Bamboozled

Good morning! I am sorry I didn't write yesterday, but as I will explain, I had the most trying day I have ever had in my life, and electricity was on and off every hour. I am exhausted, but got some sleep last night, and in half an hour, I leave for Faraja Orphan Center again.

Yesterday morning, the bus left promptly at 7:30, and after dropping everyone else off, Kathryn and I were the last to arrive at our placement, around 8:45. I was more than happy about that- it meant a shorter first day! Our placement is much different than everyone else's. Rather than on a main road or a walkable area, we are quite deep in a large, very poor village, with small, twisty roads. Mama Lillian told us on the way there that we are in "the slums". Great! The ghetto of the ghetto! Just what I was hoping for.

We arrived to some strange looks from women on the street, to about 25 children singing a welcome song for us when we arrived. They were adoreable. The teacher introduced us to them. The school is in the back of his home, and has been made into an actual room, with a roof and walls by previous volunteers. There were pictures on the walls of colors and numbers. It looked like a normal American kindergarden classroom. I was quite impressed. Then, within 5 minutes of us arriving, the teacher disappeared, leaving Kat and I to screaming kids, aged 3-7. We had no plans, as we were told this would be an observation day. We scrambled to do numbers and letters, then they decided they wanted to play, so they got up and ran out the door and through the streets. It was complete chaos, and I was in panic mode.

Three hours later, the teacher came back, but did nothing. He sat and watched what we were doing, coming and going, but not helping or showing us what to do. It is definitely not what I had expected to be doing. I was prepared for babysitting and assisting, not lesson plans and quizzes. I am way over my head. The teacher asked if we wanted "halftime" around 11. He invited us into his home, gave us bottles of coca-cola (glass bottles- I love those!), and his wife brough cake she had baked for us. We tried our best to make conversation, but it was difficult. He speaks very little English. He and his wife walked us around town a bit (while the children were being looked over by his 15 year old daughter). We saw the butcher, and it was enough to make me be a vegetarian for the rest of my time here.

We were picked up at 12:30, and I had NEVER been so happy to get on a bus in my ENTIRE LIFE! I was feeling very discouraged and intimidated, but am trying to remember that this is culture shock, and it is only my first day doing something I had never done, with people I have never met, somewhere I have never been. It's okay to be scared. So, I figured I would regroup.

Lunch was ready when we got to the home base, and others were sharing their stories about their first day. Turns out, all of us had been left alone on our first day. We suppose the figure we know what we're doing. We don't. I wanted to nap desperately, but we had a class at 2 about health issues in Tanzania. I won't go into specifics, but if they gave volunteers that information before they got here, I bet many wouldn't come. One girl who is volunteering in a hospital was appaled by her first day. I won't tell you what she reported, but it horrified me. Thankfully, if we need a hospital while we are here, we go to a private hospital with European standards, not the public hospital.

Swahili lessons were at 3, and by 4, I thought I was going to die. I showered, without hot water because the electricity was out again, and took a 45 minute nap before dinner. I was planning to go into town to watch Obama, but I was so tired, I thought I should stay here since we have a TV. About 6 of us who didn't go into town gathered with the staff in the living room, and watched on a 15" TV. It was very emotional being here for that. Mama Lillian was crying and praying the whole time. Electricity went out 3 times during the broadcast, but thankfully, the house has generators. Normally, they don'y use them, but I think they decided this was too important to miss. I am glad I was able to see it. I heard that locals were going wild in town.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was my Tuesday. I am going to Faraja in 15 minutes, and expect to have another insane day. After I return and have lunch, we have a class about the education system here, then another Swahili lesson. I imagine I will require another nap. I am looking forward to tomrrow, as we have only a feedback meeting after lunch, then all free time! I have been wanting to do some yoga, and to sit in the sun and read, but I have had much less free time than I thought I would. I think that is the main drawback to the program. It's just too much, and many of the other volunteers I talk to have the same complaint. It's hard to handle, and quite exhausting. But, I am doing my best. I will speak to you all soon, electricity provided.