Krismasi

Apologies for my lack of blogging of late, or as my grandmother calls it, “globbing.” Can I use the hackneyed excuse that I’ve been busy? From late October I’ve jumped from facilitating an HIV/AIDS Teachers’ Training to racing back to Manga for my neighbor’s and best friend’s wedding (pictures in previous blog, even of wedding cake duties) to leaving to meet my Uncle and Aunt in Arusha for a trot up Kilimanjaro to returning briefly to Manga only to leave again for Dar es Salaam to give the new education volunteers a diversity/PSDN training and to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Ambassador’s home to return here again to host a World AIDS Day celebration involving the participation of 4 schools, including the orphans of CHASAWAYA, and a PLWA (person living w/AIDS) and lastly, the drop-off of those long-awaited avocado seedlings from USAID-funded Enterprise Works (NGO)! Whew (Insert Sigh). Needless to say, I’ve been overwhelmed, though in a good way. It’s nice to be busy in the Peace Corps. The main problem for those volunteers who don’t make it is often that they couldn’t find enough work to do or ways to contribute. There’s clearly plenty of work here. I’ll be ready to be still however, and enjoy the quiet of village life again...

Perhaps I’ll just describe the afore-mentioned events/activities briefly:

* HIV/AIDS Teacher Training – went smoothly, over 25 teachers participated, held in Njombe at the Kibena Hospital and included lessons on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as Sanitation for primary students. I’m so relieved to have this behind me, especially since it means no longer having to play games with the District Medical Officer :). It was quite a lesson dealing with the big-city players (the project was over a year process). Personally, I’d rather stick with my little village politics. As with most of our PC-sponsored trainings, participants whined that our per diem was too small. One thing that I wish we could turn around in developing countries is this phenomenon (perhaps post-colonial) of paying people to participate in seminars, effectively to learn, rather than participants paying for education. Ndiyo maisha! Our condom demonstration and video show was a hit as well as the lessons on sanitation directed by a clinical officer.

[Insert pic of Mtamila doing condom demo]

* Atu’s wedding – simply marvelous (pic of handsome couple in last blog). Thanks to the big man in the sky, the cakes turned out okay. They even got rave reviews (pic in last blog). I ended up being cameraman somehow (maybe because I’m the only one for miles with a video camera. oh yeah), taping the event from the church to the reception, which made for a busy day, but I found moments to jump in and dance with the mamas, church groups, teachers or whoever gathered to present gifts for the husband and wife. I’ve honestly never felt so comfortable at a TZ party since my arrival. I was making a pretty big fool of myself dancing in my violet space suit, matching about 10 other women (a.k.a. bridesmaids, which here is equivalent to those friends who can afford to have a special outfit made). For those of you who were wondering, married couples rarely smile on their wedding day. It’s considered disrespectful of their elders. It’s meant to be a serious, sacred affair. Everyone else can laugh and joke and even try to make the husband and wife crack a smile, but good luck-it’s not an easy feat. Atu and Fabiani are continuing well next door and seem quite happily married. At the church, our village chairman so appropriately (yet perhaps not so gently) compared the couple’s union to a bike flat being repaired because both have been married before. His metaphor made many chuckle, needless to say.

* Climbing Mama Kilimanjaro - WOW. I honestly have no words. I’ll let the pictures I posted from Snapfish do the talking. I’ll forever be grateful for my Uncle and Aunt for this once in a lifetime experience. Overall, I was taken by the diverse climate zones, the fun-loving porters and guides, the magic surrounding the peak and the good company. My most cherished moment was when we Americans sang for our Tanzanian friends following 9 hours hiking from “When the Saints Go Marching In” to “The Hokey Pokey,” which evolved into an all-out dance party at 15,000 feet! Now, that’s cultural exchange. It was beautiful. It was 8 days without a shower, lots of walking, great conversations, card games and journaling at night, sleeping in sleeping bags-just like Peace Corps, only ritzier! We had a porto-potty (with toilet paper included), filtered water, incredible 3-course dinners and gourmet picnics (with raspberry jam for crying out loud), and most of our supplies carried for us. I highly recommend African Environments as an outfitter if you want to pursue such an adventure. It was top-notch. And hey, way to go Thad - to ascend 19,300+ feet with a recovering Achilles is quite an accomplishment. It had to be the adrenaline…

* Dar – always entertaining, way too many people to be/catch up with, and much too little sleep. Our PSDN Diversity training went great. The new volunteers responded well and seemed to really care for one another as a whole. They got their site placements, which was such an exciting event to witness at this point, looking back on our own and remembering how naïve we were! Their questions took my back down memory lane – "Should I buy a stove here in Dar? Where’s my site on the map? Are their snakes there?" Ahhh, and if I could do it all over again, I would.

After the big day of stuffing ourselves at the Ambassador's, we all scooted off to Kipepeo (an idyllic little beachfront with bandas) and had such a refreshing day playing beach volleyball, swimming out to this dhow and diving off-I felt like a 10 year old. All was cool until Tait got stung by jellyfish - pretty badly honestly - on my foot and both shoulders. My friend Jessica did as well. We laughed through dinner as we continued wiping vinegar all over our bodies-the advice we got from the locals. The red scars are yet to go, but I guess it'll provide good memories. Later that night, a bunch of my friends and I made a sweet fire on the beach, cuddled, talked, and told scary stories under the stars. Definitely a night and week to remember.

