African Child Care at its Best

Its hard to believe that our volunteer time in Bagamoyo is actually up…

Last weekend we ventured into Dar es Salaam for some shopping and to stock up with junk food….We went to the famous Kariakoo market, which turned out to be one of those African overcrowded markets you see on TV!!

Crazy Dar Market

Anyways, luckily there was a huge group of us, as we soon realised we were being followed and ‘accidentally’ bumped into by a few men, so we soon got out of there! Wasn’t the best idea going there, but an experience in itself… : )

So since our last update, the other volunteers in our school have left, so its just the two of us with 75 out of control kids!
We soon found our favourites within the group… They all seem to have such strong personalities for being so young…Its made the whole program so much easier to stick out just by working with these kids everyday as they have been so much fun… As soon as we walk up the road to school 70 odd kids coming running out and don’t stop until they are under our feet! After the sweaty walk to the school you would think that would be the last thing you would feel like, but we both can’t help but smile!! (we don’t remember liking our teachers this much!!)

However, in class its a different storey. They go crazy (we have got videos don’t worry..!) Occasionally the local women will come by the school and scream at them to be quiet (which we silently thank them for) as sometime we just have no control at all! We actually have to use a stick (just as a threat!) as no amount of yelling or stern looks will make them listen unless there is a threat of seriously being hit…the odd tap on the bum does help though!Jimmy the owner of the school was actually doing some chanting one day while we watched on…The kids just scream back whatever he says, and that’s how they learn the alphabet/numbers etc…The chants this one day went something like this…
“sit down”
“sit down”
“be quiet”
“be quiet”
“shut up”
“shut up”
“I will slap you”
“I will slap you” and that part comes with the slapping action as part of the chant!!
They had obviously done this chant before and it sound very wrong but it was actually hilarious to watch. The kids just love it regardless of what they are actually saying!

Gret’s fav student is tiny Sofia who is just 2.5 years old….

Grets fav Sophia

Her parents let her come along to school just to keep her busy and she’s so gorgeous walking the kms to and from school every day…she really is just a baby & seems to have fallen in love with Gret (because she picks her up all day long!) but is just terrified of Jem..

Hates Jem

Jem’s favourite is Hassani…

Jem & his fav!

He is the smartest kid in the class but is also the class bully. If we are struggling to control the class we just hand the stick to him, he says something in Swahili and they all just sit down and face the front. He can also translate what the little kids are crying about every two seconds.. plus he adores jem

Mayhem

Walk to school

Every Friday is beach day….no teaching at all, just a full morning at the beach… It was a bit scary to think what Health & Safety would have thought of the whole situation back home! Just the two of us would walk the 75 kids down a highway to the beach, screaming at them to get out of the way of the trucks!! It’s a long hot 3 km walk and by the time we reach the beach they are all stripping down, clothes EVERYWHERE and straight into the water…they don’t go very deep, but we can’t watch them all! They are all very resilient but it’s a relief when they all come out alive!!

CHAOS at beach day

Jem keeps all the boys entertained with sprints down the beach and odd game of soccer…

Beach Race

Gret just plays with the babies who are too scared to get wet! Then its chaos trying to put clothes back on wet sandy bodies and there are ALWAYS tears!

Competitive spirt comes out

The hot walk home kills everyone, but thankfully we have started organising water to be bought for the kids to drink…they savour every last drop!

Maje (water) time

But if they don’t get their water all we can hear is a monotone cry of “Sir Sir” or “Madam Me”!!!

Sir & Madame

For our last day yesterday we bought them all ‘cassava’ from the local women…Its like deep fried parsnip with salt…actually kinda yum and you get three big pieces in some newspaper for the equivalent of 5 cents! So we got 75 of them and although it literally caused a kid stampede, they loved it and it was good way to finish the month…

Gret staying on shore

Living in Bagamoyo has been really easy…we have made friends with a big group of Rasta men, who have made ‘friends’ with some of the single muzungu volunteers and most weekends there is a “beachie” party with them all singing and drumming under the moonlight…its pretty surreal!

Show off

Our favourite Rasta’s name is KITEBO and he has recorded a few songs so we bought his CD for about 1 aussie dollar. All the rest of them have dreds down to there bums and can’t really communicate so its just hand slaps and fist rubs all round.

