Life in Muungano

After arriving and getting acquainted with our village, Muungano, the students have begun to dedicate themselves to the work at hand. On Wednesday, the village elders held a welcoming ceremony for us. Some of the speeches were in English, while others were translated for the group by Joanna. The students rehearsed and sang "Lean On Me'" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as an offering to the village for the ceremony. The songs were received well and the students from the school also sang a few songs, including the school's anthem, which gave our students goosebumps with its force and purity. Many students remarked on the power the singing had on them during Wednesday's evening meeting.

We are staying in teachers' quarters close to the school we are working on. There are three rooms for the 12 girls and one room for the 4 boys, along with a spacious kitchen, and dining area and our main meeting room. We have a long meal table where we all congregate for each meal. The students have been excellent in preparing the Morning and afternoon meals and the wamama or "Mamas" as they are affectionately called by all, have been preparing 5 and 6 dish dinners for our group each night. These meals have included mashed potatoes, fish, rice, and lentils, and we even had some popcorn and icecream yesterday in part to celebrate Joanna's birthday. For Danielle's upcoming birthday, we'll bring the whole group into Arusha and spend the afternoon at a nice hotel's swimming pool and have dinner at a restaurant in town.

Already, students have begun work on their individual projects. Projects range from comparing American Football to International Football (Soccer), to researching women's and girls cultural dress and fashions, to studying the Tanzanian Catholic church, to dance and drumming, to researching rural Tanzanian healthcare at the local health dispensary (clinic). We are impressed!

This weekend we'll spend Saturday in Arusha at the market and have a group scavenger hunt about town. On Sunday, we will observe a local church service as a cultural observation and go for a hike to a local waterfall.

All in all the weather has been clear and dry. This has allowed us to go for walks and runs in the afternoon following the work day. Students have grown comfortable with each other and are making good friends with bunkmates and as a group.

More news later!

-Freeman and Jo