3
December
2006
Finally, I’ve moved from PCT to PCV (which by my calculations is at least a two letter improvement). The swearing-in ceremony was wonderful. I had the opportunity to write a speech for the occasion. Although I delivered the Kiswahili version (translated by Jumapili and Fokas), I’ll give you the English version here (delivered by PCV Jenny Williams).
“Honored guests, Peace Corps Tanzania, family and friends, you are warmly welcomed here today. On behalf of our fellow colleagues, the newly trained Education Volunteers in the class of 2006, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your presence here today. Through your continual hard work year round and through the love and support you have shown us over the last 10 weeks, we stand before you as fully trained volunteers, anxiously awaiting our impending service.
It is no doubt impossible to capture with a simple turn of phrase the energies and talents of this group of volunteers, our backgrounds, our motivations, or even the scope of our service ahead. We came to Tanzania from all across the United States, from Florida to Maine and from Southern California to Alaska. We came to Tanzania from the towering skyscrapers of New York City and the sleepy backwaters of small town America. For many of us, the chance to come to Tanzania was a dream many years in the making; for others it was a new adventure to an unknown spot on the map.
Moreover, we came to Tanzania for many reasons: for the chance to step outside of the lives we have built in the United States, to live on the other side of the world, to learn a new language. For many of us, self-improvement topped the list. Life in a developing country promised a host of new skills: self-reliance, independence, resolve, strength and the kind of flexibility that allows one to succeed under even the most trying of circumstances.
For some of us, the ethic of service was a moral imperative. Accomplishing somthing of true value, making a real difference in the life of an individual person, working constructively in concert with a new community were ambitions sustained by our core values, be they principally humanistic or spiritual.
And for some of us, we came to Tanzania simply to join the Peace Corps, an organization long known as representing the best that America has to offer the world. An organization that many of us have long hoped to be part of, and that one of us is now joining for the third time. For many of us, it is also important that we are now joining an organization that represents peace. During this time of horrific national and global conflicts, we seek to become the change that we wish to see in the world. For at least one of us, the current spate of overseas wars has claimed the life of a loved one. Doubtless, from the national tragedy of September 11 through the terrible conflicts that continue to ravage the worldm many of us have come to Tanzania simply for Peace.
Of course, we came to Tanzania for a number of reasons that perhaps now seem abstract and distant from the concrete lives we have already begun to build here. We have come to Tanzania for ambitions, for adventure and for ideals. Over the last ten weeks, however, we have found new reasons to stay: to repay the kindness and generosity of our new Tanzania families who have welcomed us into their country, their homes and their hearts; to repay the hard work of our language instructors, who have struggled at our side to share their language and their culture with all of us; to repay the citizenry of the United States, whose hard earned tax dollars have paid for our food, our medicine and the talented support staff here with us today. Moreover, we remain in Tanzania because of our faith and trust that the wonderful people we have so far encountered represent but a small fraction of the people we will have the pleasure to teach and to learn from, to meet and to serve over the course of the next two years. We remain in Tanzania because we now know what our job will be, and we stand before you capable and eager to begin. And although our new homes will be scattered across this country, I know I speak for us all, when I say welcome. Welcome to our schools, our homes and our lives. Thank you very much!”
During swearing-in, the new PCVs also sang two children’s songs: “Twapenda mambo yote ya shule kabisa” (We love everything about school) and “Asanteni baba na mama” (Thank you dad and mom) and recited a poem: “Tanzania ni …”
We also had speeches from our country director, Christine Djondo, the regional commissioner for Morogoro, the deputy ambassador from the U.S. and the Tanzanian minister for Education. We received solar flashlights (which reminds me of an old joke) from the ambassador’s office and wood carvings from the Ministry. I have been adding a number of pictures from swearing-in day so check them out.
As for right now (and the subject of this post), I am somewhere in PCV limbo, hanging out in my banking town (location undisclosed for super-secret security reasons – let’s just say I could tell you but, well …, you know) and waiting to be installed in my new home/site. I’m busy buying home wares, tools, paint, etc. although I have no idea what my house looks like or what furniture/kitchen stuff might already be there. I’m taking no chances. I’m also just looking forward to playing “This Old House” for the first couple weeks (no teaching until mid- to late January) and starting my garden. Fortunately there are a number of (Environ)Mentals around to help me get started.