We live on the 20 cent massive mangos that are everywhere here and so good…and only 20 CENTS!!...puts our prices at home to shame!

Our local mango shop

The walk to school involves Gret running from the bulls that roam the roads and Jem being amazed at the size of roosters here! Its just so relaxed and just nice slow pace of life… By the time we walk home for lunch it would be about 45C and humid as anything..

Dirty Dirty

Gret can’t talk for that half hour and is straight in the cold shower. Sometimes we get home and there is no electricity and no water so we have to just sit there in a lather of sweat while we watch the Africans walk past in jeans, jumpers and alot of the time beanies!! Crazy

Long Walk Home

Beach View

people!

Main Drag

BUT its time to move on and we are flying from Dar to Kampala, Uganda on Tuesday morning...

Gorillas, white water rafting, quad biking and more game parks await!

Love to you all!

Jem & Gret

x x x x

written by

jem_gret on January 29, 2007 from Bagamoyo, Tanzania

from the travel blog: East Africa and beyond....

Send a Compliment

Sounds like neither of you will ever complain again, about Bar Centrale or Promo Work!

Look forward to your return!

Cheers

written by Simon Turner on January 29, 2007

Hello J & G, At last a check of the blog site and a fantastic update! Realise it must be difficult to access a computer. Mum ran into the kichen with a big smile on her face to make a cup of tea and return to the computer to savour the blog. We have blown up the photos to see the detail - they are billiant. Mum is now on the phone alerting the rellies! Thankyou for the detail and the pics which give us a really good idea of your experience. The little children look so beautiful. I'm sure you will remember this experience for the rest of your lives. Sounds as if you are now ready for new adventures and the gorilla trip will be totally different - I would love to experience the gorillas in their natural habitat. Please take care. We think of you constantly. Love, Dad.

written by ian ellis on January 29, 2007

Awesome blog guys!! Helped imagine what you guys are up to and the photos are sensational. once again ansy and i have tears in our eyes. must be sad for it to come to and end but exciting times ahead.
lots of love from an island in Brazil
Llama xx

written by Alana on January 29, 2007

Im so jelous! those children are so cute! have fun on your next adventure...
love mill
xx

written by Amelia on January 29, 2007

Amazing adventures and experiences! Perhaps i had beetre give you both a job at KPS when you get back....you can even bring that big stick! I will sned a copy of Blog to Norma & John...they love to hear what you are up to.
Enjoy the next phase of your travels and looking forward to when you both are home again.
Love Rod & Jenny

written by ROD HOLMBERG on January 29, 2007

Jem & Gret, I'm so glad to hear you both survived the White water rafting. Dad & I felt a little sick following the text to say you were just about to launch into 35 kms of rafting, particularly after Liss' experience! Obviously you had quite a few interesting experiences too and hopefully decided you have had enough of that!!! At least you are both safe & sound now, I hope!
Grass is green here now but hot w/e approaching. Went for practice fly yeaterday with Dad - no comment. Heavily into golf at present, getting better but handicap getting worse! Kirsty happily back teaching her own class & liss & Hamish painting more rooms in spare time. lots of love again Mum Bindi xoxoxo

written by Belinda Ellis on February 1, 2007

gday gg and jj!!!
the whole trip sounds awesome and no doubt ya still loving it! i reckon Zanzibar sounded amazing and wouldnt be able to cope with the little kids like you guys did. here its same old with ranks n i having been at lorne/melb and pretzel being at the dope with his fam. tommy n porter have been kicking round the house still but there houses look like theyll be coming into action soon. yeah i've just been rowing and working (was just in Sydney, sick!) but no other news, so keep having a great time and we'll catch ya soon,
salada burch

written by burchell on February 1, 2007

Hey G and Jemmy!

Its ebb and xands from Sydney.. just showed Xands your blog.. too good. Having an amazing time in Sydney, was so good to see xands and have just been chilling in the sun most days. Missing you both terribly and soon you will be back with us, G-bang whats the go with the party situation?
Love you both and take care..
Love always
E-bone and Xandz xoxoxoxo

written by E-bone on February 4, 2007

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