First week in TZ

So - I've never done a blog before - and \i thought this might be a good time to try it....this is the disclaimer.....because I'm not sure exactly what I'm doing.... it will probably be sort of stream of consciousness.

Hopefully this will work.


Oh yeah - I wrote a whole bunch of stuff while en route and over the last few days...but of course I left most of it back at the Karanga home base where the volunteers are staying. It's a few miles out of Moshi town so we have to get a taxi to come into the internet cafe or to do anything else in town....

so - I wrote tons of stuff - probably just because I had time on the plane.... I don't know how interesting all of that will be anyway....but.... if I have time I'll post some of it....at some point.

I should be able to post some pictures too - at least the girl here at the Internet cafe says I wll be able to....and ...of course....I left my USB back at the home base too....oh well, next time...

Here we go:
Hamjambo (hello everyone)
Yep - have been in TZ for almost 1 week. There are 30 of us staying at the Karanga home base...from US, Australia, UK and Canada....all the mzungas (white people) We had orientation for a cpl of days and today was the first day that we actually went to our placement. I am at a secondary school called St. Theresia's Sec. Sch. with 165 students, 4 classrooms, 11 teachers, very little equipment or books...their curriculum includes Forms 1-4 (sort of like our HS grades) and you would be amazed at the list of subjects being taught with so ittle - including chemistry, physics, biology. You should have seen the math equations on the board!!! \\\\\\the students seem pretty motivated; they all have to pass exams to move on to the next level. Some students live at the school. Some are orphans (some due to aids I believe)
I worked with an English teacher and sat in on a physics class today.....I maybe taking over the English class this week....maybe even tomorrow!!!
We had a rather long break at 10:40 am; had tea and freshly made donuts!!

Getting Swahili lessons...and have been tryng to study... it's really hard....but I'm managing to make myself understood....most of the time.

Jean and I went out to walk this morning and managed to get lost; we thought that by the time we got back we would have to get a taxi to take us to our placements onthe firstday! fortunately, we managed to get back in time...though breakfast and getting dressed happened in about 15 min!!

Speaking of food - it's really good! Lots of vegetables...and Ugali (it's like a really stiff cream of wheat that is served with just about every meal.

all for now...

oh - one more thing - we are all going on safari Fri afternon - Sunday eve - Ngorongoro crater and Tanginyere (sp) Park; with stop at a Masai village...Glen - you'd like to be here for this part!!
Most of us will be camping (saves $100, so you know I'm all over that!!!