I have met the academic master at my new school. I am looking forward to also meeting the head of school and second master. I have a sinking feeling that my practice dealing with corporal punishment in Morogoro will come in (unfortunately) handy at my new school. But hey, I’m here for a challenge, right?
As for my updated contact info, I’ll be posting my new stats the next time I’m able to get to town after installation. Depending on conditions, I should be able to get online 2x per month during the rest of my service. However, unlike in Morogoro, I’ll be able to spend as much time as I want online.
Well, that’s all for now, you can start planning your trips to visit me.
Love, JoshÂ
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Posted: Training Diary
24
November
2006
Kamwene! So far this greeting is the only word I know in Kibena, the local language used at my new site. Not 2 hours ago I finished taking my final OPI – oral proficiency interview in Kiswahili, and I now realize that it’s time to start over with a new language. Of course, I will be able to use Kiswahili at my site and English is the language of instruction at secondary schools. However, I’ve enjoyed diving into a new language and will try not to slack off just because the end of training draws nigh. In addition, I have learned that the Peace Corps offers a monthly language tutoring stipend until the final three months of service. In a government agency, I can’t very well turn down free money now can I 
?
As far as the final OPI goes, I’m afraid I had another “Me talk pretty” moment. Believe it or nor, I was given the exact same scenario as my mud-term OPI: Give a brief talk to your village on malaria, its effects, method of transmission and treatment. Now I cannot be sure, but I might very well have confused mbu (mosquito) with mboo (penis). In which case, I explained that the dangerous penis comes at night; to protect yourself you need to stay in your home after dark and sleep under a net. I also explained that not every penis will hurt you, only those in which the back is higher up than the head. Either way, you can go to the hospital and find the appropriate medicine. Oh well, pole sana. It still went much more smoothly than last time.
Thanksgiving in Dar was a blast – if unbearably hot. The ambassador put up a great spread. I ate turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, etc. I also had a chance to meet many of the volunteers currently serving in my region. They seem like a great group, motivated, hard-working, fluent in Kiswahili (not all education volunteers keep up their language skills since they can use English at school), and fun. I was told more than once that the people in the southern highlands work hard and play hard. If my time in Dar was any indication, nakubali (I agree).
Although I was admittedly a bit disappointed at first not to have electricity, running water or an indoor bathroom (especially since I had hoped to use my laptop at home), I am already undergoing a change of heart. There are plenty of posh sites out there, but none as beautiful or lush as my region (so I’m told). And besides, I’m in Tanzania to live and work like a Tanzanian. Although I will be a bit more cut off, I will still be able to get to an internet cafe 1-2 times per month. Anyway, time running out again, much to do, love to you all.
Josh
Posted: Training Diary
21
November
2006
Next week I will be leaving for my new home in the mountainous southern highlands. I would gladly tell you exactly where so you could Google Earth me, but safety and security protocol frowns on such information being posted online. What I can tell you about my new home is that I’ll be living in a cold (that’s right Africa-COLD!), lush region inside the compound of a secondary day school. I will have a three room house, a large walled in garden, well water, pit latrine and no electricity. It has been said that my region contains some of the most beautiful terrain in all of Tanzania. Most of my neighbors are environmental and health volunteers, although I will certainly be able to meet up with my fellow education volunteers in both Njombe and Iringa. For those of you who are familiar with my Myspace page, my nearest neighbor is Jason – credit here goes to Celeste for finding his web page before I got to Tanzania.
My site hosted an education volunteer three years ago, so I have been given some descriptions and suggestions by the previous occupant. The place sounds beautiful and the teaching workload sounds impressive. I will certainly have a great deal to do. I’m sorry that I don’t have more to add right now, but my head is still swimming and I’m getting ready to go out on the town in Dar to celebrate with all the other PCVs here or Thanksgiving. More to come …Â
Posted: Training Diary
19
November
2006
Greetings everyone! Habari za Markekani?
The end of training is right around the corner and excitement is building among the training class here in PC/Tanzania. Right now, we are dispersed across the country; although, tomorrow, we will reconvene in Dar es Salaam for dinner with the country director, Thanksgiving with the U.S. ambassador and (most importantly) Site Announcements!
