hours for lunch, but we ended up sitting around at what I will call the "food court". This was pretty much a shack where a couple of people were cooking with an small "indoor" area. There was also beverage area where you could get whatever kind of soft drink or water you wanted. There Baba Sesi and I waited until 2pm, splitting a plate of food (and I ate the snacks I had brought) when we were summoned by our agents to continue the process. Up until that point, everything had gone relatively smoothly and I had no complaints. The big problem occurred when we were told that we needed to pay 50,000 Tsh to "the company". At first, Baba Sesi tried to handle the situation, but it was just a big argument and nothing was getting done, so I decided that I would try and step in and see if we could get anything done. I asked over and over what the fee was for and all they would say was that it was for "the company", but they offered no bill or proof of what the money was for. Up until this point we had already been told to pay a rather significant amount of money, but each time it came with a piece of paper that at least showed proof that that was what we were supposed to be charged. I was worried that this 50,000 Tsh was some kind of con because I was a white woman and they were trying to get money out of me. I know that it sounds a bit ridiculous, but it happens all the time here. I prefer to shop at the supermarkets because they put price stickers on the items and I know that I won't be overcharged for my items. Once people here see a white person, they think of it as an opportunity to get a little extra money. I don't think that it's intended to be mean, but people here are so poor and desperate that they will take advantage of every opportunity they see to get ahead.
But, this was the church's money and I was not about to let them take advantage of us. I was also getting worried because our supply was getting low and we still hadn't paid the government tax which was estimated at $100 (150,000 Tsh). I told them that up until that point we had been given papers as proof that we had to pay different fees and I would not hand over any money until I was given proof of what this fee was for. It took a long time and a lot of arguing, but I flat out refused until I had proof that this was not some kind of trick. Eventually, our agent found a man who showed us what the fee was for, some kind of secretarial work that had to be typed and printed off. I still felt like that was a high fee for such a task, but we had spent so much time arguing and time was running out. So, I relented and we proceeded to the secretary's office where the computers were having problems (not an uncommon situation here where the power can go off unexpectedly at any point in time). Because of the computer problems, we ran out of time and the cargo area was shut down for the evening. Thus, Baba Sesi and I were forced to spend the night in DAR.
Luckily for me, Kim and Emily and warned me that the trip would probably take more than a day and that I should take an extra change of clothes just in case. I cannot even begin to describe how grateful I am to them for their suggestion. I had brought a shirt and running shorts to sleep in, and extra set of under wear, and another top to go with the skirt that I wore to DAR. I also brought some travel sized bottle of shampoo, conditioner, contact solution, toothpaste, etc. I was SO happy that I was prepared!! We were able easily acquire accommodations because the Bishop lives in DAR. So, we hopped on the daladala which took 1 1/2 hours to get to the Sinza area where he lives because of the traffic. The Bishop and his wife were wonderful hosts who made sure that we were well fed and that we had everything that we needed (including hot water for my shower!!!!).
While we were there, the Bishop told us all about the beginnings of the United Methodist Church here in Tanzania. The church was started by 6 families who were sent from the Congo (where the church had a strong foundation because so many foreign missionaries had gone there previously). The families were all sent to different areas of Tanzania and were told to "build the church". The bishop, his wife, and 4 children were pretty much dropped off at an empty house with no food where they slept that night on the floor with no food. The next day he went out to find someone who could help them, but he didn't even know Kiswahili because they don't speak Kiswahili in the Congo. I feel like that must have been quite a scary situation for them. At least when I arrived, the church and the school were already started and there were people here to welcome me. I have a furnished room (no matter how sparsely furnished it is), I have running water, food, and a generous family who makes sure that I am safe no matter where I am going. And, even though I don't know the language, I have people here who are willing to help me. I feel very fortunate that even though I have very little, I really do have a lot. And, as hard as it can be sometimes, it could always be worse.
Well, Wednesday, I got to sleep in, just a bit, and eat a leisurely breakfast before we headed back out to the airport. We arrived around 9:30am and met with our agents. Right off the bat, we were told that we would have to pay a storage fee because the keyboard had to be stored overnight. I was about to put up a fuss over this because it wasn't our fault the keyboard had to stay, but there was no one in charge to talk to. There are not customer service desks here and everything is through the agents. Baba Sesi told me to just go ahead and pay the fee. The agents took a long time to sort through things; and not just 1-2 hours, we're talking until 1:30pm. I'm not sure what took so long, they wouldn't give us a straight answer, but I was beginning to worry that we were going to have to spend a second night in DAR. One good thing about all the extra time was that I got a LOT of grading done! I had given all of my classes tests the previous week and hadn't finished grading them over the weekend because of my birthday. I was half-way through the last class when the keyboard was finally released to us. Bwana Asifiwe!! We loaded it up onto a truck that would drive us to the bus stand and paid our agents their "agent fee". Apparently, the agents can charge whatever they want to as their agent fee. I guess as soon as they saw me, the decided that I would be an easy target and wanted to charge 150,000 Tsh (about $100 US) which is pretty much a small fortune here. Well, Baba Sesi had talked them down to 50,000 Tsh the previous day, but after all the other fees and such that we had to pay, there was only 40,000 Tsh left to give them and still have enough money to get home.
Finding a bus to take us and the keyboard back was a whole other adventure. We didn't have so much money left after paying the truck driver for driving us there, so Baba Sesi had to bargain down a price for us. Here, nothing is set in stone. People can charge whatever they want to whoever they want. There are "standard" prices which are generally charged, but people make it up based on who the customer is. So, of course, when they see a white woman with a large package, they don't want to bring the price down. But, we managed to get a good fare and had to wait until the bus filled up before we could leave. Baba Sesi stayed outside until the bus was about to leave to make sure that no one took the keyboard out of the cargo portion of the bus. I was 3pm by the time the bus was about to leave and I was SOOO hungry (we're talking the light-headed, about to pass out kind of hungry). I hadn't eaten anything since 7am!! I think sometimes that people here forget that Americans eat more frequently than Tanzanians which can be a really bad thing. Baba Sesi tells me all the time how all he has to do is drink a cup of chai for breakfast, eat a piece of bread and he's good to go until dinner. I just can't even understand it and sometimes I feel like people judge me because I eat so much food. I try to wait it out as long as I can and I don't think I've complained yet, but sometimes it's really hard for me, especially when I get to the point where I'm feeling light-headed (which happens frequently). I try to bring snacks places and I always make sure I have snacks in my room, but I had already eaten my snacks the previous day. Luckily, we were able to buy some "cakes" as they call them from a street vendor who had come on the bus and I downed them like nobody's business.
