Junior High Big Day Out in Arusha

Organising excursions is always a bit of a challenge, but organising one in a country that you have only lived in for a short while, to a city you are not familiar with, for a full day, was a new experience!  I had looked around for somewhere for us to visit in Moshi, but didn't have any luck and really wanted to do something special since most of the students won't be at Hope next year.  Arusha is a city about 2 hours away (but with roadworks took 2.5 hours) so we left bright and early at 8:30am.

First stop: Cultural Heritage Art Gallery.  We couldn't take pictures inside, but even without the fantastic artwork, the architecture is amazing - six levels of paintings, sculptures and wooden carvings - making it the largest art gallery in Africa.

Next stop: The Arusha Declaration Museum.  This was pretty average in terms of displays, but since we had specifically been studying the Arusha Declaration it was worth the visit!  The museum has beautiful grounds so it was also a great place to stop for lunch.  Mr Francis went and got us Chips Kuku!

The future president of Tanzania sitting on the first president's chair :)

Posing in front of the Arusha Declaration monument - built to commemorate the 1967 deckaration

Next stop: Shanga Foundation.  This was probably the highlight for most students.  Shanga is an organisation that is focused on providing meaningful employment to people with disabilities through teaching them craft skills.  The things they make and the way they can overcome their limitations is truly inspiring.  More often than not, people with disabilities in Tanzania are looked down on and hidden away from society so I really wanted to expose the class to something they wouldn't normally encounter.

Meleah trying glass blowing!

Last stop: Ice cream!  This was a surprise stop and made my heart so happy.  The kids had been talking about getting ice cream but had accepted when I said it was too expensive.  The school donated some money however, making it possible!  To see the looks on their faces when we turned into the carpark instead of going home, and then when I said we were getting ice cream....just priceless!  Then when they realised we  were going to an actual ice cream shop and not just the supermarket - I've never seen ice cream bring so much joy :)

Happy times on our little bus :)

We arrived back in Moshi at 6:30pm and I must admit, as much as I love these teenagers, I was ready for some serious alone time!  Seeing their happy faces makes it worth it though.

Arusha has Mount Meru.....

...but Moshi still wins with Kili!

Blessings on your week!

Church retreat, brain dissection and the booty pose

Church retreat:
I have said many times before how much I love being part of this church - it really is my community and something I look forward to each week.  Last weekend we had our church retreat at Maua.  I've been here 3 times now but it is so beautiful.  It was forecast to rain the whole time and it did rain - but only when we were in teaching sessions so it didn't really matter at all.

Moshi is green at the moment, but Maua still wins!

Moo!

Eucalyptus trees a long way from home

A German, Italian and Australian hanging out in Tanzania :)

There can never be too many photos of Kili

Brain dissection:
Last year we dissected a heart as part of Science, so this year it was time for a brain (or in fact, three goat brains)!  So many times the students think they will be grossed out by it, but are more often than not just fascinated and feel quite proud at having dissected something.  As someone who would have totally fainted a few years ago, it helps me explain what to do if one feels queasy and that there is no shame in needing to sit out for a bit.   A couple of kids felt a bit sick, but pushed through!  I usually spend the first few minutes dissecting whilst they watch, asking them to identify the main parts, then they are free to touch, cut and examine how ever they want.

skewered brain on thumb

sloppy brain mush

The booty pose:
Having quite a few local gals as friends on Facebook, I have noticed there is a particular way they like to pose for photos - which we have named The Booty Pose.  Essentially, it is a way of posing to show off ones best or most sought after assets - chest and booty - in one pic.  Two of the local girls are helping me perfect mine:

I still have some learning to do!

This dress is one I got made here.  There are stores that sell the kitenge (fabric) and then fundis who sew it to fit.  I just took in a dress picture off the internet and she did an amazing job!  Total cost: about $20.

Flora and Linda - I love these gals :)

Looking all African with Mr Francis

That's all for now.  More randomness to come later!

Walking, walking and more walking...

