malimu (teacher). rains. plans

Habari za hapa (whats the news from here....)

Today was my first day of 'teaching'. i say 'teaching' because we didnt really do much. Lindsay and I will be taking over a volunteer friend of ours class at the end of the week, so we are watching him and helping him. It is all very unorganized but we will be teaching maths and english, all of the lessons are up to us. We have some books to help, though it will be interesting. The kids are pretty cool, we have 13 in our class. Lindsay is only here for two more weeks and afterwards I will be teaching alone, which is cool. I think I will be doing a lot of multipication and division and reading with vocab. I did however start on a high note, teaching them the 3 is the magic number song from school house rocks today! They liked it. I think if I can remember the words to other songs like that, it will be pretty helpful for teaching english- our books are pretty lame and have examples but no real explanation. So if you know how to tell the difference between because, as, for, and the word since--- when I would use because in all the examples, I don't really know how to teach the difference.

BUT it will be good. I am excited. We got introduced to each class and they all stand and say in unison 'good morning teacher' and then you say good morning and they say 'we are fine, thank you, how are you.' It was so cute. The 2nd grade teacher asked us to teach on the spot about water. The word colourless was on the board, so we took it and ran with it. I poured my water bottle on my hand and splashed them and they liked it. haha. Then the kindergarteners were learning letters so I asked if they knew their ABCs and they started singing. It was so cute! So, I will be teaching 4th grade, but will stop in I think on the younger grades too... and am hoping to sit in on 1st grade swahili! I figure even that might be above my level but I can learn something! haha.

We have been working on planning a trip to zanzibar. It has been a huge mess and frustration and I am thinking I might not go, at least with Stacey and Sharon. They both want to go straight to a beach town, and do nothing but sit on a beach and party at night. If you know me well, you know I dont sit well long in one place, esp on a beach- with sand- and that I didnt come to africa to party. I want to see Stone town and go on a spice tour and get lost in the cobble stone streets with cool coffee vendors and sidewalk markets. SO because we want different things and are not really on the same page about how to get there, I think they are making it much more complicated because they are trying to squeeze the most time out, even to the hour, I might just not go. I may go later with another volunteer, or not at all- though I feel that is a not so fun. We shall see.

I have been looking on all my walks for a certain picture I had in my head and this morning, I finally saw it and got to photograph it. You might think its pretty dull, but I am amazed by it... a clothes line covered in colourful kangas. The bright patterns of one african fabric after another is just awesome. And it is less invasive then photgraphing a group of women.

Last Friday we came into Arusha to do things, not sure what. I ended up running into a guy whom I'd met a week ago, named Noel- he was born on dec 26. He is in tourism school, taking spanish classes -Maybe I already talked about him? if so, apology. But it was fun to see him again and talk to him. None of the other people selling art prints or sunglasses bothered me. The girls were so frustrated with the selling and hassle but Noel told me that they are rude about it and that they should be nice like me and just try to talk to them. I dont think the girls appreciated this very much. We all have different ways of dealing with people trying to sell us things, I choose to talk to them, they just say no and get annoyed. It is frustrating at times how annoyed and bothered they get. But, I have to remember, we all handle it differently- I am just glad I do the way I do.

The weekend was pretty dull, with cold cold weather and rain. I am going to have to find something to do on weekends to keep me sane. Though I have read a lot. I did walk around a lot in Usa, and really enjoy walking alone. More people talk to you when you are alone and you have the freedom to stop and have a conversation if you wish. I stopped and talked with a lady dewing on her porch and watched her make a skirt. I stopped to talk with a group of kids and got to actually ask their names and where they were in school and which year they were in. Since then everytime I pass they yell 'hey lady- they missed the B part of my name...' and run to greet me, which is awesome.

Sunday we went to church with our host family. I was very excited. The music was good, but not as upbeat as I hoped it would be. And there were no drums. How do you have African church with no drums I ask? Barnabus took notes in english during the sermon, so we could kinda follow what was being said. Basically it was all about loving our neighbor and bringing them to christ and how we have to open our hearts to God and pray to him and share with him. I felt like she said the same thing over and over and I couldnt even understand the swahili. But it was interesting. We 3 had to get up and introduce ourselves to the church, and I said mine in swahili, which i thought was pretty cool. I knew how to say my name is libby, im from america, and Im here teaching, so why not. I am glad I did, they all laughed when I said jambo (hello) though- but I am very used to people laughing when I speak. I dont think it is a laughing at really, but more a oh woah she kinda speaks swahili! (maybe I am fooling myself though, haha, i know the students today full out laughed at me. but its ok i know im a funny person! haha. right. : ) )

alright. I think thats the update. I will be back in town in a few days i think and will let you know how school is going and i think put some pictures on here if i can 1. figure it out and 2. find the patience! We are hoping to come back on afternoon to watch the Rwanda trials that are going on here... yes, think hotel rwanda and the people who were responsible for that on trial. awesome. I mean, to get to watch at least is awesome.

until then, nakupenda (love you)