The ride home was uneventful, thank goodness, and I was very ready to be back in Morogoro. DAR is much hotter and much more humid. Also, it's a big city with SOOO many people and it takes FOREVER to get places. I was ready to be back in the relative simplicity and the familiarity of Morogoro. Back at the house, we tore open the package like it was Christmas and plugged the keyboard in. But, we forgot about the voltage difference and I was horrified when the keyboard suddenly shut off. I was exhausted from traveling and dealing with all of the stress of obtaining the keyboard. I thought that this was the end, we had gone through all that trouble and spent all that money for nothing. Luckily, the keyboard can also run off of batteries and we were able to get some batteries and turn it back on. Bwana Asifiwe!!
I was so anxious to play the keyboard, but so was everyone else. I got pushed to the side and my ears were assaulted with every music teacher's worst nightmare: drum tracks, mixed with high pitched electronic keyboard sounds (meaning not the standard grand piano sound), bad chords, and failed attempts to play (or write) a tune. It took a lot of effort on my part, but I just had to remind myself that this is like a new toy. Everyone wants to figure out how it works and what it can do. I just had to wait until everyone else went home before I would get a chance to play some hymns, or something, CORRECTLY on the keyboard.
So far, the keyboard has been a WONDERFUL addition to life here. I sorted through the sheet music and picked out all of the elementary music so I can begin offering private lessons. I've decided that since school gets out early on Fridays, that would be a good time to teach students piano. I can't teach everyone, so I've been paying attention to which students have shown particular interest and aptitude in music. Those are the ones that I will ask first if they would like to learn. We'll see what happens with it all. I'm also planning to use the keyboard for the English choir since we are singing hymns out of a hymnal and it's easy to accompany.
Well, that's all of my adventures for now!! I hope you're having a blessed weekend so far!!
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
The first thing we were told in the cargo area was that we would not be able to pick up the keyboard on our own; we would have to have an agent guide us through the process. The process is VERY long and drawn out. We were continually directed to another area, another building, another person. Pay this fee for handling, pay this secretarial fee, get a tax quote, and on and on. Not long after our arrival, the offices were shut down for 2 hours for lunch. I'm not sure who needs 2 hours for lunch, but we ended up sitting around at what I will call the "food court". This was pretty much a shack where a couple of people were cooking with an small "indoor" area. There was also beverage area where you could get whatever kind of soft drink or water you wanted. There Baba Sesi and I waited until 2pm, splitting a plate of food (and I ate the snacks I had brought) when we were summoned by our agents to continue the process. Up until that point, everything had gone relatively smoothly and I had no complaints. The big problem occurred when we were told that we needed to pay 50,000 Tsh to "the company". At first, Baba Sesi tried to handle the situation, but it was just a big argument and nothing was getting done, so I decided that I would try and step in and see if we could get anything done. I asked over and over what the fee was for and all they would say was that it was for "the company", but they offered no bill or proof of what the money was for. Up until this point we had already been told to pay a rather significant amount of money, but each time it came with a piece of paper that at least showed proof that that was what we were supposed to be charged. I was worried that this 50,000 Tsh was some kind of con because I was a white woman and they were trying to get money out of me. I know that it sounds a bit ridiculous, but it happens all the time here. I prefer to shop at the supermarkets because they put price stickers on the items and I know that I won't be overcharged for my items. Once people here see a white person, they think of it as an opportunity to get a little extra money. I don't think that it's intended to be mean, but people here are so poor and desperate that they will take advantage of every opportunity they see to get ahead.
But, this was the church's money and I was not about to let them take advantage of us. I was also getting worried because our supply was getting low and we still hadn't paid the government tax which was estimated at $100 (150,000 Tsh). I told them that up until that point we had been given papers as proof that we had to pay different fees and I would not hand over any money until I was given proof of what this fee was for. It took a long time and a lot of arguing, but I flat out refused until I had proof that this was not some kind of trick. Eventually, our agent found a man who showed us what the fee was for, some kind of secretarial work that had to be typed and printed off. I still felt like that was a high fee for such a task, but we had spent so much time arguing and time was running out. So, I relented and we proceeded to the secretary's office where the computers were having problems (not an uncommon situation here where the power can go off unexpectedly at any point in time). Because of the computer problems, we ran out of time and the cargo area was shut down for the evening. Thus, Baba Sesi and I were forced to spend the night in DAR.
Luckily for me, Kim and Emily and warned me that the trip would probably take more than a day and that I should take an extra change of clothes just in case. I cannot even begin to describe how grateful I am to them for their suggestion. I had brought a shirt and running shorts to sleep in, and extra set of under wear, and another top to go with the skirt that I wore to DAR. I also brought some travel sized bottle of shampoo, conditioner, contact solution, toothpaste, etc. I was SO happy that I was prepared!! We were able easily acquire accommodations because the Bishop lives in DAR. So, we hopped on the daladala which took 1 1/2 hours to get to the Sinza area where he lives because of the traffic. The Bishop and his wife were wonderful hosts who made sure that we were well fed and that we had everything that we needed (including hot water for my shower!!!!).
While we were there, the Bishop told us all about the beginnings of the United Methodist Church here in Tanzania. The church was started by 6 families who were sent from the Congo (where the church had a strong foundation because so many foreign missionaries had gone there previously). The families were all sent to different areas of Tanzania and were told to "build the church". The bishop, his wife, and 4 children were pretty much dropped off at an empty house with no food where they slept that night on the floor with no food. The next day he went out to find someone who could help them, but he didn't even know Kiswahili because they don't speak Kiswahili in the Congo. I feel like that must have been quite a scary situation for them. At least when I arrived, the church and the school were already started and there were people here to welcome me. I have a furnished room (no matter how sparsely furnished it is), I have running water, food, and a generous family who makes sure that I am safe no matter where I am going. And, even though I don't know the language, I have people here who are willing to help me. I feel very fortunate that even though I have very little, I really do have a lot. And, as hard as it can be sometimes, it could always be worse.
