Today marks our final day on the worksite in Olturoto. These past 3 weeks have flown by, and the members of our group have mixed feelings about leaving for Final Travel in just 2 days time. Some are ready for a change of pace, scenery and cuisine, while others feel reluctant to leave. Things have really come together in this past week. Yesterday (Thursday) we completed the toilet house, which was a great accomplishment. Today we are putting our finishing touches on the world map mural, including a dedication we wrote for the students of the school, which will be painted in Swahili and English. Today we are also teaching our last English and HIV/AIDS classes. We’ve really enjoyed teaching the students here, and it’s been especially great to teach the HIV/AIDS curriculum we designed, because it is so important and the students here have not been well educated in this subject.
Tonight is our second-to-last night with our host families. Tomorrow we will have a farewell ceremony at the school to celebrate the work we’ve done here with our host families and students and teachers from the school. We expect about 80 people (!), and we will feast on pilau (a rice dish) and fruit, and exchange song performances with the local students. We’ll write more soon (in a few days, once we’ve arrived in Zanzibar) with more on our last few days in the community.
Here are some tidbits written by our daily publicists this week:
Monday, July 23, 2012, Clara
On Monday, Daniela, Henrietta and I had a photoshoot at our homestay. Our host siblings and neighboring kids grabbed our cameras and took dozens of portraits and selfies. The chickens were also subjects of the photos. Be prepared to see our Tanzanian family when we get home.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012, Jordan
I’ve learned that the best way to teach is to make a complete fool of yourself in front of the class, and allow the kids to laugh at you; it keeps things light and very enjoyable.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012, Louisa
This morning, everyone headed down to the school at 8am as usual, but instead of working, we had to meet our dalla dalla (bus). A short drive took us into Arusha where we were able to get internet access and a couple of hours to buy food and gifts for our host families. A slightly longer drive took us to the Amani Children’s Home (located at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro), where a Global Routes vs. Tanzania soccer game took place. Needless to say, we got creamed. All in all, it was a fun day!
Thursday, July 26, 2012, Taylor
We finished the bathroom! The worksite was full of laughs and excitement today as we put the finishing touches on the mural. I led my second HIV/AIDS class with Maddi, which went well. After school I went with Louisa, Andrew, Josh and Liam to meet the families of two Tanzanian girls we have become good friends with. As we ran through the banana fields going from house to house with a growing entourage of laughing children behind us, I wished the day would never end.
Enjoy the photos!!
