After a long journey, we have finally made it to the Tumaini Secondary School! It was a very exciting bus ride, filled with great views and a fun shopping excursion in Arusha. Upon arrival, we were impressed by the scenery, the hospitality of the students and staff, and how quickly we were able to bond with the students. Our friendship was only strengthened by the communal soccer game that we were welcomed into.
After the soccer game, we then learned more about the students through icebreakers. We were excited to show them some of our new favorite games, such as chase the chicken and bandana tag. We then proceeded to head to the dining hall, and had a delicious dinner which included chicken, tomato soup and rice. We ended the night with a stunning bonfire, where we showed the Tumaini students the ANCHOR ritual. After this, we were dazzled by the stars in night sky and headed to bed. Devon and Aidan We had breakfast, loading bus for a three hour trip. We hope to stop in Arusha on the way. The internet is spotty at school but we will do our best with the blog.
Hey! Tolu and Lorelle here, bringing you today's update. We had an early start today, after a noisy night due to some screaming bush babies and cawing birds. Breakfast was at 7 am, featuring an array of yams, eggs, papaya and watermelon, sausage, Tanzanian pancakes and authentic tea and coffee. It was, of course, paired with delicious fresh orange juice. We have all been pleasantly surprised by how fresh the food has been. In fact, we were able to see the source of some of the staples we had eaten. Tim and Saku, our guides for the day, gave us a tour of our neighbor's farm. We saw goats, cows, chickens, and many crops. You may be surprised to know that sunflowers are very abundant in Tanzania or that there are about thirty species of banana cultivated here. Nothing is wasted. For example, corn is eaten whole and also dried for use as flour, or the bark of a sausage tree is used for medicine. Our trip to the farm was then followed up by an hour long stroll from one village to the next. We had the privilege to see the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which is usually covered by clouds. (Tanzania has a cool climate right now; it's dry season.) We ended our stroll with a walk through the market; it was pretty empty considering today was Sunday so most people were at church. We were able to find a woman selling avocados and other fruits. Tim, one of our awesome guides, bought us five avocados for 2000 Shillings; that's less than a dollar! (The exchange rate is 2239 Shillings per dollar.) We were able to enjoy these delicious avocados during lunch back at the lodge.
After lunch and an hour of free time filled with ukulele tunes and hitting each other with frisbees (by accident of course), and the occasional, much needed, nap, we took a bus to visit Ms. Luciana, a local teacher, and member of a highly respected family in the Chaaga region. She answered a lot of questions about Tanzanian culture: What are some challenges in the education system in Tanzania? Funding is scarce (only five dollars per student for the whole year). In addition, many students in Tanzania do not have their parents living at home with them. They may live with other relatives, such as a grandmother, who may not have money to provide them with school supplies. Students had a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast. We are getting ready to visit the village of Sanyajuu and Lawate with our in country coordinator, Tim, and our World Leadership Instructor, Jorge. We are all fine but we are having wifi issues so will post pictures when we can! We leave for Tumaini Secondary School tomorrow morning.
Hello family and friends of the BCS program in Tanzania. The students have safely arrived in Tanzania. They are going through customs now and will collect their luggage shortly. They will head to the hotel for a welcome dinner and will start updating the blog tomorrow. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions - 303-679-3412. Thank you for your trust and support!
Erin Hawk Executive Director |
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