Back in town again, meeting emma to head to her town, Katesh, tomorrow morning. Wednesday afternoon, we went and had lunch at a pretty touristy place called Via Via, but it has a cool ambience because it does pinpoint tourists. Its series of straw huts, linked by fabric. pretty sweet. We went back to court and this time were in a trial for a minister of the government who was on trial for encouraging and rallying groups to attack. The witness we saw get cross examined was testifying that the defendant had been instrumental in holding meetings, but the defense was showing basically that the witness was never at a meeting that the defendant held. We had to leave for a while, because the questions might have identified the witness and his identity was to be witheld from the public. In the morning we had seen the witness, a fat american man. so that was kinda neat. It was crazy to sit and hear someone flat out say that a group of them surrounded a certain hill where the tutsi lived and moved in giving them no where to go, and killed them all. WOAH. And this time we figured out which one was the defendant, so that was interesting to be able to see him. So, overall, really cool. I hope to go back again. Im kinda bummed i didnt get to see more of the prime minister killer's trial. If you have no idea what im talking about and why this is so cool to be here for, please go pop hotel rwanda in the dvd player and clue yourself in...
Yesterday our students had exams all day. I had to sit and watch them, four exams back to back. we spread their desks all across the school yard so they couldnt cheat, since our classroom is pretty freaking tiny. They took the english exam i had written, and did pretty well. I think the lowest grade was a 77% and the highest a 98%. I was pretty excited. I caught two of my students trying to cheat by throwing stones. pretty humourous actually! Yesterday right around lunch time, we were told visitors would be coming to the school. I thought that maybe one or two would come, but instead a group of like 30 people from california showed up! I was in the classroom with the students, and the other teachers were being introduced to the group of visitors. eventually, i walked out of my classroom and the shock on their faces to see me there was pretty funny. I dont think they expected another white teacher. haha. it was great. So they asked me all kinds of crazy questions, about my class and my teaching- about what to do when there is no toilet paper... i held out my left hand... and one of the 17 year olds frantically told me she was so so glad to see me and had to ask what you do with tampons here since you dont flush them. pretty funny. I got my class to sing for them, and even got them to do the two songs I have taught them- both illahee songs! Oh camp would be so proud... kids in tanzania are singing the beaver song and magdalena hagdalena.... haha. The group invited me to come back to have lunch with their group, and lindsay and i did, which was nice. It was interesting to walk with a huge group of wzungu (foreigners) and have people stop and stare. I would speak to people and they would look shocked at my swahili, assuming i was just one of the tourists. It was a cool feeling, really, to be the one who knew where i was going and knew how to answer people's questions when they addressed us in swahili. After we came back to the school the group played football with the students who were still around with 3 new balls they brought. Another half of the group painted one of the classrooms, so that was cool.
Today my students took their math exam, which was no where near as pretty as teh english one. The scores were in the 40% range then a huge jump to 77% and up to 94%. I was kinda bummed but there are two good things i can say... 1. the grades on the arts and crafts exams were ALL in the 40%. 2. more of my students were in the 77-94 group than the 40's group.... 8 pass, 4 fail.... could have been worse....
now I am here, hanging out, til i meet up with emma. Apparently we are going to dinner and to hear live music tonight, so that will be good, then headed out in the morning down to katesh. pretty sweet. im just excited for a break- not from the work but from the volunteer base here in Arusha/Usa. plus, i come back and have 3 days til i leave for zanzibar... wooooooooo.
hope all is well. check out new pictures on facebook (complete with my ring worm pictures!):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2143646&l=03da9&id=29701857
xoxo
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