Last night partners and placements were announced!
My partner is Alex...he is originally from Dodoma (the capital) and went to secondary school in Dar es Salaam. I am very excited! He is energetic and enthusiastic about SPW and I think we will really get along well.
We will be going to a rather large village in Ludewa which is the Southern most district of Iringa region and the closest to the country of Malawi and Lake Malawi which is supposed to be absolutely amazing. The village is called Lungalawa. I really wanted to see a new part of Tanzania so I am very excited to be in one of the farthest villages from where we are now (Iringa Town).
I have a lot of learning to do with my Swahili. I can easily get around socially but I have to learn more of the Sexual Reproductive Health terms in Kiswahili. The journey will be very long (probably 8 hours) to Ludewa and then after three weeks we return to Iringa to discuss the needs etc of our village. We leave Iringa on Friday and return in mid-April. Then we will head back to village for 2 and a half months beginning the festivals, community seminars, and teaching. I will come to town once a month at the least! I will be in Iringa (as I said) for another week so send me emails and post on the blog because I will not be online as frequently!
Check out a map of Tanzania...Iringa is in the South west region of the country and Ludewa is the district just East of the big lake to the South of Tanzania.
Things are going well...we are slowly but surely getting through this training, but last night definately made us all more excited and ready to hit the road!
Ask questions etc! I will be on-line again soon!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Stage 2
We have just begun HIV/AIDS training yesterday. We moved down the hill in Iringa and are living on a campus like thing. I am staying with teh 70 Tanzanians and taking class learing about Sexual Reproductive Health. It is rather interesting to see what they know and don't know and also how they perceive "Wazungus" white people. They have some crazy things to say about us and man does Mass Media taint our image...but they are getting to know us better I think.
My Brother from Iringa did not get into SPW which was rather sad, but there are a lot of really great potential partners. As the only guy on the trip, I am the only oppurtunity they have to go to villiage with an International Volunteer. I am getting to know a lot of them and look forward to villiage even more. Now that I know there are some great potential partners, I am ready to get moving.
The classes are fine, but obviously there is some very basic review going on. These 3 weeks will be great for my Kiswahili and I am sure there will be a lot of benefit once we get past the basics. I had my first acting experience in Tanzania yesterday doing a role play of how we perceived the Tanzanian Family. I played the father and it seems I got it right... there were many laughs as I sat watching TV and saying "nzuri"-good- to almost every question I was asked. It was a lot of fun and I think they appreciated the comedy and spoof on their lifestyle (although that was not far from the truth with my Njombe family where Baba (father) was on the couch rather silent and demanding food). I am getting along really well with the National Volunteers!
I am sure you want to know about the safari as well. IT WAS AMAZING!!! 8 of us got a truck and a great guide recommended to us by some local ex-peace corp and headed to RUaha National Park. We say 3 simbas...no I am not making a bad Lion King reference, lion in Kiswahili is simba...punda milia (zebra), twiga (giraffe)...tembo (elephant)...warthogs, hippo, crocadile, crazy looking birds and so much more...it was great and I have some good photos...We were so close to one lion it was amazing!
I am living further from Internet so blogging will be harder so be sure to post a lot and I will answer questions etc when I can... Post a lot...I love to read your comments... aslo if you have gmail and can go online around 10ish that is when I am on so maybe we can g-chat!
bye
My Brother from Iringa did not get into SPW which was rather sad, but there are a lot of really great potential partners. As the only guy on the trip, I am the only oppurtunity they have to go to villiage with an International Volunteer. I am getting to know a lot of them and look forward to villiage even more. Now that I know there are some great potential partners, I am ready to get moving.
The classes are fine, but obviously there is some very basic review going on. These 3 weeks will be great for my Kiswahili and I am sure there will be a lot of benefit once we get past the basics. I had my first acting experience in Tanzania yesterday doing a role play of how we perceived the Tanzanian Family. I played the father and it seems I got it right... there were many laughs as I sat watching TV and saying "nzuri"-good- to almost every question I was asked. It was a lot of fun and I think they appreciated the comedy and spoof on their lifestyle (although that was not far from the truth with my Njombe family where Baba (father) was on the couch rather silent and demanding food). I am getting along really well with the National Volunteers!
I am sure you want to know about the safari as well. IT WAS AMAZING!!! 8 of us got a truck and a great guide recommended to us by some local ex-peace corp and headed to RUaha National Park. We say 3 simbas...no I am not making a bad Lion King reference, lion in Kiswahili is simba...punda milia (zebra), twiga (giraffe)...tembo (elephant)...warthogs, hippo, crocadile, crazy looking birds and so much more...it was great and I have some good photos...We were so close to one lion it was amazing!
I am living further from Internet so blogging will be harder so be sure to post a lot and I will answer questions etc when I can... Post a lot...I love to read your comments... aslo if you have gmail and can go online around 10ish that is when I am on so maybe we can g-chat!
bye
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