Christmas in Tanzania

Merry Christmas! There are still a few more hours to celebrate before midnight here!
This is the 6th country I've celebrated Christmas in: Australia, China, Kazakhstan, Scotland, Peru and now Tanzania.  It's really been a great day and a fun time leading up to to Christmas.

At school we counted down to the holidays by popping balloons!  Each student also had a stocking for giving and receiving small gifts and notes of encouragement.  It was so much fun.  We also did a few craft activities.  Even though it was just last week it seems like ages since school finished.  I'm still trying to get my head around Christmas holidays marking the halfway point of the year rather than the end.

The last day of school was the school Christmas production.  I got to organise it this year which was stressful but hugely rewarding. I even got some flowers at the end....so special! The kids were amazing and all 80+ had a part.  I was so happy with how it went.  Learning lines is hard anyway, but for half the students who are still learning English it was a huge achievement!  A lot of the children and parents do not have a Christian background, so what a special way to hear and interact with the Christmas story...perhaps in some cases for the first time :)

Our house has been looking all Christmassy too!  Stacy (co-director of our organisation) gave us all stockings with special things in them.  So sweet!  We also have a Christmas tree and did secret Santa with all the single gals.  I even bought the cat and dogs some presents...haha

Yesterday we had a carols service at church for Christmas Eve.  There were heaps of candles strung across the room and it created such a beautiful atmosphere for worship.  We also had another church service this morning.  I just love being part of this church.  It makes me feel so at home here, knowing I have a church family.

After church I called family back home and got to open some gifts that I had been looking longingly at for weeks!  It is always so special to have something to open and I'm so thankful to be able to talk with family!  I then cooked a yummy Pavlova that actually worked.    In the arvo I went for Christmas dinner with a German family from church as well as another few church families.  It really made Christmas feel special - the food and company were just amazing.

So that is Christmas on this side of the world - not so very different but definitely special.  Tomorrow is the start of another adventure as I begin to climb Kilimanjaro, hopefully summiting on New Year's Day!

Happy Christmas and a super new year!

Happily ever after.....

This last week has been full of fun as Francis and Vicky got married! Both are teachers at Hope.  Francis takes my advanced students for Maths (which I'm so thankful for!) and teaches Swahili, whist Vicky is the Grade 1 teacher assistant.  It was so beautiful to see these two people come together, and such a honour to be part of a Kenyan/Tanzanian wedding!

The send off
Before the wedding is another ceremony which is about the bride-to-be's family giving her to her husband for marriage.  It's a big celebration for the bride, because most of the actual wedding reception is organised by the groom and his family.....including the bride's wedding dress.  The invite said 5pm which means it didn't start until 7pm...haha.  So of course all the wazungu (white people) were there just after 5...at least we had time for some photos in our pretty clothes :)

HOPE single teachers looking swish

With my cute date :)

All the bride's attendants danced into the room in matching clothes.  So stylish! Then there's lots of different rituals, including introducing friends, giving cake to her family and her fiance's family, spraying champagne, and a really cute part near the end where Vicky has to hunt around the room for her fiance. He was hiding in the back corner....I never even saw him there!  And of course there was yummy Tanzanian food :)  I didn't have my good camera and the lighting was bad so not many photos!

Here comes the bride!

Teachers from school dancing into the room

Wedding ceremony
Another day, another dress!  This time it was the actual wedding.  Once again we were early so took some photos of our pretty clothes.  Often guests try to dress in the wedding colours......so blue dresses it was!

with beautiful Grace

before wedding selfie

This time I had my big camera so managed to get some cute shots of the ceremony.  Two of the students in my class were among the group who danced the bride down the aisle.  They did such a great job!  It was really hot in the church but such a special ceremony for two beautiful people.

Wedding reception
The wedding reception was so elaborate!  It was held at Uhuru, a hostel/reception place not far from our house.  Just like at the send off there was a traditional goat cake (cakie ya mbuzi)! It was such a beautiful setting but on my goodness the music was so loud!  I've learned that here full volume is the standard volume for speakers, regardless of the event or how close the speakers are to where people are sitting.  I tried stuffing bits of paper in my ears but still ended up with a thumping headache so exited a bit early.  Still, such a special day and I feel so honoured to have been invited to be a part of it :)

Four of my students who were at the wedding.  They are so beautiful/handsome and I love them sooooo much!

Everyone needs acrobats at their wedding

It's the goat cake!!! I want a wedding cake like this.....

The groom feeding his best man cake.....yum yum

beautiful setting for a beautiful day

Random bits of life

Oops, it's been nearly a month since I last posted something.  I've told myself that I should blog at least twice a month, so shall stick to it!  Life here is very much routine now, and in many ways similar to working life in Australia.  I have so much to be thankful for though, and want to make the most of being here.  Of course, working full time is a tiring thing, so weekends are pretty low key.  I am trying to remind myself to see the beauty in every day and take time to reflect on the things that make life unique here.  Even though I'm here for two years I know that time will be over before I know it!  So, here are some random pics of life from the last few weeks.

At home:
Living with six other people (four with me in the main house, and two in the back house) is a challenge, especially when we work together all day as well!  But I'm getting more used to it, and managing to find quiet places for hanging out or reading (usually school textbooks!).

The ultimate introvert withdrawal place: the roof!

Hanging out on the front porch....with ice cream of course!

My flatmates really don't like bugs, not even cute rhino beetles :(

At school:
I love the class I teach so much!  They are the most random bunch of kids but we have heaps of fun.  They make me laugh all the time and I think they're learning stuff too which is always good :)

Book character day....Little Red Riding Hood is about to be eaten!

Nailing Martin Luther's 95 theses to our classroom door
as part of our study of The Reformation

Looking at density by making lava lamps!

Mud just makes life more fun :)  I'm thankful carpet doesn't exist here!

Walking, walking and walking:
I walk lots here!  Mostly because I don't have a car, but also because it's a good way to get some alone time around home and school.  Also, this part of the world is rather beautiful so I want to enjoy it as much as I can!

The road near school

Beautiful Jacaranda trees are dropping their flowers everywhere at the moment

The result of all that walking......

 Fun:
A few weeks ago our women's Bible study group went out for fondue!  Yep, Swiss fondue in Tanzania.  Our group has women from five different continents and we get together to read the Bible each Thursday.  Being such an international group makes it even more special.   I didn't get a good group shot, but we really did have the best table in the whole of Tanzania!

A perfect view of Kili!

That's all from me....only four more weeks of school before Christmas break!
God's blessings on your week xxx