Wednesday, August 1, 2007

School Update - August 1

Today it all became one step closer to being a reality! August 1 is the day that all the selected and verified students gathered, for the first time, in Arusha to learn about their futures. One hundred and thirteen teenagers, along with a guardian or friend, all came to Arusha to be measured for their school uniforms, to meet the teachers and staff, and to hear about how their lives will be different starting in September.

On our trip, the teachers and I got to visit some of these students at their homes, to give them the letter which proved their acceptance into our school. It hit us very hard - the realization that suddenly these specially picked students were being given a future - an education which will allow them to grow into adulthood with more advantages than, really, we can even imagine.

Today, reading Carla Hillman's blog about the August 1 event, I was struck again by the enormity of what is happening thanks to Peace House Foundation and every one of its supporters, volunteers and friends. Every one of you reading this - you have become a part of shaping these childrens' lives - because you have supported, in some way, the people making it happen.

Asante sana!

-Karen

Thursday, July 19, 2007

And then there was one

So we left Nungwi and went back to Stonetown. Jill, Taryn and I walked around the town and ran into our friend Dave from Nungwi. We (4) ate a bit at the fish market in Foridani gardens. I (the non fish eater among the group) ate baracuda...and liked it! There was a variety of potatoes, baracuda, crab, shark, mussels, and sweet banana. We then walked to Mercury's which is named for Freddie Mercury of Queen. We listened to some live music but we thought it would be local music instead he sang a medly of Elton John and such. Not exsactly local...ha ha.

The next morning we packed up and went to our new hotel. We found some new area's to shop in. We bought a lot!

That afternoon Jill left us for Dar and then she was off to Moshi. We were down to two. Taryn and I walked about the city and did some sight seeing. We saw some neat sights and learned about the stonetown local history. We made friends with a shop owner who brought us coffee in the store and brought us to his house to use the bathroom. He was a very nice man named Rasheed who ran an antique store. From there we ran into another friend we had made at the fish market and organized a ride on a vespa.

On Tuesday we woke up to pouring rain so we did not get the vespa. We walked about the town again and then went to Prizon Island just off the coast of Zanzibar. We went snorkling until I bumped into a jellyfish (luckly not the tenticles) so I jumped back in the boat only to realize there were no tenticles on the jelly! We went onto the beach then walk into the reserve for the giant tortises. We had an opportunity to feed and pet them...but not ride them (that was posted on many signs there). We had a wonderful time with the tortises and wandering the historical island.

We rode the dhow back and went for dinner. On Wednesday we rode a dala dala (local trucks/buses) to jozani forest. We hung out (excuse the pun) with red colobus monkeys. They were all around us and we had the rare opportunity to see a pregnant one and a new mom with her baby attatched. We found this rare since they only have one baby every 2 years. We took lots of pictures and video of them. Very cool animals. We went for lunch at the forest restaurant which was a 2 hour undertaking! We had a bit of time after to walk through the forest...much a which is overgrown. We also walked to the boardwalk and had to cross part of it what was not yet done...that was dangerous...but fun! We walked a bit of the way back to stonetown but them flagged down another dala dala. We were the only wazungu on the bus and we had many funny looks. We went to our favorite restaurant for dinner (yes we have a favorite already) called the ETC plaza.

Taryn boarded the ferry to Dar this afternoon to get on her plane to Amsterdam. So now there is one...I am the lone mzungu left from 14! Taryn and I had many adventures...and misadventures here and loved every minute of it! Thank you for all of you who have shared our adventures. I have a day and a half left before I head home. I am happy to see familiar faces again but am sad to leave the wonderful country of Tanzania. 'til next time!

Ginger

our interesting adventures in Zanzibar...

We know mama safari will worry so here is the latest!...it is long but fairly entertaining!

We are in Zanzibar and loving the beach. We left Dar and took a ferry to Stonetown. The ferry was interesting since they just pile your luggage at the back of the boat in the open part so when you go in the boat you are not quite sure you will see it again..ha ha. We did, however, get to go
outside and sit at the very front of the boat with our legs hanging over and watch the sea. It was a beautiful ride. We arrived in Stonetown and were bumped, shoved, and shuffled off the ferry. We agreed it was not a bad as we had heard. We went through customs and walked to our hotel. We had a nice guide to walk us there. His name is Matt (we named him that though because he is mute and didn't tell us his real name) Matt looked out for us and arranged for us to have a ride the next day because we wanted to leave Stonetown.