Last year, when our school was at a more central location it was so great to walk home after work - kind of a time to wind down and think about things, whilst enjoying random kids wanting to practice English, occasional random guys professing their love (really) and every boda driver beeping to see if I need a lifty.  Speaking of guys professing their love, it usually goes something like this: "Can I have your phone number? I love you.  Do you live alone?"  My response: "I live with my husband.  He is an angry man.  He does not like me talking to other men." Haha...I have come to think of it as an acceptable (and very effective) form of lie!

Anyway, I didn't realise how much I was missing this time, especially with my head full of both study and school.  I decided earlier this month to see how far it is from our current campus to home and with a few short-cuts across fields it only takes one hour!  So, my new routine: get up early in the morning, run up the road, get ready for work, then catch a boda (motorbike) to work (It only costs TSH3000 - about $2).   After school I leave straight away (at 3:15!) and enjoy a relaxing walk home.  Even if I don't run in the morning because of rain or a bed that is too comfy, I still love to make my own way to work.  I have realised that I am quite an independent person who needs a lot of alone time.  Rather than having the director pick me up and drop me off from work with the other teachers, these small freedoms have become such a blessing!  

Here are some pics from my walking adventures.  I love meeting and greeting the same people each day :)

Kili coming out to say hi :)

Not long after these photos, the rainy season got rather intense!  Alas, I had to go back to car travel some days :(  Last year, the rainy season meant a few days of heavy rain each week, but this year ha been crazy with rain pretty much every day.  This is a good thing though, especially for the farmers.  About three weeks later I took some more pics and the landscape is so green in comparison - and also a whole lot more muddy!

So much mud!  But, it's not raining so I'm stubbornly walking anyway.  

This is the same river as above - but now with a bit more water

Beautiful Jacaranda trees dropping purple flowers everywhere

k

Kili floating in the sky - this I will miss so much

 I also attempted to get a pic on the boda boda but it's rather difficult to do in a subtle way!

Can you see me in the mirror? Haha...photo fail

Rainy season at last!

It is now only two months until I leave Tanzania.  When it starts to get this close, it's hard to not do a countdown, even if I'd prefer to not think about it!  The weather has changed a lot, and it's now the rainy season.  This means a crazy amount of rain, which turns all the dust to sticky mud.  I love how heavy the rain gets though - it really is a beautiful time of year.  

The rain pouring down at school

With the colder weather comes the flying termites!  Our classroom had a recent invasion over the weekend.  I don't really get how their life-cycle works, but they flap around like crazy, then drop their wings and crawl away/die.  It's a bit gross really!

We finally got fans in our classroom which was good for the last few weeks of hot weather before the rainy season began.  This last quarter has been quite hard for the class, with very few days off.  Also, they are teenagers so most often they come to school looking like it's killing them to be out of bed!  That is one big difference I've noticed between teaching younger kids and teaching high school - with younger kids it's trying to calm down their crazy energy whereas with this group at least it's a constant battle to inject some energy and keep them motivated!  Food seem to be a good motivator:

Phases of the moon with Oreo biscuits

Building models of atomic isotopes with M&Ms and Tic Tacs

 Here are some other pictures of the class, because I can never take enough!

Our pom-pom catapult competition

A spare 15 mins, and they have made a golf club
and are playing mini-golf.  I love their creativity!

Beautiful Faatimah with her book buddies

The students are so used to cultural diversity they don't even get how special this picture is!

This photo is from a while ago but still special - running
the 5km with these two beautiful girls

We have been on holidays for 10 days now, and go back to school tomorrow.  It's then only 8 weeks until school is done for the year.  Balancing school and study has meant that holidays are for assignment writing and not much else!  This break has been particularly stressful, with one assignment due 3 days into the holidays, and another due 2 days after that.  It was honestly crazy - 4500 words in 4 days.  I hardly knew what to do with myself once I finished!  Mogli was not much help:

Soon after this pic, he was lying across my computer in a desperate attempt to get attention!  That's all for now - time to get my things organised for school tomorrow.

God's blessings on your week!