Wakike na Wakiume

Even in the States we are all about empowering women. I think it is a great idea, yet there are some ways this can be improved upon. In some of the poorer countries there is still a need to empower women, but in the richer countries I think we need to start teaching men that women are empowered. What is the point of women’s empowerment if only women believe in themselves? Yes, a woman can get things done but she needs support of the community- that community includes men. Here in TZ, many volunteers are focusing on boys’ conferences to teach them how to treat a female with respect- this is the next step in women’s empowerment.

Problem Solving..Engineering Style

Today we had a meeting about how to give an exam. It was hilarious as people came up with every situation and tried to talk about it. This is what happens in a room full of engineers. Nothing ever gets accomplished because every situation is logically thought of and each situation demands an answer. I was thinking about programming and how when we program we need to consider all cases. The only bad part is the meeting then goes on forever like a very complex program.

And this got me thinking about myself-I wish I wasn't so logical sometimes..maybe then I could just live life instead of analyzing everything.

But the best part of this meeting was when in typical style they asked for payment for giving an exam. Here in TZ teachers get payment for extra things liking giving final exams and marking papers..but that is the culture here, though they are trying to get away from it.

Mungu akipenda...if God wishes...

Just to be clear, this has nothing to do with Tanzania or Peace Corps; I am very happy here.

I don’t know why things happen the way they do- they just do. But I know somehow, somewhere they play a part in the grand scheme of life. Sometimes events change the course of your life, like the winter wind affecting a snowflake in the sky. Right now, I am that snowflake. The wind has changed what I am going to do with my life; it has made that decision for me-I just have to follow through, whatever that means. At this moment, I am thinking about the Robert Frost poem, “two roads diverged in the woods”, yet of course in this instance I am not taking the path, but instead I am forced to take this path by events that I cannot control. I hope this is all part of some master plan that gets even better as life goes on, because right now I am feeling the opposite of happy. I know I am definitely learning a lesson from this event, maybe I am a stronger person now because of it and it might help me in my quest to do extraordinary things. The path is vaguely clear, however; the event took all stability out of my life and has forced me to take some risks. And hopefully these risks will, as Frost states, make all the difference.

Wow...6 months

Time has flown by fast with almost 6 months left here for me. Lots of happened. We had some protests at school which everyone was sent home for 3 weeks to come back so that they can take finals. The management was trying to punish students by doing this but I think they have punished us teachers (well the ones that care if the students learn) as well because we don't get to finish the syllabus for the students to actually learn something. And also 40% of their grade comes from homework, etc...I don't think the students did enough assignments to properly assess a 40% grade. No clue why they sent students home just for not showing up to class one day (that was it for the protest, no violence).

Plans for after going home are to travel around South India and finally hit my last continent Austrailia. Hope to hike the Overland Trek while I am there...and maybe enjoy New Years Eve in Sydney..it all depends on when I get there.

So by the end of this month I should be done with my last full semester teaching here. It's kinda scary and sad...I do love this place but it will be nice to go home..