Lushoto, Moshi, and Muungano

Last Thursday students embarked on an overnight homestay in pairs. Each pair of students lived with a local family in Muungano for 24 hours. Students returned with stories of new foods, being taught dances, being put to work, having good tea, or just sitting and watching a relaxed day go by.

On Friday we started a three day excursion to Lushoto, a mountain town about 6 hours away from Muungano. The drive took us by some classic Baobab trees and through a very arid part of the Northern Tanzanian savannah. The drive was punctuated by a stop for lunch in Moshi at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. In Lushoto we took part in a cultural tour through the village and to an amazing overlook some 1000 feet above the savannah floor. It was like standing at the bow of a ship and looking out over an ocean before us. It just so happened that our "ocean" was full of dry land, sparse villages, and sisal plantations.

We then drove on to a waterfall by a creek outside of Lushoto for a quick break and a nature walk through the forest. Though our guide said that the occasional monkey can be found in the trees there, we weren't so fortunate as to see one.

We stayed at a local hotel there for two nights and made the drive back on Sunday. Students enjoyed dancing to music at the hotel on Saturday night.

This work week we've been busy putting up the rafters for the classrooms. Students have been so enthusiastic about the construction work that they have decided to also begin the plastering of the walls with a fine cement compound to provide a more finished look than the exposed cinder blocks and mortar. This work was initially going to be done by the town after we left, as part of our partnership, but with the student's added motivation, we will be able to start on this step and give the town a headstart on the finishing touches for the building.

On Tuesday students also took part in an evening beading workshop provided by two local women. Each student made a necklace or bracelet to bring home.

Yesterday, Wednesday, the group visited the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The court is located in nearby Arusha and has been prosecuting those detained on charges of organizing the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Students learned through a documentary film and interview with a public affairs representative about the history of the court and its important role in bringing justice and reconciliation to the Rwandan people.

We will work hard on the classrooms this week, then head to the O'Neal's for a weekend excursion. After that we return for a couple of days to finish our part of the work on the classrooms and hand the finishing touches off to the town, have our departure ceremony, clean up our house, and depart for the Safari!

Your kids are doing well! More news later.

-Jo and Freeman