Fabulous Friday

Friday, February 1, 2019

February began with an unusually high level of activity for us. Ray had arranged with John to drive out to Priskilla’s school, which is about 10 miles out of Arusha. Much of the ride is on  a very rutted dirt road, which at this time of the year is quite dusty. I had been encouraging John to visit this school because when I was there last year, I had a good impression based on what I little I could see, but I wasn’t physically able to walk all around the spread out campus and see many of the buildings and classrooms. John would be able to explore more than I and  as a male would likely have more deference shown to his requests to see classes, etc.

Mary Lou and I had made very different plans for our morning, but when Ray came at 10:00 for John, we rode along past the Impala Hotel and out about a kilometer on Old Moshi Road to find a black gate in a gray cement block wall. John promised to stop by and pick us up again when he and Ray returned from Priskilla’s school.

So, John and Ray continued on to the  D’Alzon Secondary School run by the Oblate Sister’s of Assumption, where 180 girls studying at the O level, grades 8 to 11.  This is a selective boarding school and the girls come from all over Tanzania. Most are far more economically advantaged than Priskilla and had a much more enriched and competitive elementary school experience than she as well. Last year, Priskilla struggled at first, but she worked hard and has proved her abilities. Now she is #3 out of the 60 students in her year.

Classrooms

 

Physics class.

Of course, the first thing John needed to do was meet the headmistress, who then accompanied him and Ray on a tour of the campus. As with many African schools which are located in rural space, the buildings were spread over a fairly large area. The campus is nicely landscaped and kept very neat and tidy. The buildings were one-story and reminded John of those we had taught in when we were at Mulungwishi in the Congo. John visited a couple of classes, the dormitory, and the brand new kitchen and dining room. While the facilities do not quite match the abundance found at Anitha’s Prime School, they are definitely far above average for even private schools in Tanzania.

The dormitory

Priskilla's dorm room

The kitchen

The new dininghall

Meanwhile, Mary Lou and I had found the black gate and entered it to meet the Albino Peacemakers group at their sewing workshop. Terry Morton began her work with the women of this group in 2014, and since then they have developed their skills, products, and marketing to an amazing level. They now have outlets in several shops in Arusha, including the African Heritage Cultural Center, and are fulfilling special orders for a new hotel. The women wanted to improve their English skills, and Mary Lou was going to explore their language levels and agree to become their teacher. Not all the women were present—one was sick and one was at the hospital with her mother—but we met with those on site. After introductions, Mary Lou asked questions about why, what, and when they wanted to learn and discovered that there were likely 3 levels of learners from 0 skills to basic conversational. So, she decided to give two 90-minute morning sessions, Wednesday and Friday, to being their teacher. There was loud applause when she announced this decision.

Terry Morton introduced Mary Lou to the women.

Judy and Dorcas assemble the hotel's order.

While we were meeting, a young man had appeared to pick up part of an order for the new hotel. We watched as the women took the inventory for the items for 6 of a total of 11 rooms: runners for 1 queen-size bed and 2 twin beds, a wall hanging, placemats, napkins, an apron, and a Masai themed checkerboard with beaded circles for the checkers. Each room had its own fabric throughout. This is the largest order the women have gotten so far, and they are busy finishing the items for the remaining 5 rooms. The hotel will also carry other items the women make to sell to their guests.  (In the hope that guests won’t take the items decorating their rooms.)

The women are proud of their largest single order so far.

The women then gave us very unexpected gifts. I had been looking at a particular purse I liked, and they would not let me pay for it. Mary Lou had been wanting to get a ktenge, so when I asked if they could make one for her, they whipped out a couple 3-yard lengths of fabric, and hemmed the ends of the one Mary Lou liked best. That was their gift to her, and she loves it.

Judy is sewing the edges of Mary Lou's ktenge.

The purse I liked is in the lower right hand corner.

Just about then, John called to say he and Ray were returning to Arusha and would stop to take us back to Kundayo. Mary Lou, however, decided that she wanted to walk so she could figure out how long it would take. It was a hot day, but she arrived back at the compound in just about 45 minutes. She is planning on walking both ways when she begins teaching next week.

John and I had had Ray stop by our favorite produce place on our return. John loaded up on avocados, mangoes, and bananas. We eat enormous amounts of these fruits every day! Later, for dinner, I cooked more chroroko with onions, garlic, green peppers, and carrots, and then I added two sliced up Russian sausages from Meat King. This made an incredibly tasty stew which we ate with rice. Of course, dessert was fruit salad with a dollop of yogurt.

Just after our dinner, Mama stopped by and stayed a while for ginger tea and my favorite gingersnaps. Beatrice acted as our interpreter and we caught up on what we each have been doing. Mama examined the purse I had been given at the Albino Peacemakers, and I think she approved of the fabrication. (I’ll have to ask her more directly when we chat again.) Mary Lou modeled her ktenge as well.  It was a very good day.

Mary Lou models her ktenge.

P.S. You may have noticed that some of the women are not albinos; however, these "normal" women have an albino spouse or child whom they need to support, and thus they can join this group. Also, in the photo of Judy sewing, you might have noticed how close she is to the fabric. Albinism causes problems with vision, and so all of the albino women in this group are already legally blind.