the result...

The result...!

Im pleased to say my malaria espodie is over! At the weekend I brought a (pricey) self testing kit which involves stabbing your finger many times till you get blood ozoning out- you then aim the stream of blood into a tiny little hole in this plastic thingy and wait. Pleased to say its come back negative for malaria. However I have brought more antibiotics etc ready for next time. On dads recomandation i’ve been forced to pour out my savings on the most expensive anti malaria drug- Marolone, whether it works or not (unlike doxycylonine) we shall wait and see!

To celebrate the end of the malaria episode, me and Neviel (mama Alison’s husband) went kayaking J,  a beautiful paddle of coco beach where we watched many Dows- local fishing boats (i think that the name) going out into the open sea, they were nothing but a few tree trunks stuck together by a few strings of rope, Neveil also did his window shopping deciding which motor “yatch” was going to be his next toy..

After kayaking I went for a swim (without the boat!), but swimming back in I reached the rocks where you had no option but to wade. You feel something very painful in your foot- yes you guessed it- sea urchin! These are not the beautiful spike-less shells many people decorate their bathrooms with, these are the evils of the reefs, the huge spikes would go through anything and break in half in your foot. Despite our efforts to lure the spikes out with pliers, sewing needles, tweezers, boiling water, flame torches it was time for another visit to the doctor. Local anaesthetic was injected, the actual injecting is quite painful! But gives you some relive as two nurses and a doctor are busy prodding your foot with needles and scalpels, 40mins later we got them all out. The deepest being a painful half 15mm below the skin, unfortunately the local anasetic didn’t reach this far deep, the sky certainly changed colour, I’m now on another course of antibiotics- a successful weekend.

Not everything i have done at Buguruni has involved me self harming myself. Being the only voulenteer means theres plenty to do. One of which was make an electronic regeister! Remember the school term has only just started, people have settleled in etc, forget about all that nonsense in the UK where the teachers come in before the term starts to make registers etc, Buguruni- we improvise- full stop. With no records of all the students names kept anywhere (forget the headmasters office) i go round class to class asking for names, the occasional teacher would have made a register (often last years!)- a blessing if it was 2012’s, but many don’t. So I now have to ask 240pupils their names, spelt out in the American signing alperbet, confusing enough. Some classes had no teachers, some teachers had two classes, so and so is sick typically this took forever. Then Mama Hamish told me via skype to go round again and check all the hearing aids- this took even longer!

The afternoons are my favourite part, each day I try to do a different sport session with the kids. Its hard to entertain all 120 boarders, so i either do football, netball touch rugby or just fun and games. The kids aboslutly love this, esp the boys who have now learnt how to play touch rugby (with every other pass been a forward pass- grr!) and they love their army style football fitness- it’s a joy to watch them sweat! 2-3 is way to hot for anyone to do anything, so an old classroom has been stolen and comverted into a playroom, its nothing much but i have managed to get my hands onto some board games, i’m despratly trying to find some plywood (so so rare) to make a table tennis table- watch this space....

Afraid thats all I can say, now I gotta get back to doing my spreadsheet for the hearing aids (took my 8hrs to check everyone rotten earmoulds)

Simon x

the result...

The result...!

Im pleased to say my malaria espodie is over! At the weekend I brought a (pricey) self testing kit which involves stabbing your finger many times till you get blood ozoning out- you then aim the stream of blood into a tiny little hole in this plastic thingy and wait. Pleased to say its come back negative for malaria. However I have brought more antibiotics etc ready for next time. On dads recomandation i’ve been forced to pour out my savings on the most expensive anti malaria drug- Marolone, whether it works or not (unlike doxycylonine) we shall wait and see!

To celebrate the end of the malaria episode, me and Neviel (mama Alison’s husband) went kayaking J,  a beautiful paddle of coco beach where we watched many Dows- local fishing boats (i think that the name) going out into the open sea, they were nothing but a few tree trunks stuck together by a few strings of rope, Neveil also did his window shopping deciding which motor “yatch” was going to be his next toy..

