Mosiacs to Markets and everything in between

Thursday (25 November) started off in the library – we spent some time covering books which the school will pass onto another NGO in the new year.  St Judes is changing to the international curriculum and will be needing new text books for this.  However, as the first class came in we were introduced and impromptu New Zealand lessons ensued.  The kids were so enthusiastic to learn about New Zealand, asking questions and eagerly looking through the few books with information on New Zealand.  It was very rewarding to help answer their questions.  Our selection process came in handy with the children asking whether any Tanzanian’s live in NZ, whether we like to sing and dance and much more.  They were truly amazed at the number of sheep we have. Three similar classes followed.

For lunch we had our first taste of ugali (maize meal cooked to look like mashed potato) with beans and a capsicum / garlic mix of vegies.  Although somewhat flavorless and sticky the ugali was far better than Shelly had made it out to be.

Music class was hilarious - we learnt a new song and dance with the children under the watchful eye of Mr Kaweka – a cool rasta rocker.  One verse and one move were repeated the entire lesson in various combinations to a drum beat so the bell at the end was welcomed by all except for Brian who had the time of his life?  Just take a look at the photos!

The afternoon was concluded with the final assembly of the year for the primary school children.  It was a very touching assembly with many of the children saddened with the farewell of teaching and library staff at the school.  Many awards were also given to the children who have excelled, or modeled good behaviour throughout the year.  A teaching couple from Australia, who are leaving after three years, were presented with a goat as a token of gratitude and respect.

Friday we got stuck into smashing tiles and creative thinking for a mosaic which is to be laid on a concrete path that Brian had supervised laying the previous day.  It is a large koru that merges into the Tanzanian flag and will look stunning in an area that was formerly a mud bath during the rains.

During the afternoon we assisted with the testing of the young children who came to apply for a position in the school from 2011.  There were at least 700 youngsters, all dressed in their Sunday best. Initially they had to complete a simple Swahili reading test which many did not pass. Those that did completed a written test and were questioned about their home life.  At each stage the children who did not pass were sent out of the gate with the disappointing news to their waiting parents.  There were about 40 left at the end of the day who were successful so far.  The parents waiting at the gate were singing and dancing with joy that their children were still in the game, it was truly emotional to watch.

The successful children are not yet guaranteed a place. First they go through to the next stage of testing which will include some rigorous home visits and assessments of their living situations. Those whose parents earn too much, or who have any electrical appliances or floor coverings in their homes will be rejected. It is an unforgiving task to select the children, the only consolation being that the children can come try again, but having been rejected once the chances of success next time are slim.  There are only 25 posiitons left to fill for next year.  Those that pass all the tests are put into a probationary class for 3 weeks, and only at the end of this is their place confirmed by their being given a uniform.   A position in the School of St Jude is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these children and once in the school they certainly make the most of it.

Saturday 27 November:  There was further testing of next year’s entrant hopefuls that were selected yesterday however we have had a day away from the School to explore Urusha and the markets.  Urusha is a bustling city (population we think about 1.2 million) that is made up of a number of villages the blend into one another.  There is a relatively compact shopping area with many shops and several markets.  The main streets are tar sealed with the foot paths and side streets all dirt and rough.  This makes the town quite dusty and dirty.  There are many people trying to sell anything from paintings to watches on the footpaths who continually accost you and become very pestiferous!  We explored some shops and the Masaai market where bargaining for a price is essential.  A taxi ride to and from town (Arusha) costs 8,000 TS (Tanzanian shillings - approx NZ$8).  Petrol is 1,800 TS a litre (NZ$1.80) and many food items in the supermarket are similarly priced to New Zealand although the majority of Tanzanian locals do not shop there – only expats and wealthy Tanzanians.

Loading shuttle bus in Nairobi

St Judes - PE Activities

St Judes - PE Activities

St Judes - Lunch Break

Local government school

Palm Island

Burj Al Arab - 7 star hotel

Burj Kalifa

Karibu Kenya na Tanzania

We are writing this in the Visitors kitchen of St Judes. We are dusty and tired from our first full day of being in the school but have been so well cared for by Gemma and her many staff.

We have had a action packed couple of days since arriving in Africa. We had our first encounter with the organised chaos of the African traffic as we were in a traffic jam from the airport to our hotel where trucks were driving on the footpaths and almost tipping over in giant potholes.

We had a close encounter with the not so friendly Kenyan police on the road from Nairobi to Arusha where one of our new friends who has come to St Judes for the Mt Kili Challenge to climb Mt Kilimanjaro was threatened with an “adventure” to the police station for not wearing her seatbelt. Luckily as the bus did not actually have seatbelts she was able to get out of this situation with some help from others on the bus.

