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