So since the week before was so serious, I thought I'd regale you all this weekend with a tale of totally cool day I had on Thursday.
So recently I've made friends with two of the students from one village over, trying to help them alittle with English and they are just in gen, interesting. In anycase they invited me over to their village and so Thursday I went. And it was great. First I went to the one students house. Where his family bought me a fanta orange, and some wafer cookies. And we talked and he showed me the house. I just have to say, really Tanzanians know how to make a guest feel welcome when they want too. They are all way poorer than me, but it is extremely poor form for them to allow me to leave without a zawadi( present ) of some form. So in this case we had soda. Then we went walking, and they showed me the school, and then we arrived back in the villages behind the main village on the road to my other student-friends house. Its a red mud path back there and the houses themselves, as with many houses here are built with mud and sticks and have a thatch roof. Although, my student friends here *the main house* had corrogated metal sheet roof...alittle better. Anyway, so we arrived at a little enclave with 5 houses together. And they all have a well in the main area which they share. And it was just really touching the whole thing. They were obviously a bit more poor than the first family, his mom was out collecting firewood, but they still managed to greet me with smiles and oranges that they had gone way out of their way to pick. Delicious. The housing set up here is a bit different so the main rooms in the house are together, and the parents sleep inside, but the children had little huts to themselves to sleep. And there is a special hut for cooking. And my stuudents told me that these five families all tend to cook together dinner every night. And everyeone cooks whatever they can manage to get. This way some nights when you can't get food for whatever reason, everyone still gets to eat. Cause its inevitable that some nights others won't get some food and you'll share with them. Think of how tight that community must be? To me it makes alot of sense. They are obviously extremely poorer than people in the U.S. and yet, in the way of family and community support, so very rich. At night there's nothing to do but sit out and talk. In some ways your neighbors would be your family too in this sort of situation. Anyway, we went for another walk too and my students introduced me to the young coconut. He even got one for me. He tied a rope around his legs, and used it as leverage to shimmy his way all the 40 feet up the branchless coconut tree, and chop some down. I made them promise to let me try sometime. Then we drank the milk from the inside, and afterwords scooped out the guts. Delicious! And then I had two more coconuts and 3 oranges left to take home with me.
So yay. It was really fun.
And now I must go. Hope all are well. Miss you!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
Culturally Appropriate
So my latest struggle is to try to define where being culturally appropriate ends and abandoning my own standards begins. And its interesting. So this week has been full of some 1sts and one or 2 seconds and thirds and just too manies.
First of all, first time someone has put some real effort into trying to convert me to Islam. Well its more what they thought was a real effort but which if they knew me would know it is more likely to turn me off than on. I was having a really interesting religious conversation with my students. Its something I've side stepped for the most part till now, cause there is so much potential there for misunderstanding, and also me knowing they are so conservative I don't wanna be accused of attempting to put my beliefs on someone else. And yet its a conversation that I've wanted to have for some time because really, when am I going to be in such a position again to get a chance to understand such different beliefs. Anyway, the discussion and sharing effectively ended the second time one of the more opinionated of the students told me he wanted to see me converted to Islam so that at the judgement day I wouldn't be found in the pit with all the sinners being punished for having rejected God. I told him, I was glad he cared for his teachers so much to worry about their immortal souls and then the bell rang and we left. I considered it a good time to leave since the conversation was turning distinctly from academic to personal issues. I found it fascinating but I know for sure I was starting to get into dangerous waters when he brought it up the second time, and so I was glad to end it there.
Also this week have gotten more than one run in with the mzungu price, which hasn't happened lately. The issue is when they see you are white and you are riding the dalla (local buses) or trying to do anything which involves money, likely they will try to jack the price up a bit on you if they can. For example the price to get to the local tourist place is 1500 shilings on the dalla. But if you are a white person and you don't know and ask, they will likely tell you 2000 or 3000. Or if you give them 1500 they will say that you have not paid the full price and it has gone up. Then when you tell them no, and that you know its only 1500 they all laugh hilariously and agree and *usually* let it go. The thing is, getting asked to pay a different price because of my skin color really does tick me off sometimes. Especially when I've lived here for a good while and am working in the schools trying to help people. Its hilarious to them though, and everytime they laugh and even when I'm in a good mood I do recognize that it does bother me. It has stopped now for the most part, because they know me. And in the end, I do realize they are poor and its not just white people, but anyone who doesn't know that they'll try to take advantage of. Because they must. Being high-minded about such things is more a luxury of people who don't worry about what they'll eat tomorrow. The only people who really tick me off are those that even when you say the right price, they still won't give it to you. To try to take advantage of ignorance is one thing, but to deny the truth or rather be fully prepared to charge different cause of skin color is something else entirely. Anyway.
