Vicky, 22 Sep 2009 06:51 hours
Vikindu, Tanzania Monduli I'm on the move again!
Last Sunday evening the college Principal informed me that I was needed for a workshop in Monduli and that I needed to leave early in the morning. The journey took all day. I left home at 5.30 taking one taxi and 2 buses to arrive in Arusha at 8.45, too late for the last leg of the journey, so stayed in a guest house. I was not happy to find that the guy next to me had slit my bag and stolen my purse! Fortunately it only had about 25,000/= (£13) in it, the rest of my money safely elsewhere. The following morning it was really cold when I boarded a bus for Monduli. By chance Njili, a fellow tutor was also on the bus so we found the college together.
Monduli TC is a lovely college, well constructed with superb ICT facilities and a very positive attitude towards teacher education. The workshop was a refresher course for previously trained tutors so there were many people I knew and a few new faces. It was well focused and enjoyable – not too taxing!
The town is in the mountains and cold. There was even drizzly, British style rain on Sunday. I'm so glad I was reminded, before I left, to bring a jacket. Afternoon temperatures are perfect.
The highlight of the week was the last day when we all went on a trip to the Snake Park after sessions. Local snakes are very dangerous so people are brought up to fear them. I was really impressed by how active the snakes were in their glass cases. I've been in many reptile houses where the animals might as well be stuffed as there is no movement. Here they were very active, the deadly black mamba flicked it's black tongue at us and you could watch its powerful muscles as it moved. My favourite was the rhinoceros viper with its beautiful markings, so named because of two horns on its nose. It was great when guys took a deep breath and held a harmless snake for the sake of the camera, none of my female friends could be persuaded!
This region is Masai country and we also visited their Cultural Museum. I was persuaded to dress as a Masai woman for photographs which was fun. Arusha, being the home of Mt Kilimanjaro and close to many National Parks, is very oriented towards tourists. There were camel and donkey rides and I was greatly amused by my colleagues who rode the camel.
Whilst packing ready to leave on Sunday morning, I got a text asking me to stay for another week to assist in the training of another group of tutors arriving from all over Tanzania. This is specially good news as ex-colleagues from Mtwara are amongst them. I had lunch with an ex volunteer in Arusha and returned to Monduli to be greeted by lots of children wanting sweets for Eid. I don't usually oblige but this was a special occasion and not just because I'm Mzungu.
Participants arrive tomorrow, Tuesday, for some it's a two day journey, so today has just been planning, eating and surfing the web.
Photos can be seen by following this link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=110861&id=606908306&l=caa9ccab3b
|
05:38 