Well, Wednesday, I got to sleep in, just a bit, and eat a leisurely breakfast before we headed back out to the airport. We arrived around 9:30am and met with our agents. Right off the bat, we were told that we would have to pay a storage fee because the keyboard had to be stored overnight. I was about to put up a fuss over this because it wasn't our fault the keyboard had to stay, but there was no one in charge to talk to. There are not customer service desks here and everything is through the agents. Baba Sesi told me to just go ahead and pay the fee. The agents took a long time to sort through things; and not just 1-2 hours, we're talking until 1:30pm. I'm not sure what took so long, they wouldn't give us a straight answer, but I was beginning to worry that we were going to have to spend a second night in DAR. One good thing about all the extra time was that I got a LOT of grading done! I had given all of my classes tests the previous week and hadn't finished grading them over the weekend because of my birthday. I was half-way through the last class when the keyboard was finally released to us. Bwana Asifiwe!! We loaded it up onto a truck that would drive us to the bus stand and paid our agents their "agent fee". Apparently, the agents can charge whatever they want to as their agent fee. I guess as soon as they saw me, the decided that I would be an easy target and wanted to charge 150,000 Tsh (about $100 US) which is pretty much a small fortune here. Well, Baba Sesi had talked them down to 50,000 Tsh the previous day, but after all the other fees and such that we had to pay, there was only 40,000 Tsh left to give them and still have enough money to get home.
Finding a bus to take us and the keyboard back was a whole other adventure. We didn't have so much money left after paying the truck driver for driving us there, so Baba Sesi had to bargain down a price for us. Here, nothing is set in stone. People can charge whatever they want to whoever they want. There are "standard" prices which are generally charged, but people make it up based on who the customer is. So, of course, when they see a white woman with a large package, they don't want to bring the price down. But, we managed to get a good fare and had to wait until the bus filled up before we could leave. Baba Sesi stayed outside until the bus was about to leave to make sure that no one took the keyboard out of the cargo portion of the bus. I was 3pm by the time the bus was about to leave and I was SOOO hungry (we're talking the light-headed, about to pass out kind of hungry). I hadn't eaten anything since 7am!! I think sometimes that people here forget that Americans eat more frequently than Tanzanians which can be a really bad thing. Baba Sesi tells me all the time how all he has to do is drink a cup of chai for breakfast, eat a piece of bread and he's good to go until dinner. I just can't even understand it and sometimes I feel like people judge me because I eat so much food. I try to wait it out as long as I can and I don't think I've complained yet, but sometimes it's really hard for me, especially when I get to the point where I'm feeling light-headed (which happens frequently). I try to bring snacks places and I always make sure I have snacks in my room, but I had already eaten my snacks the previous day. Luckily, we were able to buy some "cakes" as they call them from a street vendor who had come on the bus and I downed them like nobody's business.
The ride home was uneventful, thank goodness, and I was very ready to be back in Morogoro. DAR is much hotter and much more humid. Also, it's a big city with SOOO many people and it takes FOREVER to get places. I was ready to be back in the relative simplicity and the familiarity of Morogoro. Back at the house, we tore open the package like it was Christmas and plugged the keyboard in. But, we forgot about the voltage difference and I was horrified when the keyboard suddenly shut off. I was exhausted from traveling and dealing with all of the stress of obtaining the keyboard. I thought that this was the end, we had gone through all that trouble and spent all that money for nothing. Luckily, the keyboard can also run off of batteries and we were able to get some batteries and turn it back on. Bwana Asifiwe!!
I was so anxious to play the keyboard, but so was everyone else. I got pushed to the side and my ears were assaulted with every music teacher's worst nightmare: drum tracks, mixed with high pitched electronic keyboard sounds (meaning not the standard grand piano sound), bad chords, and failed attempts to play (or write) a tune. It took a lot of effort on my part, but I just had to remind myself that this is like a new toy. Everyone wants to figure out how it works and what it can do. I just had to wait until everyone else went home before I would get a chance to play some hymns, or something, CORRECTLY on the keyboard.
So far, the keyboard has been a WONDERFUL addition to life here. I sorted through the sheet music and picked out all of the elementary music so I can begin offering private lessons. I've decided that since school gets out early on Fridays, that would be a good time to teach students piano. I can't teach everyone, so I've been paying attention to which students have shown particular interest and aptitude in music. Those are the ones that I will ask first if they would like to learn. We'll see what happens with it all. I'm also planning to use the keyboard for the English choir since we are singing hymns out of a hymnal and it's easy to accompany.
Well, that's all of my adventures for now!! I hope you're having a blessed weekend so far!!
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Adventures within the Adventure
Well finally!! Here it is!!!
So, this past Saturday was my birthday and I was SUPER excited!! I had made a few plans and I did all of my work on Friday so that I wouldn't have to do anything on Saturday except relax and have fun!! The morning began at 6:40am. Yes, that's right, 6:40am. But, I didn't mind because I woke up naturally at that time, not because some alarm was complaining in my ear. So, I got up and got on fb and email. The first thing I saw was a video from the family. They had recorded themselves singing happy birthday and sent it to me. It was such a welcome start to my day. Then I proceeded to do my hour long weekend yoga routine which of course got me into a focused and relaxed mood. Then, I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it Nathan was there to sing me happy birthday and let me know that breakfast was ready. After breakfast, I packed up and headed out to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) to join the other missionaries for a game of Ultimate Frisbee. I packed extra clothes and shower supplies so that I would be able to shower after the game and head out to lunch with the others. The game was great and even though my team lost, I didn't care because I was having so much fun!!
After the game, Kim and CP let me shower at their house. It was AMAZING!! The first warm shower I have had since I have arrived!! I just wanted to stand under the faucet all day, but we needed to get going to lunch. I put on my new dress which was dyed, printed, and sewn by ladies from the Wesley Sewing Center here. It is a GORGEOUS gift from my parents for my birthday!! I also got a chance to blow dry and straighten my hair for the first time since arriving and I even decided to wear makeup. I felt like myself again. Haha!! That's not to say that I don't normally feel like myself, but it was the first time since arriving that I've really taken any time to make myself up and of course it felt good!! Just about every girl likes to get a little bit fancy once in a while. It's funny to think that after going so long not wearing any makeup at all, I get super excited over a little bit of eyeliner and mascara. Haha!!