The trip from Nairobi to Arusha took around 7 hours, the bus was full of very interesting people and although the road was loud and bone shaking at points, we were able to make the most of it with a little help from the musical stylings of Ross. The basic housing we saw in the small villages along the way makes us truly appreciate how lucky we really are in NZ. Along the road we were lucky enough to see a few Zebra from afar and had a couple of Kudu (gazelle) run across the road in front of us. Shelley’s first marriage proposal was made within minutes of our getting off the bus in Arusha, unfortunately Brian thought the price was too low so she will stay single for a little while longer…

Today we spent a couple of hours playing games such as skipping and soccer with some of the younger students, made a start on our first project which is a mosaic on a new footpath, ate lunch with the students, went on a long walking tour of Moshono village and visited a local government school. The difference between the facilities and general atmosphere of the local school compared with St Judes is striking. Regardless of this the students seemed happy to see us and very friendly.

Jetlagged in Dubai

Departed Auckland 6.40 PM. Arrived Dubai 5.30 AM. A full 20 hours travel (via Sydney).  Flying on Emirates was luxurious – touch screen TV’s, good food and comfy enough to get a decent sleep.  

We arrived to the rising sun in Dubai – a mild 22 degrees when we landed to climb to 30 degrees in the afternoon. 

Our hotel started off the day with a bang – 5 golden couches and 3 bathrooms … too bad we drunk the tap water before they told us we shouldn’t be drinking it.

We started our day with a run across a 10 lane highway in search of food – we saw skyscrapers and cars everywhere, but no eatery in sight. Fortunately we stumbled across a supermarket/warehouse to fill the gap and got back to the hotel for our tour around Dubai.

Kash our very informative and friendly tour guide showed us around many of Dubai’s most famous landmarks over a few hours, that included the Dubai Museum, Palm Jumeriah, the beach, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and some older parts of the city/shopping areas.  Everywhere is bigger, newer and more impressive than before – the mall housed an indoor aquarium three stories high and an indoor ice rink!  The man-made Palm Island houses a 1500 bed hotel and too many skyscrapers to count , just nearby Burj Al Arab is the worlds only seven star hotel (we weren’t allowed in that one). 

The beach was a beautiful white sandy expanse, with again skyscrapers behind, and in the distance we could see the newly built ‘world islands’ and no doubt should we come back in a few years there will be skyscrapers on the horizon too. 

By the end of our tour we sat down for a well deserved meal of kebabs overlooking the dhows on The Creek before touring through the souks (markets) that held an array of textiles, spices and more gold and jewellery than we could ever have imagined. 

What a crazy place Dubai is – a city of cars and skyscrapers, devoid for the most part of life, a mix of old and new – but definitely more new.  In 30 years Dubai has grown from a city of 200,000 to 1.2 million and even today we saw construction sites everywhere. 

One can only imagine what a stark contrast today will be to what we will experience over the coming weeks. 

Ross Paterson, Team Member

I am 25 years old, I live in Hamilton, New Zealand with my partner who is a limited edition 1986 model Bavarian midwife (only 1 ever made). I currently work at an outdoor clothing and equipment  company called Mountain Designs. Next year I plan to study a post graduate certificate in Sport and Leisure studies.

I enjoy writing music and playing the guitar. I just finished my first commissioned piece of artwork (woo hoo) and I am an avid fire staff practitioner.

I have worked overseas in Malaysia as an Outdoor Instructor, and have a PADI Divemaster certificate. One day I will establish an empowering and transformative retreat centre where people come to cultivate inner authority and develop a unifying consciousness with nature and each other.

This adventure to Tanzania is an opportunity of a lifetime. I look forward to contributing to a centre that makes a positive difference in the world and to spreading the love via my little green guitar. I can't wait to bring out the inner songbirds in my fellow GSE members and I know they can't wait for the choreographed dance moves I have in store for them.

Yvonne Woutersen - Team Member

I am a 26 year old living in Hamilton, with my partner Ben.  Originally from Holland, I have lived in New Zealand for most of my life and consider New Zealand home.  I grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato.

I have a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in geography and politics, and a Master of Planning degree from the University of Otago.  I currently work as a planner for Hamilton City Council.  My job involves planning for and managing land-use activities to guide how Hamilton develops into the future.  I also volunteer for search and rescue (an organisation that finds lost people in the bush) and camp quality (an organised camp for children affected by cancer). 

As most of my work is in the office, I like to get outside in my spare time.  I enjoy tramping, playing sports, in particular soccer, and spending time with family and friends. I also like to grow vegetables in the garden and enjoy painting. 

I have had an interest helping people living in poverty since a young age.  Going to Tanzania is a chance for me to experience first hand life in a developing country, and to give my time, skills and enthusiasm to make a small difference to the lives of the children at the school of St Jude.