a Peace Corps Tanzania blog - prime minister visits and one year left

So last Wednesday (October 24) my town was blessed with a visit from the prime minister of Tanazania. He showed up with an entourage that defines the word entourage.......i.e. about 10 cars carrying around 40 or so people. The head of CCM (political party) in my town set up the grounds with chairs etc and there was a live band. Numerous "important people" spoke before the prime minister to thank him and give a background. Then the prime minister spoke for about 15 minutes. His speech touched on new roads that were commissioned to be built in my region, places that were to be connected to electricity, the problem of teen/student pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. I was happy that I was able to understand most of his speech (yay for improving Swahili skills). MY whole school and other schools in my town attended the speech so the references to teen pregnancy and HIV were extremely relevant. The prime minister quoted statistics for my region 20% of people who got tested for HIV tested positive and every month 10 teachers (from my region alone) die of HIV/AIDS. HIV is such a problem but it seems everyone in my town is informed about it but still new people become infected. Alas. And the problem of student pregnancy struck a cord for my students since in the last few months 3 form II students had to leave the school because of pregnancies.........granted I do not approve of the fact that when I student is found pregnant they kicked out of school. I believe that only makes the problem worse because now the mother is a teen parent and uneducated, without means to find a decent job.

Alas it was a good speech and it was amusing/interesting seeing how things are done with someone important in the government comes to town.
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In other news we have lost another Peace Corps volunteer. This time it was a closer friend so I was bummed but understanding since the volunteer was not happy here. We started with 41 and now we are down to 31. 

I have a year or so left and even though I love it here I have already started a countdown in my head. I miss my mommie and daddy, I miss my nephews (one of whom I have never seen face-to-face), I miss my brothers and sisters, I miss NYC, I miss my friends, I miss being able to wear whatever I want, I miss technology. And sometimes I get so homesick I think this next year will be painful. But then I realize when I return to America I will miss things about Tanzania.........like my students, the sunsets, the clouds and mountains, my neighbor's kids, my new friends and having my own personal tailor who makes a dress for $3. :)