The next day we went on a spice tour since Zanzibar is known for its spices. It was interesting where all the spices come from and look like to start off since it is very different from what we see in the store! We even saw Ginger (or Tangawizi as it is called in kiswahili...also what I have been called all trip!) We had a part of the tour where we tasted all kinds of local fruit and most were delicious. There was one however that they say "smells like hell but tastes like heaven" I believe they only tell tourist that to make us try it because it did not taste like heaven however it did smell like hell...or worse! It took a while to get that taste out of mouths but we did go straight to lunch. They had a small pavillion set up for us, where we ate on the floor in groups of
five. We left lunch and went to the slave caves. These were caves close to the coast where they held slaves before sending them off in boats. It was a sad place. We headed from there to the beach. We walked through some cool rocks and climbed down some stone steps to reach a private beach with clear light green water. The water was warm and extremely salty! We had a great time swimming and wandering the beach.

We returned from our trip to head out in a bus for the eastern coast of Zanzibar. We weren't sure where we were going to stay but ended up in jambiani at Mt. Zion. This is where Nancy and Molly had stayed before joining our Peace House trip and Zion remembered them. This was a great place...it is a beachside hotel with thatched roof bungaloes and it is run by local rastas. They had posters of Bob Marley everywhere. They were very funny and easy going. We really enjoyed the people there. In the morning we went snorkling. The conditions were a bit rough and many of us drank a lot of salt water. Either way it was a fun ride out there on a dhow and a good swim. We returned to lay on the beach and be lazy.

Rob and Jessica left us the next morning...and now our group is down to Three. The three of us (Taryn, Jill, and I) made a quick decision to leave Zion and head north. We packed quickly and headed for the northwest coast to Nungwi. After checking a lot of expensive hotels we settled on the Union. We are again on the beach and loving it! We spent that night at a place called the choa with some very interesting locals and met some new friends. We had a blast until a group decided to go for an evening (or early morning as it was) swim. While they were swimming a dog came and snatched up our keys and ran with them. We discovered this about 2:30 am and started to search...unsuccessfully. We then had a local guy help us find the night gaurd on duty. He eventually found a key that worked and let us in. We were very tired and all layed down but wouldn't it be my luck that after I lay down my bed collapses! We were laughing so hard at this point...and a knock came at the door...the night gaurd could not find the key for the other guy who went swimming and the night guard was trying to break down the door! We eventually convinced him not to bust the door in but instead give the guy another room. It was a long but very entertaining night.

The next morning Dave (the other guy) found his key washed up on shore but no luck with ours. We took off on a boat early in the morning to go snorkling off the coast of a private island. The coral reefs were magnificent. I could not believe how many different kinds of fish we saw.... Taryn even saw a Puffer fish! We ate lunch (with our fingers) on the beach and layed in a sun a bit then headed back on the boat home. A bit later we decided to try a beautiful terrace for dinner. We watched the sun set over the water and our waitress forget our food. 3 and a half hours later we had no food and no drinks and walked out. We went back to Chao's to eat. Another eventful night! Entertaining to say the least!

We are being lazy today then heading back to Stonetown later for some more sightseeing. Missing everyone and hoping all is well in your lives!

Ginger

Monday, July 9, 2007

The Whole Group!

Front, L-to-R: Jessica, Ginger, Taryn, Jill
Back, L-to-R: Helen, Julie, Nancy, Janine, Rob,
Carrie, Terry B., Karen, Terry M., Cathy
(click on photo to make bigger)

Headmistress and Administrator


Theopista Seuya and Mark Hillman - the two great minds and incredible individuals who lead Peace House Secondary School.

Teaching Seminars

The biggest part of our trip was planning and leading a two-day seminar for Tanzanian teachers. Over 140 of them attended, and had the opportunity to receive instruction (and some hands-on experience) in 8 different topics, each topic led by one or two of our group.


Unfortunately I don't have photos of every classroom - I will be getting copies from the other teachers - but here are many of the volunteers, hard at work in their classrooms, sharing their knowledge and experience with the eager Tanzanians.


