Entry via Letter
I thought it would be wise to dedicate an entire blog to the flaura and fana here in Tanzania. Starting from the ground up – we’ll start with the insects I hate and progress to the goats that won’t leave me alone. At first I hated the abundance of lizards here in Tanzania. They are everywhere, peeking out from the choo, hitching an un-anticipated ride on my purse, scaling the walls of my bafo waiting to pounce when my eyes are filled with soap, unbearable scaly little beasts. This line of thought discontined when I witnessed an apifiny late last night. As I walked outside in a bent “due to too many teas” position, I noticed 2 large brown shadows running across my floor. At first I thought the perpetrators were crawdads, and wondered how that pet crawdad escaped in the 6th grade managed to sneak its way to Tanzania. It was with a sudden realization (and the larger creature’s sudden attraction to my bare foot) that I jumped to my kitchen stool realizing this was one of the biggest toe-munching scorpions I had ever seen. The hop to the chair was not an act of sheer terror, but rather a reflex when another creature darts across my other bare foot (moral wear shoes when out at night) and battled the scorpion, successfully away in its jaws. This savior-creature was a lizard which (and I only exuberate a little) was the size of my calf…..HUGE!
Moving on to my new pet Pepsi, a scrawny kitten whom was aptly named by the neighbors as my own name is a Pepsi beverage here, the kitten whose only purpose here is to detract the loud rates who seem convinced my roof and food pantry are a nice place to live. Pepsi has gone from being an ungrateful hissing nuisance to an overbearing, over attached, constantly purring machine seeking constant attention and food, *sigh* men. Luckily he seems to have tricked the rats into leaving, a small miracle since the rats here could have most likely consumed him, being twice his size and all.
This past week has been full of new introductions and work, school and village life has been an active hubbub of excitement, My form 2 students took mock English exams (as well as exams in every other subject) which I had the opportunity to grade…actually it was a good opportunity as I had to first correct the answer key and then grand m exams. I find now that my Englist teaching of Biology may not be working because of the lack of English knowledge among my Students, and I’m resolve to start teaching in both English and Kiswahili for full comprehension of my Biology subject. For those who can comprehend the subject – my form 3 students – started an interesting lesson in the importance of the endocrine system, and the importance of taking notes in Mwalimu Mirinda’s class. After a note check, ¼ of the students re-wrote the notes, ¼ were allowed to have their free period (they listened) and ½ came to my house to collect leaves for the compost pile. I hate to discipline my Students, but find that I do enjoy my 3 new fences, compost pile, and sparkling office, I actually don’t know what I’ll do if they start to behave!
The village is now quite alert to my presence as I saunter here and there, greeting everyone and eating bucket loads of Peanuts and Cashews thrust in front of me. Three of the village bibi’s taught me how to crochet this week- which is hard to learn, but a bit more of a challenge if you don’t quite know the language, and the general belief seems to be yelling louder will enhance my learning process. However my hard labor has paid off, and I now strut my stuff, crocheting a hat that would fit comfortably on a thimble, and demonstrating my skill to everyone I greet, all of whom seem or pretend very well, to be impressed. The town meeting was yet another harrowing experience, and has solidified in me that I need never worry about running on Gormley-Trout time (at least 30 minutes later than normal time) ever again. A typical Tanzanian meeting starts 2 hours after it is supposed to, and then lasts up to 3 extra hours depending on subject matter. At this meeting I was called to greet the group and then the headmaster gave a report of my progress teaching, feeling that an embellishment of an event which occurred earlier in the week- me running from a chicken – was necessary for the village to comprehend as it related to my teaching in no way at all. I wasn’t afraid of said chicken, I merely stated it was angry which I can confirm; it angrily squawked and pecked at my ankles as I trotted the opposite direction at a brisk pace. Moral – don’t attempt to kick chickens and if kicking necessary, do so in privacy of ones own home.
These are the weekly antics in Makong’onda. My health and peer educating groups will begin next week, so I hope to update you on their progress in the coming blogs! I hope you are all having a safe and scary October, lots of Love from Tanzania.
Mirinda
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Zawadi Land
Entry via Letter
If you walk around America in a new neighborhood, it would be unusual for your new neighbors to ask you to sit, have some water and 4 eggs. They are gifts for visiting. I believe it would be more unusual to have an angry clawing chicken shoved inches from your eyes but then this is Tanzania, and angry eye-socket clinging unhappy chicken gifts are how we roll.
The generosity of my village is wonderful and I continuously appreciate their helping me adjust to life here – this is how I’ve come to appreciate Kuku, my new Chicken friend who is locked in my shower because he keeps trying to kill me (you laugh – but that beak is sharp). I guess his dislike for me makes sense – If I was living with someone whom I suspected wanted to eat me, I to would dislike that person. I believe Kuku will remain in the shower until my neighbor helps him in to a stewpot, where upon he will briefly live on my kitchen table before progressing in to my belly.
