Mambo yanaendaje?

The first week of October has been busy. Josh came for the last time :-( But...he'll be coming back-not as a PCV but to continue health work through media. While he was here, besides cooking delicious foods, we edited and finished his second video. This one focused on an owner of a garage/car repair shop in Masasi. He recognized the importance for his employees to test for HIV/AIDS and remain healthy so they can continue to work and provide for their families. The video turned out well and Geofrey even did the narration in Kiswahili for us. It stresses the need in this society to get tested for HIV/AIDS so you can live the appropriate lifestyle to avoid it and other STIs or if you need treatment for an STI.

A funny thing happened this month: while over at Geofrey and Boaz's one night we got to talking about English tongue twisters such as 'She sells seashells by the sea shore' and 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers'. They taught me a Swahili tongue twister: 'Mwenyekiti wa kata alikataa kata kata kukata kata miti katika kata ya kata katakula'. Now you try. Got it? Try this one: 'Kale kakuku kadogo keupe kako kwako kaka?'

I started review with my students. The first thing I did was give my Form I's an integer assessment test to see how they performed since integers are so important to all the other topics in Form I. About 10 in each class did poorly so I decided to do an integer review day. I drew a big number line on the board, explained the meaning of '+' and '-' in terms of direction on the number line and then had students come up to the board and move along the number line according the operation. For equations such as 4 - (-3) I would point to the first negative sign and the students would yell, 'GEUZA' which means turn around. Then I would point to the second negative sign and the students would yell again 'GEUZA.' They really had fun watching their classmates spin in circles. I used this demonstration to show that two negatives make a positive. After 2 good days of review I gave another assessment test and...

The same students had trouble. No changes. So that was frustrating. I decided to teach a night class with only the students having trouble and explain it more simply. The Form III review has been going well. The most difficult topic to teach has been the domain and range of functions. Finally I decided to do away with the math and have them just look at a coordinate axis and graph to determine the domain and range of a function. I started with very easy functions. Once I felt they understood I explained a drill-an exercise in which you must think fast. To demonstrate I 'randomly' chose students who understand math better than most to answer domain and range questions from graphs I drew on the board. Once they set the example the other students caught on to the exercise. I did a few easy ones and then pointed out the patterns in the answers. Then I limited the time each student had to answer and made the questions harder. It went very well and I'm excited to use this technique for reviewing other material.

This month we said goodbye to several volunteers who have finished their service: Tony, Josh, Michelle, and Danielle. I visited Tony for the last time and I even got to see Danielle on her way through the south. I was afraid I wouldn't get to see her since she's in Mtwara (an 8 hour trip away). Tony and I had a relaxing weekend and some good one-on-one time. He's one of my best friends here and it was sad to say goodbye. The 21st was Josh's birthday and a group of volunteers went into town to celebrate. We went to the 'fancy' restaurant which just means you get menus and the food takes about two and a half hours to be cooked. But the menus have a dual purpose-to entertain native english speakers. While browsing the menu we came across the breakfast section: would you like Scrapeggs? How about Poteggs? Of maybe a Vanshdmelet? Hmmm...I think the Homeyhomelelet sounds delicious, I'll have one of those. We used our collective intelligence to deduce that Scrapeggs are Scrambled Eggs, Poteggs may be Poached Eggs, and the Vanshdmelet is not a Vanished Omelet but a Spanish Omelet. But as for the Homeyhomelelet...we're still at a loss. The weekend was too short but I had a really nice time and even got some good one-on-one time with both Michelle and Josh. If you guys read this, thank you for all the support, good advice, and your friendship.

During all this I was writing a grant for library books for the school. I just got it in for the October review and was contacted to make a few changes. After biking back to site on Sunday, the 22nd, I biked right back into town to fax and mail the revised grant and then was back at site by 12pm. It's a 2 hour ride each way and a steep incline back to Chidya so my legs were burning. The 24th and 25th were holidays and I did a lot work planning more review sessions, the opening of our library, and planning lessons for a peer education group. These 2 days are Muslim holidays celebrating the end of fasting. In the evenings everyone dresses up, the adults give children candy or small coins, and everyone cooks pilau for dinner. I was invited for 2 pilau dinners and brought carrot cake as my contribution.

To end the month we had a party for two of our fellow teachers who are leaving to be Headmasters at other schools. Tanzanian celebrations are quite different than ours. This one had a printed out schedule as follows: guests arrive; notable persons arrive; party is opened; music and drinks; a few people are chosen to say a few words of farewell; music and drinks; a few people are chosen to say a few words of farewell (including me); music and drinks; a few people are chosen to say a few words of farewell; music, food, and drinks; speech by a notable person (there were three: Mr. Chaula and Amani who are leaving and our headmaster Mr. Mwatenga); music and drinks; speech by a notable person; music and drinks; speech by a notable person; dancing is opened; party continues. So it was quite interesting. Also, it's custom not to smile much at these celebrations (even weddings!) so no one looks that happy. By now I'm pretty used to it though I still find it peculiar. As Mr. Chaula and Amani were making their farewell speeches I thought about when I'd be making mine and...well, it made me sad to think I'll be leaving here.

Next month my parents come to visit. I'll let you know how they hold up. Until then,

Justin

P.S. It's the last day of the month-Halloween-and I just returned from invigilating a weekly test for Chemistry and History. I was watching the students write essays in English and suddenly had an overwhelming feeling of sadness for those students who have trouble learning another language. Studying French was hard enough for me-even Latin-but to learn all subjects in a language most students can barely read...wow, it amazes me. These kids have it so hard. And what's really sad is most kids could do so much better if the subjects were taught in their native language. Ever since I finished the syllabus I've been reviewing in Kiswahili and the students have understood so much better. But the national exams are in English. Not only that but the questions are very difficult as are the words they use. Why? Sorry, I'm rambling. I guess what I want to say is so many intelligent kids are being passed up by the education system simply because they have trouble learning other languages. And this makes me very sad...