The third cultural run-in I've had this week has to do with sex. Yes it has been the full triple threat this week, me disagreeing with people over issues involving religion race and sex! So I was on a dalla (local bus) and I was just outside the parking lot and I wanted to get off and another guy did too apparently. Cause at the stoplight he ups and hops off real quick and I make to do the same and people grab me and try to stop me. And we're still at this stoplight. And I'm like, excuse me I just need to get off, just like the guy just a second ago who no one cared if he did it. And they are like "no wait". And I say "that guy just did it and no one cared', and they said "for women its dangerous". Ok so its not that my judgement was wrong about us being stopped, and quite near a parking lot and the cars going slow. My judgement was wrong because I didn't realize that my gender somehow hinders me from quickly hopping out of a car. I know I know. Its a small thing. But really the way to keep me even tempered isn't to tell me that I can't do something not because its dangerous, or that I'm not strong enough, but because I'm the wrong sex. And really, I think the small things do count. But I probably wouldn't mention it were it not for what happened later. I have been eating beans and rice at a little local dive after school each week, because its only 400 shilings (40 cents) for lunch there, which is a great price, and its really close, and a good meal and I don't have to cook. Anyway, one day this place was closed so I tried to go next door and everyone shooed me out. I figured it was some wierd muslim thing and wasn't thinking about it and went somewhere else. Well this eating out beans and rice for lunch has been going on for about 2 weeks now, and my headmaster tells me yesterday, that it would be better if I got a container and took the beans and rice to go and ate at my house. He reminded me that the only people I've ever seen eating at these little huts are men. Now I'm not an idiot, I know, being female its not ok to go out alone to eat at night, but being unable to eat lunch for 20 minutes in the broad daylight of the afternoon crosses the line for me. Now all those people shooing me out makes sense, they weren't going to serve me. Cause I'm a woman. The peculiar mixture of embarrasment and anger this incenses, is interesting. So I've decided as long as one of the beans and rice places decides to serve me, I probably will ignore this cultural custom. On the one hand its a compliment to be considered integrated enough to care about the norms of the society, on the other hand, not being of that society I think means I don't necessarily have to follow such dictates.
So there you have it, cultures are different. What is wrong in one culture is funny in the next, religions are similar in some aspects wherever you go, and my feminist streak is requiring me to eat beans and rice outsidee. Entertaining week.
Love all, and don't think too negatively, just notice the difference. They don't have the same values as us. They treasure what they do treasure, but not the same things as us.
Have a good week all!
First of all, first time someone has put some real effort into trying to convert me to Islam. Well its more what they thought was a real effort but which if they knew me would know it is more likely to turn me off than on. I was having a really interesting religious conversation with my students. Its something I've side stepped for the most part till now, cause there is so much potential there for misunderstanding, and also me knowing they are so conservative I don't wanna be accused of attempting to put my beliefs on someone else. And yet its a conversation that I've wanted to have for some time because really, when am I going to be in such a position again to get a chance to understand such different beliefs. Anyway, the discussion and sharing effectively ended the second time one of the more opinionated of the students told me he wanted to see me converted to Islam so that at the judgement day I wouldn't be found in the pit with all the sinners being punished for having rejected God. I told him, I was glad he cared for his teachers so much to worry about their immortal souls and then the bell rang and we left. I considered it a good time to leave since the conversation was turning distinctly from academic to personal issues. I found it fascinating but I know for sure I was starting to get into dangerous waters when he brought it up the second time, and so I was glad to end it there.