Carrie from Minnesota speaks on differentiation in the classroom. Cathy from Chicago leads a group on the benefits of student clubs.
Jessica from New York teaches about the center of gravity in this science activities session.
Jill from Minnesota helps the teachers form - and try to untangle - a human knot in this games group.
Julie from New York talks about developing respect and trust in the classroom.
Nancy from Massachusetts leads the group in a session on Lesson Planning.New York Rob talks about bird behavior in the science activity session.

Taryn (half of Team LA) greets every participant before leading a session on math activities.
Terry B., from Minnesota, cheers as another human knot starts to untangle.Terry M. from Chicago offers ideas on how to form student clubs in Tanzanian schools.

Missing from my photos are Janine from Chicago, sharing her expertise on higher order thinking skills, Ginger from California who led the math sessions with Taryn, and Helen from Chicago who was the all-round helper, photographer, videographer, and gopher. I will get pictures of them and add them as soon as possible!


The Tanzanians were effusive in their appreciation. Ongoing professional development for teachers is almost unheard of in Tanzania, and never has such a broad collection of information been offered free of charge. Thanks to those who supported each American teacher, we were able to bring this group of Tanzanian teachers together for two days, and feed their minds as well as their bodies, at no charge to them. They can't wait for us to do it again! Neither can we.

The Rugby Game

One evening we got to watch an international Rugby Game -- the Tanzanian National Team vs. the National Team of Mayotte (a French island between the mainland of Africa and the island of Madagascar.) Some of us watched closely.
And the action was very close!Here "Team LA" sits with the daughter of one of the PHS teachers, who came along for the game.
And some of the group preferred watching from the restaurant!

School Site Photos

These are from our very first day, and our group wasn't even complete as the last two arrived a few hours later in the day. We visited the school site and listened excitedly as Mark & Carla explained the construction process, and the vision of the school.

Here Mark talks about the school in general, in a Banda built by volunteers last year. Behind him is some of the guest housing.
And here Carla talks about the classrooms in the main building of the school.
Here's the group under the biggest tree on the site - a beautiful Candelabra Tree (thanks, Terry and Carla, for reminding me of the name!)
Thinking back to that day, when we were still learning one another's names, it all seems so incredibly long ago!

A Few Photos

Well, I am back in Minnesota and can start uploading some photos ... these are just a few of mine, and I am about the 9th best photographer in the group, so don't get too high of expectations.

These four are from the Maasai Village experience. First, some of the women with their beaded accessories:

A Maasai child ~
This is our guide, I am guessing at how to spell his name ... Lection. He told us it means "rich man" and that he feels rich inside because he is getting an education and learning to work as a guide. Here he is telling us about the medicinal properties of this tree bark.
And finally, here is the Guest Bathroom.
More photos coming!

-Karen

on our own!

The five lone soldiers making our way through Tanzania! Ginger, Taryn, Rob, Jessica, and I have continued on in our journey through Tanzania but without our fearless leader mama safari! We made it to Dar yesterday on a very nice bus! It actually wasn't too bad, just very long. Then we took a short, but very expensive cab ride to check out some hotels. We ended up staying at the cheapest one and have decided that it would be the last time in the cheapest hotel. We really did not enjoy sharing our room with cockroaches, it really felt a little like what I imagine a jail cell to feel like, so it was great, I don't think it's quite like the accommodations Julie is at! :) We are heading to Zanzibar on the ferry today. Yea beaches! It has been an adventure, I hope everyone made it home safely! HAVE A SUPER DAY!
Jillian D.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

What an experience!

Jambo Everyone!

I wrote when i arrived, and tomorrow the Peace House trip comes to an end. What an experience it has been. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to learn about Tanzania in such a rich and unique way. From visiting the Peace House school site, to visiting prospective students, to seeing an orphanage, sitting in on a first grade class, working and developing relationships with so many wonderful Tanzanian teachers, learning about the Maasai culture by spending 2 days and 1 night in a village to seeing so many beautiful animals while on safari the last three days.

We are all feeling exhausted, but blessed to have had all of the opportunities that we had over these past 2 weeks.

