In the last few months, I have spent hours and hours on the internet, researching what I need and how much of it. I have read countless blogs of past volunteers and was always excited when I came across a packing list. So for all the future volunteers and for all the curious friends and family, here's what is packed up in my backpack, small travel duffel, and daypack. This is pretty much everything I'll bring with me for 6 months of teaching and traveling through Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.
Clothes
4 skirts
4 dresses
2 scarfs
buff
2 bathing suits
rain jacket
convertible/safari pants
black linen pants
cargo shorts
black loose capris
2 leggings
3 compression shorts
3 athletic shorts
1 long sleeve tshirt
5 tshirts
10 undies
2 bras
3 sports bras
6 socks
sweatpants
sweatshirt
2 cardigans
6 nice shirts/ blouses
4 tanktops/ undershirts
chacos
tennis shoes
sketchers slip ons
flip flops
Toiletries
Shampoo
bar soap
contact solution
extra contacts
glasses
sunscreen
face wash
baby wipes
hand sanitizer
lotion
Classroom Supplies
7 scientific calculators
many diy white boards - page protectors with paper inside
dry erase markers
graph paper/ copy paper
notebook
Extras
cards
frisbee
toys/balls
water pills
smal umbrella
travel pillow
sleeping bag
benadryl gel
bug spray
small first aid kit
laptop
kindle
2 small digital cameras
all chargers
2 usb drives
converters with surge protector
water filter - sawyer squeeze or steripen adventurer
movies downloaded to laptop
textbooks on laptop and kindle
small speakers
2 headlamps
swiss army knife
hat
2 sunglasses
Well that may not be everything but that'll give you a pretty good look into what I have packed away.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
double dawg
It's official. This past Friday, 12/13/13, I graduated from the University of Georgia. This was the last big step before I take off for Tanzania and figure out this whole real-world thing called life. Let's do it.
just because
First world problems read by third world kids.
In my preparations for life abroad, I have had the chance to reflect on the luxury of living in the US. While I understand the standard of living and all the conventions are drastically different, luxury takes on a whole new meaning.
This is a short video I found online the other night. It was too good not to share. It puts so much into perspective and should really make us reflect on what we do have. We should be thankful, not annoyed. Content, not greedy. Easier said than done.
Of course, it's also an ad for water, which is an issue that is close to my heart.
Take a look. Think about it. It's worth your next minute.
#FirstWorldProblems are not problems.
(By the way, I am not asking you to donate at all. I do not even know what organization this is or anything about them. I just thought it was an interesting video.)
Friday, December 13, 2013
Tanzania Education
Now for a little bit about Tanzania education from my understanding...
There is primary and secondary school. Primary school is taught in Kiswahili while English is one of the subjects taught. All subjects in secondary school are supposed to be taught in English with the exception of Kiswahili course. I say supposed to be taught in English because I have heard that many of the teachers do not actually know that much English. Nonetheless, all of the national examinations for secondary school are indeed in English. So while I am technically teaching math, I am sure I will be teaching math with a side of English everyday.
Primary school is for 7 years. It is compulsory and free. At the end of primary school there is a national exam which students must pass to be admitted into secondary school. Secondary school is for a maximum of 6 years but is broken into two levels, ordinary and advanced. O-level is for 4 years and is similar to high school in the US. Instead of grades, they have forms (Form I -IV). Then, A-level (Form V-VI) lasts for 2 years. Due to low passing rates and cost, very few students make it to A-level. Speaking of cost, there is a yearly cost for secondary school. Rates vary especially among public and private schools; however, the average cost for public school is Tsh 20,00 or US $12. While this may seem quite inexpensive in US standards, this is a lot to ask for many families.
Class sizes vary from school to school but are generally much larger, at least twice the size of most US classes. However, students are incredibly well behaved, perhaps partially due to the fact that corporal punishment is still used regularly. As opposed to the US standard, students stay in the same classroom while teachers move from room to room. Tanzanian schools are generally severely understaffed and teachers can sometimes be indifferent or nonchalant about their profession. It is not rare from teachers to not come to school or go to their classes.
