Solar Solar!

Guess what?!  I am sitting in my library charging things RIGHT NOW.  WITH SOLARRRRRR!!

I am going to write an actual blog post about this one day (soon) when I am less exhausted.  Until then, Happy memorial day from across the pond!

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Madibira: A Tourist’s Bypass, A Traveler’s Paradise

Madibira: A Tourist's Bypass, A Traveler's Paradise.

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Winner, winner chicken dinner

Guess what?!  Chicken butt.

It was recently May first!  May first in Tanzania is Labor Day.  There were a bunch of festivities including a 100-meter dash, tug-a-war, chicken catch, soccer game, netball game, etc.   I was really excited about the chicken catch.  You chase a chicken around a big field and whoever catches it first gets to eat it.  I gave my team (Cece and Alex) a pep talk before we started.  I had talked a lot of smack around the village before I started the chicken catch, and already had invited a bunch of people over to eat the chicken, which I was convinced we were going to catch.  Long story short, we got as far as seeing the chicken’s butt running away from us.  Even with my “dive at all costs” pep talk.  We were one up’d by a lady who must have been eavesdropping on the pep talk because she threw caution into the wind and dove head first into the tall, thorny grass which harbored all sorts of insects, spiders and who knows what else.  I am going to practice my chicken catchin’ /divin’ abilities so I can get more than a view of the chicken’s butt next time.

Chicken winner

Alex won the 100-meter dash and his team won the tug-a-war, making him a local hero in Madibira.  Cece and I also partook in tug-a-war; it ended up just being more of a one-way tug.  Our team didn’t give them much of a war.  Tug-a-war is one of those unassuming sports, which doesn’t seem that physically challenging but then the next day you end up being sore.  Like bowling.

Wazungu vs. Everyone Else

My school is celebrating because recently our Form VI (A-level) results came in and we got first in the whole region and 11^th in the whole country.  Not a single student failed!  Which never happens.  Our A-level is really new.  It just started up in 2010.  It is only liberal arts studies at the moment, which is really competitive so this accomplishment from a little village school is amazing.  Even though I don’t teach A-level, I feel such a sense of pride for the students, teachers and school!  Now we just have to work on building our O-level up.

I want to take this moment to tell you about my mkuu (headmaster).  This seems like an appropriate time to talk about him because I believe a big part of the school’s recent success is due to him.  He is the best.  He is charismatic, helpful, knowledgeable, kind, a hard worker, etc.  He is one of the finest people I think I have ever met.  He is one of those people who you have instant respect for.  He is welcoming to anyone and everyone who comes to visit his school and he takes pride in his “middle of nowhere” village school whose recent exam performance has started even making Tanzanians ask, “where is this Madibira?!”   It’s here and it’s a force to be reckoned with.  You’ll see.

The man, the myth, the legend

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