After kayaking I went for a swim (without the boat!), but swimming back in I reached the rocks where you had no option but to wade. You feel something very painful in your foot- yes you guessed it- sea urchin! These are not the beautiful spike-less shells many people decorate their bathrooms with, these are the evils of the reefs, the huge spikes would go through anything and break in half in your foot. Despite our efforts to lure the spikes out with pliers, sewing needles, tweezers, boiling water, flame torches it was time for another visit to the doctor. Local anaesthetic was injected, the actual injecting is quite painful! But gives you some relive as two nurses and a doctor are busy prodding your foot with needles and scalpels, 40mins later we got them all out. The deepest being a painful half 15mm below the skin, unfortunately the local anasetic didn’t reach this far deep, the sky certainly changed colour, I’m now on another course of antibiotics- a successful weekend.

Not everything i have done at Buguruni has involved me self harming myself. Being the only voulenteer means theres plenty to do. One of which was make an electronic regeister! Remember the school term has only just started, people have settleled in etc, forget about all that nonsense in the UK where the teachers come in before the term starts to make registers etc, Buguruni- we improvise- full stop. With no records of all the students names kept anywhere (forget the headmasters office) i go round class to class asking for names, the occasional teacher would have made a register (often last years!)- a blessing if it was 2012’s, but many don’t. So I now have to ask 240pupils their names, spelt out in the American signing alperbet, confusing enough. Some classes had no teachers, some teachers had two classes, so and so is sick typically this took forever. Then Mama Hamish told me via skype to go round again and check all the hearing aids- this took even longer!

The afternoons are my favourite part, each day I try to do a different sport session with the kids. Its hard to entertain all 120 boarders, so i either do football, netball touch rugby or just fun and games. The kids aboslutly love this, esp the boys who have now learnt how to play touch rugby (with every other pass been a forward pass- grr!) and they love their army style football fitness- it’s a joy to watch them sweat! 2-3 is way to hot for anyone to do anything, so an old classroom has been stolen and comverted into a playroom, its nothing much but i have managed to get my hands onto some board games, i’m despratly trying to find some plywood (so so rare) to make a table tennis table- watch this space....

Afraid thats all I can say, now I gotta get back to doing my spreadsheet for the hearing aids (took my 8hrs to check everyone rotten earmoulds)

Simon x

The white man’s graveyard...

...Yesterday, i didn’t feel well at all. Had a huge headache and felt really tired, typically enough being a bloke I just told myself it was dehydration and carried on likewise. During lunch yesterday I was just having a small powernap where I was woken up by some western strangers who immediately asked ‘what colour is your pee?’ the theory being if pee was yellow I’m dehydrated and need to keep drinking till it turns white! If it was white- then I got to see the doctor.

It was white, then they told me about this wonderful blood testing kit i could find at a chemist, telling me whether I had malaria or not, so accomplice by some lads from school we looked round the local chemists where to my embrassement a pregnancy testing kit was found thanks to the language barriers!

On the way back from school the lads took me to the local health clinic where we all signed up for a malaria blood test for the grand cost of 30p each! (the other lads didn’t have the symptoms, but seemed like fun for them) We went into the lab where a chap made us surrender a single drop of blood each to inspect, we then got the results everyone except me got 0/200 where i got 2/200, now i was exactly feeling too comfortable!

At least the doctor had enough English to say ‘you have malaria’ but no more English to explain the path of treatment! He just wrote down the drug in Swahili and told me to goto reception, where again we met huge language barriers, resulting the lady writing out the treatment plan in the sand! Something my life may depend on, shame i didn’t have a camera!

I got home and called dad, literally straight away he asked what’s wrong? What have i done now?! Typical if your son rings you when he normally doesn’t!

 I just asked him to check it was the right treatment- having a professor as your father does have some highlights, But probably more lowlights! He said it was fine it was all good. I just hoped he would have the sense not to tell mum- which silly enough he did!

