Nearly home!

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Hi again,
I know it’s been a long time, but the college has been having major problems with the internet. When it is actually going, it is usually so slow that getting anything done is practically impossible. Most days I can’t open anything, and other days it takes me over an hour just to read my emails!!
So, how are things there? I hear that there have been some major upsets weather-wise - I hope all has improved now. It must be starting to get warm again there, and all of you at school must be looking forward to getting through the last term!
About 6 weeks ago I headed up to Mwanga with one of the Sisters from school. We went to visit a Catholic Mission there (hospital and orphanage). I really enjoyed the time there - the nuns were great fun and really welcoming. We had a look around the hospital which was a little depressing (even though its equipment and standards were streets ahead of the hospital in Monduli!) They even had an ambulance (apparently it was donated 4 years ago, worked for about 3 months and has been sitting in the yard since!)
It was definitely interesting to see the level of care available here - think I will continue doing my best to stay healthy!
The trip itself was interesting to say the least. It was about 4 hours of travel using local transport. We had to take a daladala (minivan) to Arusha, then bus to Moshi, then another bus to Mwanga. The vans and buses only leave when they are full, then still pick up any other people they see on the way, just cramming everyone in. At one stage there were 32 of us in a 15 seater minivan!! I’m glad it wasn’t mid-summer!! I was amused at one stage to see a daladala with a confederate flag in the back window - wonder if they realise what it means??
We have had a couple of days of rain here, but for the most part it is still hot, dry and dusty! (Too dusty!!) We have just had our mid-term break (I had great plans for travel, but ended up getting sick so spent most of the time sulking on the couch!). The 4th form have now begun their exams, so we have armed soldiers here again to supervise! I don’t expect any impressive results from my kids, but will keep my fingers crossed anyway. Basically, if they don’t get decent marks their only option is subsistence farming - kind of a depressing outlook - unless they have enough money to buy their way into college. There have also been a number of random discipline issues. Today a number of girls were brought in and beaten for wearing face cream!! The teacher rubbed her finger over their faces to check for colour or oil residue!! We are pretty much winding down now, and the teachers are even more slack. I think I am the only one still turning up to classes, and as for planning lessons - forget it!!! I have increased my computer classes so that I don’t go crazy without the 4th form, but we haven’t had power at school for over a week, so that’s kind of killed that plan! I am hoping to have it fixed by next week, but we are on Africa time so I’m not overly hopeful!! Other than all of that, I am busy writing my final reports and putting things in piles etc, ready to pack - getting quite exciting!! Who would have thought there was so much to sort out?? Makes it all seem a bit more real though.
Well, that’s about all the news I have. Hope all is still going well for all of you. See you at Christmas or sometime in the new year!!!
Lots of love,
j
xxx

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Photos

The computer room
As you can see, I'm managing quite well!

Me teaching computers
Yep - what a laugh!!

The mission hospital
Consultation room