Also, i feel so lucky to have been on this trip with 13 wonderful people. Each and everyone has touched my life, has made me laugh and has added something special to my experience.

i can't wait to share details about all i have done and seen when i return in 11 days. Tomorrow i'm off to Kenya to meet Howie!

Nakupenda (I love you)

Julie

Monday, July 2, 2007

Turn Yourself Around

Less than 48 hours ago, we climbed into our vans to head out of the city of Arusha. We headed west - past the PHS site, past the Rugby Club, past the school where we held our teaching seminars. We turned north and started climbing in elevation until we were driving up a mountainside on a dirt road that was little more than a goat path through the brush.

Soon the only structures we saw were stick and mud bomas - the round huts built by the Maasai tribe of northern Tanzania. The only people we saw were Maasai, dressed in the traditional purple and red robes, except for the occasional touch of imported used clothing g from the States. We saw a child in a hooded winter jacket, a man with a Vanderbilt University sweatshirt, and a toddler in a sweatshirt (and nothing else) so dirty it was difficult to discern the familiar gloomy face of Eeyore, from Winnie the Pooh, on it.

The adults we saw wore intricate jewelry. The Maasai are known for their beadwork, and they wear beaded accessories all over their bodies. Anklets on both feet. Cuff bracelets on both arms - some as narrow as one-half inch, others covering nearly wrist to elbow. Necklaces of all lengths, colors, and styles. But the most elaborate pieces are reserved for the ears. Men and women alike pierce and stretch their earlobes, as well as pierce the sides and tops of their ears, so that 3 or 4 or 5 pieces of jewelry can be displayed on each ear.

Our host village for the experience was called Elewai - named for the thorny bushes which grow abundantly on the mountainside. The village welcomed us with open arms, huge smiles, and eager handshakes. With the exception of our guides, they spoke no English, but we understood they were happy to meet us and share their lives with us during our stay. The children clustered around us - some shyly, some eagerly, wanting to hold hands, wear our sunglasses, and - exhibiting their past experience with Westerners - wanting us to take their pictures and then show them the display. In a place with no mirrors, their delight in seeing themselves and each other knew no bounds.

Our group was split in two. One group spent the first day with the Maasai men, the other with the Maasai women. On the second day, we switched.

The group with the men learned how boys mature into manhood. At age 15, boys can become warriors. This is when they pierce their ears using a sharp knife, and when they are allowed to go in to the forest with the other warriors for what seems to be times of bonding or retreat.

Warriors can hunt, and during the time of being a warrior (age 15 - 40) each man has the experience of killing a lion as a sort of rite of passage. Our group hiked from the village farther up the mountain to a forested area, where we visited a campsite where warriors would stay. We were offered the chance to participate in a traditional warrior meal. We learned about medicinal plants the Maasai have learned to harvest and use. And we watched the warrior camaraderie as we whispered to one another, "can you believe it - here we are, American city-dwellers, on a mountain in Africa with Maasai warriors." Really, it was too much to grasp.

With the women, we learned beading, and each had the opportunity to make a bracelet, necklace, or anklet. Our work was very simple - listening to the chatter and laughter of the women as they tried to help our attempts was both humbling and motivating. We also had the opportunity to purchase beaded items they had made, and though they spoke no English and the only words we had learned in Maasai were hello and thank you, the women were hard bargainers who knew enough to get as much out of these white people as they could!

On our night there, we sang and danced with the villagers. They use no other instruments than their voices and the stomping of their feet. The beadwork jingled as they moved, and they sang and danced in turn - first the men, then the women, then the men again. The men performed incredible jumps, moving straight up and down, rising head and shoulders above the crowds. The women wore broad beaded collars which swayed back and forth rhythmically with the slightest movement of their shoulders. They encouraged us to dance along, putting the collars on our women and cheering with each attempt made to dance along.

Then, after quite awhile of their dancing, they asked us to sing. We wanted to find a song that had a corresponding dance, or at least movements; that everyone in the group knew, and that had a cheerful, upbeat melody and rhythm.

So.

Led by our kindergarten teachers, 15 Americans, on a mountainside lit only by the full moon and a sky full of bright stars, surrounded by Maasai men, women and children in traditional dress, with goats braying in the distance, sang "If You're Happy and You Know it."

Once again we were incredulous at what we were doing.

