Now I am in Tanzania

Hamjambo!

Hi. I am writing this from Tanzania.

I arrived at the airport around 3p.m. on 25th. We have already spent 4 days here in Tanzania.
Now the rainy season is over, and it is said that now is the best season to visit Tanzania. It isn't too hot.

Dar es Salaam, which is the largest city in Tanzania, has many hotels, shops, good roads, and also very nice beach. You may see sharks around some beach, so it is dangerous to swim there, but the sea is very beautiful. (I guess the sea in the Zanzibar islands must be much more beautiful.)

Since we arrived here, we saw many Japanese used cars which have many Japanese letters on the bodies. It made me feel very strange. I heard one story about these. One Japanese happend to take a local bas here in Dar es Salaam, and the bus was the same bas which he used to use when he was a little boy to go to his kindergarden every day.

From next week, the Swahili training will start again, but now I am a bit relaxed.

I'll write again.

Tutaonana tena

I visited the mayor and the governor.

Hamjambo!
I am home now. I'll leave for Tanzania on 24 June from Kansai Airport, but for a while I am home to prepare for my trip.

Also we, the JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers), are assinged to visit the mayors and the governors of our home town. I visted the Yokkaichi mayor the other day. Three of us visited hime together. By a curious coincidence, it was found that three of us graduated the same elementary school! From the small local town, three people will leave for Chili, Cambodia and Tanzania in this month.

The next day, four of the JOCV members who are from Mie Prefecture. Four of us visited the deputy governor. Three of us are teachers, and we will be officially sent to other countries. After one year and monthes, we will be back to the same school and work again.


These are the four JOCV members who are from Mie Prefecutre, and each of us is going to Chili, Cambodia, Tanzania and Ghana.

Tutaonana tena.

The training is over.

Hamjambo!

Yesterday was the last day of our training. About 160 trainees spent 65 days in the traning center together.

The day before, we did the 10minutes presentation in the class. My classmates spoke about their job, hometown and so on in Kiswahili. I spoke about my students a little and Korean drums and the music. To be honest I couldn't understand all of what my classmates talked, however, I could understand most of their speech and I could ask some questions in Kiswahili. I realized what we have obtained for these two months, and I appreciated my teacher who taught us very patiently and enthusiasticly.

We gave present to my teacher after the last lesson, and my teacher said, " I am happpy that you made efforts. However you should continue to work hard even in Tanzania. Study study study until December, then you will be able to communicate well."

On the last day of the training, we had a graduation ceremony and reception. Thinking about the 65 days traning, it was not so long but not short, I had feeling something happy and sad to farewell friends, teachers and staff. We, the trainees, will be sent to over 25 countries all over the world, mainly Africa and Asia. I just hoped every trainees will be fine and do their assingment well and all of us will return to Japan safely two years later.

I will be at home until 24 June.

Asante sana. Kwaheri. Tutaonana tena.

Photo: Our favourite classroom.

Outdoor Lesson

Hamjambo!

This week we had two big events. One was "Outdoor Lesson", and the other was "The International Exchange Day" As for outdoor lesson, we went to the farm garden with our teacher and we used our target languages in real situation. The day we went out was a sunny day, and it was really good day to go out. We went to Miharu Farm Garden by train and taxi. My teacher is always very enthusiastic to teach new expressions in Kiswahili, so her lesson started immediately after we, the students, met her at the station.

We saw beautiful flowers and had lunch at the organic food restaurant. Even during the lunch time, my teacher wrote down some new words for us. It was a good opportunity to learn words and phrases in such a situation. She looked happy in the garden or happier than usual , since she always loves flowers, and she often brings flowers in the classroom.

Something hard is waiting after something fun. We had to write a report on the outdoor lessaon in Kiswahili on the day. As for me, it took nearly an hour to finish it...Anyway, it was a really good program.

Next time I'll write about the International Exchange Program.

Tutaonana tena. (see you again.)

Tanzanian Cooking

Hamjambo !

Hi. Last week we had a cooking lesson.