As for me and my world, I have been shadowing PCV Brenden Dade in the Moshi area along with fellow PCT Ben Little. It’s been a wonderful, relaxing and truly Posh Corps visit: a Western-style toilet, hot-water showers and a spectacular view of Mt. Kilimanjaro from the front porch. I’ll be able to post the pictures after I return to Morogoro. My batteries have definitely been recharged (although I had no idea how much I needed this).
Personal matters aside, I wanted to address a subject that I believe concern a number of Americans when it comes to Africa: Foreign Aid. Our training class had the opportunity to visit several different NGOs (non-governmental organizations) operating in Morogoro. As you might imagine there was a significant range of quality. One so-called NGO amounted to little more than a commercial brick factory. I was reminded of the ”weaving schools” that exploit child labor in East Asia. My own visit was to YDF (Youth Development Fund) which trains young men (and some women) in a variety of skills from carpentry and pottery to life skills and HIV/AIDS education. While ambitious and certainly effective on a small scale, the organization is still in its infancy and needs a great deal more human capital before it could benefit from major contributions.Â
There was also the organization Faraja, an HIV/AIDS organization that may well represent one of the best NGOs in Tanzania if not all of East Africa. Now that HIV/AIDS money is pouring into Africa, there are no shortage of groups selling themselves as NGOs. There are, however, tremendous gaps in their effectiveness and potential. As many of you have written to me about the subject of foreign aid with questions about how to give effectively in East Africa, let me assure you that there are still many wonderful organizations here despite the bad reputation that many NGOs have given the entire field. Once I reach my new site I will begin the process of assessing which groups are for real and which are simply holding their hands out.
Gotta cut it short again, siku njema,
Shujaa
Posted: Training Diary
14
November
2006
A great deal has happened since my last post; I’ll try to hit all the main points in my (again) limited computer-use time frame.
I said my final goodbyes at Kihonda Sekondari Shule last week. I’ve continued to see some of my students around town and have enjoyed talking with them, especially now that I don’t have to grade them anymore.
I had the opportunity to give a short speech to the head of school, Peace Corps representatives, and assembled faculty on our last day. Naturally I chose to discuss the issue of corporal punishment. After thanking the faculty for their hard work and friendship, I reiterated my position that corporal punishment is ineffective. I dealt solely with the question of efficacy, sidestepping any moral issues that might be raised. The only comments that got any kind of shocked reaction were my descriptions of corporal punishment as animalistic (sawa na wanyama). I ended by referencing Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere, Tanzania’s founding father and a teacher (mwalimu). In bring Tanzania out of its imperialist past, Nyerere stressed the need for a focus on “education for self-reliance.” Both teachers and students can be caught in the trap of relying on the stick, I argued. In order to achieve self-reliance, they need to rise above the cycle of violence. When I read the speech to my TZ parents before school, they loved it, so I felt no need to hold back in front of the teachers and my colleagues. Also, as I suspected, this perspective was neither entirely new, nor totally surprising. Nor did they react negatively to me afterwards. For me, the whole exercise was merely practice. It will take a great deal of time and effort to make headway on the issue of corporal punishment at individual schools. While I have no delusions that I achieved anything sustainable during my brief stay at Kihonda, it did give me a place to start. Whatever I have to deal with at site will be the true test.
And, speaking of my new site, I will find out next Tuesday where I will be living for the next two years! I’ve been chomping at the bit for some time and really cannot wait to get started on my work here.
Before site announcement, however, I will be traveling to Moshi (along with fellow trainee Ben – shown in recently added photo) to shadow PCV Brendan Dade. I’m leaving on Thursday and cannot wait to be able to put on a sweater. Brendan can see Mt. Kilimanjaro from his front porch! He is teaching at an A-level (equivalent to community college) school, not far the city (as I seem to remember). So, next update you can look out for some pictures of Kili and some new sites.
Next Monday, Ben and I leave Moshi to meet up with the rest of the trainees in Dar es Salaam for site announcements, a few more activities and Thanksgiving dinner at the ambassador’s house. After that, we return to Morogoro, take our final OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview), tech examination, swear-in as volunteers and leave for site. Everything seems to be flying by at this point. Tomorrow is already our final written Kiswahili test! No worries though, kweli, hamna shida.
On a final note, thanks to my parents, Ariel, Celeste and Brian Hart for the much appreciated mail. If you don’t know what to write, anything from the Daily Show or the Colbert Report would be a good start. Tanzanian humor still evades me a bit.
