Overcoming a Life of Challenge with Laughs of Joy

There are a few sisters who come from Namibia each year to study at the Trade School in Hanga. Two are currently here with one studying plumbing and the other electricity. An older sister from the same convent in Namibia has stopped by to pay a visit and check in on her fellow sisters. She has only been here a few days, but must leave to visit other sisters who are attending school elsewhere. I was in the refectory when she was speaking with Br. Germanus about the time she wants to leave. He was telling her how there ‘maybe’ a car ready for her sometime in the next day or two and then he gave a range of hours it may leave. This is typical here and it only results in delays and postponements. The sister looked at him and said “No, I don’t want maybes, I want a precise time.”

Once I heard this I think I shed a tear. Way to go, sister! It felt good to hear someone asking for a precise time. She told me if all I get are these ‘maybes’ then I’ll never end up leaving. I laughed and agreed. It’s true. It is very hard to pin down a time on things here and so you must take control of the situation yourself. I think she lit a fire under the brothers butts because soon she had the Prior and Procure in speaking with her. She leaves today. Ha!

Another person who is departing is the Italian volunteer who has been here only a short time. Antonella is heading back to Italy on Friday. She told me she must get back to attend school.

Eating goat meat

Considering she is leaving, Christa set up a dinner for us at Saint Monica’s (the small restaurant in the village). She had them prepare goat meat and chipsi. There are a large amount of goats in this part of the world (or at least where I have stayed during my time here). Even so, you must order the goat meat ahead of time and so she had. It was really good. It is similar to most other meats, but did have its own flavor. It was fun to try.

Afterwards, we went for a walk around 7:30PM. It is dark at this time, but it is one of the only times you can spot the bush babies. A bush baby is a type of monkey. They have small heads and big eyes. They like humans and so they will peer down at you from the trees. We were lucky to spot three of them while walking. They were jumping from the branches that hung over our heads.

While at the refectory this morning we were discussing chiefs and different tribes throughout Tanzania. I mention this because the chiefs in Tanzania differ a bit from those in Zambia. In Zambia, chiefs still hold a large amount of power. You must speak with them before moving ahead with any plans that involve their area or village. In Tanzania the chiefs are not as powerful anymore. The president and government are the people with the authority. Chiefs still exist and are very much present, but they mainly just mingle with their tribe. The tribal languages still exist even though Swahili is the national language. There are many tribes and, therefore, many languages.

Though, the language I focus on in class is English. Teaching has been going well. While teaching at Saint Benedict’s Secondary School I try my best to incorporate a game into the lesson. I have mentioned before that hangman is a favorite. It works well too. I can pick a word and then incorporate that into my lesson. If I want to discuss nouns, verbs, heteronyms, synonyms, antonyms or most anything involving the English language it works. It helps keep their attention as well.  I also allow the students to come up and choose their own word and have the class guess. This empowers them and allows them to get time standing in front of the class. I think that is beneficial.

One of my students in front of the class

The students at Saint Benedict’s Secondary School are a little younger than those at the Trade School, but they participate and respond much more than their older peers. At the Trade School it can be difficult to get them to participate. I will ask them a simple question and most will just stare at the board. I understand English is difficult and it’s not as if I am some protégé at Swahili, but they have been studying English for some time now. Yet, they are lost when I ask, “What is wrong with this sentence?” The sentence could be “I’m student at the University of Minnesota.” The simple mistake is that we have left out the indefinite article “a”. Kiswahili does not have articles like English does, but all the more reason to teach it in an English class. This makes Swahili even more difficult for us English speakers. Well, at least when trying to speak in Swahili I feel like I am constantly creating incomplete sentences. That’s just how it is, though.

When out on my long walks I have noticed a girl named Mary wandering about by herself. She also tends to be carrying a large piece of sugar cane. She will always quickly approach me and then just laugh and hold my hand. She speaks to me in Swahili. When I cannot understand her I will respond in English which she then repeats.

Mary is fun to be around and when I take out my phone to snap a picture she marvels at it. Mary may be mentally challenged, but she does not lack in personality, kindness and laughs. I always find her to be in the happiest of moods even though she faces the toughest of challenges.

People who are mentally challenged in this part of the world are not sent to school. In fact, I don’t believe they are looked after much at all. I am sure some are, but I have never seen Mary with anyone else and whenever I do see her she is always wandering about. It must be incredibly hard living in extreme poverty, but then to have an extra challenge added on top is something I believe we cannot even begin to understand.

I have met people in the same condition as Mary while in Zambia and Songea town. Knowing these people deserve the most help and receive little to none is heart-breaking. It’s incredibly difficult to witness the state in which they live. My friend Raphael whom I travelled with to Dar es Salaam has hopes to one day join the monastery and start a house for people with mental disabilities. I hope his dream comes true.

Mary and I

In these past couple of days I have come down with some illness. After messaging my Mom we believe it to be either the flu or malaria. It is difficult to know just which one you may have while living here. Whatever it is, it hasn’t been too kind to me. Even though I have begun to feel a little better I have started taking my emergency pills that are prescribed in case I come down with malaria. Those suckers should knock out whatever is happening on the inside. I’m still blogging so I guess that’s a good sign ha J

I just checked the Minnesota Twins record for the first time this season and all I have to say to that is “Yikes!” Even if I have said some un-fanlike comments about them in the past I am still very much a fan. I sure do hope they begin to turn things around soon.

Well, that’s it for now. I hope everyone is enjoying their April.

Thanks for reading!