We had a chance to catch up with the Tanzania group at the end of the day their time today. They had just finished up another full day of the restroom construction project. David reports the crew is working hard and fast. They have made impressive progress in just a few days. They are almost done with the main structure of cinder blocks and mortar. Today the group plastered most of the outside walls and tomorrow they will plaster the inside.
Daniel, the foreman has been very friendly and gives the group careful instructions, along with a few demonstrations. Mo, our long time local leader, is very helpful as well. The crew is working just behind the school, which David and Liz thought might a distraction for the students in class, but so far so good! After school and after working on the work site, the group is getting more and more comfortable getting to know the secondary school students. Lately all the students have taken to playing futbol and frisbee together. Everyone is eager to watch the finals of the World Cup!
In the downtime when the students are with their host families, time is spent playing with the younger children, cooking, and learning about the local way of life. David pointed out the community is quite lush nestled among corn and coffee!
Everyone is trying new foods, learning to cook new dishes, and enjoying the plentiful amounts of avocados!
Now that the primary service project is well underway, the group is already working with the community to think about some secondary projects. Ideas so far: Murals! The group is designing a few ideas for a mural, as well as thinking about painting the outside of the bathrooms. In addition the group will aim to work on some renovations for one of the classrooms: putting in a new floor, giving it a new coat of pain and replacing some doors on the restrooms that are already there.
Finally, the group was asked to give some English and Math lessons at the Secondary school. A few are excited and ready to dive into the challenge of teaching Trigonometry tomorrow! Several other students taught the first English class today and everyone else will be rotating through over the next few days. David and Liz are also hoping to organize an exchange and have some of the secondary school students teach Swahili to the group!
This weekend the group will head on a short day long excursion to a waterfall, and spend time with their host families.
David ended our phone call exclaiming that he just loves this place, the environment, the people, and the group!
