After the first couple of weeks of getting settled and adjusting to the new cultural differences it has been good that we have started teaching in the schools this week. Albeit we have only taught in one school so far but we went well. We had over 60 pupils for the class and luckily not all of them where present! It has been good to finally get the first class over with as we now have a better idea of what we are dealing with and how much time to set aside for certain areas. It was strange at the end of the class all the children coming up touching us and shaking our hands, I know they are only showing their appreciation but still feels strange.
Last week we went to visit the schools just to let them know who we are. In total we will be teaching in three schools, two of which are in Mtwara urban and the other in Mikindani, so every Wednesday will be boarding the infamous Daladalas. On the Wednesday we made a trip to Masasi to make a check up on some stray goalposts that have seem to have been forgotten about. The journey took the whole day from early in the morning and arrived back home late at night. It was interesting to see another part of Mtwara and of Tanzania. We visited quite many schools during the day and in one school the classes had just finished to all the children came out to see who the white person was in the school ground. So I had nearly the whole school standing around me just looking at me wondering who I am and what I am doing here. For people who don’t like to be stared at they would not feel comfortable here but it doesn’t bother me, I just smile and try to say some Swahili which usually makes them laugh and then I wonder have I said the right thing or not!
From Thursday onwards we were traveling to and from Mikindani as there was a football tournament between the local schools taking place. It was quite a scene to see so many young children at the ground, some sitting, others running around the ground supporting their team, other children selling food and others just looking at me and Annukka. On the Friday I was a referee for one of the games. It was my first time referring a game involving 11 v 11. In the end the game went well, it was very fast and as both teams had nearly the same colour jerseys on it nearly impossible to judge who made a foul and quite amazing to see so many children invading the pitch when the teams score a goal and the mayhem that follows trying to get the children off the pitch!
I am happy to report that I have gotten used to the sounds of the roosters and the falling fruit on the roof, for the time being the dogs are in another neighbours garden so they haven’t been disturbing my sleep although I have started to hear a strange sound coming from a bird outside the window, impossible to describe over the internet but perhaps the other volunteers and those who have been to Tanzania will know what I am talking about.
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