E.g., When a Masai sees a cow, he says “Hey! That’s my cow!” You can start laughing now.
Personally I’ve been a fan of my colleagues’ attempts at cross cultural humor:
e.g., Mama yake nene sana kiasa kwamba …
(Your mother is very large to the extent that …”
Milima wanampanda.
(Mountains climb her.)
I may have screwed up the indirect object infix on the punchline but you see where I’m going.
There’s also the Ungekuwa mshambaa kama …
(You might be a redneck if …)
Anyway, I’m trying to work up a list. If they get any laughs at site I’ll know I’m on the right track.
Thanks again for your comments and readership. It’s nice to feel connected through this “blog” medium. And, you know, I don’t care what they say, I think this “internet” thing is here to stay.
Siku mwema,
Shujaa
Posted: Training Diary
4
November
2006
First a brief disclaimer, I was almost finished with a rather long post when the power failed at the internet cafe. The generator is now on (with the price doubled) and I am faced with remembering and rewriting. Oh well, Karibu Tanzania.
I am approaching my last full week in Morogoro. I have finished my intern teaching and will be staying at my secondary school only one more week for Kiswahili study. After that, I will spend several days shadowing a current volunteer at a location to be determined. I will then visit Dar es Salaam for a few days before heading to the US ambassador’s residence for Thanksgiving dinner (all PCVs in the country will be in attendance). After that it’s a quick trip back to Morogoro, final oral proficiency interview, swearing-in, and then I’ll be shipped off to site.
As far as the oral proficiency interview goes, I’ve got to brag a little bit now. I received the highest score on my mid-term OPI out of all the other trainees. There are 4 main levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Superior; each with 4 sublevels of low, middle and high. I scored advanced low (the PC requires a minimum of intermediate mid by the end of training. So, while I know a few are gunning to overtake me – that’s right Jeremy, I know you’ve got your eyes on the prize – I’m hoping to push up as far as possible by the end of training. Language knowledge has already been paying off quite well, from bargaining for prices to having conversations above and beyond the weather, where people are from, and what foods they like to eat. I have also found that Kiswahili has helped a great deal with my teaching.
While all classes are supposed to be instructed in English, students are put at a great disadvantage if they are unable to progress because of a lack of vocabulary. As I told my students in broken Kiswahili, to learn English is good, but to learn science is better. On that note, I covered with my form 3 class (roughly junior year high school): mitosis, meiosis, protein synthesis, natural and sexual selection, cell structure and a bit about human reproduction. This is over 5 class meetings of 80 minutes each. If I had not been able to use enough Kiswahili to explain genes, DNA, adaptations, mutations, codons, and etc. the pace would have been intolerably slow. Even though I pushed the class rather quickly, I was rewarded to see some students continuing to keep up and even ask me questions before school and after class.
I also had a chance this past week to address the entire school during morning parade. Morning parade is the place where students line up, are inspected for cleanliness, respond to the commands attention, at ease, about turn, left and right, this may also be the time where they are beaten for truancy or other misbeahaviors. Since I am interested in making headway against corporal punishment, I have been carefully watching the structure of morning parade. On this particuar occasion, student were being called forward to deliver impromptu speeches in English.
After one of my students argued that condoms were unnecessary as long as students continued to practice abstinence, I felt the need to pipe in. I began my speech in Kiswahili on the necessity of trying to speak English even if it is difficult and even if you feel stupid (obviously giving this message in broken Kiswahili brought the point home). I then switched to English to explain that adolescents given only abstinence education have sex at the same rates as their age-mates given instruction in condom use. The only demonstrable variable between them was the active condom use by those students so instructed. I then emphasized that knowledge of condom use was as important for women as for men, since it takes two to get into trouble (as I put it). I finally added that if the students felt they were adult enough to have sex, they should act like adults and not be embarrased to ask for condoms. I was pleasantly surprised that a number of teachers backed me up on this and thanked me later for my comments. Anyway, sorry I’ve got to cut this short. Mom, Dad and Ariel, thanks for the letters and pictures – my African family loved to see them (as did I). I put up some pictures as well from my safari to Mikumi national park. More to come when I have computer time again.
Peace, Josh
Posted: Training Diary
29
October
2006
I have finally purchased a cell phone, which I have added to my contact information page. The Country Code is 255, number 0786450863. From the US I believe you can dial 011-255-786-450-863 (skipping the 0 at the start of the number). I can receive calls for free and am usually available all day Sunday – other days it may vary.