This week there is no school, and as a result I have not had to teach, so I have been helping my neighbors collect Cashew nuts and traveled village to village to greet all those who want to meet me. Between village visits, I have also provided my village with “mzuhgu theatre” where upon in the dark they all gather around my home to hear me scream and then chase with a machete the angry pregnant rate that will not leave my home. Luckily despite their amusement, two families offered me a kitten, so soon I will be without angry pregnant rats and hopefully man-eating spiders. I am not one to be afraid of spiders, but this particular spider was so large and so evil-translucent white that I decided it was a sign from God urging me not to use the bathroom – and thus I made due with a bucket instead.
Another sign from God came in the form of an evil black and gold jersey hanging in the near-by market village of Newala. Yes friends, it was a Hawkeyes football Jersey which appeared 1 week before the Iowa-Iowa State game. I felt necessary to purchase this Jersey for the sole purpose of taking it to the local Witch Doctor and having it cursed, and hope that my magic works – for by the time you read this blog, the game will be long over – hopefully my African-Hawkeye thwarting techniques will be sucessful.
My school and wonderful village of Makong’onda remain a wonderful place to live and prosper. I’m hoping to learn more about Grant-writing so that I can start projects and get underway – my villagers are itching to get started.
Lots of hugs and well wishes from Tanzania! I hope to receive letters and news soon!
If you walk around America in a new neighborhood, it would be unusual for your new neighbors to ask you to sit, have some water and 4 eggs. They are gifts for visiting. I believe it would be more unusual to have an angry clawing chicken shoved inches from your eyes but then this is Tanzania, and angry eye-socket clinging unhappy chicken gifts are how we roll.
The generosity of my village is wonderful and I continuously appreciate their helping me adjust to life here – this is how I’ve come to appreciate Kuku, my new Chicken friend who is locked in my shower because he keeps trying to kill me (you laugh – but that beak is sharp). I guess his dislike for me makes sense – If I was living with someone whom I suspected wanted to eat me, I to would dislike that person. I believe Kuku will remain in the shower until my neighbor helps him in to a stewpot, where upon he will briefly live on my kitchen table before progressing in to my belly.
This week there is no school, and as a result I have not had to teach, so I have been helping my neighbors collect Cashew nuts and traveled village to village to greet all those who want to meet me. Between village visits, I have also provided my village with “mzuhgu theatre” where upon in the dark they all gather around my home to hear me scream and then chase with a machete the angry pregnant rate that will not leave my home. Luckily despite their amusement, two families offered me a kitten, so soon I will be without angry pregnant rats and hopefully man-eating spiders. I am not one to be afraid of spiders, but this particular spider was so large and so evil-translucent white that I decided it was a sign from God urging me not to use the bathroom – and thus I made due with a bucket instead.
Another sign from God came in the form of an evil black and gold jersey hanging in the near-by market village of Newala. Yes friends, it was a Hawkeyes football Jersey which appeared 1 week before the Iowa-Iowa State game. I felt necessary to purchase this Jersey for the sole purpose of taking it to the local Witch Doctor and having it cursed, and hope that my magic works – for by the time you read this blog, the game will be long over – hopefully my African-Hawkeye thwarting techniques will be sucessful. My school and wonderful village of Makong’onda remain a wonderful place to live and prosper. I’m hoping to learn more about Grant-writing so that I can start projects and get underway – my villagers are itching to get started.
Lots of hugs and well wishes from Tanzania! I hope to receive letters and news soon!
Friday, September 5, 2008
The First Days at Makong'onda
Entry via Letter
I have finally moved in to my new village of Makong’onda, and am thrilled to finally be in a place that I can call home for the next two years. I don’t know which factor
Upon first glance, Makong’onda appears to be a very small village, many of the homes are made from brick and clay with thatch roofs and sand covers the ground everywhere the eye can see. There is no electricity; thought a near-by home does have solar capability. This means that everything here is very expensive to charge-my cell phone alone costs over 400 Schilling to fully charge at a near-by duka. Like electricity, food is also scarce here – because we are
now winding down the days to the rainy season. We have little water and no fruits or vegetables growing here – these items have to be purchased in Newala, the nearest town, which can only be reached by foot and is a two hour climb up a small mountain to reach. The village also has four outlying villages which are each in distance about 2 miles from Makong’onda. In each direction. All of these villages are practically unreachable by car, and the best (and only) way to leave is via car / bus from Newala. The land here is incredibly sandy with the exception of the cashew trees which 
grow everywhere – the fruit of the cashews, called Bebo, is commonly used here to make Pombe (think cashew moonshine) and I have been forbidden to try it due to my fondness for bowel regularity and my eye-sight.
