Drought!! And more guests in Mpwapwa!!
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 09/Mar/2009 07:30, 34 days ago
Here is the update for last week…Monday 2nd MarchQuiet at TTC, still not switching on the computers. Had a call from Matayo at the market in the evening because he had some chairs for me. I went down and collected them, they are great, only tsh 3000 each (£1.50 ish). They are made of wood and recycle material. They are heavy and I carried one home on my head much to the amusement of the local women and children! Maybe now I am a true local!Tuesday 3rd MarchI had two lessons with no computers and decided to show the students Publisher (we made a poster, invitation card and CD cover) and Frontpage (where we made a simple 3 page website). It was a good opportunity to demonstrate different software and also to highlight the similarities between programs.We received news that the education minister will be visiting on Monday the 9th so i brought in my webcam so that we can demonstrate video-conferencing for him.In the afternoon I got my second chair from Matayo and carried it the same way! I bought a third one can gave to Charles (the new VSO in Mpwapwa) as it was his birthday!Wednesday 4th MarchHad my last lesson of the week, with my 'best' class, rumours that the AC would be fitted on the weekend were warmly received! Once again I showed this group Publisher and Frontpage. I also showed some typing programs as in my opinion the biggest problem is lack of practice on the computers and typing programs and games are good for increasing speed and confidence.After my lesson I popped down to the bank as VSO were sending me my Askari (Guard) money and a little to keep me going while the ministry spends my wages on other things (oops did I just say that…). Bank was busy but there was a new chap behind the counter who kept trying to get my attention and enabled me to skip the queue (I felt relieved but also a little guilty…) I got some cash out and forgot my card! Went back and got it later though, they still do not have a pin for me thus each time I want cash I must queue at the main counter…Thursday 5th MarchIt is getting hotter and drier… When I woke up this morning to fill my water buckets there was nothing coming out of the taps… Oh no! No water…I got a text from Lubuva (head of IT) at 6.55am (Yes 6.55am!) saying that the principle is going to address the staff and students at 7.15am and not be late. I knew it would be about the Minister of Educations visit and turned up on time. The Principle did not, he got there at 8.30am! Then we had a meeting and finally addressed the students at 9.15am (they had been kept waiting for 2 hours, I thought this was very rude!)I order to prepare for the Ministers visit on Monday the Principle cancelled all lessons for Thursday and Friday (As a student I would be very unhappy about this!) All the students were to work around the college to make the grounds look lovely. (If I was the minister I would rather see students learning than tidying up places, but we are all different– Appearances mean a lot here!)As there was nothing to do at the college I went home grumpy (at having time wasted and feeling sorry for the students). Did some food shopping in the afternoon and worried about my plants which are feeling the drought!Friday 6th MarchNo water again!I was expecting guests today as Peter and I had invited John and Mary to come and visit Mpwapwa. John is a Headteacher of a school near Dodoma and Mary helped set up another school in Dodoma. There was nothing to do in the morning except wait for them to arrive. They came at 12ish and I took them to meet the Principle and then Thad and I took them on a tour of the TTC. John would have liked to have checked out the students for potential new staff but unfortunately they were working on the grounds not studying in the class…I popped home to change before lunch and saw a kid playing with a bundle of foam, and string as a football. I went inside and got one of the footies that Ray sent me and gave to him. You should have seen his face light up– Cheers Ray!!Thad and I took John and Mary to Hafunes for lunch and then we guided them to Peters where they were staying. In the evening they came over to my place for dinner where I cooked them vegetarian spaghetti and made a yummy fruit salad. Peter is a little frustrated at work (as we all are!) but it is harder for him, dealing with corruption and negligence as he works with terminally ill people but we had a chat and he felt a little better after letting off some steam. After a chat and some wine, I taught them how to play the card game‘S**t head’ which we all enjoyed.Saturday 7th MarchWater? Don’t be silly I am in Mpwapwa! Still none…As John came to Mpwapwa in his 4x4 pick up we were able to go for a little drive Saturday morning. We went down to Gulway which is closer to the mountains I can see from my doorstep. It is also where the train passes if you travel between Dar and Dodoma. In the village I bought 2 tiki tiki maji (water melons).Later we guided John to agriculture research institute where we ate some watermelon and went for a walk up a mountain. We did not reach the top as we did not have enough time but I was nice to stretch legs and see a different part of Mpwapwa. Was going to try and get some fresh milk from the research institute (where the cows look very well looked after!) but time it wrong as milking was not happening…Went home for a little rest and in evening went over to Peter’s for dinner. He cooked pork and rice which was very tasty. After dinner we were making lists of favourite books and movies – as I am at least 25 years younger than the other my lists were not as similar as theirs…On the way home from Peter’s I bumped into Thad and Ben and we decided to go for a quick beer at ‘Sleepy Chicken’, Thad ordered a Chipsi Mayai and as usual drowned it chilli sauce! We met a crazy guy called King Boy who was an ex-solider (56 years old and about 5 foot tall…). Now I am not sure how much of what he told us is true but in the 70s he went to Cuba and also fought in Mozambique for the communists. He had been in prison and he said it was for plotting to assassinate the first leader of Tanzania! He was barmy and kept saying in Kiswahili that he loves war and mentioned that he has eaten people (that did worry me a little…) He is currently on bail for some misdemeanour but seems to know all the Mzungu (White people) who have ever been in Mpwapwa and claims to like us a lot… As long as it is not with Chilli sauce!Sunday 8th MarchWater came back! What a relief!I did lots of chores like watering plants and washing up. I fed my chickens some of the watermelon and they loved it!Late morning I popped down to the TTC to see how things were going, the grounds were looking very nice and I bumped into the Principle and we had a chat about cameras. I think he wants to give me money and wants me to buy one and send to him when I get back to UK…I went into town and had lunch with John, Mary, Peter and Thad at Habibs where Hurune my Mzee works. It was very tasty, well worth the money! In the afternoon John and Mary went back to Dodoma and I relaxed at my house, pondering about the show that will be put on tomorrow for the Minister…Monday 9th MarchSo it’s the big day and no Minister yet… Tomorrow is a public holiday and this weekend I am off to Dodoma!Still no rain...Have a nice weekTake care