All with the other PCTs, I went to the Mikumi National Park this weekend. I saw giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, gazelles, elephants, warthogs and assorted other animals. This is supposedly a great time of the year to see many animals – no lions or leopards however. The next time I am able to get online, I will add these pictures to my photo gallery, so stay tuned.
By far I have felt more American this weekend than any other time here in Tanzania. Going on safari with a large group of Americans and speaking predominantly English was certainly the main reason. On top of that, I am voting in the upcoming election, and the PCTs all had a Halloween/toga party in Mikumi town. I ate my first bit of junk food on the road trip and, after returning, ordered pasta carbonara at an Italian cafe. On the one hand, it was a great time, a wonderful and well-deserved break from studying, and a nice adventure. On the other hand, I am glad to be back in Morogoro and ready to get back to Kiswahili and the Tanzanian life style. I will be getting back on the daladala (crowded mini-bus) to my house shortly and attending another first communion party. So, I should be back in the swing of things soon enough.
Feeling so especially American, however, I thought that it would be a good time to share a few cultural observations about how Tanzanians view Americans and about what elements of American culture have an impact here.
To start, I should describe my first night with my host family. The electricity was working, so the family had the television on; they were watching WWE professional wrestling. Everyone cheered and yelled at the TV and asked who my favorite wrestlers were. Not having kept up with the sport/activity for some time, the only wrestlers I knew were relatively unfamilar. I did get something of a knowing nod when I explained that Hulk Hogan came from my home town. At first I thought that maybe the family had put this on simply to make me feel at home. But no, I’m pretty sure they would have been watching anyway, especially since it seems to be fairly ubiquitous. Baseball, American football, basketball and hockey are nowhere to be seen, but everyone loves American wrestling. Go figure.
The other most obvious influence of American culture that you encounter here is American clothing. T-shirts, although far more expensive than locally made shirts (because they have to be imported) are quite popular. It also seems that every shirt you may have sent to Goodwill has ended up here. I have seen t-shirts for “Hooters – Clearwater, FL”, church picnics in Oklahoma, Dominos pizza, and etc. The printing is pretty much irrelevant, since most Tanzanians do not read English. Other than American t-shirts, there are also quite a few Jamaican t-shirts, Bob Marley, marijuana leaves and etc. I have seen some local t-shirts, usually pictures of President Jakaya or Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere (Baba wa Taifa – “father of the country).
While Tanzanians seem particularly concerned with President Bush, they also seem to recognize that many Americans do not support him. Unlike many other places in the world, however, Tanzanians seem to approach the subject of American foreign policy in their typically polite and cautious fashion. “Which president do you prefer” they sometimes ask, “George Bush or Bill Clinton?” Rather than rant or rave about the war in Iraq, however, I have heard much more in the way of puzzlement as to why Bush seems to like war so much. I usually do not have much of answer here, except to discuss the military-industrial-congressional complex that continues to profit from war and destruction. After detailing to one Tanzanian how the B-52 bomber has different parts produced throughout the entire country so as to make its cancellation politically unlikely, I was told it explained a great deal about our foreign policy.
Another Tanzanian perception of Americans seems to be that we are obsessed with sex. Women who expose their shoulders, mid-section or knees, smoke, or accept drinks from men are often assumed to be prostitutes (or at least inviting sexual attention) over here. Therefore, this makes the behaviors of many female American tourists seem quite suspect. There is also virtually no male-female friendships that are not sanctioned either through familial or occupational association. Therefore, men and women who spend time together as friends are assumed to be sleeping together. Insisting that an opposite sex friend is only a rafiki (friend) and not a mpenzi (lover) is usually greeted with doubt and suspicion. Physical affection is almost never expressed in public or even at home (including between husband and wife) so American expressions of even friendly affection can be easily interpreted as sexual.
Of course, you can contrast this view of opposite sex relationships with the frequency of same-sex affection. As I have said before, same-sex hand-holding is quite common among close friends and is never interpreted as sexual.
Anyway, if any of you have the time and money to drop me a line some time it’d be great to hear from you. Also, I will be updating pictures from safari some time later this week.
