Teaching again and rain at last!
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 02/Feb/2009 05:39, 34 days ago
Back to work after a weekend and conference in Dodoma.No mail at college today, not sure if Dar are slow sending or if the mail is at the post office and the college have not collected.Here is the update in the last week...Monday 26th JanuaryI was not invigilating today so updated blog. At lunchtime my Askari (guard) delivered me some wood for my chicken coup. I am going to get 6 hens for laying eggs.Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 27th - 29th JanuaryInvigilation, Invigilation, Invigilation! Wednesday I invigilated ICT practical exams all day from 7.30am– 5.00pm! That was pretty knackering and a long day but I was glad to be busy.Thursday was the leftovers from the ICT exams as the plan was to do all the students in one day but we had powercuts and network trouble etc... the usual for any ICT exam!I find in ICT lessons that when students want help they click their fingers, I find this rude (when I tell other vols they agree) and am trying to change the practice so that the students just raise hands. It makes me feel like a waiter rather than a teacher.During the day on Wednesday, Hurune (my cook) and Sospeter (my guard) were building my chicken coup. Basically we are using the garage to keep them in and they have been building a fence at the front with a little door.Thursday I bought the chickenwire and carried it back from town much to the amusement of the local children.Friday 30th JanuaryNo more invigilation and I was leaving early today as it was the Dodoma volunteers regional meeting on Saturday. I left work at 10.30 and checked on the guys progress with my chicken coup, it looks very good. Will add a picture as should be getting chickens sometime soon!Caught the 1pm bus with Peter, we tried using a different company which was cheaper and actually a more comfortable ride. We got in just after 4pm and went to check into our guest house called CCT next to the Anglican Church. We could not stay with Nelson this time as he has had to move into a smaller house!We met a German guy at the CCT who had spent the last 11 months cycling from Munich to Tanzania, he was on his way to South Africa. And yes, that is cycling not motorbiking!! he was not doing it for charity he just wanted to try it...We met up Clare, Nelson, Charles and Anna and we grabbed some local grub (Chipsi Mayai) and got some beers. It was good to see Charles again, I had not seen him since the ICT (In Country Training) and it was nice meeting Anna. She and Charles are both in a rural area like Mpwapwa but North East of Dodoma rather South East. Neither made it to the AVC back in December.Saturday 31st JanuaryWe got up early for breakfast which was just a roll and jam. Then we went to the New Dodoma hotel as Peter wanted a coffee, the food looked so good we decided that we would go there for breakfast Sunday morning.We had our conference outside under a banda (shelter), the conference was good fun, we all got on well. The main focus of the morning was gender equality and how it affects our placements. Tanzanians have a long way to go before the rights males and females are more equal, women have a hard time here especially in rural areas. It rained very hard during most of the morning and we were worried about going to get lunch but luckily it stopped just in time. Lunch was very nice we went to a local bar and I had chicken and rice.In the afternoon we voiced all positive and negative aspects of our placements so far and what VSO can do to help us. We also voted Nelson as the new Dodoma Rep because Clare is finishing her placement soon.In the evening we had dinner at the New Dodoma hotel, we ate in the Chinese restaurant and the food was gorgeous as there were 10 of us, it was easy ordering and sharing different dishes and there was plenty to go around!Sunday February 1stPeter and I went for the very, very tasty breakfast at the New Dodoma hotel. There was fruit, cereal, eggs, sausages and beans, pastries and fresh fruit juice. Clare came and met me and as Peter went to chruch so I went to see Clares house. She gave me some seeds and books as she will not need them anymore. On the way back to meet Peter I noticed one of the street sellers had an electric fly swatter so I bought it. (They are great for zapping mosquitoes!)For lunch we settled for a ice cream at Aladdins and before the bus left at 2pm we did a little shopping and I bought some sausages again for dinner. (Sorry if I talk about food a lot but it is a perk leaving Mpwapwa and enjoying the good food elsewhere!)The journey back on the bus was fine and we could see rain heading towards Mpwapwa - a good sign!Got home just before the rain started and I even had time to plant some marigolds. As I was cooking my sausages for dinner there was a powercut so I had to switch to using my Kerosine cooker, it is faster than electric but does leave a funny smell in the kitchen...It rained most of the night and I felt sorry for my Askari (guard) sleeping on the porch but was pleased for my garden.So that is last week, this week I am teaching again, got 4 hours tomorrow.Hopefully tonight I will have chickens in the coup!Have a nice week and take care