September 12, Internet is Slower Than Death...

I know I’m sick when the thought of getting my computer out to do stuff is physically exhausting. I needed to send in my reimbursement forms, though, so I decided to get online. I have spent most of the day sleeping and feeling homesick.

Today has just been one of those days. I just don’t feel well, although I can eat now. Aside from sleeping I have been socializing a bit to appease my neighbors and my mkuu. They don’t want me to “isolate myself”, but I wouldn’t mind a down day without many interactions attached. The concept of “I’m sick, leave me alone” doesn’t really exist here.

The trip back from Moshi went fine. Five hours from Moshi to Lushoto, and 2 hours to my village from Lushoto. The ride back to my village was a bit scary—it rained, so the roads were muddy and slick. I’m not sure what will happen during the rainy season. We almost slammed into the sides of the mountains a couple times, and the whole thing just made me very nervous. I don’t want to die via mountain mudslide when the rains really start coming down, but I don’t want to feel trapped in Mlola, either.

Apparently my bed frame and coffee table should be arriving by tomorrow. That’s exciting at least! I wonder if my cupboards will be coming soon as well….I want them so badly, and I finally took out enough money to pay the fundi everything I owe him. (Here you pay once you get your furniture, not before, or you’ll never get it.)

No one is teaching here at Mlongwema (or so it seems) because Form 2 and Form 4 are taking exams, so it was silly of me to worry about missing the first two days of school. Apparently there’s no real reason for me to be back, aside from reassuring my mkuu I’m alive and not being shipped away from her. I am too sick to teach, and once I do start teaching, I will only be teaching Form 1 until October. Apparently some volunteer teachers are covering the other English classes through the end of September, so I’ll have an amazing amount of free time on my hands.

I can hear some students and my fellow teacher listening to music from across the wall. They keep playing one bongo-flava song over and over again. “I don’t care, I don’t careeeee” on repeat.

I’m currently thinking of where I can possibly find a doormat. I don’t like the mud coming into my house, and that’s my American way of dealing with it. Not sure how they deal with mud-on-floor-prevention, so I’ll have to scope out things and observe.

I also rigged up a hand-sanitizer holder for my choo. Good times.

Addendum:

So, I wrote that post around 3:00 pm I’d guess. It’s now 7:30, and my head is feeling a little bit less dizzy. I actually was able to sit and have a conversation for two hours with my mkuu and her nieces. So that was nice on more than one level. I found out that my mkuu is going to be away tomorrow until Saturday, but she told me that Anjelina would help me get my stuff from the fundi. We also discussed the library plans I have…I need to figure out how many shelves, tables, chairs etc. are needed. I also have to talk to Emmanuel and our “store-keeper” about how many textbooks we have at the school, how many reading books etc. She also asked me if I would be taking on more secondary projects, so I explained I was easing into things, and would probably adjust how much side work I do depending on my teaching workload.

I do feel like taking on this library is sort of big in itself, though. Figuring out what we need is quite the task in reality. Especially since my mkuu isn’t sure what a library should be like, and my ideas are very American in nature. I’m just hoping we will be able to get the money somewhat soon so construction can begin/books can be bought/my kids have a nice new space to study and learn. I think my angle for soliciting donations is going to be the following that my mkuu said (paraphrasing): students cannot learn everything they need to learn simply from the teachers here. There isn’t enough staff, nor enough books. Moreover, independent research skills are very important to develop as a scholar. Not having a library is a serious disadvantage to students on more than one learning level. Results would improve a lot if students had the resources they both need and deserve to perform well scholastically.

Now to spin that idea into something that makes people give up $$$$$. Need to work on my NGO voice!