Some weeks I wonder if I should even write a blog
How to best describe my first week back at site in 2019. How about two words: Sprite Zero. Don't understand? I love Coke Zero. finding it here was a true blessing for my mental state. I look forward to going into town once a week, getting some attempt at western food and a cold Coke Zero. This week all they had was Sprite Zero. Not even Diet Pepsi just Sprite Zero. I don't like Sprite Zero. It tastes weird-I mean a lemon and lime flavoured drink?
Before I go too far, let me reassure everyone the mission site and school is fantastic. They told me they had 88 kids registered and we have 88 kids at school. That kind of honesty has been rare for me in Tanzania. When I got to the site, the first day they opened up the financial records for me to close out 2018 and see how they were doing in 2019. That kind of openness and financial accounting has been rare for me in Tanzania. My first weeks back to Tanzania after a break of a month were often about finding out everything they had hidden from email communications. I love this new site and their openness and honesty, it is refreshing.
The problem has not been the school or the kids. The kids are great as always. Big smiles lots of hugs, loose shoestrings, holding hands when someone gets knocked down and a complete fascination with the hair on my arms and legs. Despite my wearing long pants they will pull them up to see the hairs on my legs. They are fascinated by my glasses and the feel of my buzz cut hair. They like playing with my watch no matter how many times I ask them not to. The newest fascination are my hearing aides courtesy of Jim Swaggert.
I jumped into a regular week as best I could. I took pictures of all 88 students and printed them on my new HP sprocket printer that prints the 2x3 pictures on sticky back paper for the the student registration forms. I put on the "Reading with Barnabas" program despite the headmaster and teachers using that particular time to have a meeting that lasted the rest of the afternoon. I used the recording of my brother Bill reading "Three Little Dinosaurs" from the Kohl's Care collection. I also showed them a Free School video on Zebras.
We even had a day of heavy rain well outside of the normal rainy season continuing last year's heavy rain cycle.
On Friday afternoon, the headmaster brought me the tests for all the classes. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday I corrected English and math on the tests and typed them in so they would be ready to print on Monday. I even made it to church on Sunday and greeted the church with warm wishes from the states.
So no the problem has not been the school, the students or the teachers. All that is pretty normal. No my problem has been the flu. I got it just before I left the states. By the time I got to the site, I had a fever and a cough that kept most of the community awake at night. So in the 90+ heat, I tried to do all this while having a low grade fever, aches and an inability to breathe. I still don't have my voice back but felt good enough after typing tests all weekend and walking two miles to church that I thought I could go into town and get some supplies. Understand, when you have the flu here there is no getting in your car to get your favorite comfort food. No if I wanted anything it was a minimum 2 mile walk to get it.
So I texted my piki driver to pick me up starting on Sunday and no word from him and I started walking thinking I could get one along the way. Nope I walked the whole 5 miles to the dalla dalla stand without a free piki passing me. fell asleep in the dalla almost the moment I sat down. Got into town and did my shopping (lots more soup and crackers) and some candy. My blood sugar goes down a lot during a cold. I finally get to my favorite restaurant in Moshi to get a cold Coke Zero. They only have Sprite Zero today.
Well at least I can't taste it but the carbonation feels good on my scratchy throat.
Before I go too far, let me reassure everyone the mission site and school is fantastic. They told me they had 88 kids registered and we have 88 kids at school. That kind of honesty has been rare for me in Tanzania. When I got to the site, the first day they opened up the financial records for me to close out 2018 and see how they were doing in 2019. That kind of openness and financial accounting has been rare for me in Tanzania. My first weeks back to Tanzania after a break of a month were often about finding out everything they had hidden from email communications. I love this new site and their openness and honesty, it is refreshing.
The problem has not been the school or the kids. The kids are great as always. Big smiles lots of hugs, loose shoestrings, holding hands when someone gets knocked down and a complete fascination with the hair on my arms and legs. Despite my wearing long pants they will pull them up to see the hairs on my legs. They are fascinated by my glasses and the feel of my buzz cut hair. They like playing with my watch no matter how many times I ask them not to. The newest fascination are my hearing aides courtesy of Jim Swaggert.
I jumped into a regular week as best I could. I took pictures of all 88 students and printed them on my new HP sprocket printer that prints the 2x3 pictures on sticky back paper for the the student registration forms. I put on the "Reading with Barnabas" program despite the headmaster and teachers using that particular time to have a meeting that lasted the rest of the afternoon. I used the recording of my brother Bill reading "Three Little Dinosaurs" from the Kohl's Care collection. I also showed them a Free School video on Zebras.
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| The next group of kids trying to see the video before their turn |
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| Gift is excited about "Reading with Barnabas" being back |
We even had a day of heavy rain well outside of the normal rainy season continuing last year's heavy rain cycle.
On Friday afternoon, the headmaster brought me the tests for all the classes. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday I corrected English and math on the tests and typed them in so they would be ready to print on Monday. I even made it to church on Sunday and greeted the church with warm wishes from the states.
So no the problem has not been the school, the students or the teachers. All that is pretty normal. No my problem has been the flu. I got it just before I left the states. By the time I got to the site, I had a fever and a cough that kept most of the community awake at night. So in the 90+ heat, I tried to do all this while having a low grade fever, aches and an inability to breathe. I still don't have my voice back but felt good enough after typing tests all weekend and walking two miles to church that I thought I could go into town and get some supplies. Understand, when you have the flu here there is no getting in your car to get your favorite comfort food. No if I wanted anything it was a minimum 2 mile walk to get it.
So I texted my piki driver to pick me up starting on Sunday and no word from him and I started walking thinking I could get one along the way. Nope I walked the whole 5 miles to the dalla dalla stand without a free piki passing me. fell asleep in the dalla almost the moment I sat down. Got into town and did my shopping (lots more soup and crackers) and some candy. My blood sugar goes down a lot during a cold. I finally get to my favorite restaurant in Moshi to get a cold Coke Zero. They only have Sprite Zero today.
Well at least I can't taste it but the carbonation feels good on my scratchy throat.
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