Also this week have gotten more than one run in with the mzungu price, which hasn't happened lately. The issue is when they see you are white and you are riding the dalla (local buses) or trying to do anything which involves money, likely they will try to jack the price up a bit on you if they can. For example the price to get to the local tourist place is 1500 shilings on the dalla. But if you are a white person and you don't know and ask, they will likely tell you 2000 or 3000. Or if you give them 1500 they will say that you have not paid the full price and it has gone up. Then when you tell them no, and that you know its only 1500 they all laugh hilariously and agree and *usually* let it go. The thing is, getting asked to pay a different price because of my skin color really does tick me off sometimes. Especially when I've lived here for a good while and am working in the schools trying to help people. Its hilarious to them though, and everytime they laugh and even when I'm in a good mood I do recognize that it does bother me. It has stopped now for the most part, because they know me. And in the end, I do realize they are poor and its not just white people, but anyone who doesn't know that they'll try to take advantage of. Because they must. Being high-minded about such things is more a luxury of people who don't worry about what they'll eat tomorrow. The only people who really tick me off are those that even when you say the right price, they still won't give it to you. To try to take advantage of ignorance is one thing, but to deny the truth or rather be fully prepared to charge different cause of skin color is something else entirely. Anyway.
The third cultural run-in I've had this week has to do with sex. Yes it has been the full triple threat this week, me disagreeing with people over issues involving religion race and sex! So I was on a dalla (local bus) and I was just outside the parking lot and I wanted to get off and another guy did too apparently. Cause at the stoplight he ups and hops off real quick and I make to do the same and people grab me and try to stop me. And we're still at this stoplight. And I'm like, excuse me I just need to get off, just like the guy just a second ago who no one cared if he did it. And they are like "no wait". And I say "that guy just did it and no one cared', and they said "for women its dangerous". Ok so its not that my judgement was wrong about us being stopped, and quite near a parking lot and the cars going slow. My judgement was wrong because I didn't realize that my gender somehow hinders me from quickly hopping out of a car. I know I know. Its a small thing. But really the way to keep me even tempered isn't to tell me that I can't do something not because its dangerous, or that I'm not strong enough, but because I'm the wrong sex. And really, I think the small things do count. But I probably wouldn't mention it were it not for what happened later. I have been eating beans and rice at a little local dive after school each week, because its only 400 shilings (40 cents) for lunch there, which is a great price, and its really close, and a good meal and I don't have to cook. Anyway, one day this place was closed so I tried to go next door and everyone shooed me out. I figured it was some wierd muslim thing and wasn't thinking about it and went somewhere else. Well this eating out beans and rice for lunch has been going on for about 2 weeks now, and my headmaster tells me yesterday, that it would be better if I got a container and took the beans and rice to go and ate at my house. He reminded me that the only people I've ever seen eating at these little huts are men. Now I'm not an idiot, I know, being female its not ok to go out alone to eat at night, but being unable to eat lunch for 20 minutes in the broad daylight of the afternoon crosses the line for me. Now all those people shooing me out makes sense, they weren't going to serve me. Cause I'm a woman. The peculiar mixture of embarrasment and anger this incenses, is interesting. So I've decided as long as one of the beans and rice places decides to serve me, I probably will ignore this cultural custom. On the one hand its a compliment to be considered integrated enough to care about the norms of the society, on the other hand, not being of that society I think means I don't necessarily have to follow such dictates.
So there you have it, cultures are different. What is wrong in one culture is funny in the next, religions are similar in some aspects wherever you go, and my feminist streak is requiring me to eat beans and rice outsidee. Entertaining week.
Love all, and don't think too negatively, just notice the difference. They don't have the same values as us. They treasure what they do treasure, but not the same things as us.
Have a good week all!
Sunday, July 15, 2007
RPCV's
Well it looks like this didn´t work the first time so I shall have to ammend. In anycase, all is well. What I meant to tell you all about was how this past weekend I ran into some RPCV's (Returned- Peace Corps Volunteers) who had completed there service in 1965 I believe. They were two of the neatest older ladies. So we got to talking, they were a part of the first education group ever to enter Tanganyika (it was Tanganyika at the time ha! Which is before the Zanzibar revolution hit and Zanzibar became joined with Tanganyika to form Tanzania. ) Anyway, they were just full of interesting tales from when they had been volunteers, and I remember thinking, when I get to be an older lady, I hope to be just the same style of interesting. We ended up asking them what they think changed most between now and then and they said, there's alot more people now.
