students and teachers

MIKUMI

The language school took a trip to Mikumi National Park. It was a cloudy day so many of the pictures did not turn out but there were a few good enough to put online. We were able to see elephants, giraffes, impalas, hippos, wildebeest, lots of birds, and even a lioness.

Morogoro

Cover those knees please!

So I know I just posted something but I've learned that I need to take advantage of any internet time and put as much online as possible. I've lost count of the number of times I've lost a blog post or email because the connection was lost or the power went out! Power was out for about 6 hours Sunday and since then the internet (which had just begun to work again) doesn't work. Some friends and I rode the dala dala to town to write emails and have dinner. After exiting the dala dala we talked about what an amazing trip it was. We all had a seat as soon as we got on, it didn't run out of gas, we weren't sweat on by random strangers. I actually felt like I belonged this time too because a woman gave me her sack of bananas to hold while she was standing and later a boy made himself comfortable in my lap and put his head on my shoulder. I've seen Tanzanians do that with other Tanzanians but it was my first time being able to help while riding.
There is a group of Americans on a short term trip to Tanzania staying at the language school. The other day I saw some of the girls walk by in shorts. It seemed shocking at first. It was one of the only times I’ve seen a woman’s knees in the last four months….the only other times I’ve been at the swimming pool or the ocean. It made me realize how I’ve gotten used to the Tanzanian way of dressing. Women are supposed to always have their knees covered here. Typically women only wear skirts or dresses although that has changed in the cities, especially Dar. One of my Tanzanian friends also saw the girls in shorts. After seeing them he had a lot of questions for me about how short shorts come in the U.S. and if everyone wears clothes like that! It is customary for women here to have a kanga close at hand at all times, even when relaxing at home. That way she can wrap the kanga around herself and be ‘presentable’ in seconds in case an unexpected visitor arrives. A kanga is a piece of fabric with a saying in Swahili and a pattern. For one of our culture classes we were shown the styles for wearing a kanga and told their importance within society. This is passive culture. Confrontation never happens directly. Women will use the message of their kanga to communicate their feelings to friends or family that have done something to cause them problems. Chuma even told us that a married woman will make the bed and then throw the kanga across it with a message of what her husband has done that has angered her. If a husband and wife have had an argument the husband will go to the store and find a kanga with an appropriate message asking for forgiveness to present his wife. Women also wrap themselves in kangas to work in the fields or go to funerals. I have 2 kangas. On one the message is something about how a there is no discord in a place where basic needs are met. The other kanga I bought because it was blue and had a pretty pattern. I didn’t really pay attention to the words until I returned home. I can’t remember what it says but I know that it wasn’t as nice of a message!

Class is over!

Thursday I finished up my language course. We had a large final written and oral exam and a project to hand in for our last week of class. After 4 months of studying Swahili I feel like I have a good grasp of grammar but my vocabulary is still very limited. I think it will take a few more months of daily speaking before I am able to have a regular conversation. It will help when I move to town and no longer am surrounded by people that are able to speak English. Chuma arranged for the school to go into town together to celebrate. The mamas in the kitchen made lots of yummy food and we ate a place near the river. We received certificates of completion for the course.
Construction hasn’t begun on a house I had hoped to move into at the Bungo church. I have a meeting with the pastor later this week to talk about if/when construction will start. Linda and I looked at 2 houses last week but neither was promising. Both houses were too large for one person and very far from town. As I hope to be able to get around on foot or using a daladala being close to town is important. I’ve been assured that I am able to live in the language school housing for as long as needed. While it is a relief to know I won’t be homeless any time soon, I am ready to move and begin working in town.
Surprisingly the temperature has felt cool. I know that it is winter in Tanzania, but I didn’t expect to feel cold at all for at least the first year here. There have been a few nights where I’ve needed to pull out a blanket to sleep. I don’t bundle up in winter coats and hats like the Tanzanians but I have pulled out pants and a few long sleeve shirts for sitting outside at night. Now that the rains have mainly stopped the number of mosquitoes seems to have decreased, which is a relief. Unfortunately there are a crazy amount of spiders all over campus now. Yesterday on the way to church my friend walking on the path next to me walked through a giant web that hadn’t been there the day before. Thankfully the spider didn’t land on him since he expected me to help pull the pieces of web out of his hair!