Blending, digging and invigilating...
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 26/Jan/2009 05:55, 34 days ago
Second week of exams and the rumour is that we might actually be able to teach again soon - I can't wait!!Here is the update, its been fairly quite the last week...Monday 19th JanuaryI updated blog on here at work and then went down the NMB bank to fight... I mean get my ATM card back... I queued at the customer service desk (yes they do have one...) and the manager grinned at me and then vanished before I had the chance to collar him. As usual the bank was ridiculously busy but in a rare 'nice' moment one of the staff noticed me (its not hard as there are only 4 white people in Mpwapwa) and got my card out of a draw for me. All I had to do was sign and take it away. I walked outside and thought I would try the ATM again but there was a queue of 20 people so changed my mind and went back to work.Tuesday 20th JanuaryHad my first invigilation session today. The exams are at two times of the day, 7.30am - 10.30am or 11am - 2pm. I was down for the second session and met Mr Mgullo in a classroom filled with over 50 students! They sat at desks which were ancient, some had inkwell holders on them and were probably older than Mum and Dad! Back home you are unlucky if you have the wonky desk in an exam, here you are very lucky if it does not wobble. One unfortunate student had to use a chair as a desk (I moved him to a desk later when some students had left). The students were writing essays on plain paper (I guess because it is cheaper). The room was hot but they worked well, hopefully they all did themselves proud.Wednesday 21st JanuaryHad to invigilate the 7.30am exam this morning so got up early to make sure I had time to water my veg and make a smoothie for breakfast. The exam this time took place in a science lab but luckily there were less students and after giving up my chair everyone had a seat. This exam was in Kiswahili, unlike yesterdays which was about 'Evaluation and testing in Education'.Thursday 22nd JanuarySlow day as no invigilating but worked on my Kiswahili and spend some time developing more resources for the college. Still not been paid, despite posting my contract to VSO and the ministry but I am not letting that get me down and I made excellent pasta sauce using my blender! So how can I not be happy?Saw a yellowy brown ferret (or something long and thin) in the garden running along my wall, he did not hang around long enough for a photo which was a pain and it seems I have sand in my lense as my camera does not zoom anymore... It must have been all those beach trips on Zanzibar...Friday 23rd JanuaryWe had a powercut at 8.30am and power did not return until late evening, ICT then shut so I spend the day at home practising my Kiswahili. I have my intermediate language training from the 15th - 22nd of Feb and don't think I am quite intermediate yet... I spend some time in the garden too, I found some tomatoes, papaya and peppers growing from seeds in my compost heap so I transplanted them to the rest of my garden. It is so lovely in my garden!WeekendDid lots of shopping, lots of fruit for the blender. On Saturday went for a Chipsi Mayai at a place I have not been before and despite the flies it was nice. I am planning to get some chickens for eggs and entertainment value so I bought a hammer and some nails and have been thinking about making a run for them. My Mzee says they may get stolen so we are going to make a coop in the garage for them. Ideally I would like to have them wandering around but will play it safe to start with.Sunday I moved some flowers from my borders to a patch near the road as it will make coming up to my house even nicer! I also pruned some bushes and made a thorn fence to keep the cattle away from my veg. Weekend was very hot and sunny but am being careful, still no sun burn.Invigilating Tuesday and Wednesday this week and off to Dodoma on the weekend for a regional conference.Have a nice week and take care!p.s. Craving strawberries and raspberries for my blender...