Dear Blog Readers, And if you can read this you know who to thank...a teacher. How can you teach or learn without books! The library project has the OK and smiles of the headmaster and teachers, so begin to collect and send BOOKS...any type, subject. I think if everyone reading this blog would send whatever would fit into a bubble mailer or small box marked SCHOOL SUPPLIES to the following address Mtumbi Secondary School P.O. Box 131 Lushoto, Tanga, Tanzania East Africa we would have enough to put a book in every students hands. The teachers wanted classroom referenc [View Full Entry]

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Dear Banks Blog Followers, Well, the power has been restored to Lushoto so I will do what I set off to do today, along with shopping and mailing. We both had our first real teaching experience this week and what an eye opener. It would take a long time to really describe. But, picture a classroom with only wooden desks, blackboad, and chalk...that's it. Oh, and 80 eager to learn students jammed into benches 4 per bench. Dave is teaching Biology with no books and I have English...with NO books. OK, send some, any paperbacks you can and it's best to [View Full Entry]

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Dear Bloggers, We hope you are enjoying almost autumn. Last year at this time we were happily winding our way across the USA in our motorhome and seeing some of you which was great fun. No football, homecoming, or Halloween decor is present here as it is springtime in the southern hemisphere and we see blossoms on trees with the red potato harvest in full swing. Down in our valley green and flowering potato plants are disappearing plot by plot by a small group of kanga clad women working each field and digging up the red gems. They are bagged and [View Full Entry]

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Dear Friends of the Blog, It is getting to be spring time in Melindi and the fruit trees are just starting to bloom. The air is warm and the sky is blue, except at night when it is so black as a backdrop to starry nights and a new moon...the same one you are looking at. It reminds us of some Sierra skies when we were camping as there is no artificial light. We came to our banking=post office town to do some shopping for staples and to attend a Peace Corps permaculture workshop to be given tomorrow at the primary [View Full Entry]

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Dear Blog Travelers, We are now at our site a village malindi about 1.5 hrs. from Lushoto via dala dala and foot. Unfortunately this is also the closest internet so dont give up on us if you havent heard from us for awhile. This is also our banking town and mail delivery so we will make the trek...also supplies. You can get the address from Jenn. This is a cooler, mountain area which stays green year round and has an abundant supply of fresh fruits and veggies. We are nestled in one of many valleys where everyone farms. Our home is [View Full Entry]

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Dear Bloggies, Well, we are now officially sworn-in Peace Corps volunteers and we are so excited! Yesterday was the BIG day with lots of pomp & circumstance to accompany us sing both national anthems. Many dignitaries were on hand with speeches of hope, encouragement, and thanks for service yet to be done. All 46 of us were very proud! We did a comical skit put to music from the theme from the Titanic with humor that only we and our host families could appreciate...add some interpretative dance, flute solo, and we did our version of High School Musical with a real [View Full Entry]

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Dear Blog Fans far & near, We are back in Kilosa for a short while, staying again with our terrific host family and homecooked TZ delights to savor. We had a great time shadowing with Mike & Nancy. Now we understand some of the challenges we will face. We will be here until Monday, Aug. 18 when we move to MATI. We'll just be there for swearing-in and we are practicing the TZ national anthem. Then, it's moving day. Look on your atlas or globe for 4 degrees, 38'South and 38degrees, 17'East and you see where we will be spending the [View Full Entry]

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ear Readers of the Banks' Blog, We have done so much in this week while shadowing Nancy & Mike. Shadowing their daily activities has been an amazing snapshot of what is in store for us at our site. They are busy with the daily chores: hand-washing laundry, sweeping twice a day, toting water, walking into the village for fresh food, and dish washing in cold water. Once you can get beyond the chores, there are officials to meet & greet, villagers who want to have Mike check on the internet to see if their son got into college, a resume to [View Full Entry]

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Dear Bloggers, We are now shadowing another Peace Corps wasee (elders) couple who are finishing their first year in the southern highlands, Mbeya region. Mike and Nancy are a great couple and we will have a fun week interacting with locals while they do their jobs. It was a long bus ride from Morogoro today so I just wanted to say we're OK and we will blog more tomorrow. Stay tuned! love, D & W [View Full Entry]

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Dear Bloggy ones, We're back on line after a short recess due to homework, too tired to walk the half hour, too busy handwashing our clothes, helping Mama cook chapati, and learning our technical HIV/AIDS stuff. Things are starting to wind down, but there's still lots to cover. A highlight and wonderful break from the routine was a trip to Mikumi Nat'l Park last weekend. We saw so many wonderful animals in their natural setting: elephants, hippos, babboons, wildebeasts, worthogs, crocs, giraffes, impalas, elans, and others too numerous to mention. However, much to our disappointment, the [View Full Entry]

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