a Peace Corps Tanzania blog - busy busy busy :)

(my new dog, Soni)

The increase from 18 periods to 30 has gone better than I expected. I kind of like being constantly busy Monday – Thursday. It makes me feel more useful as a Peace Corps volunteer. Also it means less time spent witnessing corporal punishment. Additionally this week I have had a lot of secretarial work to do for the Mkuu (Headmaster). So basically I’ve been teaching and grading homework non-stop 7:30 am to 2 pm and then a 90 minutes break for lunch and then typing reports from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. The oddest thing is that this past week I’ve been in a really good mood. Quite contradictory one would think.

I walked into my Form IV class today and told them they must bring in Tshs. 100 for their test next week and they APPLAUDED. I was confused why my students would be happy they have a test and must bring money, one replied “Madam, it is because you only ask for 100 shillings and not 300 shillings like Teacher _____.” I will never comprehend how some teachers can be so dishonest. I request Tshs. 50 for a one page exam and Tshs. 100 for a two page exam. Copies are Tshs 40 each but often 10 or so students will not bring in the money so the leftover covers it. I can’t tell you how many times I hear the students complaining that the teachers are requesting Tshs 200 each for a two page exam etc. I have questioned some about it and they say things like “I use the extra money to buy red pens and a soda to drink while I grade.” Then I start conducting a math lesson….. “A red pen is Tshs. 300 – 500. A soda is Tshs. 300. You paid Tshs. 12,000 for the copies but received Tshs. 30,000 from the students. Even with the red pens and soda it does not add up!”  The common response is just laughter. Alas

In other news…..I’ve decided to adopt a stray dog. His new name is Soni (Swahili for shyness). He has been hanging around my house for months. At first I just ignored him as a friend of my previous dog Hiba. However when Hiba disappeared/was stolen/got hit by a car in September, Soni still preferred to sleep in front of my house. He is called Soni (shyness) because he is terrified of humans. My guess is that his previous owner beat him. There is no concept of animal rights in Tanzania/Africa. And animals are often beaten or starved by their owners. I remember how much my fellow Tanzanians laughed at how I treated my previous dog Hiba ‘kama mtoto/like a child’.  This past week I have been working on getting Soni to realize I am not a threat. Now he longer runs away when I walk by. Also he is willing to eat a few feet away from me. Small steps.