Tanzania!

giraffegroup

This post has very little news, because it’s been a long day and I need to get to bed to be ready to work at Upendo Academy tomorrow bright and early, but I wanted to share one of my photos from our very first day here. We arrived in Tanzania the evening before the national exams for the oldest children at Upendo, and thus were not allowed on campus. So, we visited Arusha National Park and saw these fellows – tall, calm, not at all concerned about us driving nearby or taking photos like mad!

That visit will my our only opportunity to see wildlife during this trip to Africa, but I am not complaining. I am working hard, amazed each moment of every day at the wealth and comfort we Americans tend to take for granted, and in awe of the four African teachers who are trying to understand the Montessori educational approach with limited English, even more limited funds, and a cultural background that is quite different from mine or Betsy Hoke’s, who began this program. Yet they still eagerly listen to what we say and want to know more.

We had the teachers and our driver, Saluum, up for dinner tonight, and showed them some You Tube videos of Montessori programs, and talked a bit about the classroom environment and ground rules for children’s behavior. Who knows what they really understood, but we had a great time and some certainly was understood.

Now that jet lag is past and I understand a little more about my responsibilities and opportunities here, I will try to post more. This is an experience worth sharing!

I hope all our families are doing OK with the terrible flooding in Colorado. Betsy and I head for our laptops the minute we get home each evening to check on friends and family. It sounds quite overwhelming for some areas of Colorado.

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