Monday, April 16, 2018

The Grand Finale

Jambo to All - I thought instead of writing I would just end with lots of pictures. I always loved picture books and hope you will enjoy these....

WATER!!!! This is not complete but the lines are in. So incredibly thrilled about this project and all the support.

Here is the Solar Power.
Our last dinner - at Deli Chez. LOVE my Tanzania Family!


Bus Ride (over 10 hours) from Moshi to Dar es Salaam
Beautiful Scenery
Housing along the route
This is a farm field - Rows are weeded and planted by manual labor.

Zanzibar - The Indian Ocean was warm as bath water!

And Sooooo Gorgeous!
Stone Town - lots of narrow and windy streets full of shops and color.
I just wandered aimlessly for several hours totally lost but loving it.

I Love Doors!!

One of the Store Fronts
 Cathedral-Church of Christ built over the former Slave Market area.
This area in front of the altar is very symbolic. The round is where the whipping post had been. It was used to test the strength of the slaves to see who might bring in the best price. The red in the flooring symbolizes the blood shed.
A Memorial to the Slaves. The chains are originals.

This is one of 2 underground rooms used to keep 50-75 slaves at a time before they were taken to market for auctioning. Many died of suffocation and starvation.
This is the outside view of the Cathedral.
Ocean View from Zhordhani Gardens near Stone Town

The outside area of the Hostel where I stayed
Tuna Fish Dinner - No Words!

Zanzibar is also known as Spice Island, so a spice tour is a must-do activity.

This is cinnamon.

Drinking coconut water - Yummy

With my guide and items made from coconut leaves - crown and pouch with Hibiscus Flowers.
This is one of the main, paved streets after a night of rain! The side dirt roads were impassable.

Ocean Views


The Wood boat that took me to Prison Island which is the small brown line in the distance.
It was a prison in the mid 1800's and was also used as a quarantine station for those with yellow fever.
It is now a resort with hotel, pool and restaurant. 

Starfish

Prison Island is also a sanctuary for the endangered Aldabra Giant Tortoises.
Males can weigh over 500 pounds.
Their backs were marked with their age and several were over 150 years old

Peacocks randomly roamed around.

This little cutie was 3 years old. (the other cutie is a bit older...lol)
View from the Island

I love the sky in this pic.
Back in the US. Visiting Lee Ann & Chris (dau & son-in-law) in DC.
Cherry Blossoms were peaking and gorgeous - even on a cold and cloudy day.

A selfie of me and Lee Ann.
 If it were not for her I never would have gone to Tanzania way back in 2009
and had all the opportunities and experiences in the years that followed..
So grateful to this inspiring and amazing young woman!!

Sunday, March 25, 2018

March Pictures

Can You Imagine???
With Scarlet and Jovis at the Kili Marathon
Batik - Folding and Tying Fabric for Different Patterns

Dipping Fabric in The Dye

Another Type of Pattern

Finished Products

Catherine - Tailoring Teacher (on Left) and Nie
Healthy Smiles - Dental Care for Preschool
Safina & Friend with Teacher, Mr Ezekiel
Water Tank Stand Delivered
Solar Power
Magembe

With Lizzie & Deb in Arusha

With Neema and daughter, Hope

March Update

…and the rains came
March is the beginning of rainy season and it arrived in full force on the 1st, raining all night long. This first week it rained all night every night. I turned off my fan because I love the sound of rain on the metal roofs. Of course, the roads are flooded and have turned into a series of small ponds that make driving even more insane than ever.
I have spent a lot of time at Minnesota Academy this month and have walked a few times but after a week of rains, walking to or from the school is pretty impossible. One day I tried to walk and reached an impassable area (knee high boots would have been helpful!). Fortunately, our School Van was returning and the driver flagged down another car and they took me to the school. We did not know the people. I felt completely safe (It helped that one of the passengers was female.) but learned later that Nie was a bit nervous when she found out what I did! On another trip to the school in the School Van, we got stuck in the mud and all the kids had to jump puddles to get to their classes. It does not take too many trips for the drivers to know exactly how to maneuver through the water and deep potholes.
The rain continues but there are still very hot, sunny afternoons. Even with all the rain, the dust never seems to settle.

5K Fun Run
I participated in the 5K portion of the Kili Marathon on Sunday, March 4th. Jovis, Jonas’ son, and one of the teachers ran the Half Marathon. Our plan was for the 3 of us to meet at 5:45am and take the daladala to town and then walk to the start of the race. Their race started at 6:30 and mine was at 7am. It had rained all night and the walk to the daladala was difficult and slippery, with only narrow strips of dirt above water. I had my phone flashlight as it was pitch black out. There were no daladalas available because of the roads. Plan B turned out to be taking a bodaboda (motorcycle). I dislike these with a passion and was asking if there were any other alternatives, knowing full well the bodaboda was the only answer. We found two drivers and I felt a little safer riding between my driver and the teacher. I kept my eyes closed during most of the ride, choking the driver with my grip on his shoulders. Our drivers made a wrong turn in town and we had to backtrack. Because nothing starts on time here we all got to our starting spots with plenty of time. The run was good and we all met up with Nie and Jonas after the race. And, of course, the Kenyans swept all the top spots as they do every year!

