I think the most exciting part of my trip to Tanzania was the fact that I would finally get a chance to do something I’ve always wanted to do: volunteer. You would not believe how excited I was when Fredi told me over Skype that he’d done it: he’d found me a school that needs volunteers in Bagamoyo. This whole first week I had to sit on my hands to keep the anticipation down to a high buzz.
The school is called the Steven Tito Academy, and is a private school which takes in kids from the community who have an aptitude for learning, but the finances to persue their education. I wasn’t sure what to expect, except that there would be kids, teaching, and work to do.
As myself and the other volunteer (named Laura) drove up to the school with a board member (also a Laura…the irony) I was instantly charmed by the location of the school. Attached to a home for orphaned kids, this school was outside of town on what could be described only as a farm, with cows and goats wandering around, a vegetable patch in the back and plenty of room for the kids to roam free. This is incredible.
The kids themselves were immediately excited to meet us and talk to us. They constantly giggled when they discovered that if they shouted out “Laura” all three of us would turn. It didn’t take us long to get acquainted, as we played games in the garden with all of the younger kids from the home running around dangling on our arms, and jumping into the middle of our games.
It didn’t take me long to realize that these children are all bright, but have really different levels of English. Nor do I really know what my job is, and probably never will get a clear answer from anyone. Just teach, the “real teachers” will come back from holiday next week. Ok. We may have no idea how far in over our heads we are but one thing is for sure. I will have a lot to write about…..
For more information about the school and the orphanage: http://www.tzkids.org
