So, it’s only 10:00 in the morning, so not much has happened
yet. Siwema and a number of other students stopped by multiple times this
morning. They were perplexed by the towel I had wrapped around my hair and thought
it was some kind of fashion statement. I explained that I wrap a towel around
my head when my hair is wet. They told me they want to “style me” with a
hijab-style hair-wrap, so maybe I’ll go to the village center later to see if
they can find me a nice head scarf. I also had to explain to my students that
it was not okay my students to sleep over at my house. Interesting issue to
have…
I went over to my mkuu’s house for breakfast, but there were
no vitumbua being sold in town today, so I had hard-boiled eggs instead. I
really love vitumbua, but I was kind of glad not to eat them this morning. They
are super greasy and I assume super fattening, so I don’t really want to be in
the habit of eating them all the time.
I asked where I should burn my trash (which took me a while
to explain, even when I used the word “rubbish”) and my mkuu said she would
show me later on today. It’s very hot in the sun right now, although I got very
cold last night. I have been sleeping with multiple layers because my blanket
isn’t very warm. I think I will ask the people at Tumaini Hostel where they get
their fleecy blankets of love from…so dreamy. I want one.
I was also shown the classroom where I can set up my
library, in addition to some of the unfinished/unused classrooms on the
school-grounds. Two of them would make great laboratory and library spaces, but
they aren’t completed structurally, so I guess that idea is out the
window. I also asked if Emmanuel was
going to be replaced, and she said maybe by next year we’ll have another
teacher, but that she has no control over that. For now, it’s just going to be
three (including me) full-time teachers. The “storekeeper” has also been
transferred to a new school, so she was telling me it’s going to be difficult
to get food supplies (i.e. huge bags of rice and beans) here for lunch. I met
the cook yesterday, actually, but I guess he isn’t in charge of getting the
food to the school. I was kind of looking forward to the free lunchtime meals
every day, but I may end up having to fend for myself. I’m okay with that since
I’m currently being given a surplus of food all the time, and wouldn’t mind
cutting back a bit. But, it is going to be a problem for my students.
Anyway, my school is basically going to be lacking in
teachers, administrative staff, funding, supplies, books, resources, and food
at least until January. I also am not really sure who my counterpart will be. I
guess Martius since he lives on the other side of my duplex. I literally never
see JB (the Civics/Geography guy) anywhere around, so I’m not sure how easy it
would be to work with him. Martius has been gone this entire time, though, so
technically I haven’t seen either of them this week.
I also found out there may be no bus to town tomorrow
morning, so I’m currently in a pickle trying to figure out how to get to
Lushoto. I need to get my books from Glenn/to go to the bank to get my banking
card/to buy some more supplies for my house. Really it would be a pain to have
to go there on Sunday or Monday instead, but that may happen unless I walk out
or find an alternative method of transportation.
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