Today was really good. The highlight was definitely my swahili class because I really got to connect with the other students on this trip, particularly in our class. I didn't know anyone except for Amber before I came, and the creation of relationships with the other students has been a little slow-going. However, today in our swahili class we were learning how to form sentences in the present tense. Everyone struggles pretty equally to pronounce the words we're learning, but today our teacher taught us a chant to remember the subject prefixes for the negative present tense. At first, everyone was a little awkward during the chant, but then we all got into it and started dancing and making beats on the table. We joked about being a step team and laughed for the longest time. Even the teacher was dancing and laughing. I swear, we spent a solid 10-15 minutes just on that chant because we all enjoyed it so much. One of the girls even took a video of it with me dancing while everyone else was just chanting and it's pretty hilarious, but she probably can't post it to facebook until we get back to the states. I feel like it has really helped me become more accepted (most of them already knew each other before this trip) and i'm hoping to develop lasting friendships with these awesome people.
Day 5: Step Team in Swahili Class
After class I hopped on the bus to the orphanage. My time there wasn't very exciting, but was still very fulfilling. Mysellf, Evie, and Nicole were on laundry duty so we hung baby clothes on clotheslines the whole time we were there. We talked about how we were happy to help them so that the mamas do not have to worry about the laundry, they can just focus on the children. All of us felt like we were making a big difference by doing such a small thing. I hope to get to spend more time with the children, though, because on the way out they were eating lunch and saw us. We stopped to say hello and a few of them quit eating and ran up to us with their arms spread wide. They embraced our legs and laughed. They were so affectionate and adorable! This orphanage is really great and I love the focus on family preservation and reunifications. I also like that they exclusively employ native Tanzanians from the surrounding towns. The children are being brought up in a Tanzanian family-style environment, which means that when/if they are adopted, they will have less trouble adapting.
In Dr. Davidson's class today we learned about afrocentricity. Afrocentricity is a philosophical paradigm that emphasizes the centrality and agency of the African person within a historical and cultural context. It involves a rejection of historic marginality and racial alteration of history while seeking to add substance to the idea of a black perspective on facts, events, texts, personalitites, historical records, and behavioral situations. Afrocentrists try to reposition Africans at the center of their own historical experiences. With regards to this, we discussed how people tend to assume that there weren't societies or intellectuals before the Greeks, but African philosophers began to teach about math, science, medicine, architecture, manners, oratory skills, nationalism, and physics at least 100 years before any of the Greek philosophers.
At home, Baba took us for a lovely walk up to the school where his children go. He also took us to his church and explained that there are 2 Lutheran churches in his village because there was a huge split in the church due to corruption in the late 90's. He sided with the "rebels" and is now chairman of the committee to continue building on the church. We also talked about corruption in the government. He is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. I really enjoy our talks!
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2 comments:
Hi, Bria! So glad you are having such a wonderful experience. I LOVE reading your blog and seeing your pictures - almost like I was there. ;) Hope everything continues to go well for you and can't wait to see you when you get back. love you and ... Salama (is that right?)
It all sounds so interesting. I am glad you are enjoying it all. Blog when u can. I love you
Nanny
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