Nipo!

So, it’s been awhile. I apologize. First off, after my trip to Zambia, I came back to my site area to find the whole area was flooded. It had been a season of intense floods, and i was hitting the end of it. I made my way to my bank city, where everyone was staring at me and asking ‘you really are trying to go back today?’ I soon saw my headmaster, who was on his way to town to do school stuff, and basically i found out that a few people got lucky with some sort of tractor, but most people were hitting certain flooded areas, and then doing 1 of 2 things. Either they paid someone to carry them across, or they took off most of their clothes, waded through the floods, and then redressed. So, I talked to my headmaster and Peace Corps, and decided I’d just stay in town and work on a math document with the computers that I wanted to create for new volunteers.

Since then I have been spending tons of time at site, which has its ups and downs. Two separate weekends, I gave my students a mock exam for mathematics, mimicking the national exams they would be taking in october (pictures in link at bottom). Classes have been flying by. The first semester ends in 2 weeks, and I am basically done with the form 4 topics, so i’ll give them some review work to do during their break, and let them take more exams (pre-mock, mock, and NECTA) and finish out their o-levels. I’ll then have almost no work for the rest of the year. I’ll be teaching form 3 i think, and i finished about half the topics in half the year. I’m on target. The great and different news, however, is that our school will most likely be A-level this year. That means, if the rumors are true and we get students who are studying math, that I’ll be teaching more advanced students. Take all the best students from the schools in O-level, and put them together and you have a great upper level advanced class. I’d be teaching intro calculus topics and other advanced geometry, algebra, etc. I’m really excited if this is the case. Sure, i could relax the rest of the year, and i will, but i really would love to teach an even greater gifted class of students who want to suck up math. I mean, these would be like your upper level high school kids who get a chance to choose topics of study, and they chose math! Awesome. I’ll definitely keep you informed though.
I’ve been doing alot of amazing cooking with local ingredients, as well as some things i received in a care package. I also went all out and cooked a large yellow cake with chocolate frosting on charcoal (oh man, it was AMAZING!). It’s gotten to the point that the women teachers all want to taste the stuff I’ve made. Even the headmaster’s wife, who kept claiming men can’t cook because she never tried my stuff, finally gave in after she tried the cake and said I did indeed know how to cook. I’ve still been trying to convince people to learn with me how to make stuff, and every time they get closer and closer to commiting to actually learning, but then they just end up not caring, and you can tell they just want to eyeball what you are doing so they can eat it later, so i end up not doing it. oh well, maybe i’ll teach some students and they’ll do it when they are older. you know, hit up the younger generation.
That’s one great thing that has been going well. The school is finally doing more with secondary project stuff, and I feel like i’m very well niched in, in a very specific role. I’m not running any of the clubs, and yet I get to help with info and development. Kava (who did not die, by the way) has been doing work with a drama/health group for months and performing things with decision making and life skills for the school. It’s been great. Kava was helping to train the debate team, and I helped him out. I’ve never done debate, but it was only a matter of giving my insights into logical thought and argument. Kava seized on the info very quick and we began training a great debate team. When we visited a local school for soccer game, the schools did a debate, and our team just crushed them. Kava took the opportunity to teach the other school the things he had gained from me and our practice with the students and taught the other school. None of this involved me, which made everyone concerned look at Kava as a well informed, very experienced TZ who was educating. Now that school will probably implement those ideas on logical thought. Our plan is to hold a debate every time we have schools meet up for soccer games, and then to up their level of debate and have our school be the role model for debate in the region and teaching the rest. it’s a good start so far.
Also recently, along the same line, my other teacher friend named Elieza Swilla came to me and said ‘I must start a Scout group and I want to start it. Can you help me?’ I explained that last year I was exactly in his position but that my interests and job as a peace corps volunteer leads me to help more in the development and training than the actual doing of the clubs. I told him i woudnt be the leader and the only time i’d do something would be through follwing him. If he needs ideas, I could help, if he needs training and logistics, i can help, but the leader would be him. he agreed. Last week, we had our first intro meeting. It went off smoothly, and I helped him as he ran the meeting. We taught about what it means to be a scout and started them like early scouts in america. then we finished it all off with a game. They are very eager and will definitely continue. I’m so happy that so many activities are occuring, but i’m NOT leading them. Its not because I’m lazy, it’s just this is a better way, i think, in promoting skills training and having projects that outlast me and don’t need a ‘foreign expert’ to run them. I’d rather my local friends learn to believe in themselves and make amazing things happen. It’s been a long wait, but I think things are finally going that way.
Since I’m not running the activities, I have alot of time to do school curriculum stuff, and I’m doing it. I even began making jeopardy boards and a bulletin board for math/science (picture of board in link below). Kava helped finish the board, and now we both use it for challenge questions and what not. He even took my board without me and did a whole school program with teams and they had a competition. I didn’t even know! I was so happy. It all is making my time here that much more beneficial.
As well as the photos of the board and exams as I mentioned, in the link below you will find many photos of my house from the inside. The site should have the descriptions of the rooms underneath the photos. ALso, there are photos of the destroyed bridge area and my pets. ENjoy them, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Other than that, site has been great. I made some wine awhile back, and have been enjoying my vintages of mango wine as well as mango pineapple wine. Delicious. I also tried some of my friend Amber’s wine- banana and ginger. wow. Also taught some german volunteers and my headmaster how to make it. Maybe after some time, I’ll teach some other locals and they can use it for income generation. Doesn’t really help the old men drinking in the village, but who knows. Also, I planted potatoes recently, so in July I’ll reap the benefits of that.
Well, that’s all for now. Glad you’re still reading after my long time away. If you have any questions, feel free. Jeremy out!

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