Habari za asubuhi (Good Morning)!
I cannot believe how quickly this summer is flying. I am finishing my third week in Arusha, and so much has happened since my last blog post. I am enjoying my time here greatly, and my favorite part of every week is spending time with the Scholars! They are absolutely magnificent and bring so much joy to my days. It will be a couple of days until I see them next, and I cannot wait!
During my first week with TFFT, I analyzed and graphed the Usa River Academy scholars’ grades from last year. By doing this, I was able to identify eight students who are in need of extra tutoring. Last week, I began holding tutoring sessions in the Full Circle room. Here is a photo of Matayo, hard at work writing.
We gather three times a week, and I absolutely love working with the Scholars in a small and focused setting. They always keep me laughing, and certain moments stand out in my memory as times when I have witnessed perfect childhood joy and innocence. I think of Rachel’s shy smile that sheepishly appears whenever she gets a question right (see the photo below); Philimine’s inability to put down a book once he’s started; Yusufu and Matayo’s impromptu fashion show to model their new hats; Happy’s hopes for her future and love of photography. Before I arrived in Arusha, these names and faces were abstract. However, now that I have been given the beautiful opportunity to form relationships with these students, I am truly touched by these special moments and by the endless energy with which they have welcomed me.
On Thursdays, in addition to tutoring after school, I spend the entire school day team-teaching Class 3 at Usa River Academy. On my first morning, when I walked into Madame Lucy’s classroom, she greeted me with, “Are you prepared to teach your English lesson?” Without any preparation at all, I then stood in front of a class of nine and ten year olds and taught my first ever full-length lesson. I want to be a teacher when I graduate from college, so I absolutely loved the opportunity to teach and spend the entire day with the students. Later in the day, the students learned how to weave mats using banana leaves. The hands-on aspect of the lesson was very welcomed and exciting, and I picked up a few skills as well!
Last week, I also spent a day at Matonyok with Mary Hill, during which we assisted in Class 2. Peter, a wonderful teacher whose classroom is full of energy and learning, teaches Class 2. A video of his teaching was posted earlier in the blog, and I’d highly recommend taking a minute to watch it. The previous day, his students had created models and figurines from clay. When Mary Hill and I were in the class, it was time to paint the dried models. I was reminded of my elementary school art classes, and it was so much fun to watch the students bring their creations to life! Here is a photo of Peter and one of the students, who is painting a large green spoon.
We also taught a French lesson, as Mary Hill has studied the language for many years. After going over simple greetings and family vocabulary, we took this “family portrait” and then translated the words into French and Swahili.
Some of the students are already trilingual in Swahili, English, and their tribal language, so it was exciting to introduce yet another way to communicate. Both Mary Hill and I appreciated that Peter trusted us to teach a lesson, and I hope that the students enjoyed it as much as we did.
After school, we relaxed and played football (not the American type!) with the students. Three new children had arrived the day before, and I enjoyed watching them acclimate to their new environment. Here is a picture of Neema and Noemi, the twins who recently arrived with their brother. Flora, one of the Class 2 students, took the second photo of our pick-up game of football
Saturday was another exciting day at Matonyok. Kelly, an American schoolteacher from Chicago, spent seven months teaching and living at Matonyok. She is now getting married, and because Mama Emmy thinks of her as a daughter, Emmy held a wonderful bridal send-off party. It was a wonderful peek into Masai culture, and seeing all the children dressed up was priceless. Who knows…maybe I will return to Matonyok to teach one day?! I am absolutely amazed by the place, and I hope to spend more time there in the weeks to come. Here is a picture of Mama Emmy in her traditional Masai dress.
Well, I think that is it from this end! I cannot think of a better way to spend my summer, and I am so grateful that TFFT has provided me with this wonderful opportunity. Asante sana (Thank you very much)!