What a week!

First off, apologies for being gone so long. I’ve been a busy little lady. What a week it was. The week began with me having a massive to do list. For one, I had to get supplies, and then there were three main tasks I had to do---finish the charcoal briquetter, make the hand maize sheller and jig, and finally, construct the mobile maize sheller.

On Monday, we kicked off the day with me preparing a wall of fame, of sorts, in which as a gift to the students, I put up their individual pictures and asked that they write down their dreams. They absolutely loved it, and for some, I have reason to believe that it created a sense of pride for them. For the remainder of the day, I was preparing the mobile maize sheller, cutting a sprocket for the drive train and then creating the main clamping surface for the sprocket. And in the afternoon, we went to Nane Nane and did a bit of supply shopping. We added a few tape measures to our collection, bought some metal for the mobile sheller and hand sheller, and purchased a wood saw.

So Tuesday, we were good to go. I attached the drive system, and then hacksawed and drilled the clamping mount for the mobile maize sheller. The only thing we were missing was the chain and much needed chain tool. So, we moved on and made the bending jig for the maize hand sheller as well as prepared a wood block for our charcoal briquetter. While I worked, the students practiced their welding runs for the first time.

Then Wednesday, I came to school to find the students wearing sunglasses, and I burst out laughing. The students learned their lesson the hard way, as many of them chose not to use the shield while welding, so all of their eyes were in much pain. And then much to our disappointment again, the cook didn’t show up, so we just had chai and mandazi to fill our stomachs for the day. We ended school early since much of us were rather hungry, and my homestays began.

So, Wednesday evening, I visited the home of Paul, or rather, his brother’s home. We filled our stomachs, watched the futbol game, and then played some cards. Much of the time, I spent caring for Paul’s baby niece, Rita. Because Paul’s brother was married and Paul being a male who lived with his brother, for the evening, I stayed in a guest house/ hotel. It was fascinating to be there, as I realized that even with the amenities of running water and an actual toilet, I preferred the more difficult life staying with other students. The shower was just over the nonfunctioning toilet, and as for the blanket, it was slightly discolored in some places. I guess you can say I would trust the students, but definitely not trust the Guest House, as I had no idea if the water was okay to drink, or whether the sheets had been washed. Paul was overly generous, giving me this place to stay as he didn’t feel his home would be adequate. The next morning, we ended up arriving at school really late, because he gave up his normal travel by bike and insisted that we have chai and tea because of me. I had a wonderful time though and the next evening I went to Nassibu’s home.

Yes, Thursday was a wonderful day despite its late start because I had so many students helping me. Unable to find a chain tool in town, I proposed to Ally that he make one, and he got so excited. I got excited too, as he realized what I needed and wanted and he realized that he knew how to design a chain tool. And so he did. I was extremely happy for him, as I think he realized that he could make whatever he wanted.

After school ended, Nassibu and I began our trek to his home. It was a bit far, taking over an hour, but when I arrived at his mud home, his mother and aunt were unbelievably welcoming. They were incredibly kind, and you could just feel the strength of his family. His mother offered me a kanga, and I wore it for the day. And then I discovered that Nassibu’s mother sold charcoal! It was a big moment for me as I realized that Nassibu’s mom could benefit from making charcoal briquettes! So, I realized that before I left Tanzania, I had to show Nassibu how to make charcoal so his mother could make more money. So, next week, I hope we’ll get a chance to make some charcoal.

In the evening, we visited Yasini’s home. He was living with his grandmother and brother Juma in a home much like Nassibu’s. I couldn’t help noticing some paperlike animal decorations on the table, and then Yasini told me that his brother had made them…out of boxes and water!

On our way back from Yasini’s home, I couldn’t believe it, but I ran into one of the English students from the Vijana Centre, Julius. He was my Swahili teacher before everyone left for break, and it was wonderful to see him again. I think it was a bit awkward for Nassibu and Yasini, as I had run into one of their schoolmates that they really didn’t know, but it was wonderful to catch up with Julius. Seeing me far from the centre in Bauda, he was like…you must visit my home, too. Hopefully, I’ll be able to squeeze in a visit before I go back home, especially since he is Maasai, the pastoral people of Tanzania whom I know for their red and blue plaid cloths, rubber tire shoes, large earholes, and their beadwork. As for their culture, I know many of them roam the land with their cattle and many of them are skilled at skinning animals, but other than that, that is the extent of my knowledge.

