(no subject)
Hello once again!
Not much time, as always. I feel so disconnected with this intermittent
internet access! In half an hour, we'll be leaving to see a choir group, all women from the Positive Test Club, which I mentioned in the last email. It's been a musical day. After school today, as I sat drinking chai with the Mama, I mentioned that I liked guitar. So she brought me into her son's studio, and for the next hour we strummed guitar, sang Swahili songs, played some keyboard, and even recorded a little ditty. At least now I'll have something to teach at the upcoming Sunday School session I inadvertently agreed to!
Placement has been going well. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we begin the day with an English lesson. I've been going through the alphabet letter by letter, teaching a few words with that letter, and then making up various games with it. Sometimes I forget that the kids are only preschool level, and it gets really frustrating! I just remind myself that even if they can't tell a circle from a square, at least they've learned the words "Twinkle" and "Star."
CCS has been keeping us busy with programming activites in the evenings. Some interesting facts from the last few sessions, in no particular order: Tanzanian primary school is taught in Swahili, while secondary school is taught in English. A lot of people think that it's setting them up for failure, so a few are starting English primary schools. There's a serious shortage of teachers. Those who are educated are encouraged to stay in the cities and make something of their education, not to go back to their village and teach. In some villages, if a teacher dies, the whole school is shut down. Economically, Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. Around 60% of the population makes less than $2 per day. In an effort to attract businesses, the Tanzanian government gives new industries a five year tax break, which can be renewed if the business changes hands. So many businesses will flip between two owners, or two company names, and the government loses out. The current administration is hoping to rework this.
So, with half of my trip over, what have I learned? I thought, coming here and seeing this way of life, that I'd suddenly be able to understand something more about the world, or about myself. But with so many things in life, it's not like some revelation will just come floating past. I think it's just so different, it's hard to wrap my head around it. Still, I have made some new ideas, and I have time yet. I'd explain, but now I've only got a minute left!
Till next time!
- Ryan
Not much time, as always. I feel so disconnected with this intermittent
internet access! In half an hour, we'll be leaving to see a choir group, all women from the Positive Test Club, which I mentioned in the last email. It's been a musical day. After school today, as I sat drinking chai with the Mama, I mentioned that I liked guitar. So she brought me into her son's studio, and for the next hour we strummed guitar, sang Swahili songs, played some keyboard, and even recorded a little ditty. At least now I'll have something to teach at the upcoming Sunday School session I inadvertently agreed to!
Placement has been going well. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we begin the day with an English lesson. I've been going through the alphabet letter by letter, teaching a few words with that letter, and then making up various games with it. Sometimes I forget that the kids are only preschool level, and it gets really frustrating! I just remind myself that even if they can't tell a circle from a square, at least they've learned the words "Twinkle" and "Star."
CCS has been keeping us busy with programming activites in the evenings. Some interesting facts from the last few sessions, in no particular order: Tanzanian primary school is taught in Swahili, while secondary school is taught in English. A lot of people think that it's setting them up for failure, so a few are starting English primary schools. There's a serious shortage of teachers. Those who are educated are encouraged to stay in the cities and make something of their education, not to go back to their village and teach. In some villages, if a teacher dies, the whole school is shut down. Economically, Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. Around 60% of the population makes less than $2 per day. In an effort to attract businesses, the Tanzanian government gives new industries a five year tax break, which can be renewed if the business changes hands. So many businesses will flip between two owners, or two company names, and the government loses out. The current administration is hoping to rework this.
So, with half of my trip over, what have I learned? I thought, coming here and seeing this way of life, that I'd suddenly be able to understand something more about the world, or about myself. But with so many things in life, it's not like some revelation will just come floating past. I think it's just so different, it's hard to wrap my head around it. Still, I have made some new ideas, and I have time yet. I'd explain, but now I've only got a minute left!
Till next time!
- Ryan