Baadaye, Josh
Posted: Training Diary
24
October
2006
Well, today’s the first of a 2-day celebration for the end of Ramadan. Everyone gets off of work and school (about half of the population here is Muslim). I also hear that there should be an interesting parade or some such thing to see today. If you did not know, the end of Ramadan requires an observation of the moon, one in which Muslims may disagree. Therefore, I didn’t know until yesterday morning whether or not I would be going to school. Apparently the more conservative Muslim began their celebration yesterday, but I haven’t been able to figure out whether that means Sunni or Shia (the Wahhabi sect is not present here). I have mentioned before that Tanzania is quite tolerant in terms of religion. The fact that everyone is out celebrating today is yet another illustration.
I have only a short time to write today as I spent some time adding a number of links to the site. I have included every one of my fellow trainees who is keeping a blog. So, if you want to know more about the Peace Corps experience here (and from other points of view), please check them out. Also, for a point of information, Jeremy Karnowski and Valerie Kurka are in the same language training group as I am. Unfortuately, I don’t have time to check out everyone else’s blog myself, so if anyone’s trash talking me on their blog, let me know Actually, I think everyone here is quite intentionally trying to get along with everyone else. After all, you never know who might be the closest American to your site. As one volunteer told me, even if you initially did not like someone in your training group, if he/she is stationed in your area, he/she will become one of your best friends.
As far as cultural notes are concerned, I wanted to say something about cleanliness here. Tanzania, as I may have mentioned, is an incredibly dusty place. Also, since homes are not air-conditioned, windows (ideally with mosquito gauze) are always open. Therefore, clothes, shoes, floors, everything needs to be cleaned – often. Bathing is done at least twice a day and clothes washed (and ironed) as often as possible – which takes longer by hand I might add. Also, hands are always washed before eating, often in the presence of everyone else. At home, there is a sink in the dining room. It is also common for a pitcher of water and bowl to be used to wash everyone’s hands at the table. At a family meal, the older dada (sister) will often do this for the whole family.
Also related to cleanliness, the left hand is considered to be dirty (sorry southpaws). While toilet paper is available here – in lieu of it, the left hand serves the same purpose (bathrooms usually have a bucket of water, soap and cup for cleaning up). It has been tricky to remember never to hand something to anyone with my left hand. You will get puzzled and slightly embarassed looks if you try. There is an out however. Since you eat food with your right hand, you might wonder how to pass food to someone at the table. Do you use your right hand covered in food? You may use your left hand, however you have to touch at least your left wrist with your right hand. In other words you are handing it to them with “both hands” not your left. At this point of course, it is only a ceremonial gesture and not really related to cleanliness.
After weekly lectures from the medical staff about the wide variety of diseases you can contract from dirty hands or food (“Don’t eat shit” our PCMO Edith always says), I have had no trouble sticking to the local guidelines of cleanliness. I’m pretty sure this is also why I stopped biting my fingernails.
Well, I have to wrap it up with that. I will likely not be able to post this weekend because of the safari to the national park. However, I will try to get back on online early next week to post more pictures. Again, with the new links, I’ve given you plenty more to read.
-Josh
Posted: Training Diary
22
October
2006
I took my mid-term language test (written and oral) last Friday. I’m pretty sure that I’m already ahead of the Peace Corps minimum standard for the End of training. This is not all that surprising since my family here speak little to no English. The volunteers who are able to speak English at home seem to be having a somewhat harder time with the language. Last night was the first night I managed to talk with every member of family – including making some complex plans for today – without any miscommunication. Of course, everytime I get on a language high I pick up a newspaper and realize how much farther I still have to go. Also, since the oral proficiency test went rather well, I got a rather difficult scenario to explain: You are the village doctor giving a seminar on the causes, effects, methods of prevention and treatment for malaria. Ummm, yeah. Since I had not reviewed any medical words before the test, my response went something like this:
First you need to know that there is a bug that bites you. Afterwards you will get a fever. The bug is called “Mosquito anophiles.” First you do not want to be bitten (passive tense was about as fancy as I got here). Second you want to be in your home before night. Third, when you sleep you want to be down in bed. Maybe then you have cloth or some clothes, you want to be down them also. Then you will not be bitten.
Underneath, mosquito, mosquito net, insect repellant, etc. were all beyond me. Anyway, hamna shida (no problem).