The house that I am now residing in is beautiful by African standards and I am thrilled to be so lucky in having it! It has 3 bedrooms, a large front sitting room, and a large courtyard with an office, kitchen, and hen house. Peace Corps volunteers are
forbidden to keep chickens, so my hen house remains chicken free – until dusk. Then all of the chickens who used to sleep in my hen house return and try to crash my party. I am sure the PC administer a reprimand to these rebel chickens promptly, but until then I will continue to eject them from my home with whatever means necessary (the word “shoo” makes up the bulk of my artillery). Because I am a new volunteer, I am having the bulk of my furniture created here, this includes a drying rack, shelves (for dishes), bookcase, and wardrobe for the few clothes I have now 
and the many clothes I plan to make later. The water pump is very close to my home, which I am thankful for, I do not want to chote heavy water very far in this hot climate!
The people of Makong’onda have been supremely helpful in making me feel at home. When I arrived my home was filled with people, singing and welcoming me home. My home continues to this day to be filled with people, as many teachers and students are in and out of my home everyday, looking at the random things
I have on my table and then asking if they can have them. (If I did give up something every time I was asked, I would be out a computer, camera, 2 flashlights, and shoes). There was a village meeting where the majority of the village was told not to ask me for money (I was approached 5 minutes after the meeting and asked for money). I think it helped a little.
The work I intend to start here begins this weekend, when I will help with the village measles vaccinations. I will also begin
teaching biology; soon in to the next semester I have been asked to teach chemistry and physics as well. These subjects are currently not taught here so the students simply do not learn them with the result that they are not able to pass the national exam and continue on with school. I’m hoping to be able to improve these scores, but have been warned by several teachers that the students dislike science (and school in general) so I may have my work cut out for me!
I continue to think about all of you back home often (though admittedly not as often as food….. drool) and I hope to hear from many of you soon! My new address is below – I would love to receive letters and news from all of you!
Keep my village and I in your prayers, and I will report again soon!
Mirinda
Mirinda Gormley
Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 440
Newala
Tanzania
I have finally moved in to my new village of Makong’onda, and am thrilled to finally be in a place that I can call home for the next two years. I don’t know which factor
Upon first glance, Makong’onda appears to be a very small village, many of the homes are made from brick and clay with thatch roofs and sand covers the ground everywhere the eye can see. There is no electricity; thought a near-by home does have solar capability. This means that everything here is very expensive to charge-my cell phone alone costs over 400 Schilling to fully charge at a near-by duka. Like electricity, food is also scarce here – because we are
now winding down the days to the rainy season. We have little water and no fruits or vegetables growing here – these items have to be purchased in Newala, the nearest town, which can only be reached by foot and is a two hour climb up a small mountain to reach. The village also has four outlying villages which are each in distance about 2 miles from Makong’onda. In each direction. All of these villages are practically unreachable by car, and the best (and only) way to leave is via car / bus from Newala. The land here is incredibly sandy with the exception of the cashew trees which 
grow everywhere – the fruit of the cashews, called Bebo, is commonly used here to make Pombe (think cashew moonshine) and I have been forbidden to try it due to my fondness for bowel regularity and my eye-sight.The house that I am now residing in is beautiful by African standards and I am thrilled to be so lucky in having it! It has 3 bedrooms, a large front sitting room, and a large courtyard with an office, kitchen, and hen house. Peace Corps volunteers are
forbidden to keep chickens, so my hen house remains chicken free – until dusk. Then all of the chickens who used to sleep in my hen house return and try to crash my party. I am sure the PC administer a reprimand to these rebel chickens promptly, but until then I will continue to eject them from my home with whatever means necessary (the word “shoo” makes up the bulk of my artillery). Because I am a new volunteer, I am having the bulk of my furniture created here, this includes a drying rack, shelves (for dishes), bookcase, and wardrobe for the few clothes I have now 
and the many clothes I plan to make later. The water pump is very close to my home, which I am thankful for, I do not want to chote heavy water very far in this hot climate! The people of Makong’onda have been supremely helpful in making me feel at home. When I arrived my home was filled with people, singing and welcoming me home. My home continues to this day to be filled with people, as many teachers and students are in and out of my home everyday, looking at the random things
I have on my table and then asking if they can have them. (If I did give up something every time I was asked, I would be out a computer, camera, 2 flashlights, and shoes). There was a village meeting where the majority of the village was told not to ask me for money (I was approached 5 minutes after the meeting and asked for money). I think it helped a little.
The work I intend to start here begins this weekend, when I will help with the village measles vaccinations. I will also begin
teaching biology; soon in to the next semester I have been asked to teach chemistry and physics as well. These subjects are currently not taught here so the students simply do not learn them with the result that they are not able to pass the national exam and continue on with school. I’m hoping to be able to improve these scores, but have been warned by several teachers that the students dislike science (and school in general) so I may have my work cut out for me!
I continue to think about all of you back home often (though admittedly not as often as food….. drool) and I hope to hear from many of you soon! My new address is below – I would love to receive letters and news from all of you!
Keep my village and I in your prayers, and I will report again soon!
Mirinda
Mirinda Gormley
Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 440
Newala
Tanzania
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