We followed our first number with rousing renditions of the Chicken Dance Song, and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. They didn't understand the concept of singing in rounds, and they laughed that one group was still singing when the rest of us were done. We sang America the Beautiful, but they seemed to prefer the lively children's songs, so we sang the "months of the year song' to the tune (and with the motions) of the Macarena, and then finished the set with an all-encompassing version of the Hokey Pokey.

We were exhausted, filthy, and possibly emotionally overwhelmed by the end of the experience. But we had made intercultural connections, shared ourselves, and learned more from experiencing two days in the lives of the Maasai than we ever could have in books or on TV.

We saw children covered with flies, stepped into the tiny huts plastered with mud and dung where up to 15 people sleep in an area smaller than many American closets. We used a guest bathroom - an outhouse of sorts with a wooden box built over a pit in the ground, surrounded by plastic sheets and a door that didn't really close. We passed around Purell after watching the Maasai blow their noses on the same unwashed hands that grasped ours in friendship. We experienced a way of life that is shrinking in today's world, and that which few outsiders are privileged to see. We witnessed a culture that has endured for centuries. Our hearts and minds were changed.

We put our whole selves in, now we have taken our whole selves out. Our world was turned around. And that is truly what it's all about.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Saturday Hello

We have finished our two-day Teacher Seminar, it went amazingly well - hopefully we will have time to write a thorough description soon, but tomorrow morning we leave for our twop-day Maasai Village excursion, so will not have access to computers for a while -- so all you readers will have to wait until we get back to hear more from us!
 
And we will try to post some photos, too, when we have more time.
 
We are all doing well, the teachers who came to our seminar loved it - they want us back next year for a longer time, and one enthusiastic evaluator called us all "awesome"!

Friday, June 29, 2007

A day in Moshi

June 28 Julie, Helen, Terry, Cathy and I drove to Moshi for the day while the rest of the group hiked Mount Meru. We met Molly for lunch at the Coffee Shop and she escorted us on a tour of Amani Home which has been recently relocated and is a beautiful new facility. Mary toured us arund the building and grounds and we were very impressed. Moshi is also a lovely little city. We reconnected with our hikers around 6 pm and organized ourselves for our first day of teaching to follow. Nancy O'Brien

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The Little Things

Well, we are on day 5 of our trip - about half over for the PHF part (many are continuing on to travel on their own after our journey ends), and I thought I would add some comments about the experience so far.



First off, I have to say, as "den mother," that every single person on the trip is amazing! The enthusiasm, willingness to try anything, professionalism, and energy everyone exhibits is wonderful. We work together and we laugh - a lot - together.



I think everyone has had a moment (or several) where the enormity of what we are doing has hit them. There have been times of tears and of serious reflection as we recognize the gift that education is to the children and teachers of Tanzania.



We have learned patience as we sit and wait for food in restaurants -- the Tanzanians do not prepare anything in advance in order to avoid any waste at all, so meals take a long time to come to the table. We have learned to appreciate the smiles of small children who wave as we drive or walk by.

Already it seems we have been here so long, and we still have so much more to do!

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I guess I will take my turn!

Today was a great day! The group that met with Theo yesterday went on student verification visits today, and those of us that did that yesterday met with Theo today. We also went to a school, what a stark contrast compared to the school we came from. The walls are bare, there is no colors, no maps, no computers, no internet, no books (text books or reading books) and lots of kids. I was in a class 4. They were learning about maps, but without a map in the classroom. There were forty kids, the teacher really did have a great relationship with his students, but there are just so many of them. The school was run by Mama Tesha as Taryn had said yesterday, I am guessing she gave background information about the school, so I am not going to do that again.
We also discussed with Theo (the head mistress at PHF) the downfalls of Tanzanian education. The huge positive though is there are teachers who are hungry to learn, so
hopefully
we will be able to give them things they can take back with them, and if not implement them, at least start thinking about different ways to teacher their students. They mainly use lectures now, the teacher talks and the students copy! It was interesting, though, because as much as we talked about areas of improvement they can make, it also made us much more aware of our shortcomings in the US in education! So much for us to learn from each other! I am excited to see what the rest of this experience has in store for us!
Jill

Monday, June 25, 2007

Teacher Blog

Hello from Cathy Schack...one of the Triplets of Chicago. My group visited St. Margaret's School, and Taryn will tell you all about it. A few of my impresseions include the hospitality of head mistress Mama Tesha and her staff at the primary school. They rank highly as an outstanding program. I visited a 7th level math class. The children were attentive and grasping their new material. The topic was: Symbols of Inequality. This felt like an entirely appropriate subject on so many levels. It is an honor to be here.

