Under African Skies

Apologies for the delay to those who have sent emails asking what I'm doing!  

I've been trying to get pictures to upload.  Sadly, I don't think the internet is going to allow for that.  I'll do a "Tanzania" pictures post when I get to a decent connection to make it up to you.  

In the meantime, I was able to get a few up here though for your viewing pleasure. 

I wanted quickly touch on a point from the last post regarding my “experience” being different from expected, before getting into my update.   Several folks asked me to clarify it and it actually helped me understand it better.  So for posterity's sake -- 

Basically, I think where that feeling derived from was having been more focused on community-based vs. education-centric volunteering before I left.  Therefore, this wasn’t a type of volunteering that I had initially thought I would be doing.  After jumping at this opportunity, which came up at the last second, I think it really is a product of not knowing what to expect vs. there being a deficit anywhere.   It was the skeptic coming through a bit too much.

And, importantly, it is also me learning that with all idealistic volunteering gooey-ness -- comes some really hard, and sometimes boring, work.  As Paul Simon sings in the song that gives this post its name: "This is the story of how we begin to remember."  To me that means remembering to keep my mind open and my skepticism to a minimum.  I'm pretty sure that's  not how Paul meant it, but it is what I'm taking away.

Now halfway through my third week here, I can say that while these kids can be crazy, booger-eating tyrants and con-artists, I know this will be an experience that I will always remember.   

Anyway, in more good news -- the rains have taken a hiatus and the last week has been beautiful.  The landscape has turned from yellow to lots of green, with flowers and coffee plants in bloom.

Rows and Rows and Rows of Coffee.  We get to drink it every morning and it is amazing!

Sunset over Mt. Oldeani with the Bougainvillea that lines the property in the foreground

It has allowed for a lot of time outside (I currently have a wicked farmer tan) and a sunnier disposition with the kids!  

However, the only animals I've seen so far are Baboons (well, I guess I have seen lots of different birds too).  Hoping to change that this weekend with a Day Trip to Tarangire National Park.   

Random other tidbits:

• Tanzanian's often refer to the USA as "Obamaland" and I've heard at least one kid here at the village refer to Washington D.C. as "Obama's Village".  Needless to say, they were thrilled that he won the election.
• I have gotten to play the Tooth Fairy three times.  I’m not sure if Matchbox Cars and Glow Sticks are cool to these guys, but I'm trying my best. 

These are the primary school boys of Serengeti House, where I'm living.  We also have a couple of older boys who go to High School and two little ones. 

• I got to play concerned parent when Janu, the 3-year-old in my house, woke up sick in the middle of the night. For those keeping score at home, I can play concerned parent.  However, I am totally useless on what to do for a three year old experiencing a terrible bout of diarrhea. What fun!
• I got punched in the junk by the 3-year-old below as he yelled, "you lion!".  He sure is cute.  Lucky for me his bark is bigger than his right hook. 

Meet Ema - the comedian of the pre-school set

• I made it through a full week of kindergartners all by myself. It was a fun week doing all sorts of stuff.  A few kids needed to go to the "office" at the beginning of the week, but we settled into a nice routine the last 3 days of the week.  It went something like:  

(From Left to Right -- that's Neema, Gabby, Vicenti, Micha and Jackson)

o   Math – We’re working on the concept of “carry the one” with some of them and others to remember addition tables vs. finger counting.  That said, it is cute to see 52 + 18 = 610 and to sit in a room with 7 children counting out loud and sounding like robots.

o   Spelling – We’ll still be working on the epic struggle of c vs. k and b vs. d this week.

o   Reading - Who knew Amelia Bedelia was still up to her old antics?

o   Drawing - the boys have a fondness for Power Rangers and the Girls for Rainbows and Flowers, but we also did some Hand Turkeys in honor of Thanksgiving (it was the end of the week and I was running out of ideas!)

o   “Simon Says” – It was short-lived, as the class all agreed that the game was “stupid”

o   Importantly, I didn’t have to watch the Lion King again!  Though, it wasn’t without serious protest.

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Meet Evans.  I called him Walker for the first 2 weeks.  I figured out it was because that hat reminded me of Jimmy Walker.  In fact, he's closer to another red-hatted TV character:  Mushmouth.