Our Swahili teacher taught us how to cook Tanzanian food. We made a sort of stew with beef and banana, onion salad, curry with tomate, okra and beef, okura soup, chapati and spice milk tea.

The banana we cooked was very hard, and we had to peel their skin by knife. The taste and texture of the cooked banana was like potate. In Japan, we think banana is just a fruit and never cook them, so it was interesting for us to taste cooked banana.

During the cooking, we learned several expressions and words in Kiswahili. Next week, we are supposed to do a short presentation about our mission in Tanzania in Kiswahili.

By the way, I will leave for Tanzania on 24 June.

Have a nice weekend.

Tutaonana tena.

Midterm Exam

Hamjambo !

Today we had a mid-term exam. I was really tired.

The test today had three parts. The first period was for listening test, and the second period was for a grammar and writing test. In the afternoon, we had oral tests.

As for the oral tests, at first, two of us were tested together and we were told to demonstrate a conversation at a sort of cafeteria. One of us ordered coffee and donuts, and the other was a waiter or waitress. After that, we were interviewed individually for about 10 minitues.

The exam today was much more difficult than I expected. Especially the oral exam was difficult for me, since my teacher spoke faster than usual..... Anyway I faltered and asked some questions again, however I think I managed to anwer them.

Half of the training schedule has finished. I wonder how much my Swahili will develop.

Today the concert will be held at the gym in this training center. I'll go now and I hope I can enjoy it and have nice time then.

Tutaonana tena !

My diary in Swahili

Hi.

One day my teacher told us to write our diary in Kiswahili. Actually she tells us to do it from time to time. Please have a look my diarly in Swahili. I translated it into English below.

(The photo: Tsurugajo Castle in Aizuwakamatsu. I went there this weekend by train from the training center. It was the first time to take a train since the training had started. It took about two hours from the training center which is on the mountain. )

(Swahili)

Alhamisi tarehe moja, mwezi wa tano, mwaka elfu mbili na nane

Kuna jua leo. Niliamka saa kumi na mbili. Halafu nilinawa uso na nilipiga mswaki saa kumi na mbili na dakika tano. Kabla ya kula, nilijipodoa. Kisha nilikwenda kula chakula cha asubuhi baada ya kufanya mazoezi ya riadha. Leo kuna shuguhuli za namna za pekee. Mimi pamojya na watu watano tuliondoka NTC saa mbili na robo na tulikwenda Day Service Centre Nihonmatsu kwa teksi kubwa. Tulifika Day Service Centre saa mbili na nusu. Mfanyakazi wa Centre alitueleza kufusu ratiba ya leo. Wazee wana matatizo ya kufanya vitu mbalimbali. Kwa hivyo tuliwasaidia wazee, wakisogea, wakila, wakioga na kadhalika. Wazee walikula chakula cha mchana saa sita, kwa hivyo tuliwasaidia wakati ule. Halafu sisi pamoja na wazee tulitazama video. Wazee walirudi nyumbani saa tisa na nusu. Baadaye tulisafisha chumbani. Kisha teksi kubwa ilikuja na tulipanda teksi saa kumi na dakika kumi. Tulifika NTC saa kumi na nusu. Kisha nililala kabla ya kula chakula cha usiku. Halafu nilioga saa moja. Baadaye nilijifunza Kiswahili na niliandika shajara.

May 1st, 2008, Friday It is sunny.
I got up at six. Then I washed my face and brushed my teeth at six ten. Before eating breakfast, I made myself up. Then I went to have breakfast after doing exercise. Today I had a special activity. Five others and I left the training center called NTC at quarter past eight and went to Day Service Center Nihonmatsu by big taxi. We arrived at the Day Service Centre Nihonmatsu at half past eight. A staff explained us about the schedule of the day. Elderly people have difficulties to do anything, so we helped or supported them when they move, eat, take a bath and so on. The elderly ate lunch at twelve o’clock, so we helped them then. Then the elderly and we watched video together. The old people went home at half past three. After that, we cleaned the room. Then a big taxi came and we got on the taxi at four ten. We arrived at NTC at half past four. Then I slept before eating supper. Then I took a bath at seven. Later I studied Kiswahili and I wrote my diary.