3/24/20 Update! A lot has happened since my last post and it's time for an update....from America. That's right, I am back sitting in Allentown. Most of you know at least part of the story, so let me bring you up to date.

We had the soccer match and our village team lost. The rivalry between the village team and the private secondary school team is intense. Most of the students at the school are wealthy in comparison to the villagers, and unbeknownst to me, the village team has never (or rarely) won a game. The students did not hesitate to rub the village teams (and villagers who were present) face in it. They gathered together around us cheering and chanting, so I took the only possible recourse........and challenged them to another game.

During the next two weeks before game number two I started to prepare for my departure from Tanzania. After two years in my village I was scheduled to fly to America On April 5th. My preparations included: identifying who would receive my household stuff (chairs, buckets, pans etc), meeting with counterparts and friends, closing a few projects, and having a farewell meal cooked by the wasichana (girls). I met with the health volunteers and gave them prizes for the work they did in their villages, provided the local primary school with a donated computer, and purchased the wasichana a school uniform so they wouldn't get punished for not having one (or the one they were wearing was rags).

Three quick stories about this: #1 the only place to buy the uniforms is at a market that comes to town once week called Gulioni. It was maybe three kilometers away and I had initially thought to walk the distance. The girls were very excited about going to it and showed up in their finest clothes. This included shoes that were borrowed from their mothers or sisters. It was obvious that we were not going to be making the walk so through my counterpart, I contacted a teacher who owns a van. When they found out about the vehicle the wasichana were all excited because none of them had ever been inside a car. The excitement was palpable as we waited for it to arrive, and they ran and jumped in like it was a ride at a fun park when it pulled up. The experience itself was a little less exciting as the ride took 10 minutes each way, and the shopping took even less time, but it was quite an event for them.

#2 I decided to have mbuzi (goat) at my departure meal. Food is a significant thing to the Sukuma, most likely because of its scarcity at many times of the year. Most of their serious community events revolve around food, and serving goat makes it an even more important event. The goat was purchased days in advance and stood around bleating (is that what goats do?). I seriously tried to avoid it and felt guilty about what I knew was going to happen. I actually have not eaten much meat during my time here due to the expense and challenge of keeping it without refrigeration. The morning of the meal the girls were at my home early thinking they were going to do the slaughter, but we paid a local guy to do it. They were very excited about the prospects, and wanted to watch the whole process. They ran for buckets and bowls to collect the blood, and I watched them cook it up and eat it like it was caviar. They were knowledgeable about how to cook every part from the intestines to the brains, and the meal for my close friends and counterparts was a great hit.

#3 I had been working with an NGO for some time teaching teachers how to use computers in their classrooms. They had several trainings over the two years that I had assisted with. They were using the RACHEL program which is hardware and software designed to give teachers in rural schools access to the internet. (Remote Area Community Hotspot for Education and Learning) This NGO (ASMK) is trying to improve the quality of education for children in the Sukuma region and is operated by the friends and family of the Sokuma Chief. This organization provided the local primary school with a computer and continues to work with teachers to improve the quality of education for the children. There are many challenges faced by school employees and students in Tanzania, and this is not the place to have that discussion, but someday. The school received their computer on Tuesday, March 17th, and after all that work, I had to miss it.  I left that morning for Dar because of the Corona virus.

I'm sure that most of you have heard that the Peace Corps evacuated all 7,000 plus volunteers from around the world. Just prior to this evacuation I was actually talking with the Peace Corps about extending my stay in Tanzania a couple of months in order to avoid the hysteria. I think many of us knew that the safest spot for any of us during the pandemic was in our rural villages far from international travelers and problems. Of course, the evacuation order cancelled all discussion, and I was given a short time to get ready and move out. I travelled to Dar as Salaam and, after booking a new flight On Emirates, was on my way to America.

The problems associated with my early departure continue to mount. My original flight wants to issue credit for another flight rather than reimburse. It needs to be from and to the same place.(Tanzania to America????) All of the medical outprocessing that is normally done in Tanzania was passed on to our doctors in America, and we all know the status of healthcare here right now. Additionally, after a recent treatment of Albendazole in Africa I have significant heartburn, and my sinuses are really bothering me (hot, wet weather to AC and cold weather). All this adds up to the wrong time to be seeking medical support.

The story continues. I'm not sure how things will go here, hell I'm not even sure I didn't pick up COVID 19 in the airports or on the planes. Time will tell. I am watching for symptoms and trying to self isolate, but as most of you know, that's a pain all on its own (though there are some elements of quarantine that are similar to living in the savannah). I will continue to make posts as long as the story goes on.

By the way, the Village of Negezi won the second game and the villagers and the team were going crazy when the school team and all of its supporters stalked off the field. There was a big celebration in the village that night. That doesn't happen very often.

Mwana Kangwa

Photos:
#1 The health volunteers meeting to discuss people in their villages. Each one shared information on who was sick and what they did to help.

#2 The soccer team eating lunch. It was beans and rice for 30 people. This is one way to serve the food, on a big plate where each person digs in with their hands. Eating with hands (right hand) is very common.

#3 The goat (mbuzi) being prepared for cooking. The slaughter of the goat was quick. While it is a challenge for some people who are not used to it to watch, it is a cause of interest and celebration for the people here. The girls wanted to crowd around and watch the whole gory process, as well as grab the best parts as they became available.

#4 Here are the wasichana in front of the van for their first ride. They were very excited about it even though it was over fairly quick. They each got a uniform to wear after I had heard that they were punished for not having the school uniform.

#5 They surprised me showing up for the trip to the market in their best clothes. I didn't realize that it was a big event for them until that morning. I made copies of this photo and gave one to each. I wrote rafiki milele on the back, which I also taught them to say in sign language.

#6 Seems like I always leave behind those important to me. The wasichana are holding up a sign for the MOSH club, another group that will always be special to me.

Video:
The soccer match
The victory celebration after the match