After spending eight weeks at Tamani I went to Paje for a one week break. As I returned with the dala-dala (the public buses) to Matemwe and stepped out I heard someone call “teacher Susanna, teacher Susanna.” I looked around to see where it came from and two kids from Tamani came running towards me with the biggest smiles ever and it felt like coming back home.
Let me try and sum up some of the highlights of my trip:
I worked with bubble groups from KG2 and Grade one, a group of kids selected for more one on one instruction. Some of my students even made it to Star of the week, so just imagine the pride and joy I felt at that time. Art with Grade one and two was so much fun. We made marackas out of toiletpaper rolls, boxes out of paper and only paper, 3D drawings of hands, chatterboxes and painted paperweights that my fellow volunteer Cattis made out of concrete.
Physical education with Teacher Ramadhani and grades one and two was quite the workout; Kids laughing so hard that they cried when I fell trying to stretch like Teacher Ramadhani, who used to do acrobatics… And laughing hysterically when we had a mini triathalon and other fun games in the heat.
And what about the adventures we had in computer class with teacher Makame. I don´t think I´ve ever heard my name so many times within such short amount of time.Teacher Makame also happened to be my and my fellow volunteers’ Swahili teacher and those always ended up in giving us tons of laughs, and also really useful for my future career in speaking swahili I must say.
I’ve been given lots of names in my time here. Let’s see; Teacher Susanna, teacher Susy, Teacher Sosso and last but not least, my favourite; teacher Fofana!
Some of my other favorite moments at Tamani included reading an entire book for the children before assembly in swahili and not being corrected once (yesss!!), and Zanzibari cooking lessons with Mati and Chef Duchi in the kitchen. One more thing, Matemwe has an amazing beach and the sunrises are out of this world.
All the friends I`ve made on this trip, some of them for life, you made this journey even better than I could have imagined, you know who you are! And a big up for the Somji family for giving this opportunity of doing something good for these wonderful kids in Matemwe. I hope that I´ll be back someday.
Ahsante!!
Love,
Susanna (Fofana)
Art class with grade one.
Sports class with T. Ramadhani.
Matemwe sunrises!
One on one maths