Hometime!

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So, I'm off home tomorrow - and for the most of you reading this I'm probably going to catch up with you properly and give you all the deets!!
Zanzibar was a great break off village life, paradise- white sandy beaches, palm trees and the bright blue indian ocean! Certainly had my fill of eating over the time spent in Kendwa, topped off with lots of fresh fruit and a few cheeeeky cocktails - which were probably far too alcoholic for my own good!! We spent 3 days in Kendwa, one of which was a snorkling trip where I have never felt so seasick in my life....Emma was actually sick... but having a swim and looking down at all the fishes and coral below was pretty! And then we got stung by several jelly fish....JOY!! This day excursion also resulted in some horrendous sunburn, causing walking/sleeping/sitting to be a problem.... It peeled...a lot. Finished off our trip with Emma and I's romantic 3 course meal! nom nom pepper steak and mango, passion fruit tart!

So, back to the villages. Certainly a busy week! We had our testing day the day after we got back, which was always going to be tricky as there wasn't much time to prepare. But our pre-break preparations of flyers and posters everywhere around the villages, drew peoples attention, and we ended up testing 45 people. Now, this doesn't sound like a lot, but given the religious and very conservative nature of Leguruki Ward, in particular Maruvango, apparently we did well, shouting out SIRI BURE HARAKA CARIBUNI WOTE. Which means confidential, free, fast, welcome everyone!! It was quite a tiring day but the teaching partners really shone out dragging some unconvinced villagers to come and get tested! We continued to teach throughout the next 10 days at all three schools, 120, 100, 97 kids in each class respectively! I think I have developed my teaching confidence with all my teaching for sure... On our last day at one of the schools we were treated to tea and peanuts in the staffroom, and took a lot more photos of our classes...so gap yahh. With the little kids who were very easily distracted, we ended up making a massive 80 minute game with three teams recapping all the information learnt - they knew it which made us happy! (especially this one super keen boy who wears a jumper saying "drama queen academy" on it.... LOVE HIM!! I had to do a few lessons by myself towards the end, as Kieley my USA BF teaching buddy left to go back home... but Juliana and I had very good class control haa.

Final few days were a mix of exciting counting down until home mixed with nostalgic...ohhh "my last run.." (which ended badly with me massively stacking it, tripping over a rock and scarring my whole forearm...mmm scabby souvenir from TNZ! while small children laughed...) and "ohh my last hair wash bucket shower..." But I've got some good photos to take home with me, including some from a photo shoot with my Mama and Baba where they got changed into their best clothes especially! CUUUUTE.

We had community day - in the centre of the ward where there was a youth truck blasting out music, one of the TPs on a microphone advertising testing, people dancing, chicken racing and catching...(bizarre) a raffle, where i was mobbed by small children screaming "Zawadi" (prize!!) and football matches, along with everyone from SIC going round teaching and persuading people to get tested. 92 in the end...Another success!

Our biggest success was probably on the last day in the village. With the peer educator group that we set up, a group of 10 secondary school students who volunteered to continue spreading accurate information, helping to reduce stigma... (quote the SIC curriculum...) , we had our secondary school testing day! Although we said it wasnt compulsory, the teachers took it into the own hands and basically dragged their students along to get pricked...due to the influx of students, i was the antiseptic wipe and test opener lady, whilst Laura numbered them and Johnson documented... 230 tested! (including my dada (sister) who was dragged along by one of the peer educators after previously running away...ha.) All tested -Ve which is great news, and although this could be perceived as a waste of tests, it sends a good positive health behaviour message to get frequently tested and "protect and preserve the negative status...' scoreee. By the time we got home after the long day, we ended up eating lunch at 6pm!! Followed by last bucket shower and packing in the dark (due to a rain downpour during the day, there was no solar power..) and then supper at 9pm! Potatoes, rice, greens, noodles, banana, cucumber and oranges! Spoilt Rotten.
All a bit bizarre with the conversation at supper, kindly translated by Suzan... I promise not to get big headed but I was told that " it must have been Gods wish to send me to TNZ, and to Zanzibar....bringing 2 races together at the dinner table... that I will be prayed for everyday by their family and something about even mountains cannot block prayers....

Anyway we left the village the next day, little bit sad, and headed back to Arusha for some final shopping, food gorging and going out in Arusha and observing dodgy slutty TNZ dancing!! We had our closing dinner, were SIC established VP2 were amazing, teaching over 5000 people and testing near to 800 on the whole! Pretty damn good, and Im glad that although there were ups and downs, it all came together in the end and I'm so glad I came!Now off to see Suzan, my TP's house and her sisters day old baby! See you Tuesday morning!!! xxx

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