Orientation


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June 25th 2011
Published: June 25th 2011
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DAY 3 - ORIENTATION

We headed off to Peacehouse, our base for the next 1.5weeks of orientation. Peacehouse is a secondary school where kids go whose families have been affected by HIV AIDS.
We all had to sit next to a teaching partner on the bus to build upon our TNZ, Westerner relationship. I sat next to Elibahti who is studying Law at Arusha Uni. The journey was about 20mins, we were all mixed up into Dorms of bunk beds and skinny foam mattresses before having lunch and heading to afternoon lessons. Routine over the past weeek has been pretty similar- wake up 7am, SWAHILI lessons from 8am-10am, led by Nai, our teacher where we have sung songs, learnt greetings, verbs and tenses, weekdays, numbers, food, market lingo, before being given homework each night to do! It is literally like being back at school where we sit at individual desks and chairs, raising hands to answer questions. From 1030 to 1730 we have been going over the SIC curriculum that we need to know concisely before heading to the villages - topics such as epidemiology, progression of HIV, transmission and prevention, and methods of tackling stigma - lessons have been pretty intense but fun - interspersed with games and competitions - condom demo races with 2 teams, and a large black plastic willy - lovely start to a Thursday morning!!

We have done one set of practice teachings with volunteers and teaching partners (TPS) they help with translations and to help everything go a lot more smoothly. We have also done some sketches to show different things - life skills such as abstinence where I had to act to resist the temptations of the ever so hot tanzanian ogee in order to prevent transmission, as well as some entertaining interactions between miners and prostitutes!!!

We have also had some HIV + speakers come and talk to us which has been really interesting.

Food wise, it is slightly depressing - rice and beans...ugali - cornflour goo which does make my heart sink at the prospect of lunch! SIC bbq tonight back in Arusha- buying lots of snacks and chocolate...

Evening activites have included a talent show where Emma, Emily, Jasmin, Charlie and I showed the BEST OF BRITAIN, teachiing everybody else how to wave like the queen, sit properly, greet each other, etiquette and pronouciation. Now everyone just takes the piss of our accent but we were rewarded with biscuits!

I have also been running with the US girls who are exercise obsessed down local dusty tracks - good way to warm up before a cold bucket shower!

And I'm loving the traditional stinky squat holes which will defo build up my quad muscles over time!!

Anyway, after writing this in Arusha on our weekend day, where we have stocked up on treats and bought our kitenges - skirts, we will head off to Leguruki ward on wednesday after a few more days or orientation- with a few volunteers and TPs in each village! Will update further on 15th JULY when I have a 4 day weekend.

Love Clare xxx

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