Whew! That was a lot about the technical details. I look forward to experiencing the realities first hand very soon!
And for the first of many interesting USAID infographics I want to introduce you to from Tanzania 365... This one is about education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
There is primary and secondary school. Primary school is taught in Kiswahili while English is one of the subjects taught. All subjects in secondary school are supposed to be taught in English with the exception of Kiswahili course. I say supposed to be taught in English because I have heard that many of the teachers do not actually know that much English. Nonetheless, all of the national examinations for secondary school are indeed in English. So while I am technically teaching math, I am sure I will be teaching math with a side of English everyday.
Primary school is for 7 years. It is compulsory and free. At the end of primary school there is a national exam which students must pass to be admitted into secondary school. Secondary school is for a maximum of 6 years but is broken into two levels, ordinary and advanced. O-level is for 4 years and is similar to high school in the US. Instead of grades, they have forms (Form I -IV). Then, A-level (Form V-VI) lasts for 2 years. Due to low passing rates and cost, very few students make it to A-level. Speaking of cost, there is a yearly cost for secondary school. Rates vary especially among public and private schools; however, the average cost for public school is Tsh 20,00 or US $12. While this may seem quite inexpensive in US standards, this is a lot to ask for many families.
Class sizes vary from school to school but are generally much larger, at least twice the size of most US classes. However, students are incredibly well behaved, perhaps partially due to the fact that corporal punishment is still used regularly. As opposed to the US standard, students stay in the same classroom while teachers move from room to room. Tanzanian schools are generally severely understaffed and teachers can sometimes be indifferent or nonchalant about their profession. It is not rare from teachers to not come to school or go to their classes.
Whew! That was a lot about the technical details. I look forward to experiencing the realities first hand very soon!
And for the first of many interesting USAID infographics I want to introduce you to from Tanzania 365... This one is about education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
just how big is africa?
I think this picture just about says it all!
But more specifically... Africa is 3.14 times as big as the US.
And just how big is Tanzania?
It's about
- 2.23 times as big as California
- 1.36 times as big as Texas
- 6.14 times as big as Georgia
- 146.48 times as big as Delaware
Here is the website I found to compare all of these countries/states. It's pretty cool if you just want to play around with it.
WorldTeach Tanzania
So, what's all this about Tanzania?
Well, there's nothing like starting off the new year with a bang! So, on January 1st, I will be leaving the US and flying to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This will be the beginning of my more than 5 months of calling Tanzania home. Here, I will be contracted with the Tanzanian Ministry of Education to work as a math teacher. All of this was organized with the wonderful people behind WorldTeach. This is a pretty perfect first job, right?!
Now, where exactly will I be?
First of all, my placement will be at Biashara Secondary School in Bariadi. Bariadi is in Northern Tanzania. It is close to Lake Victoria and the Masai Mara National Reserve that Tanzania and Kenya share. The second largest city in Tanzania, Mwanza, is only 4-5 hours away (close in Tanzania standards), where I will have access to an ATM and some more urban developments. It is also somewhat close to Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, and Rwanda, countries that I hope to squeeze in a visit to on some weekends!
I will be living with two other volunteers in teacher provided housing. All three of us will be teaching at different schools in the area. I have been told that I should have relatively consistent water and electricity at my house and may even have access to internet! My school, on the other hand, has no electricity and water maybe 30% of the time. Biashara has purchased a bike for the volunteers and I will be using that to get to and from school each day, about a 20 minute ride each way. For someone who has never been fond of wheels, my future of riding a bike this far in a skirt every day is sure to provide many funny stories. This is just one of my soon to be realities/ adventures. I'll be sure to keep you updated!
For even more information about the program, see the WorldTeach website here.
And below are just some great blogs from past volunteers that I found incredibly interesting and useful in my preparations. I have also found many great inspirational quotes from these websites that might appear from time to time.
And with this awesome program comes this disclaimer that I must include on my blog... "The views states on this blog are mine and do not reflect the opinions or positions of WorldTeach."
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
here we go
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