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Published: August 8th 2008
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MR BEAN!
the boat we always hired Hello All! Yesterday I had written a really long email, and then it got deleted just as I was about to send it. I was so upset that I just could not make myself retype it all. So here is attempt #2!
This weekend we were treated to our first free day! Horray! We totally made the most of it too...11 of us took a boat (Mr. Bean!) out to a sandbar for the afternoon. But before I went to that, I attended Sunday lab at school with my sister Rose. She took me to her physics lab at 8:30, and I was able to watch them do the same experiment that I had done in physics 101 in college. This was a really good thing for me to see, because I realize now how much of a wrong impression and attitude I had towards the education system here. Because the school system is so under funded, and the sparse textbooks are from the 1980s, I had gotten the impression (or my own idea) that the students here would not be as well educated, or that they may be receiving an inferior education. Seeing this class changed my attitude completely.
Not only were the students doing the same experiment, but they were completing the same calculations and getting the same answers that we did, but with much less sophisticated equipment. I think that we have grown to rely so much on graphing calculators, lasers, etc to help make the learning process "easier", but these kids are all very intelligent and learn the same stuff, if not better because they have to know how to do it all...and not rely on a tool to do so. I was very impressed. Also, their teacher was great, he was very enthusiastic and knew his stuff. I am so glad that was how I spent my Sunday morning...even if I was dying of heat and thirst (even if not fasting, you cannot drink in public during Ramadan).
So after going to school, i met up with the other girls at the office at 10:45 to get our snorkel stuff and head down to the beach to catch our boat. We were so excited to have a break from all this work. We took the 20 minute boat ride out from Stone Town to a beautiful sandbar about 20 minutes away. It was probably
200 yards long and about 35 feet wide of pure white sand surrounded by nothing but crystal clear water. It was incredible. We were worried that with no shade we were going to die of heat (not to mention sunburn!) but we lathered up with sunscreen and there was a good breeze off the water the whole time. We had the most random assortment of food for lunch because it is so hard to find food for sale during Ramadan. We had 3 bunches of bananas, Nutella, peanut butter, bread, avocados, tomatoes, digestive biscuits, cookies, cucumber and lots and lots of water. Next time we are totally bringing beer with us though. We spread out our bright kangas and had a feast. There was a reef just off the right side of the sandbar, and some of us went snorkeling. I was SO GLAD that I brought my gear, because it was the BEST reef I have ever been on. Coral heads over 10 feet across...and in perfect condition. There were fish everywhere, and they were super curious...they would swim right up to your mask! Great place to practice skin diving. The water was SO clear too. We saw a
blue spotted ray and some lion fish. I cannot wait to go back! And it is a totally cheap weekend thing to do...$24 for all of us for as long as we wanted to be out there. Pretty sweet!
Yesterday was our first Kiswahili practice written exam (our real one is on Thurs) and I only missed 4 things! I was amazed! I am so glad that I am actually learning it! It is also pretty amazing that we only have 4 more days of formal Swahili class. It has gone by so fast. It is fun to be able to walk down the street and talk to people though. One thing about Swahili culture is the need to use about 5 greetings before you actually stat a conversation: Habari za mchana! Nzuri, na wewe? Nzuri, asante sana. Karibu sana. Mambo vipi? Poa! Then you can start your conversation. Sometimes you just want to get to the point, but I am getting to like it.
I have been bonding with my family more too. Rose actually eats dinner with me now (even though I still have all my food spread buffet style in front of me in the
dining room, and the rest eat in the kitchen, but at least they eat at the same time now). It is much more fun to have her there to talk to. In the evenings I sit on my bed and do homework and different people come in and talk to me. It is kinda cool actually. This morning my grandmother presented me with a "dress" to wear to the family reception on Saturday. It is pretty interesting. It is a mumu like top that goes to my knees, and has pants under it. It is super comfortable, but HUGE. I have like 20 inches extra through the waist of this thing, so I may have it taken in a bit. I love the pattern though. Red and white. Then we also made plans to get more clothes today during my break. So, after lecture at IMS and lunch (soooo good...fresh tuna steaks, rice, beans and bananas! I love our lunches at the office!) I headed home to have my cousins Efha and her cousin ( I can never remember his name but I see him all the time...it starts with an A...) take me to Darijani, the huge and crazy
market. We wandered forever to find the right dresses...I wanted to get fabric but it was all too fancy. I needed dresses that I could get gross and sweaty on a daily basis. I finally found the prefect dresses! Basically they are shapeless mumus, but I am having them taken in to give me a little shape. I love the material though...and they were 7000 Tsh each...about $5. Perfect! I also bought a boui boui...the traditional black overdress that all the women here wear. They are long sleeved and touch the ground, and have sparkles and embroidery around the sleeves and near the floor. It is beautiful. 34,000 Tsh...I got a good deal. I am getting that tailored too. It is handy having a tailor as an uncle who lives in my house on the floor below me! Tomorrow I think I am going to attempt to wear the boui boui to school, but black is so hot here. It i beautiful though! I will look way more local wearing one, especially during Ramadan. You also wear a matching black headscarf. All black in 90 degree equator heat and no drinking water during Ramadan...I do not know how all these women do it!
Tonight I have a meeting with Dr. Chris Muhando, a coral reef ecologist who works for the University fo Dar about my independent project. I am excited to get some plans going. I am planning to do some sort of coral survey, mostly because I want to be snorkeling for the project. Saturday we go to Bawe Island, a private island off the coast to snorkel. That is one of the places that I may want to do my study, so my advisor is trying to get permission for me to be there. Fingers crossed!
Well, that is about it. I am all sweaty and feel pretty gross. The back of my shirt is totally soaked from wearing my backpack through the market. I need to go buy some soap before I head back to the office to study before class. Well, hope you are all well! Enjoy your next warm, clean shower for me please!
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