I had a chance to meet another PCV named Joshua who lived across the street from my family last year when he went through training. After hearing about his site conditions down in Songea, I have begun to think quite a bit about where I will be sent and what I will do then. I seem to be enjoying training more than most (esp. because I have a great family), however, I’m still getting excited at the prospect of finally getting to my new home for the next two years. I will first get a taste of it when I shadow another volunteer during week 8-9, after which I will travel back to Dar for the first time since my arrival. I hope to be able to schedule meetings with Dr. Kanabar and possibly Mr. Mengi, although I need to find out my own schedule first (always a challenge in the Peace Corps) and then I need to check with them.  Both individuals were introduced to me by Dr. Patel in Tampa (see the Center for Global Understanding link).  The three are involved in the construction of a cardiac research hospital that I hope to write about in some detail later.
In other future news, I will be visiting a national park this weekend with all of the other volunteers, so look for some good animal and scenery pics next time!
In teaching news, I had my first classes in biology this past week. I was given the task of teaching asexual and sexual reproduction, mitosis and meiosis over the next three weeks. As I have written before, I am not a fan of the English-only instruction mandated in the secondary education system here.  Students are forced to review material they have known since they were children but knew only in Kiswahili. The first class I observed covered basic English vocabulary, e.g., Dogs have “puppies” and cats have “kittens.” When I started class, I explained in Swahili to the class, that I wished I could teach them in Swahili but was restricted in my knowledge. Furthermore, I told them that to learn English was good but to learn science was better. I got a resounding positive response – a bit rare for the rather formal educational style there. For example, when the teacher enters, the students stand, say good morning teacher and wait to be told to sit. Also, by way of information, students clean all of the classrooms every morning after the morning parade where they are inspected, do pseudo-military style drills (turn left, turn right, etc.) and sing the school song. Student stand to answer questions and are incredibly precise and neat in their note taking since they have no textbooks. It astounds me that teachers usually consider the students to be lazy and lack discipline, or at least they say as much to me. After sharing a bit about inner city schools in Baltimore city, I hope I put a bit of this in perspective. For example, drugs, weapons and assaults are unheard of at my school – at least to my knowledge.
Anyway, back to my first week of teaching. Much of what I covered was not in the national syllabus but I felt was essential to the subject matter. For example, they are supposed to learn about meiosis now, but not mitosis until next year – the same with genetics and evolution. I decided therefore to cover basic genetics, evolution and cell structure, with some history of evolutionary theory and basic neuroscience thrown in for interest. After that, I had several students continuing to ask me questions after and before school. With week 1 down, I’m feeling good about the job I’ll be asked to do here and I’m working on strategies for dealing with the systematic aspects of the educational system here that still bother me. As for corporal punishment, I’ve had a few teachers ask me about it (much better than thrusting my views on them so early in the relationship) and I was able to talk about postive and negative reinforcement as alternatives to punishment. Negative reinforcement, if you’ve forgotten, is simply the removal of a postive stimulus. I told them that many times, children seek out attention, even negative attention. Ignoring, as much as possible, bad behavior while strongly rewarding good behavior can have far superior results. It is still my hope to present these ideas in written form as a collaborative document with another Tanzanian teacher before the end of training.
To end on a cultural note, I wanted to share a few things about conversational styles in Tanzania, in particular, the white lie. The idea that you can’t just say what you really mean is something that has long bothered me in the United States. In Tanzania the white lie is a way of life and very important to maintaining good relationships. The way you behave, the way you dress and the way you communicate here are reflections of your respect for your environment, not your personal style.  Doing what you want, dressing how you want and speaking your mind are staples of American culture. Here in Tanzania there is much more of a group mentality; the influence of African socialism is still very much in effect here.  You maintain relationships first and foremost. So, for example, you may ask your friend “Are you able to …” not “Would you like to …” or “Do you want to …” Inevitably, you will get a yes, if you ask someone’s preference. However, it is far better to ask if they are able to do somthing, allowing them to tell a white lie if in fact they’d rather be doing something else. Especially since the culture here is age-sensitive, younger people will generally always defer to their elders.  While I have had to learn this when asking my younger sibling what they’d “like” to do. I have also had to learn this with respect to my teaching colleagues at school. Any offer of friendship (even something small like meeting for dinner or coffee) is not likely to ever be repeated unless it is turned down with a barrage of excuses. “I’m very sorry it’s out of my control & etc.” To not tell small lies, is just plain rude here and will make it difficult to integrate. Of course, there is also the opposite problem.  If someone offers to ”buy” you something (even just a soda or beer) this is usually a come-on. To accept it, is to imply that you are interested in the person.  Men and women (unless they have a reason to know each other – for example, family or work colleagues) are usually not friends and do not socialize. With unwanted advances the best advice is actually not to be polite. Be direct, maybe even a little rude or else you might be stringing someone along. Since someone of the opposite sex is not likely to become just your “friend” anyway, don’t bother with the white lies.