Ha. For the cynical out there, I'm sure you are suitably impressed with the difference we've all made. But we're idealists here so we'll let it go.
Anyway, RPCVs only get to be RPCVs when they haven´t been medically seperated or administratively seperated or just left, so seriously I hope I make it that far. I´ll try not to get myself kicked out in the meantime.
But I'm very much begining to realize what a long time 2 years is so I have respect for that. Seriously miss y'all sometimes.
So on a further note, in an effort to energize all those to spend more time at the beach, had an interesting experience this morning which results with me being in town so early this week. So I got what I thought was a mosquito bite last week at the beach and I itched it and it got real red and puffy, such that I thought I had got it infected. So this went on for about a week till this morning, staring at my puffy mosquito bite I notice what I thought was pus in it. So I reach in to grab the pus and pull out a larvea of some kind. Yup I had an interesting maggot typed thing growing in what was definately not a mosquito bite sore on my thigh. Apparently it may be a sandfly and its unusual for them to lay eggs in people but it happens, and I likely got it from sitting on the beach (which I thought sillily was harmless), alas no. So there are some downsides to life on the beach! Ha.
Anyway, hope all is well, really do miss people.
Love
Ha. For the cynical out there, I'm sure you are suitably impressed with the difference we've all made. But we're idealists here so we'll let it go.
Anyway, RPCVs only get to be RPCVs when they haven´t been medically seperated or administratively seperated or just left, so seriously I hope I make it that far. I´ll try not to get myself kicked out in the meantime.
But I'm very much begining to realize what a long time 2 years is so I have respect for that. Seriously miss y'all sometimes.
So on a further note, in an effort to energize all those to spend more time at the beach, had an interesting experience this morning which results with me being in town so early this week. So I got what I thought was a mosquito bite last week at the beach and I itched it and it got real red and puffy, such that I thought I had got it infected. So this went on for about a week till this morning, staring at my puffy mosquito bite I notice what I thought was pus in it. So I reach in to grab the pus and pull out a larvea of some kind. Yup I had an interesting maggot typed thing growing in what was definately not a mosquito bite sore on my thigh. Apparently it may be a sandfly and its unusual for them to lay eggs in people but it happens, and I likely got it from sitting on the beach (which I thought sillily was harmless), alas no. So there are some downsides to life on the beach! Ha.
Anyway, hope all is well, really do miss people.
Love
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Shoes are important
SO! Just wanted to let you all in on an anecdote. I have discovered (with the help of another volunteer) the perfect solution to the corporal punishment dilemma (well not perfect, but pretty close). Anyway a big problem of discipline in my classes has been that my students know I won't hit them. Telling them they'll get a zero on the homework honestly doesn't work. They really don't care since them actually advancing only really depends on the scores to their NECTA exams which are taken at the end of Form 2 and Form 4. Everything else is just inbetween. Anyway, so I was assigning cleaning the choo (bathroom) etc, and it wasn't helping much. So anyway, another teacher volunteer had a great idea and I have stolen it to use at my school as well (but hey, if its a good idea, there's no shame I think in stealing, it. Being a good teacher isn't entirely about being original right?) So what i did last Tuesday with my students being late with their homework is I took one of their shoes, such that they had to walk around all day with one shoe only untill they finished writing "I will not be late with my homework" 1000 times. They all finished by the end of the day cause I told them they'd have to walk home without a shoe otherwise (I really wasn't giving it back till they turned in the lines). I knew I had hit on a good punishment when they asked if they could please clean the bathroom instead. Also this friday, for the first time in EVER, the class that I had used that punishment on, stacked and turned in their homework WITHOUT being asked. Success! Yes!
So my friend who thought up this brilliant idea uses this also for students being late. I've just started using it, and I may start to implement it for being late as well. We'll see. Just wanted to share my success story. Its effective and causes no harm, and compromises the "this is Africa" mentality, in a more gentle waywith the US. and I'm just darned pleased with the results. So yay.
So my friend who thought up this brilliant idea uses this also for students being late. I've just started using it, and I may start to implement it for being late as well. We'll see. Just wanted to share my success story. Its effective and causes no harm, and compromises the "this is Africa" mentality, in a more gentle waywith the US. and I'm just darned pleased with the results. So yay.
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