I am really starting to settle into orientation. I am so sorry I have not been posting daily. Our days have been packed full! When I get to my site I will get in my routine and definitely become more regular about posting. Monday we had sessions all day at the hotel conference room near us.

Our first session was on Multiple Intelligences. That was so interesting. We all had some background knowledge on that, students learning in different ways. Some retaining information better in auditory ways or visually. Some kinesthetically, naturalistically, spatially, logically or musically. We took a test and my learning style was kinesthetic (learning by doing) and interpersonal which is social (talking it out). So from these answers I am most likely to teach in these ways so it was important to remember to incorporate other learning styles in my lesson. Our next session was on teaching vocabulary, at first I didn’t think this would be too helpful for me considering I am not teaching English but Ali pointed out how much of a struggle it is for students here in Math and Science to understand the vocabulary. If we cannot teach the vocabulary the students are never going to understand the concepts. For example she gave us the word inaudible. You would break the word down and say in- means not and audible means to hear so inaudible means -to not hear, but what about the word inspect, the students would think in- means not and spect- means to see so it would mean –to not see, but this word is irregular. So the English language has so many examples like this and it is very hard for the students to remember. When they take the National Exam after Form 4 if they do not pass, they can retake form 4 and try a second time to try again but if they fail again that is it they cannot do anything but be a farmer or a shop keeper. If you get a C or D you can be a nurse or a tour guide, but only As and Bs allow them to go to advanced level and continue on to university level. It is very much a privilege here to attend university and it is very much a challenge. Last year nearly the entire country of Africa failed their national exams. The ministry of education even curved the exams and made it where if you make a 21% that is a D, but nobody seems to be able to pass because the RELO the people making the exam is making it SO challenging. Teachers get past exams, world teach volunteers even look at them and say half the time there are 2 right answers for every question and it is just so challenging. The big struggle here is that the students have no critical thinking skills. The teachers only teach by writing notes on the board with no discussion, guided practice, or activities. Many teachers don’t even show up for class or send their notes with a student who has good handwriting to write on the board for the class so they copy in their notebooks. All the students do is strictly memorize. A good example of this was in Vocabulary when Ali said she would teach her students what the word –realize- was but if they saw the word –realized- or –realizing- they had no idea what it was because it wasn’t the exact word –realize- that they had memorized. They don’t have the critical thinking skills to realize that the word just had different endings.

We had lunch at this local spot not too far away. I got chips mayai (eggs with fries in them) and fresh mango juice J. It is Tanzanian manners to wash your hands before you eat and afterwards or everyone eating around you think you are very gross. It is taking some getting used to! They have such good sodas here! The coke is amazing and the fanta, they have this lemon soda which is made from real lemons which I really love! Anddddd yall know I love gingerale and they have this soda caused stony tanga weezy and it is made with real ginger I mean it is so strong!! And soo yummy! I am sure it is perfect to have when you are sick!

After lunch we went to Airtel to buy our phones and modems. Oh my gosh was this such a process I cant even begin to tell you. All eight of us got phones and internet and the guy processed it all on his little flip phone. I was so amazed. They still use sim cards here! So they processed my sim cards got them activated then I had to go to the next shop where they sold lotions and perfumes and buy airtime for my phone and modem. Then I came back and he tested them out. Then I went to another lady to get my phone paid for that she activated that, and then went to a different man to get my modem (its wireless!) and he activated that! My phone allows me to call all throughout Africa to my field director and my other friends in orientation and I can text and stuff. My modem allows me to connect my computer and phone to wifi. Lets cross our fingers and hope it works at my site. This is the coolest part! When I run out of airtime or modem time I buy more time through my phone, I never have to go back to the shop to pay my monthly bill. So no matter how remote my village is I can pay my bill on my phone to get more airtime. And this is not an iphone people this is a dinky phone I mean it still has T9 word! Throw back for ya! Airtel took about 4 hours no lie, after all that we went to Mambos for dinner. Such a cool place!! It is all outside, only plastic chairs and plastic tables but sooo good. You literally get half a chicken to eat with naan! I got lemon flavored chicken it had curry flavor too and I got garlic flavored naan with a fanta. Oh, and we took a bajaaj which is the motorbike thing, me, Ali and Shana! It was a lot of fun and so delicious, one of my favorite dinners yet!