Anyways, we met Emily and Chris at Ricky's for lunch where I ordered a chicken sandwich and chips (which of course are like fries and not American style chips). It was great!! I had decided that although I do like rice, I didn't want to have it on my birthday. After lunch, Chris and Emily drove me home and I got a chance to sit around and relax during the afternoon. Around 6pm I began to prepare the dough for the pizza that I was going to make for dinner. I bought some rosemary to add to the crust and I was really excited to see how it would turn out! Then, I went to the rehearsal for the church's new English choir. Right now we have been practicing and singing hymns, but I hope that we will be able to learn and sing some praise and worship songs as well!!
After rehearsal, it was back to the house to make the pizza. I felt like I had a better handle on things this time around. In no time I had the toppings all prepared and the dough was beautiful! I whipped those pizzas out in no time. The only problem was that suddenly we gained two more people to our party and I only had 3 individual sized pizzas that we would all have to share! With 8 people present, that meant that we would only get 2 small pieces of pizza. I was a bit upset over the fact that there wasn't enough food for everyone, but there was no time to make anything else. I cut up the rest of the pineapple and prayed that it would be enough for everyone. I do have to say that the pizza came out fantastic! I was SUPER proud of myself and the rosemary crust was great! I definitely recommend it to anyone who makes their own crust (which is SUPER easy btw!). I hope that everyone else got enough. I didn't really, but I ate up the rest of the pineapple that no one else wanted, so I guess that made up for it. We also got a special treat: Emily had prepared cupcakes for me and luckily I had EXACTLY 8, so everyone got one. Overall, in spite of the sudden surprise, everything worked out fine.
Sunday was rather uneventful. I did get to preach at the youth service and I'm not really sure how well that went. I talked about how God has called us each for a special purpose and it's our job to seek God's will to discover what His purpose for our lives is. Although it's something that I feel every young person should know, now that it's over and I've learned more things, I'm not sure that it came across as completely culturally relevant here. Here, the people don't know how to make plans for the future. No one teaches them how to. It horrifies me, but at the same time I understand. Here, tomorrow is not a guarantee and there isn't always money to be able to attend school or even eat. I've learned recently that no one here knows how to save because, again, no one teaches them. And , for them, there is no point in saving. They must use their money to support others (family and friends) who are in a worse place than them. It's a wonderful was of life and community, but it seems self defeating. How can a group of people ever rise out of poverty if they don't save money and plan for the future?? I can see why the situation is the way it is, but does that make it OK? Should I just accept that people are "doing their best", or should I encourage others to do things that will help them in the long run? And, the next question would be: are my suggestions what is best for the people and the community way of life that they live?? It's SO complicated!! I'm not sure that I'll ever have an answer!!
Well, Sunday afternoon, I baked cookies at Kim's (which came out quite wonderful if I do say so myself!! Then it was off to the prayer service and then back home to grade the tests I had given all my students the previous Thursday and Friday.
Well, folks, that's about all the time I've got to blog today!! Enjoy the pictures of Ultimate Frisbee, the foods that I made, and my new dress!! Have a blessed rest of your week!! I will blog about my trip to DAR and acquiring the keyboard when I have time tomorrow!! :D
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
So, this past Saturday was my birthday and I was SUPER excited!! I had made a few plans and I did all of my work on Friday so that I wouldn't have to do anything on Saturday except relax and have fun!! The morning began at 6:40am. Yes, that's right, 6:40am. But, I didn't mind because I woke up naturally at that time, not because some alarm was complaining in my ear. So, I got up and got on fb and email. The first thing I saw was a video from the family. They had recorded themselves singing happy birthday and sent it to me. It was such a welcome start to my day. Then I proceeded to do my hour long weekend yoga routine which of course got me into a focused and relaxed mood. Then, I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it Nathan was there to sing me happy birthday and let me know that breakfast was ready. After breakfast, I packed up and headed out to Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) to join the other missionaries for a game of Ultimate Frisbee. I packed extra clothes and shower supplies so that I would be able to shower after the game and head out to lunch with the others. The game was great and even though my team lost, I didn't care because I was having so much fun!!
After the game, Kim and CP let me shower at their house. It was AMAZING!! The first warm shower I have had since I have arrived!! I just wanted to stand under the faucet all day, but we needed to get going to lunch. I put on my new dress which was dyed, printed, and sewn by ladies from the Wesley Sewing Center here. It is a GORGEOUS gift from my parents for my birthday!! I also got a chance to blow dry and straighten my hair for the first time since arriving and I even decided to wear makeup. I felt like myself again. Haha!! That's not to say that I don't normally feel like myself, but it was the first time since arriving that I've really taken any time to make myself up and of course it felt good!! Just about every girl likes to get a little bit fancy once in a while. It's funny to think that after going so long not wearing any makeup at all, I get super excited over a little bit of eyeliner and mascara. Haha!!
Anyways, we met Emily and Chris at Ricky's for lunch where I ordered a chicken sandwich and chips (which of course are like fries and not American style chips). It was great!! I had decided that although I do like rice, I didn't want to have it on my birthday. After lunch, Chris and Emily drove me home and I got a chance to sit around and relax during the afternoon. Around 6pm I began to prepare the dough for the pizza that I was going to make for dinner. I bought some rosemary to add to the crust and I was really excited to see how it would turn out! Then, I went to the rehearsal for the church's new English choir. Right now we have been practicing and singing hymns, but I hope that we will be able to learn and sing some praise and worship songs as well!!
