Back to work!!
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 18/Jan/2010 06:35, 34 days ago
I have been back at work and the pace is starting to increase now that the first year students have arrived. Here is the update from the last 2 weeks.Tuesday 5th JanuarySo the first years have arrived, they are only 6 months late… It was made worse by the fact that there was no timetable for them and no one seemed ready to deal with them despite waiting 6 months (nothing like planning ahead…). I was told they all would be studying ICT, studying the diploma which I taught in Mpwapwa. That was not a problem for me, apart from the fact there is 46 of them and only 4 computers…Sandra and her Mum came to stay with us for a few days, Sandra does not get on very well with her Mum and it was interesting to observe them together! They came over on the boat from Tanga and arrived for dinner. I cooked spaghetti with fake meat and Liz made some garlic bread. It was good to see San again and we also invited Juanito over. We drank some Konyagi (local gin– disgusting) and played some games.Wednesday 6th JanuaryHad work as usual, Sandra and her Mum went to visit Chake, where she used to work. In the evening we went to Times restaurant near the college (probably the poshest place in Wete) Unfortunately we went late and they only had fish and chips left, we got stuck in though and it was yummy.Thursday 7th JanuaryToday Sandra and her Mum went North to Swahili divers for a few days. I have never been up there but am weary as their reputation for diving is not great (in the past they have lost some groups of divers and have had boats sink!)Saturday 9th JanuaryLiz and I went to Chake for a new gas canister and to get some money out of the bank, it is funny when ask us to check balances, they assume the bank is near like in Dar but for us it is a 3 hour round trip! Still I got a bank balance and some cash for the next month. VSO have paid all my expenses claims but I am being taxed by the ministry and have not received Novembers pay (reminds me of the first 5 months in Mpwapwa). I hate the NMB bank– they charge me for using the ATM each month – even though I cannot use it and have not PIN…Tuesday 12th JanuaryIt was a public holiday– revolution day! We were invited to Gombani Stadium to watch the parade and speeches but we wanted a lie in and rest. In the end it was good that we did not go as we later found out that there were big crowds pushing and shoving and the police bought dogs in to control them and then someone waskilled in a stampede! Typical Pemban pushing and shoving like when queuing for boats – scary stuff, no wonder VSO say avoid political rallies.Wednesday 13th JanuaryIt was going to be a busy day at work, whoever made the timetable decided it would be a good idea for me to teach all of the diploma students at once in my tiny class with 4 computers. This naturally would be impossible, they also timetabled me to teach periods 8 and 9 (no one else teaches this late in the day but I don’t mind) I came up with a plan, I would use the projector John bought for the college and I would teach them in the hall where they can all sit. One day they will all be in the hall and the next day in groups they will come to the ICT room. I did a great introduction to ICT and explained how wewould learn the theory in a big group and have practical lessons in smaller groups. Despite the earlier apprehension the day went well.In the evening Liz and I went over to Juanitos for dinner, he had just returned from Dar and had made a mighty feast for us. He met some travellers which he invited along with 2 Cuban doctors who work in Wete but I had not spoke to before. It was nice chatting and the doctors where telling us about the Muslim culture and how it affects their work.Thursday 14th JanuaryHad a lesson with the outsiders and after it Ramala who should really be teaching them came and told me I need to give them an exam soon and showed me the plan of their course, they do not speak any English and they are supposed to be learning website design, programming and databases along with all the basic software packages– all a bit ambitious if you ask me! I wish they could have checked the course with me before signing people up – they are making a fortune from these guys! No wonder they put the generator on for them – I still think the priority should be the students though…Friday 15th JanuaryLiz woke me up early today as she wanted to go down to Juanitos and give the travellers some books to take away with them, I was a bit grumpy at being woken up and 6am but we did get some good books back in trade.At college I gave Ramala an exam for the outsiders, a copy of one I used in Mpwapwa which I will make them do on Thursday. There was a partial (80%) solar eclipse and we were able to watch it at the college, I made pin hole viewers for people and we were able to look directly when the clouds covered the sun. The crescent style sun did freak out a few of the students but it was a sight– fantastic and the temperature dropped!Back home we tidied up, I cooked veggie spag again and we watched‘Inside man’ in the evening, apart from the early rise it was a successful and great day!Saturday 16th JanuaryThere was no power in the morning and we had a lazy day. In the evening we watched 2 episodes of‘Long way down’ sometimes a lazy day is deserved!Sunday 17th JanuaryI did my washing today and for lunch I cooked up some beans in a sauce and made some potato wedges– very tasty! In the afternoon I backup my laptop pictures and documents.In the evening we went down to Juanitos and watched the sunset at the port– it was lovely and I have missed the port, we have not been down there since I visited Wete in March! After the sunset we went to the mess for a few beers and some dinner, I had chips and goat mishikaki (kebabs) delicious, the best goat in Wete!Back home we watched 2 more episodes of‘Long way down’ – they are now in Rwanda and the next episode they will be in Tanzania – exciting! I really enjoyed the episode with the mountain gorillas – made me gutted we did not get to see the chimps. I would love to see the gorillas one day but it is the most expensive trip ($500 per day!)That is the last 2 weeks, I left some days out where not much happened, I have started writing down things that I will always remember and find interesting in Tanzania– I may put some on here each post – who knows…Take care for now