Our Visit to St. Margaret's School in Kisongo

Today we visited one of two schools Eneboyiushu Secondary school and St Margaret's primary school in the village of Kisongo on the edge of the Maasai steppe. Terry B., Nancy and Janine visitd the secondary school while Carrie B., Helen, Cathy and myself (Taryn) visited St Margaret's. St. Margaret's is an English medium school, which means that they, unlike government (public) school, teach classes in English, not Swahili - although Swahili is taught a single period per day. We met the head mistress of the school, Mama Tesha, and some of the teachers. We took a brief tour of the school and saw the areas of proposed expansion that will eventually include a secondary school. They have recently started construction on a new dining hall, but are currently awaiting more funding in order to continue construction. We each went to different grades (I went to fifth grade) and were able to observe the teachers and students. I asked the teacher's permission to take pictures of the students and told him that I taught 5th grade in the U.S. He smiled sensing that at least we had that in common. I recorded notes in a journal, stopping frequently to take pictures. I wanted to include part of what I had recorded in my journal as I think it sums it up rather nicely:

I am sitting in a level 5 calssroom in between classes. It is m and 39 children. They are all dressd in huter green and yellow uniforms. They turn around and look at me, curious, and when I look at them, they smile and turn away shyly. Some, mostly boys, allow me to take pictures - some posing as attentive students reading their books, others with broad toothy grins. The teacher enters and the children stand and sing a greeting to the teacher. Swahili class begins.

We are in Africa. Today it truly hit me. I was incredibly moved by the differences and awed by the similarities. Children are children, not matter where in the world you are. How wonderful.

The Pursuit of Glory and Happyness

What a day!  Terry, Ginger and Rob (that's me!) set out this morning with two Tanzanian teachers, Raymond and Nicholas, the project engineer Max, and our amazing driver Zach.  We were off to find and interview 2 potential PHS students, and we knew the trip could be an adventure.
 
After a short trip east out of Arusha, we were disappointed to find that the road we wanted to turn onto was no longer passable, unless our van could float.  So without hesitation we took the long way around - bumping and bouncing our way over smaller streams, by the Tanzanite mine, alongside fields of maize (very different from corn!), rows of sunflowers, a coffee plantation, flower farms and mango trees.  We watched girls carry water or wood on their heads, and cyclists roll by on cell phones (they have a better network set-up here than we do in NYC).  
 
Finally we arrived in the students' village.  But alas, Glory was not to be found.  She was in town staying with her aunt and taking classes.  We did spend time with her family though, playing with the children and showing them how to use binoculars, but the decision of whether or not she would attend PHS would have to wait until she could be interviewed in person.  Luckily, someone there knew the other student, Happyness, so we were back on track and hoping for better luck.
 
We wound our way through farmland, punctuated by small but beautiful homes and tiny shops or dhukas with shiny red signs made by Coca-cola (clearly the world's best advertised drink). Of course when we arrived at our destination, Happyness and her mother were not at home.  It could not be that easy!  They were off looking for water, so we set out looking for them.  Chomping away on simosas and popmaize (very different than corn), we were already happy just soaking in the sites and enjoying the warm Tanzanian sun, but our day was to end on a wonderful upswing.  We spotted a woman in the field who turned out to be her mother and with a cheerful mom in the van we were able to find her charming daughter in no time.   Happyness ran to the van and jumped in, not hesitating to join all these strange wazungu and teachers.  She was a born risk-taker and the interview at her home didn't take long.  Happyness was coming to PHS!
 
