A weekend of visitors from the US & Moonshine Class FIELD TRIP. 17/2 – 20/2

An air of excited anticipation was evident as the SEGA girls were on alert that the visitors were nearly at SEGA….but….

Friday morning turned into evening as delays impeded the visitors’ progress!! Finally the weekend arrived and so did the visitors: Susan Hannah (nurturing Minds Board member) and daughter Shanna, Betsy Crawford, Marc Leavitt and daughter Emily and Robert Pam.

I was on the bus returning from Arusha so missed the first evening of fun!

An electronic keyboard had found its way to SEGA through the generosity of Betsy, Marc and Emily. Marc shared his keyboard skills and worked hard at connecting with the girls through the magical music produced through his keys. This can be a challenging task when your audience is not familiar with your own cultural songs! Nevertheless the girls’ interest in the keyboards was ignited. Their understanding was broadened during a second lesson on the Sunday morning.

The first evening continued with music and having shared their meal, everyone danced their way into the night. Friendships were forged!

This story of excitement was shared many times over as I greeted the girls early Sunday morning for a day packed with more fun and learning.

My head was spinning with the number of stories each Form 1 girl wanted to tell me about their first Field trip to Mikumi National Park on the previous day!

So many beautiful birds, animals….big game….LIVE big game!!!...the reptile park; doing lunch with the public = a new experience as a group!...  Three weeks later the girls are still recounting events they experienced or significant incidents they encountered on that day!

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L-R: Bob, Emily, Shanna, Marc, Susan

Spotting hippos

Adventure and practical life experiences providing intense learning and memorable moments!

The classrooms were buzzing with learning as Bob shared his knowledge of Geography and History; action was abundant on the sport field as Shanna shared her skills and love of football with some of our energetic girls; the big bunda was alive with music, dancing, musical chairs (@ young Martha’s request!); and intense concentration came from the lucky few who were learning the age old skill of knitting…handed down by two of us from a few generations older than the SEGA girls. Two of us who had lived in an era where knitting was passed down from one generation to the next as an activity as integral as learning how to hang the clothes on the line!!

Marc and Emily sharing their musical knowledge

The hardest part about visitors coming to share our world @ SEGA is saying goodbye….and inevitably this came upon us. Colorfully drawn pictures and letters already written for our visitors during the weekend, were distributed with exchanges of promises from everyone to write and keep in touch and, as always, the lament:

“Please come back!”

7 March. Stuck in Jack on my track!!

I got bogged in Jack on the track this morning! Luckily I had my African boots (aka Crocs)  in the back of my car as the mud was sticky and deep. I had to put branches from the nearby bushes under the wheels and Thomas my askari, and some other people walking down the track, helped push but it was touch and go as to whether I was going to get out and then all the way to the Dodoma Road.....slipping and sliding...even Trav would have found it difficult so I think Jack did a good job!!! Dad would have been proud of me!!
Will have to go around the back way when I come home and try to use that track which seems more solid than my track. The fundis had ploughed across my track during the weekend as they were ploughing both pieces of land on either side of the track. They had actually covered the furrows so it was not too bad to drive over in the end....but after a whole night of rain last night the loose dirt had turned to gluggy mud!!!
mmmm....never know what's going to happen when I start my day!!

PS.... Sorry there are no pics....but in the heat of the moment it wasn't priority...I was so intent on trying to get out of the quagmire that it didn't enter my mind! Besides...I wouldn't have been able to access the camera because the mud was too deep at the back of Jack where my gear was! Gotta laugh!

January and February.....and student life moves into the newness!

I was so happy to return to SEGA and see such beauty and color. Leaving Australia was bitter/sweet ....I am NOT good at farewells and, having had four MAGICAL weeks at home with my darling kids, family and friends over Xmas/New Year, I needed a positive injection to lift my heavy heart as the reality of being back in Tz confronted me.

The transformation from the dry, barren environment of December to the lush, overgrown, very green vegetation and assortment of nearly completed buildings, was so beautiful. This vision was so inspiring. Not only for myself but for all the staff who gathered together for planning before the girls returned the following week. 2012 started very positively all round!

Pre form/Non form dormitory, which will be occupied when the June/July intake of students occurs.

Volunteers' house

Preparation to construct the bunks in Form 1 dormitory

Color!! Wow, painting was nearly complete....The classroom block was nearly ready to share its space and be transformed by the energy and enthusiasm of SEGA's eager staff and students, into 

 a productive space of learning for life!

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Teamwork was needed to transport and equip the classrooms with tables and chairs!

Where are you Form 1? We are ready for you....well nearly! We are still waiting for the solar panels to be installed to bring light at night!

Final touches being made to the drains outside the classroom block and looking back towards the bundas and office buildings.

And so the next chapter in the Life of SEGA began:

The classrooms filled and the 2012 Academic year began! 

 Moonshine class, Form 1, greeting Sir Kennedy to begin their English class.

"Good Morning Girls, How are you?...

"Good Morning Madam Fran....we are Fantastic.(often said FRantastic!).. !"

(This has become a daily response from the Moonshine class. One which I love to hear because they become so enthusiastic when we greet each other. However, when I visited the girls in their new classroom, just before their lesson was to start, they were bursting with the excitement. 

I asked them why they were feeling Fantastic? They eagerly told me that they had waited and watched the buildings being built and that it was awesome to be in them and learning. (this is another descriptive word I use with them regularly in the hope of helping them understand different intensities of emotions!!)  

The following picture captures it:.

The academic school year had been going for 2 weeks before the Moonshine Class were able to become boarders and move into their new dormitory....but when they finally moved in.....

They were VERY Happy and again kept telling me that it was fantastic and awesome!!

November, December.....progress....

The short rains arrived throughout November but were short lived and so progress was not hindered. Our construction team worked diligently through the inclement weather...mud and all....to progress quickly each day!

Meanwhile our Form 2 girls studied hard for their National exams. The Sunshine class were SEGA's first Form to sit these dreaded exams which created a very nervous undercurrent in almost everything they did during October and the first half of November. Exams began 15 November and passed quickly...although I know the girls sitting them didn't think so!!

We had many opportunities to explore the building materials and construction process. Many of the girls were intrigued with it all and I found myself answering many questions which reflected their emerging inquisitive minds. "Madam Fran, how do they know how many concrete pieces to make and use?....How do the roof tiles stay on when it's really wet and windy?..."

Form 1 and 2 classrooms which house a staff and store room between them

Form 1 Dormitory 

The volunteers' house. 

During October/November the winds whip up during the afternoon creating mini dust storms and many small cork screws or whilly whillys (is what we used to call them as kids!) When we left SEGA for the holidays, the land was dry and barren and red dust thickly coated anything that was uncovered. Our clothes, hair and bodies always showed a tinge of red as the dust embedded itself during the course of the day.  I marvelled at the fundis as they continued through all weather challenges....some very heavy rain followed by dust, intense heat and humidity.