After rehearsal, it was back to the house to make the pizza. I felt like I had a better handle on things this time around. In no time I had the toppings all prepared and the dough was beautiful! I whipped those pizzas out in no time. The only problem was that suddenly we gained two more people to our party and I only had 3 individual sized pizzas that we would all have to share! With 8 people present, that meant that we would only get 2 small pieces of pizza. I was a bit upset over the fact that there wasn't enough food for everyone, but there was no time to make anything else. I cut up the rest of the pineapple and prayed that it would be enough for everyone. I do have to say that the pizza came out fantastic! I was SUPER proud of myself and the rosemary crust was great! I definitely recommend it to anyone who makes their own crust (which is SUPER easy btw!). I hope that everyone else got enough. I didn't really, but I ate up the rest of the pineapple that no one else wanted, so I guess that made up for it. We also got a special treat: Emily had prepared cupcakes for me and luckily I had EXACTLY 8, so everyone got one. Overall, in spite of the sudden surprise, everything worked out fine.
Sunday was rather uneventful. I did get to preach at the youth service and I'm not really sure how well that went. I talked about how God has called us each for a special purpose and it's our job to seek God's will to discover what His purpose for our lives is. Although it's something that I feel every young person should know, now that it's over and I've learned more things, I'm not sure that it came across as completely culturally relevant here. Here, the people don't know how to make plans for the future. No one teaches them how to. It horrifies me, but at the same time I understand. Here, tomorrow is not a guarantee and there isn't always money to be able to attend school or even eat. I've learned recently that no one here knows how to save because, again, no one teaches them. And , for them, there is no point in saving. They must use their money to support others (family and friends) who are in a worse place than them. It's a wonderful was of life and community, but it seems self defeating. How can a group of people ever rise out of poverty if they don't save money and plan for the future?? I can see why the situation is the way it is, but does that make it OK? Should I just accept that people are "doing their best", or should I encourage others to do things that will help them in the long run? And, the next question would be: are my suggestions what is best for the people and the community way of life that they live?? It's SO complicated!! I'm not sure that I'll ever have an answer!!
Well, Sunday afternoon, I baked cookies at Kim's (which came out quite wonderful if I do say so myself!! Then it was off to the prayer service and then back home to grade the tests I had given all my students the previous Thursday and Friday.
Well, folks, that's about all the time I've got to blog today!! Enjoy the pictures of Ultimate Frisbee, the foods that I made, and my new dress!! Have a blessed rest of your week!! I will blog about my trip to DAR and acquiring the keyboard when I have time tomorrow!! :D
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Coming Soon: The Adventure Within the Adventure!!
Well, this past weekend was my birthday and I have many exciting things a pictures to share from that. Also, I've been in Dar es Salaam for the last two days picking up the keyboard. That is a whole other stressful story. Unfortunately, all these mini-adventures have been taking up so much time that I haven't been able to post here for you to see/hear. But, don't worry!! The exciting events will be coming soon to a computer screen near you, so stay tuned!! :D
Until then,
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Until then,
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Good, The Bad, and Everything Inbetween
Dear Friends,
It's been a while since I've updated!! To be perfectly honest, I haven't been in a very good place personally lately. As we learned at my training, the first stage of culture shock (the honeymoon phase) is followed by the second stage of culture shock: the frustration phase. There are many obstacles one must face when thrust into a new culture: language changes, environmental changes, food changes, changes in the way people interact with one another, among others. Sometimes it is incredibly difficult to accept and deal with these changes. Sometimes it's lonely because I can't communicate very well with those around me. Sometimes little things that would not normally make me angry do. Oftentimes I feel let down because something culturally will take me by surprise or will get in the way of things I had planned or wanted to do. And sometimes I miss home, family, friends, my car, and familiar surroundings very much.
But, the truth of the matter is that this is where I'm supposed to be right now. I've spent a lot of time reading and journal-ing and searching for God through it all. I am convinced that this is where He wants me to be and that no matter what happens (good or bad), He is holding my hand the entire way. One thing that has been offering me a wealth of comfort and encouragement is the devotional book that I got for Christmas called "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I can't even begin to express how amazing this devotional is. I feel like sometimes, it was meant for me to have during this time. So many times, the daily entries, written from God's perspective, have spoken directly to issues that I am facing. For example, yesterday's devotional was:
"Make friends with the problems in your life. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust me or defy Me.
"The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties..." ~Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
The truth of the matter is that, at the end of the day, I love being here. Some days are frustrating and I want to throw in the towel, but other days are so incredibly perfect and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Most days (and I think most teachers would agree), I love my students, and many days we have a great time. As we've grown more used to each other, I've found that I can even joke with them. Such as yesterday in Class VI, I was erasing a high part on the blackboard with the chalk duster and I accidentally dropped the duster on me, covering me with white chalk. All the students started saying "Oh! Sorry madam!" "Sorry!" I just turned around and said "It's OK! I like it when the chalk makes me whiter than I already am!" Then we all just laughed and laughed. There are other things that I look forward to every week, such as volleyball and the Sunday night prayer meeting. These few opportunities allow me the chance to bond with other foreigners (mostly from the US and UK) who understand me (culturally and language-wise). Also, the Sunday night prayer meeting offers me a chance to worship and talk about God in my own language (and sometimes we get to eat American food!! :D )
Well, here's what I've been up to this weekend and week so far:
Friday, the students were let out of school early so the teachers could start grading the monthly tests. It was a LONG and tedious process that dragged out for 4 1/2 hours (11am-3:30pm). All the teachers were required to help grade all tests, so I graded just about every Class in Math, Science, and English. Thank goodness they didn't ask me to grade Kiswahili!! LOL!! At one point, I was so hungry that I had to sneak out and run to the house so that I could raid my snack stash. But, we got most of it done and finally I was able to return to the house where I pretty much wanted to crash. I had had lunch plans in town with some friends from the Sunday night Bible Study, but we had to re-schedule for dinner because of the grading. We went to a place they call "Street Chicken". There, you are served half a BBQ'ed chicken that has been marinated for 24 hours (I think that's right) and chips (which are sort of like french fries). It was DELICIOUS!! And, I was still so hungry from not eating much for lunch that I felt like ordering a whole second plate, but I didn't. Haha!! The whole meal, including the drink was less than $4!! After dinner, we went to Chris and Emily's house to watch the movie Hugo which I thought was a pretty interesting movie (and apparently just won a ton of awards?).
