Day 9 Jambo!
It is day 9 in Tanzania and it was our second day of school at Banjika. Everyone has settled into routines at their homestays and formed new connections with their homestay siblings. In the morning, after tea time (which by the way has the best donuts!!), we played netball which is like basketball but you cannot dribble or move with the ball. The Americans had an unfair advantage being taller than the Tanzanian students which resulted in a Menlo school victory. Because there were only 7 players on each team, many people observed the game and learned handgames from American students. All the Tanzanian students were so interested in the American games like "slide". After the game, we all went to lunch and ate classic Tanzanian foods like rice, beans and meat.
– Allie
Hujambo from Karatu!
To follow up on Allieʼs message – after lunch we started a collective project of building an incinerator. This new structure is designed to provide a space for girls to put tampons and pads when they are on their periods. Currently, some female students skip school when they are menstruating, forcing them to fall behind in class. The experience fostered deeper connections between the Menlo and Banjika students through manual labor. After a few hours under the hot sun at the worksite (we remembered sunscreen of course ;), everyone was ready to cool off in the shade. The Banjika students sang "Despacito" to the Menlo students and the Menlo students returned the favor by singing some Beyoncé. Singing proved to be yet another form of bonding between the Tanzanian and American students. All too soon, it was time to return home. Several students made plans to meet up and play cards while others learned new household chores from their siblings (like washing clothes and making Chapati).
– Maddie