So after an equally tiring and rewarding journey into rural Tanzania, Glory would have to wait but Happyness was here to stay.  I must admit that we were all impressed with the amount of energy and dedication it took to find just 1 of these students.  PHS now has over 100 students enrolled and that means an enormous commitment of time by the teachers and the staff who have set off to interview each and every family and student.  It was wonderful to witness and I can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store.  Wish I was going to get to teach Happyness... Until next time.  Rob

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Africa

Hi All
 It's Terry Marino here reporting from Arusha. Our long flights were not too bad and we have been on the move constantly since landing.
The scenery is beautiful -lots of vegetation and wide vistas. We went to the construction site of Peace House Academy and it reminded me of Playa del Carmen, Mexico-lots of projects half finished. The plans are wonderful so when it's completed it is going to be great. We have met all the staff already and they are anxious to begin.
Our hotel in Arush is very nice lots of tile and it is four stories.
Food so far has been too good- no weight loss expected!
I miss you all but am having a grand time.


Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when.

From LA to Arusha

Hi Everyone it is Miss Puffer. I made it safely to Africa! We are really
enjoying our trip so far. We have only been here one day but have met some
great teachers. We had a chance to tour the school site and learn a lot
about incorporating conservation into building a school. Just wanted to
check in and let everyone know we made it! I will write more later!
Love,
Miss Puffer

hello from Julie!

Hey there!

well I'm here in Arusha and so far things have been absolutely amazing! Getting to Africa (although long), was really easy. I had a great nights sleep, a few really delicious meals and today we got to see the Peace House Foundation school site. It is much bigger than I had imagined and really special. Tomorrow I will be going with a group into a village where two of the teachers and one of the Peace House people will be interviewing a potential student. Just driving around and seeing the people on the sides of the road, goats, cows, chickens, the housing, etc. is so interesting. Tonight at dinner we met a few of the teachers from Peace House as well as the head mistress.

I will keep you all posted through this site as often as I can. I can't seem to get the satellite phone to work. i love you and miss you all!

XOXO Julie

Saturday, June 23, 2007

(Almost) Everyone has arrived safely!

If any of you are anxiously awaiting word, 11 of the 13 teachers arrived safely tonight (the last tow come tomorrow night) and are probably already all sound asleep in their hotel.  Everyone was upbeat and cheerful and VERY pleased to be off the planes after a long, long journey from wherever home is, all the way to Arusha.
 
Tomorrow the adventure continues!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Greetings From Arusha!

Hello from beautiful, balmy Arusha!  I arrived yesterday, and the rest of the group will be arriving over the next 2-3 days.  The weather is perfect - warm and sunny during the day (in the 70's) and cooler at night.  Arusha is located quite near the equator, so it has a pretty tropical feel.  There are pineapples, bananas, mangos, and other fruit trees growing all over town.  You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables from vendors on the streets.  You also see many signs of the US ...  Coca-Cola signs are everywhere, and today we were in a store that had Pampers as well as Betty Crocker cake mixes!  But there is no doubt that we are in Africa when you look at the people, the roads and buildings, and listen to the sounds of the city all around.
 
On Sunday, our first day as a group, we will visit the site of the future Peace House Secondary School, meet many of the staff of the school (Americans and Tanzanians), and learn about the history of Peace House Foundation and the group's work in Tanzania. 
 
We are having a bit of technical difficulty posting on the blog so I don't know if we will be able to post photographs or not while we are here - but we will be as descriptive as possible, and add pictures upon our return if need be. 
 
Soon you will hear from other people - not just me!  Check back Monday or Tuesday for updates!
 
-Karen Peterson

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Teacher Trip 2007

Within the next several days, fourteen of us will be getting on airplanes to start this experience. We will all meet up in Arusha the weekend of June 23-24, and the fun will begin.

The first couple of days, Monday and Tuesday, we will be learning about schooling in Tanzania. We will observe the student verification interview and visit process for Peace House Secondary School (PHS), and we will visit two other Tanzanian schools.

The next four days will be focused on the teaching seminar which is the biggest part of our trip. Tanzanian teachers lead their classrooms by lecturing and testing. We will provide examples of other ways to teach in the classroom and other ways to enrich students' learning. The staff of PHS have invited teachers from surrounding Tanzanian schools, figuring that since we were going to be teaching, we may as well teach to a larger group. To our amazement, over 120 teachers have signed up to come to the 2-day seminar. We will be truly affecting hundreds of children's lives by helping their teachers learn new educational techniques. It's incredible to contemplate.

Following our seminar days, we have the rare opportunity to visit a traditional Maasai village and learn about this tribe's way of life. Then we finish our Tanzanian adventure with a safari - which promises to be memorable.