Saturday, I woke up around 7am, ate breakfast, did a longer yoga routine, and washed clothes. I had a few hours to hang out around the house before I was to meet up with Chris and Emily for lunch. We continued our tour of Morogoro restaurants Saturday for lunch at Ricky's, which is a huge hang out for white folks and serves all kinds of foods from America and some Chinese/Indian dishes. I got the chicken curry which was pretty good, but not spicy like I was expecting. My favorite part, though, was the dessert: ICE CREAM!!! All together my meal (drink, entree, and dessert) were about $6!!! (fyi for those who are sponsoring me: the money for eating out is coming out of my own personal funds and not my missionary funds because I consider this a luxury and not a necessity to my trip) Anyways, Saturday afternoon was laid back and Nathan and I watched the movie Pirates of the Caribbean! (such a good movie!!)
Sunday morning, it was raining and I didn't want to get out of bed, but I did. (haha! I love early morning thunderstorms!) Church was held in the pre-school building because of the rain and the fact that the church building does not actually have a roof (they usually hang up tarps). There were actually a few songs that were sung in English which was really nice. A small group of us (the new English choir) was supposed to perform, but apparently nobody told anyone we were supposed to perform, so we didn't get to. Oh well, we'll try again for next week!! Sunday night was the prayer service and afterwards we had a cook out. It was AMAZING!! I had salad for the first time since I've arrived! Also, there was delicious macaroni and cheese, chips, hotdogs, and for dessert we had chocolate mousse. I ate 2 huge plates full of food (don't worry I didn't take everything. Haha! There were plenty of leftovers).
Monday, was school. I found out on Saturday, much to my frustration, that now that it is March, the school is extending it's hours. I was told that instead of getting out at 1:30pm, we would all have to stay until 4:30pm. Needless to say, I was incredibly stressed out about how I was going to handle this sudden change. It would have been nice if someone had given me a bit more warning and I could have been a bit more prepared. But, unfortunately, the people here are not always the best at communicating these important kinds of details to me. It can be very frustrating to find out about everything at the last minute (and we're talking, sometimes right before it happens). It's definitely getting some taking used to because I'm used to having a plan and a routine and sticking to it.
Well, on Monday, I found out that the school was actually going to be getting out at 2:30pm and that some teachers would be required to stay for "tuition" (which is really tutoring. I have positively NO idea why they call it tuition seeing as tuition is money that you pay for something like school, or maybe tutoring). Anyways, this month there is no extra tutoring in English, so I am not required to stay until 4:30pm. I was so relieved to hear this and know that I would still have time in the afternoons to wash my clothes and get things done that I need to get done (such as practicing Kiswahili and washing my laundry) and still have time to be involved in church activities and such. Also, this gives me some time to figure out how I will be able to re-vamp my schedule and make the necessary adjustments for when I will have to stay later in April. All in all, I learned a big lesson that I shouldn't stress out, and all I need to do is to trust God and "In all things God works for the good of His people" Romans 8:28
Today was an average day at school. Nothing exciting happened except for the fact that the monthly tests were returned. I was horrified to find out that every single test (minus one which was a 100%) for the Class V students was graded incorrectly. I found out because so many students came up to me to ask why certain questions were marked wrong. I had to re-grade every test this afternoon. Just an example of how bad it was: one student who should have gotten a 92% was given a 40%!! Some tests were just about right, but many of them were completely wrong. I've decided that from now on, I am the only teacher who is allowed to grade the English tests for classes V-VII. I know for a fact that all of Class VII's tests were graded correctly because I graded them all while the other teachers were grading Kiswahili. However, there seems to be some debate over whether or not the Class VI tests were graded correctly, but I didn't have enough time today to figure it out. I have requested that the students return with their exercise books tomorrow so that I can take a look and see.
Well, I think that just about covers everything. I hope that you're having a fantastic week so far and that you are remembering that no matter what's happening in your life, God is always with you. All you have to do is to trust Him and He will lead you through it!!
"In all things God works for the good of His people!" Romans 8:28
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
It's been a while since I've updated!! To be perfectly honest, I haven't been in a very good place personally lately. As we learned at my training, the first stage of culture shock (the honeymoon phase) is followed by the second stage of culture shock: the frustration phase. There are many obstacles one must face when thrust into a new culture: language changes, environmental changes, food changes, changes in the way people interact with one another, among others. Sometimes it is incredibly difficult to accept and deal with these changes. Sometimes it's lonely because I can't communicate very well with those around me. Sometimes little things that would not normally make me angry do. Oftentimes I feel let down because something culturally will take me by surprise or will get in the way of things I had planned or wanted to do. And sometimes I miss home, family, friends, my car, and familiar surroundings very much.
But, the truth of the matter is that this is where I'm supposed to be right now. I've spent a lot of time reading and journal-ing and searching for God through it all. I am convinced that this is where He wants me to be and that no matter what happens (good or bad), He is holding my hand the entire way. One thing that has been offering me a wealth of comfort and encouragement is the devotional book that I got for Christmas called "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I can't even begin to express how amazing this devotional is. I feel like sometimes, it was meant for me to have during this time. So many times, the daily entries, written from God's perspective, have spoken directly to issues that I am facing. For example, yesterday's devotional was:
"Make friends with the problems in your life. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust me or defy Me.
"The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties..." ~Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
The truth of the matter is that, at the end of the day, I love being here. Some days are frustrating and I want to throw in the towel, but other days are so incredibly perfect and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Most days (and I think most teachers would agree), I love my students, and many days we have a great time. As we've grown more used to each other, I've found that I can even joke with them. Such as yesterday in Class VI, I was erasing a high part on the blackboard with the chalk duster and I accidentally dropped the duster on me, covering me with white chalk. All the students started saying "Oh! Sorry madam!" "Sorry!" I just turned around and said "It's OK! I like it when the chalk makes me whiter than I already am!" Then we all just laughed and laughed. There are other things that I look forward to every week, such as volleyball and the Sunday night prayer meeting. These few opportunities allow me the chance to bond with other foreigners (mostly from the US and UK) who understand me (culturally and language-wise). Also, the Sunday night prayer meeting offers me a chance to worship and talk about God in my own language (and sometimes we get to eat American food!! :D )
Well, here's what I've been up to this weekend and week so far:
Friday, the students were let out of school early so the teachers could start grading the monthly tests. It was a LONG and tedious process that dragged out for 4 1/2 hours (11am-3:30pm). All the teachers were required to help grade all tests, so I graded just about every Class in Math, Science, and English. Thank goodness they didn't ask me to grade Kiswahili!! LOL!! At one point, I was so hungry that I had to sneak out and run to the house so that I could raid my snack stash. But, we got most of it done and finally I was able to return to the house where I pretty much wanted to crash. I had had lunch plans in town with some friends from the Sunday night Bible Study, but we had to re-schedule for dinner because of the grading. We went to a place they call "Street Chicken". There, you are served half a BBQ'ed chicken that has been marinated for 24 hours (I think that's right) and chips (which are sort of like french fries). It was DELICIOUS!! And, I was still so hungry from not eating much for lunch that I felt like ordering a whole second plate, but I didn't. Haha!! The whole meal, including the drink was less than $4!! After dinner, we went to Chris and Emily's house to watch the movie Hugo which I thought was a pretty interesting movie (and apparently just won a ton of awards?).
