Facebook

-I need advice...some of the student teachers asked me to set up a Facebook account for them. So, should I be the person that brings FB into their lives....should I corrupt these young adults...ahhh I don't know!

-This week in my classes is "Wiki ya kujenga timu" (week of team building.) So we did partner and group games together. They probably just think I am crazy. I had the older kids try the 'popsicle pushup' where you lay in a square with your feet on each others backs and try to push up at the same time....hysterical. I laugh so much during class with the older kids...so fun!

-The younger kids....its like herding cats....drunk cats...that dont understand English...

Volibali!

We are in need of volleyball nets! New or used..does not matter! We have two courts at school and only one net, which is falling apart. Please email me if you want to donate, and I will have a new volunteer bring it over when they come.

Email ASAP!! jill.kellogg@gmail.com

Announcements!

The more Swahili I have learned, the worse my English grammar has become, pole (sorry!)

-A very gracious friend of mine donated $5000 to the Tanzanian Children's Fund. I found out recently that this money was used to buy books for Oldeani Secondary School. 60% of the students who go to our primary school go to Oldeani. This school went from having only 1 book per class to now 20 books per class with this donation. Last year only 1% of that school passed the national exam. With this money, new books, and our student teachers going to help teach, TCF hopes to slowly get involved with this secondary school.

Thank you so much for your donations. Every dollar has made such an impact. I have found that education and health are the key to success here. Your money is being put toward those things. Thank you, thank you!!

- I have been exercising each day with one of the secondary school girls...who just left to go back to school. On one of our runs she said to me. 'It is hard being a teenager. There are so many changes.' Oh man! I didn't know what to say. It is amazing how much these kids open up to you. I told her she only had three more years...haha.

-One of my classes- Standard 5 has 53 students and Standard 7 has 40 students. Class size in Tanzania. They said it is much better this year!! Ah!!

Big Events!!

First girls tea/tutu/princess party!

Pool party before the big kids go back to school! (Yes I am wearing a tutu- same day parties!)

I will miss you Riziki! Good luck at your new school! Congrats!!!

Serengeti boys first day back to school!!!

Secondary school kids go back to school!

No internet!

Sorry this took so long! We have not had internet in a long time....Africa!

A lot has happened in the last week.

-I had my monthly vacation to Arusha. Here I found the funniest Aussie in the world- Miles. We wondered around the little markets and soon everyone knew him as mzungo chicha....crazy white person. We made friends with the local band, Knuckle to Knuckle, and had dance competitions with Maasai...fun weekend.

-Monday I started teaching sports at Gyetighi Primary School. All week we have gone over shiria za michezo (rules for gym class). So for the first time in my teaching career I taught half in Swahilli half in English. Which basically means lots of acting. The Standard 1/2 kids are very young and do not speak English. That was interesting. But they were well behaved and lined up when I told them to do so, spoke when they were told...especially practicing, "Mwalimu Jill" (teacher). Tanzanians have trouble saying my name because there is no vowel at the end...so I am either JAL or JILLI.

-When I have time off during the day I do work or study Swahilli in the teacher's lounge. Man I miss South Burlington's teachers room. There I could actually talk to people! They will speak English to me but I have NO IDEA what they are saying when they talk to each other. Time!

Gabby and Lucia

This is a picture from Christmas!

Running with GIRLS

Yesterday was my first day at Gyetighi Primary School! We had teacher 'in-service' meetings in the morning and afternoon. I have done teacher meetings before but it was ALL IN SWAHILLI. Oh man. I had to get up in front of the 12 teachers and principle and tell them about myself. I think I sweat through my entire shirt. After I stumbled through my words and finished I got a big round of applause...I think it was for the effort.

I started working on my classroom rules and procedures today. Found out planning takes twice as long when you need everything in two languages.

Yesterday afternoon I went on a run with one of the Form 2 girls and 2 of the female cooks (who are my age.) They are FAST. I love how they run twice a week, in regular clothes (jean capris) and slip on shoes and have 1) no injuries 2) are in shape! They were so so nice, and now there is a woman's running group! Go girls!