We will post here as often as we can! Enjoy reading and following along. Thanks for all the interest and support you have shown each of us. We, and the children of Tanzania, thank you.

-Karen Peterson

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Jambo!


Jessica & Rob here... now that school's finally over (though Rob's still working, hehehe) we can devote all our attention to getting ready for the trip. Do not be deceived by how long it's taken us to post... we are VERY excited. We can't wait to meet you all and get to work (and relax) with you in Arusha.

We are both middle/high school science teachers in different NYC private schools. Long before we met, we also both did research on monkeys in Kenya. Weird, we know. Can't believe we're going to be on the other side of Kiliminjaro in less than 2 weeks. See you there if we don't see you on the plane first!


Monday, May 14, 2007

Getting Closer!

Hi from another clueless blogger. I'm Helen and had to wait for my daughter to make this happen. I, too, am from the Chicago area and friend to Terry and Cathy.

I am one of the non-teachers but am so eager and willing to do "whatever." In my past life I was a dietitian and worked in hospitals and community settings. This will be a very rewarding experience for each of us and I am looking forward to being a part of the team.

It's going to be wheels up in no time and I am getting soooooooo excited. Almost have the shots done and now it's onto the wardrobe.

Thursday, May 10, 2007


Hi everyone,

We are Terry (on the left) and Cathy (on the right).
We are posting together as clueless bloggers, and since we're at school we are getting some much needed tech help.

We are both married with grown families and are blessed to be grandmas too.

We were teachers in the past and now we work together at a school for behavioral disordered students from the Chicago area. At the school our time is spent with development, fund raising and the boards of trustees and advisors. But our favorite job to share is running the "Girls Club", which meets twice monthly.

We are very excited about this opportunity to visit Tanzania to lend a hand at Peace House Secondary School, and are eager to meet our fellow travelers.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007


Volunteering in the name of children is my passion. I'm Terry, a retired Middle School teacher (31 years) from Minnesota. I presently volunteer daily in a 4th grade class. My daughter, Carrie, convinced me to join the Peace House trip and I'm glad she did! It's going to be a great adventure for us all!

Yippie!


Hi, my name is Jill and I am super excited about this trip. I just got my shots yesterday so I am a little sore too! I am a teacher at a private school in Minnesota, in the fourth grade. I also coach basketball and volleyball, so I am excited to see some other coaches going on the trip! Just a little over a month now, I can't wait! This is a picture of my with a volleyball pumpkin that I carved this year, I was quite proud of it!
Jill

Friday, May 4, 2007

Can't wait!


I cannot wait to leave for this trip. I am also so excited and honored to be appart of this program. My name is Ginger and I am kindergarten teacher at a private school in California. I also coach basketball for fifth and sixth graders and assistant coach the JV and Varsity squads. I am very excited to meet everyone and get to know where everyone is coming from. I am actually from Massachusettes but I have been in California for 2 years now. That almost makes me a Californian. :o)

I look forward to getting to know everyone!

Thursday, May 3, 2007

So Excited


Hi, I'm Julie. I am a kindergarten teacher at a private school in New York City. I've been teaching for 10 years and am so excited about this trip that I will get to experience with all of you!

I'm looking foward to getting to know a bit about each of you through this blog and seeing pictures of my fellow travel companions.


I can't believe how quickly the trip is approaching. Getting all the inoculations has not been terribly fun, but now I'm ready for anything.


Introductions

Hi! I am Karen, coordinator of this trip. I am a founding member of the Peace House Foundation Board of Directors and this is my second trip to Africa.


I am a Public Health Nurse, live in Minnesota, and am passionate about doing what I can to assist children in need.


During this trip I will be "den mother" and the go-to person for questions, problems, missing luggage, extra toothpaste - whatever is needed! I will also do my best to ensure the blog is updated daily by at least one member of our group.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Official Blog of the Volunteer Teacher Trip 2007 Participants.

We are 14 enthusiastic volunteers heading to Arusha, Tanzania during the summer of 2007. We come from all over the US but are joined by our commitment to helping children receive a better education in Africa.

We will take turns writing here and sharing our photos during the trip for all of our friends and supporters to read.

Bookmark it and check back often!