Saturday, I woke up around 7am, ate breakfast, did a longer yoga routine, and washed clothes. I had a few hours to hang out around the house before I was to meet up with Chris and Emily for lunch. We continued our tour of Morogoro restaurants Saturday for lunch at Ricky's, which is a huge hang out for white folks and serves all kinds of foods from America and some Chinese/Indian dishes. I got the chicken curry which was pretty good, but not spicy like I was expecting. My favorite part, though, was the dessert: ICE CREAM!!! All together my meal (drink, entree, and dessert) were about $6!!! (fyi for those who are sponsoring me: the money for eating out is coming out of my own personal funds and not my missionary funds because I consider this a luxury and not a necessity to my trip) Anyways, Saturday afternoon was laid back and Nathan and I watched the movie Pirates of the Caribbean! (such a good movie!!)
Sunday morning, it was raining and I didn't want to get out of bed, but I did. (haha! I love early morning thunderstorms!) Church was held in the pre-school building because of the rain and the fact that the church building does not actually have a roof (they usually hang up tarps). There were actually a few songs that were sung in English which was really nice. A small group of us (the new English choir) was supposed to perform, but apparently nobody told anyone we were supposed to perform, so we didn't get to. Oh well, we'll try again for next week!! Sunday night was the prayer service and afterwards we had a cook out. It was AMAZING!! I had salad for the first time since I've arrived! Also, there was delicious macaroni and cheese, chips, hotdogs, and for dessert we had chocolate mousse. I ate 2 huge plates full of food (don't worry I didn't take everything. Haha! There were plenty of leftovers).
Monday, was school. I found out on Saturday, much to my frustration, that now that it is March, the school is extending it's hours. I was told that instead of getting out at 1:30pm, we would all have to stay until 4:30pm. Needless to say, I was incredibly stressed out about how I was going to handle this sudden change. It would have been nice if someone had given me a bit more warning and I could have been a bit more prepared. But, unfortunately, the people here are not always the best at communicating these important kinds of details to me. It can be very frustrating to find out about everything at the last minute (and we're talking, sometimes right before it happens). It's definitely getting some taking used to because I'm used to having a plan and a routine and sticking to it.
Well, on Monday, I found out that the school was actually going to be getting out at 2:30pm and that some teachers would be required to stay for "tuition" (which is really tutoring. I have positively NO idea why they call it tuition seeing as tuition is money that you pay for something like school, or maybe tutoring). Anyways, this month there is no extra tutoring in English, so I am not required to stay until 4:30pm. I was so relieved to hear this and know that I would still have time in the afternoons to wash my clothes and get things done that I need to get done (such as practicing Kiswahili and washing my laundry) and still have time to be involved in church activities and such. Also, this gives me some time to figure out how I will be able to re-vamp my schedule and make the necessary adjustments for when I will have to stay later in April. All in all, I learned a big lesson that I shouldn't stress out, and all I need to do is to trust God and "In all things God works for the good of His people" Romans 8:28
Today was an average day at school. Nothing exciting happened except for the fact that the monthly tests were returned. I was horrified to find out that every single test (minus one which was a 100%) for the Class V students was graded incorrectly. I found out because so many students came up to me to ask why certain questions were marked wrong. I had to re-grade every test this afternoon. Just an example of how bad it was: one student who should have gotten a 92% was given a 40%!! Some tests were just about right, but many of them were completely wrong. I've decided that from now on, I am the only teacher who is allowed to grade the English tests for classes V-VII. I know for a fact that all of Class VII's tests were graded correctly because I graded them all while the other teachers were grading Kiswahili. However, there seems to be some debate over whether or not the Class VI tests were graded correctly, but I didn't have enough time today to figure it out. I have requested that the students return with their exercise books tomorrow so that I can take a look and see.
Well, I think that just about covers everything. I hope that you're having a fantastic week so far and that you are remembering that no matter what's happening in your life, God is always with you. All you have to do is to trust Him and He will lead you through it!!
"In all things God works for the good of His people!" Romans 8:28
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Pictures!!
Well, things are going pretty well and I'm starting to have a bit more time to myself again. I'm really feeling like after the last 2 months, the students and I have figured each other out. I'm feeling much more comfortable with teaching English as well.
Class V has been better behaved as long as I keep them busy the entire class period. I haven't had to yell at them nearly as much as I have in the past. Bwana Asifiwe!!
With Classes VI and VII, I have a definite structured routine. We begin class with the Word of the Day. The students must copy the word, the definition, the part of speech, and a sentence that I write using the Word. Then the students must write their own sentence using the Word. At first, I was choosing random words, but I've decided that I want to be more purposeful with this daily activity. So, right now, the students are learning words that have to do with motion. I think that making "units" like this will help the students make more connections between the words and their lives. The great things about the Word of the Day are that it helps get class started in an organized and calm manner. Also, it exposes the students to words and helps them build their vocabulary. I make them write their own sentence using the Word because I want them to understand how the Word is used in proper context. I get mad when they try to copy my sentence and just change one word. I want them to really think about the word.