* World AIDS Day – going with the flow is the name of the game! I continue to learn this over and over again as a volunteer here. This one came together last minute in a big way once my leaders got behind it (a challenge at this time of year with the rains-everyone's mind is on their farms, feeding their families). We had over 4 Primary Schools participate with songs, poetry, drums and dancing-all about HIV/AIDS, including the orphans of CHASAWAYA from Makambako. They in fact stole the show with their skit, showing various dangers of the disease. Their masterpiece incorporated life skills as well as a little cross-dressing (a boy dressed as a girl and a girl acted as boy seducing him - hilarious - quite a role reversal!). My primary girls rocked the poem/song I taught them in English. I was so proud. And my favorite sekondari boy, Chande, entered for a little "serikasi" (circus) doing flips and such. He’s rad. Kisunga, who's currently living with HIV and who led our AIDS week back in June, was a powerful guest speaker. He was followed by an hour of film about HIV/AIDS on a big screen in our village office as the rains took over. I've never seen our village kids so excited as when that screen went up. The video could have been about dirt and they still would have been glued! I think it was only the 2nd time for the big screen to hit Manga (difficult because it requires a generator). I'm trying to find a way for them to come back to show a longer show on AIDS. We were able to fundraise enough support to feed our special guests, the kids of CHASAWAYA, a nice meal of rice and beans and soda. They were loving life. I accompanied them on a truck back to town and they were singing the whole way!

* Avocado Seedling Delivery (December 15th-will update later)- 600 seedlings will be delivered to all primary students for free along with 230 for villagers at their expense. We were able to get them a discounted price of $1/seedling. The overall goal of the project is to increase nutrition and income generation. I can't wait to see the face of Manga change with new trees, new life! This'll be a nice way to end the year...

In all fairness, I must mention some disappointments of 2006 before I close:

* 3 Form 3 (equivalent with Highschool Juniors) girls at my Secondary School received unexpected pregnancies and were resultingly expelled from school (adhering to TZ law); my Headmaster and I are now communicating with a local NGO specializing in legal aid for young women in order to support their cases so that their rights are protected (I still think one was raped by one of our primary school teachers).

* 1 CHASAWAYA student pregnant. This one was a shock-occurred recently and to one of my favorite students, too. Ironically, she often starred in skits about avoiding pitfalls such as unexpected pregnancy. There’s just so much you can’t avoid when living amongst social inequalities. It’s as if these girls are swimming upstream, fighting the current every day, every hour. It’s no surprise some give up fighting, so they let go and go with the flow, downstream…What is a health teacher to do? How does one instill hope in others when they don’t see it, grasp it themselves?

[well pic]

* 13 out of 16 of Manga Form 1 girls finished the school year. 1 dropped out-was simply tired of school and doesn’t wish to continue. The other two, sisters Rahema and Upendo (Rahema was one of my closest friends, pictured and written about many times in this blog) ran away from home and school. To this day, we don’t know where or why they left. This upsets me the most…deeply. They could be in Dar working as housegirls to earn money, or who knows, really. I went to see their father and grandmother last weekend. It’s as if there’s a black cloud over that once merry household. They have heard nothing and don’t know if they ever will. Can you imagine? No missing child organizations or child-hunting services here. It seems as if economic pressure/temptation entered the scene and spoiled these girls’ potential. I just pray that they’re safe wherever they are. They may be too ashamed to ever return. I hope they will.

[insert pic of Form 1s at my house w/ sponsor pics]

I can’t believe Christmas and 2007 are just around the corner. Soon King and Christy Davidson will be making their appearance in Tanzania. Yepp, it’s true folks, it’ll be my brother’s first time on the continent of Africa and my mom’s second trip to Tanzania-both momentous! There will be much to celebrate and much to see and do around the northern circuit and on Zanzibar...

Sadly, our plans to spend Christmas in my friend Kakuta’s village in Southern Kenya fell through as his father recently passed away. Thus, I have to admit I’m disappointed that my brother will not have an opportunity to experience a village (every PCV's dream-to share the life with our loved ones). However, we’re doing our best to create side trips with locals, to be with the Wachagga, Wamaasai, and Zanzibarians along the way. It's going to be great to be with family this holiday. I can't wait to have them here! Namshukuru mungu.

Oh and Gramabea, I hate to tell you, but I had my first snake sighting at my house. It was just a garden snake thank goodness and Sarah took care of business! I hear they come with the rains, and the rains are here-in a big way. And Mom, I planted your carrots, tomatoes, dill, basil, and flowers yesterday. Thanks again for the seeds. This year, we started early so the American corn will be planted in time right next to the Tanzanian variety. It'll be a fun topic of conversation for visitors.

Sikuukuu njema wote-Happy holidays all,
Furaha

“Anyone who holds onto life just as it is destroys that life, but if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal” –John 12:25