Thought it about time to update you all once again!
Where to begin...
Last few weeks of school were quite full-on and, for the first time, I felt like a true stressed-out teacher! In true African style, my week of revision before exams didn't happen as the school decided other things, such as making me sit through a FOUR hour staff meeting all in Swahili so I didn't understand a word of it anyway, having all the girls in the school forcefully pregnancy tested so they could be kicked out if they tested positive and student elections (yes, in Africa it takes a WHOLE day) were much more important. I also had to not only write the Form 1 English exam, but also type it up and photocopy and staple 240 copies! Of course the photocopier at the stationary shop in Ikwiriri couldn't quite handle the capacity so I had to do it in lots and between black-outs and public holiday's...I was beginning to wonder if I would have them done in time! But, never fear, I got there in the end and felt the weight lift off my shoulders as I stapled the last of the papers! (There was some serious celebrating that weekend).
The following week was exams so Connie and I helped supervise (yet another experience that makes you go "whoa...I'm actually a teacher!") which, for the main part was fairly uneventful (apart from some sneaky attempts at cheating), although a snake in one of the form 3 classrooms led to me nearly being trampled by a stampede of students! Form 1 sat their English exam on the Thursday and I think I quite possibly was more nervous than they were! Have already marked the first 3 sections (out of 4) and am interested to get the last section marked and see how the students went as a whole. That will be my job for Sunday, as I get back to Ikwiriri this Saturday.
So after the stress of having to be a 'real' teacher, Connie, Alex, Angus and myself headed up to Arusha for a 4 day Safari of Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP and Ngorongoro Crater! A totally surreal and magical experience, loved every second of it! Am running out of internet time and am rushing so may miss some out but we saw: elephants, waterbucks, zebras, giraffes, wildebeast, impalas, dik diks, warthogs, monkeys, vultures, ostriches, baboons, mongoose, lions and lionesses, cheetahs, a leopard (up a tree, eating a gazelle!), hyenas, jackals, hippos, thomsons and grants gazelles, secretary birds, buffalo, kopes, flamingos etc. Was really awesome!
Connie and I got granted a second week off school so we have spent this week on Zanzibar Island, looking at some of the slave history here, doing PLENTY of shopping and today we went to Prison Island and saw, fed and patted Aldabra Giant Tortoises; which are apparently the 2nd largest tortoises in the world (one was 185 years old and he was HUGE!) and went snorkelling. So are having a fantastic time!
Living it up in the food department too, as there are these gardens right down by the waterfront, called Forodahani Gardens, and of a night time they come alive with food markets. We have gone there every night for dinner! For all you seafood lovers out there, be jealous, as they have every type of fresh seafood imaginable and it costs next to nothing! I personally, however, have become addicted to Zanzibar pizzas-which are these conconctions of pastry, veggies, cheese, egg, mayonaise and, in my case, beef; and they are SO good. Follow that up with a 'pizza' (they arent anything like a normal pizza) of nutella and banana topped with sweetened condensed milk and chocolate topping and you have one hell of a dessert! Have been going to the same pizza guy all week and he's become a little fond of me so tonight (as it is my last night in Zanz) I get my banana and chocolate pizza for free! Pretty excited about that (even though they cost all of about $1.50 AUS anyway, lol). Then we will leave Zanzibar tomorrow, stay in Dar the night and head back to Ik on Sat to get all organised for school on Monday.
Have been in Tanz for over 100 days now, I cant believe it! Time is flying! Only have 9 more weeks of teaching and then it will be all over :( Am going to miss my students SO much when the time comes for me to leave. But am pushing that out of my mind at the moment.
Anyway, am just about to run out of net time so must leave it there!
Alisha