Here, there seems to be a lot of stress on memorizing things and spitting them back out on a test. But, I really want the students to think about what they are learning. I want them to question things and wrestle with what they are learning until they figure it out. I want them to see patterns and be able to apply them. Such as with tenses. One of the biggest problems I have with the simple perfect tense is the "he/she/it______". For example: "He sits". The students with invariably put "He sit." It drives me NUTS!!!! But, all I can do is give LOTS of practice work and constantly remind the students to be careful about who is doing the action. Is it "we", "you", "I", "he", "she", "they", etc. In the tutoring that I'm offering on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, I'm really trying to focus in on this. It helps when I am working with students one on one or in small groups because I can really stress things and give more practice if a particular student needs it. In the class it's hard sometimes to balance the strugglers with those who understand the concepts.
Well, I'm not quite sure what my plans are for this weekend. Tomorrow, I'm going to be meeting Kim and Emily (two missionaries from America) in town for lunch. We will be going to a local restaurant called Ricky's that sells American food. I'm SUPER excited to eat foods from back home!! On Saturday, the other teachers and I were supposed to climb the mountain to a different place than the one I went to a couple of weeks ago. This place is a LOT cheaper than the one than I went to previously. However, it has rained so much this week and there are some steep places on the climb, so Pastor Umba thinks it would be better AND safer to wait for another weekend when it hasn't been raining so much. So, I guess I check out if the gang is going to be playing Ultimate Frisbee on Saturday morning (I'm sure that will depend on the rain also). Sunday is church as usual and then the prayer meeting on Sunday night (and I think we're having a BBQ afterwards!! YAY!!). So, I've got a few things to do and even if that's it and I have time to rest, I will NOT complain. I could definitely stand to read for a few hours Saturday afternoon if that's all there is to do. Also, I can continue to work on my school plans.
I guess I shall conclude things here!! I will leave you with some pictures from this past week's adventures around Morogoro. (more to come!! I'm out of time now!!)
Class V has been better behaved as long as I keep them busy the entire class period. I haven't had to yell at them nearly as much as I have in the past. Bwana Asifiwe!!
With Classes VI and VII, I have a definite structured routine. We begin class with the Word of the Day. The students must copy the word, the definition, the part of speech, and a sentence that I write using the Word. Then the students must write their own sentence using the Word. At first, I was choosing random words, but I've decided that I want to be more purposeful with this daily activity. So, right now, the students are learning words that have to do with motion. I think that making "units" like this will help the students make more connections between the words and their lives. The great things about the Word of the Day are that it helps get class started in an organized and calm manner. Also, it exposes the students to words and helps them build their vocabulary. I make them write their own sentence using the Word because I want them to understand how the Word is used in proper context. I get mad when they try to copy my sentence and just change one word. I want them to really think about the word.
Here, there seems to be a lot of stress on memorizing things and spitting them back out on a test. But, I really want the students to think about what they are learning. I want them to question things and wrestle with what they are learning until they figure it out. I want them to see patterns and be able to apply them. Such as with tenses. One of the biggest problems I have with the simple perfect tense is the "he/she/it______". For example: "He sits". The students with invariably put "He sit." It drives me NUTS!!!! But, all I can do is give LOTS of practice work and constantly remind the students to be careful about who is doing the action. Is it "we", "you", "I", "he", "she", "they", etc. In the tutoring that I'm offering on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, I'm really trying to focus in on this. It helps when I am working with students one on one or in small groups because I can really stress things and give more practice if a particular student needs it. In the class it's hard sometimes to balance the strugglers with those who understand the concepts.
Well, I'm not quite sure what my plans are for this weekend. Tomorrow, I'm going to be meeting Kim and Emily (two missionaries from America) in town for lunch. We will be going to a local restaurant called Ricky's that sells American food. I'm SUPER excited to eat foods from back home!! On Saturday, the other teachers and I were supposed to climb the mountain to a different place than the one I went to a couple of weeks ago. This place is a LOT cheaper than the one than I went to previously. However, it has rained so much this week and there are some steep places on the climb, so Pastor Umba thinks it would be better AND safer to wait for another weekend when it hasn't been raining so much. So, I guess I check out if the gang is going to be playing Ultimate Frisbee on Saturday morning (I'm sure that will depend on the rain also). Sunday is church as usual and then the prayer meeting on Sunday night (and I think we're having a BBQ afterwards!! YAY!!). So, I've got a few things to do and even if that's it and I have time to rest, I will NOT complain. I could definitely stand to read for a few hours Saturday afternoon if that's all there is to do. Also, I can continue to work on my school plans.
I guess I shall conclude things here!! I will leave you with some pictures from this past week's adventures around Morogoro. (more to come!! I'm out of time now!!)
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| An attempt to take a picture of all the swarming bugs that attack me when it rains. (the same ones I mentioned earlier when I first got here) |
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| One of the nasty suckers up close and personal. |
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| There were so many kids around me I couldn't move, literally. Haha!! |
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| Frisbee on the playground during sports at school. |
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| Some students from Class VII |
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| Mary (from Class VII) and myself. |
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| Frank from Class VII. |
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| Rhoider is a character!! She's in Class VII and she cracks me up SOOO much!! :D |
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| The feast that we ate at Peter's. He lives in one small room with a concrete floor. In this room, he eats, sleeps, studies, and everything else. |
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| Peter in front of the small complex where he rents his one room. |
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| Writings on the wall of a prison cell where South African Freedom Writers stayed. |
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| A memorial to the South African Freedom Fighters who made refuge at this site which is now a University. There are many who are buried here along with their children. |
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| The railroad that runs through Morogoro. |
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| My set up for making French Toast!! |
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| The finished product!! |
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| Me singing with the women at the Women's Service at church! |
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| A picture of me as a guard in the drama. Thank goodness I didn't have any lines!! LOL!! |
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| More singing and dancing! |
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| "This is a STAFF!!" - me teaching music |
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| Class VII clapping a musical rhythm. They're getting really good at it!! :D |
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| Nathan and Rhoider playing their recorders. |
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| Carolina and her recorder! |
Well, I guess this is it for this entry. Sorry it took so long to get all of the pictures up. The internet has been SUPER slow lately. Hope you have a great weekend!! :D
"The LORD your God is with you; He is mighty to save! He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing!" Zephaniah 3:17
May the Lord Bless You and Keep You,
~Christine
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