Malaria is a big problem here yes, speaking to Judith (boss!) I’m the first Tanzanear (the charity supporting Buguruni school) volunteer to catch malaria, so that kinda tells you how easy it is to be avoided! Yes I’m on anti malaria tablets, sleeping under a mossie net. But im not covering up under long trousers nor using repellent- so hands up- I’ve learnt the lesson the hard way, which is like the only way i learn anyway! My recovery is doing well, just simply taking a whole load of vitamins and antibiotics and taking it easily for the next few days (with the odd day off school!)

Looking at the village of hope blog, the hockey set kindly donated by Ally at Kings road toddler group has finaly been put to regular use J! It has been used previously in many one off events but it is now well loved! http://thembavillageofhope.blogspot.com/2012/01/jolly-hockey-sticks.html?spref=fb

Please do pray (those of you!) that I make a proper recovery and I’ll be back to doing sports with the kids soon.... plus mum- who’s obviously very worried! Tomorrow i will be doing another test, i shall let you know how it gets on....

Simonx

pictures

aplonagies! the previous post was written in such a rush, after reading it today it didnt make a huge amount of sense (to me included!), so the sort it out, some photos added.....

the bedroom, 40 lads shared this room!

lunch, this is the same everyday, will never complain about blount hall food again!

me and some of the lads, white skin really sticks out!

a sleepover!

A sleepover!

Its been years since I’ve last done a “sleepover”, guess the teenage version (slang) would be crashing at someone’s house...

On Saturday night I decided to sleep in the older lads boarding house, not only just to experience the difference between Buguruni boarding and Mary Hare boarding but to also get a crash course in Swahili sign language (a world apart to BSL).

After spending the afternoon playing soccer, learning a Tanzanian board games (draughts i think?!) and chilling , the carestaff used us in to our dormitories. Boy- Mary Hare is like a 5*hotel compared to here, in one long room the was two rows of 20 bunk beds and at the other end was the toilets (more of an open sewer as the plumbing was down). It was clear there’s a survival of the fittest element, the older stronger lads got the beds at the other end of the room wheres there’s no smell from the open sewer and most importantly were the only functional fan is based. A fan is godsend in this climate!

Into the night i learnt a phernomonal amount of Swahili sign, played more draughts and the kids proudly showed of their processions in their tiny lockers. Each chap only had a handful of clothes, only enough to fill a plastic shopping bag and nothing more, nevertheless they were surely proud of what they had.

After a shower, which consist of pouring a bucket of water over your head in a doorless shower cubical where the lads marvelled my white tummy! The lights went out, then suddenely the lads started playing football slash rugby inside in the dark, it was an awesome game (nothing wrong with been young and stupid is there?!) after a while of intense head banging bruised limbs the carestaff took notice. Through the window we could see him walking along to the main door, in typical Mary Hare fashion everyone (including me to much anderliling) everyone rushed to hide under the sheets before the carestaff would come in. But the chap wasn’t quite quick enough (Jacko/Blue/Stewart would sprint to an event like this!) so he caught nobody, shame!

On Sunday morning a women woke us all up at 6 o’clock, I thought she had her days muddled up (Sunday come on) but apparently not when she returned with a cane like stick. Everyone was summed out of bed to get dressed and go outside a sweep the school grounds. Which is kinda pathetic i think, there’s no breakfast anyway, no activities run by the carestaff who could have at least let the kids stay in bed for another hour or so instead of getting up at 6 to sweep and the bum around all morning- grr!

simonx

jambo!

jambo means hello in kiswahili (say's john mkulima!)

im now in the second stage of my trip, yes i have arrived in Dar es Saalam (Tanzania) where im voluntering at the Buguruni School for the deaf. Buguruni is actually a sister school too mary hare school, which i where i used to go.

after getting of the much delayed flight, the fist thing the strikes you is the heat, then suddenly you releaise that you cannot breath at all! the air is soo stuffy, which makes you sweat 24hours a day 7 days a week. the first challenge was tackelling the customs, it soon became apparent that it was there to keep forgeniers at bay. the whole process took 2hrs, going backward and frow sorting out the paper work- if your passport didnt contain something like a yellow fever certifacte you were sent to the back of the queue to start all over again, on the second attempt the offical saw i was from Britain and immedaitly asked for my European health card, i thought she was joking, appartly not- but ever so luckenly i for some reason had it in my wallet! this is pure control freaks at their best- the world's teaming with them...