That evening, we played cards by candlelight. And then we all shared a plate of ugali na samaki [ugali with fish]. And then, it was time for bed. Having not gone to the bathroom all day and needing to brush my teeth, I asked Nassibu where the bathroom was. I felt bad, as the bathroom was the community one detached from the home, but I would say it was definitely an experience of a lifetime. We walked around the home in the dark, and luckily, I had my flashlight on hand. And then we came upon a room of plastic tarp, and Shamimu, Nassibu’s sister, opened the tarp door, revealing steps up to a platform with a hole in the middle. And as I took care of business, I looked up, and the sky was wide open, filled with stars. Not only do you have a restroom with fantastic ventilation, but also one with a view. That evening, I slept with Shamimu, and Nassibu slept on the couch. I layered the bedsheet that they gave me, and I slept well. The only bad part I would say was my natural clock. Believe it or not, I’m still on my 6 hours per night sleep schedule that I got from school.

In the morning, we rose at 6:30am. We brushed our teeth just outside the door, and then we went to the duka to buy some a bag of tea, sugar, and then mandazi. After that, I offered to take some pictures, which I did, and then we were off to school. Yasini was waiting where our paths converged and Mustapha was waiting near his home. We were 2 minutes late for school, and so we were locked out of the classroom, but I did not let that phase me. I decided that I’d spend that time getting ready for the day, so I got the students to start cutting firewood for lunchtime, and we cleaned up the workshop by sweeping up the trash and then pouring maji [water] on the ground to contain the dust.

As for our Friday, it was fantastic. We made a few hand shellers and completed the mobile maize sheller. What made my day though was when Leyeo asked if he could go get some mahindi [corn] from his home…and then we were able to test the device! For the small bit of maize he brought back, the machine didn’t perform all that well. A little deflated, I described the maize sheller’s performance as “mbaya kidogo” [a little bad], and then Joseph said “hapana, nzuri kidogo” [no, a little good]. I looked up at him, and we burst out laughing. All I could think was goodness, I’m a pessimist, and Joseph was indeed correct. It was a little good, and it meant so much for me to hear this from Joseph. I realized that if anything, this device was for him. He could ride this bicycle to and from school and then help out with his farm and neighbors because of this device (he lives in an area where they grow lots of mahindi). And Paul caught on pretty quickly, too, taking the bike for a ride, and upon returning asking me, “Do you have any corn? I have a business here.” And then Leyeo came up to me and was practically begging to take the machine home to show his grandmother. I would have let him, but in the end, we decided that we would go to his home on Monday instead, to shell his room full of dried maize.

And so, my day ended wonderfully. We also had chakula [food], much to my relief. That, too, in itself, was another event for the week. We had prepared to cook ugali, the staple food in Tanzania, and matembele when we realized that there was no corn flour. Mwalimu Charles was really upset about the whole thing, and I told him not to worry. And thus, I went to the duka and bought the flour to feed the class. For $2 worth of flour, I made sure the students didn’t go hungry. And that I didn’t go hungry either. When the food was ready, we finished the food in minutes. It was as if we were all starving. At the end of the day, Mwalimu Charles and I just sat there, sighing with exhaustion. He said to me, “Jodie, thank you so much for giving your time to the school.” All I could say was, “Amna shida” [It’s no problem]. I wanted to be there, and I was glad that I was finally of help.

In a matter of a week, I’d moved leaps and bounds and hence, my novel as an entry. If you read this far, thank you so much for reading. Pictures to come soon! You’ll definitely get another update this weekend. I’ll have to tell you about the wonderful update from IDDS, and then of course, update you on my soccer adventures, as I’m going to go play soccer with my neighbor at the soccer fields called Soweto. Tutaonana baadaye! [See you later!]