Batik and Other Projects
A cabinet was purchased so we could organize teacher resources for the primary school. I am feeling “crunch time” to get everything organized and labeled but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel!
It is always fun for the Tailoring women to learn Batik. Since the women are all new students they had not seen the process. We bought the material and waited for a good weather day. It is a fun process involving the folding of the material in different ways to get different patterns, then dipping the folded material in various dyes for the color effects. The look on the girls faces when the finished products were unfolded was priceless.
We celebrated International Women’s day by having a fried plantain lunch with pilipili (HOT) sauce.
Every year, the preschool students have a lesson called, Healthy Smiles. Toothbrushes and toothpaste are provided and they learn about dental care and proper brushing techniques.

Water and Solar Project
Because of your amazing generosity, the primary kids will return to school after break and have clean, safe drinking water. Fortunately, we had a dry spell of about 5 days so the government could get in to lay the initial line and the stand could be delivered. The line extensions are being put in and the last step is getting the tanks up on the stand and installing the taps. We were so close to our goal that we went ahead with the solar. Eventually more panels will be installed but for now several rooms have lights and outside lights are providing much needed security. The night watchman is thrilled.

Update on Safina
We found a potty chair for Safina, plus bought material for the tailoring women to make her school uniform. She continues to progress in school. She is happy and engaging. The plan is to move her to the older preschool class for the 2nd term which starts mid-April and then to Minnesota Academy for the next school year. Her meds and Physical Therapy are making a difference. Her legs are getting stronger. Initially, her posture was somewhat hunched but now she can stand up straight (with help). She has also been fitted for special shoes. Safina needs 4 more months of meds and Physical therapy before her next full evaluation. (Because of the high cost of her medical care we are still looking for donations or several sponsors. Contact me if interested.)

Special Friends
It is so easy to get caught up in the “busyness” that time flies and I realize I haven’t reconnected with friends I last saw two years ago. I had a wonderful lunch and visit with Magembe. I have known him since 2010. He lived in the same volunteer house I stayed in during my visits in 2010 and 12. He was at University studying accounting and is now looking at starting a coffee business. Our visits are always enjoyable. We did a lot of brainstorming about his business, as well as reminiscing and laughing over stories of all the entertaining and amusing escapades we had together and with other volunteers.
Schools are on break for two weeks (last day 3/23). On the 24th we traveled to Arusha to pick up Jovin (Nie & Jonas’ son) from school. I stayed in Arusha to meet up with Neema. She was my cook and “sister” when I was here in 2014. Probably one of the best and most creative cooks, our friendship was instant and we shared some very special times together. She is working as a cook in one of the hotels in Arusha and has an adorable 2-year-old daughter.
Wrapping up my day in Arusha, I had also arranged a visit with Deb & Lizzie. They are from the US and Canada, respectively.  Both have lived in Tanzania over 6 years. Lizzie works in Moshi at a Family Preservation organization she and a Tanzanian friend founded. Deb is with an orphanage/school just outside Arusha. I enjoy talking with them because they truly understand life here as a volunteer/white person. Their issues and frustrations are the same; their bond to the people and the country goes deep.
One of the reasons I love Facebook is that it allows me to stay in touch and grow these friendships from the other side of the world.

I am heading into my last week here. No doubt, knowing me, it will be hectic and a flurry of activity. Nie and Jonas and family are traveling to Dar es Salaam on Friday. This worked out perfectly for me. I will go with them and we will stay 2 nights in Dar (celebrating my birthday!!!) before they return to Moshi and I continue on to Zanzibar for a few days of R&R. I will then fly to DC to see my daughter for a few days and then back to Ohio on the 9th!
As always this has been an incredible experience that I will forever cherish. I am so grateful and blessed!

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Feb 19 Pics - Making Progress


   
Here is the Metal Cabinet Ready to be Transported and Transformed
into an Orderly, Organized Teacher Resource Cabinet

P-2 Class at Minnesota Academy
Every Day Buckets of Water are Hauled to Minnesota Academy.
The buckets in this picture are filled and used for the kids' drinking water.
Thanks for the donations and keep 'em coming!!!

Katherine, the Tailoring Instructor, working with her students
who are sewing up to 200 Reusable Sanitary Pads daily!

Safina using her new ramp with the help of her teacher, Mr Ezekiel.

Visiting Jovin
(Front LtoR-Happy, Joan, Nie, Jonas, Jovin
Back Row-Nie's Uncle & wife, their son, David)

Jovin & Me

My Pet Lizard!! These cute little things are everywhere.