i then arrived at the convert, yes a nun's house where im staying for 3months, but dont get me wrong, they are lovely people- nothing like the hollywood steriotype you see in the traditonal movies, but a little bit more like sister act! they love there singing and dancing, and can do it all night long!

one thing thats immedaitly obvious is the hospitallity of ALL tanzanian people, every single person you meet in the street say's jambo (hello) and welcome (i forgoten already!) and thats every single stranger, teacher child you meet. if you do have a conversation, no matter how long 30seconds, half an hour 2hours, the conversation always end's by asking for your phone number! in one day you could have a dozen new friends!

the school itself is a beautiful place, but thats credit to all the children here all of the cleaning whether its cleaning floors desk in classrooms, or cutting grass picking leaves outside, its all done by the children. every morning 7to half7 and again at midday. obviously its never going to happen in British schools, but imagain the money you would save, espacially with that free child labour!

now i've finally found a cheap way to access the internet! you can expect many more blog updates to follow :D

simonx

a white christmas.....

after picking up dad, sis and a very overexcited/emontional mother from the airport we drove up to grabouw where the first 3 nights of our mini south afria tour would begin.
apon arrival rob (boss) gave the newcomers the health and saftey briefing where he went into great depth explaining the different ways you could die on the farm, and proudly hinting out all the recent snake siteting's, much to mums discomfort!
dispite the family being jet lagged from a 11.5hr flight we went to the country club where rainbow smileys had there christmas party, a braai (SA bbq) which was then follewed by fun and games, where the professor enjoyed high 5'ing everyone in style.
a grand tour combined with soup run took up most of the following day, this gave the others a great insight into what village of hope does in a much needy area. a quick transformation from the third world to the first world was made when we went to a carols by candlelight service, hosted outside in the backyard of a vineyard!
after a tough day of taking 7 kids plus housemums to the beech, we drove throught the evening to montangu. aparitly we drove so some beautiful scenery which i didnt appraciate as my eyelids were tight shut thoughout the journey- theres always next time. this was SA wine country, guess what we did...
then a drive up to george where we stayed with my old teacher of the deaf, i seldomly forgot whe sue cattinham was but it became a bit obvious when a women came running at me, hugging me saying 'simon, you've grown so big, you were like this big when i last saw you!' we haved a whale of a time, learning stories of landrover trips to Bostwanna, to other stories of funnerals where the poor chap was eaten by a loin and only his head was left in the coffin, which rolled up and down and banging on the wood in the coffin at the funeral (this may be steve pulling my leg, but good story otherwise!)
a flight from george aiport (more like bus stop) in a plane which cost $127millon- although it only had 31 seats! brought us to durban.
we spent one night in durban, where we drove round exploring, the 'white man game' simular to the mini game was invented- some indicator to how strong black/coloured community durban is! not a single white person for miles, althought the streets were full of crowds 6 people deep!
susshsuwi safari park is where we spent christmas eve/day and boxing day. all days was packed of driving round the huge park trying to tick off all the animals in our book, we even celebrated christmas with monkeys on our belconany       :)
we did do one guided safari with a zulu guide these people are just so knowledable, can talk for like hours about a single animal such as the dung beetle! yet they have such awesome eyesight, we would for instince look at a hill, looking really hard see nothing, yet mr zulu says rino there, graffi there x bird here and so on without any effort. yet when driven round i tried to stop him as i saw a elephant in the distance, yet zulu guide doesnt even bother to brake- it was only a rock!

the last few days were spent in st lucia, which is the most north westeren town on SA coast, a beautiful place. where days were spent snokelling, on the beech, exploring the wetlands which was full of hippos and crocs and night time hippo safari in the back garden of the B and B!

that is i hope the last two weeks in a bombshell! the family is now back in the mirable uk, when im spending the last few days in the VoH before traveling onto the next stage in Dar :)