Anyway, with one month in Morogoro down and with the language training half-way done that’s all for now. Â
Josh
P.S. the only letters I got last week were political mailers.  Getting only junk mail – I’m not counting yours, future judge Moody 
 - was a bit of a downer. Clippings, pics, anything would make my week. Thanks also for your comments on the posts. It’s great to hear from you all! Sorry I’m unable to send more personal responses. Love, JÂ
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Posted: Training Diary
15
October
2006
This past week, I had my first experience of actually feeling like a Tanzanian. I was on the daladala (crowded mini-bus public transport) with kaka yangu (my brother) when the conductor jingled his change signalling that it was time to pay. For an adult to ride into town, the cost is sh. 200=/ (or around 15 cents). For my brother who is a student and has to stand and get shuffled around as people board the daladala, the cost is sh. 50=/. I gave the driver 300 and asked him for my change. “Nipe chenji tafadhali.” He then tried to argue that my brother had to be charged 100. After asserting myself, I turned to my neighbor and said, “anafikiri sijui” (He thinks I don’t know). Everyone started cracking up and I got my change back with a lame explanation in lieu of an apology – hamna shida (no problem). While it may seem petty if not bizarre to argue over such a sum, the Peace Corps insists that we act like Tanzanians when it comes to spending money. That means we need to haggle over food prices at the market and insist that we pay the same price as everyone else. With the socialist sentiments still strong among the Tanzanians, this is not unreasonable. And, for the most part, people do not try to rip you off, especially if you greet them properly and use good Kiswahili. Although everyone has to haggle over food prices at the market – it’s just the way.
Other than daladala rides and some fruit and vegetable purchases, I’ve also bought 3 shirts and fabric for a 4th. The best African style shirt should cost somewhere between sh. 10,000=/ and 15,000=/ or roughly between $8-13 dollars. Needless to say I wish I spent less in the U.S. on clothes before I came. Although I was here a while, before I had the skills to shop and I still needed to dress properly.
In other news, it looks like I’ve figured out how to put pictures online! It is incredibly slow however, so I’m putting up far less than I actually have. Anyway, please check them out when you get a chance. I don’t know if I’ll have the time to add to them every week – I’m spending a bit more time online than I usually have.
One of the picture is from my visit last Sunday to the village of Mlali. It was first communion day and it was festive everywhere. Families and friends of the children paraded through the streets with the children on their shoulders. People danced, played the drums, horns and some even crowded onto trucks and drove down the main street. I went with my mama, mama mdogo (mother’s younger sister), kaka (brother) and young dada (sister). I met some of mama’s family and then went to communion party being thrown by one of her friends. After hanging out for about 15 min., the father of the 2 daughters came up to me and requested that I sit up front with the family. I was the first time I’ve been really singled out for being a Mzungu (white person) – of course there’s also a tradition of honoring wageni (visitors). However, after everyone in the family was called up front with a song to be fed cake by the children, they then called me up singing mzungu, mzungo . . . I was called up to eat first with the family as well. Again, it wasn’t unpleasant, but definitely strange.
Returning again to some of the issues that have come up at school, I have continued to have a dialogue with the headmistress and some of the other teachers at my school about corporal punishment. I have decided to start work on a collaborative paper (with some of the other teachers) attacking the widely held assumption that punishment actually works to modify behavior – sidestepping the question about whether it is desirable, moral, etc. If those of you interested in the behavioral sciences would like to send me some helpful citations and quotations on this point, I have little in the way of facilities and time for this kind of research project. What I am producing will be a short pedagogical tract to be translated into Kiswahil, initially sent around secondary schools in Morogoro and perhaps later used in Peace Corps training materials. This is my goal anyway. Again, please email me any suggestions at josh@joshualevens.com
Posted: Training Diary
