7 days at Shukrani - Saturday

A day of rest!

The plan:

9 a.m. A session with teachers on Quickbooks

10 a.m. Two students booked to reply to emails

11.00 a.m. Visit market with a student for meal preparation

1.00 p.m. Computer room open for practice in QuickBooks

6.00 p.m. Meal with student

Nothing ever goes quite to time, or to plan. Not all teachers turned up, those dealing with emails were 20 minutes late, we didn't leave for the market until close to 12, and the meal was prepared and eaten during the afternoon.The computer room was open from 1-5 p.m., and then we went to the market again to buy a gift (a basket and fruit/vegetables) for our hosts for Sunday.

It was interesting to see that most of the time at least eight students were present and using the computers - and up to twelve at times during the afternoon. May activities are group activites - and even working on the computer takes on a group dynamic as they share information and try to work out how to deal with a particular process.

During the afternoon we enjoyed our meal - ugali and daga. Ugali is a stiff porridge of maize flour, and daga a dried sardine like fish. Beth helped in preparation, I stirred the ugali (briefly) and we ate a pleasant meal with a couple of students mid-afternoon. Daga may never become a personal favourite, but at least it doesn't have the smell of canned sardines.

By the time we had made our second visit to the market I had enough of the day and was happy to rest. I had also paid more than we wanted to for the 'gift baskets' which we took to our host. My question (Ngapi - how much) was answered "Elfu mbeli" - and I thought he said "Elfu mia mbeli". 1200 Tshs seemed like a good deal.... Elfu = 1000, Mia = 100, mbeli = 2. It was 2000 Tshs, and I learned that my grasp of Swahili number words needs work. In A$ it was $2.50, not $1.50 - but when you use such big numbers for money it seems like a lot. My words now when someone fires off a number in Swahili at me is 'pole pole' - it means gently, or slowly. Sometimes it even works.

7 Days at Shukrani - Thursday

Thursday

Computer accounts class - 25 students attended, only 10 computers can actually run the accounting program! Aagh! They are patient, and I have used the time to introduce a little about the Internet. The ubiquitous Internet Explorer is on all computers, and I have created a few web pages they can browse. I added some earlier in the morning, but they did not work as well on those computers as they do on the laptop I am using. Oh well, I tried!

The shortage of hardware means they swap computers readily, (see yesterdays entry) and help each other often. With an exam/test period coming up next week some are working hard to get things right. When I can I am available to help (lunchtime, after class, and some times on Saturday). I am encouraged by the progress I see.

After that class today we went to the butcher - Butcha Ya Ngurewe. This one sells pork - so Butcher of Pigs. We were grateful that David Watson was with us to guide us through the process. It is best to buy early - and the fresh meat comes in sometime after 10.00 a.m. We were there at about 11.30 am.

On the way back we explored some more areas of the market, bought some groundnuts, and had 'chipsi' at the food hall. Arun is our chipsi man, and we had freshly cooked chips as a snack. A plateful costs 600 (mia sita) shillings (around 70 - 75 cents). I have tried to beat him down to 500...but he won't budge. If he did I would still pay him 600 anyway.

The ladies at the food hall were all happy to have their photos taken, so we will have to have some printed out before we leave. Doris would like us to visit and have some ugali. For a thousand shillings (A$1.20) we get a full meal.

Doris will provide my next meal at the food hall. I'm not sure Beth is as keen to share in that delight.

In the evening one of the teachers, Gad (pronounced Gardi), came around for dinner. Early in the evening I visited what will be his new rooms, and saw the progress being made in their renovation. He has to pay his rent up front - for about 9 months or more. This money is then used to pay for the work. In a few discussions with him I have learned much about the housing/rental market. There is no such thing as a real estate agent, houses and land are not bought or sold, but you gain title to the land by paying the local village, council or government. It works well in the rural areas (where land tends to be granted to a villager), but changes are taking slowly place to introduce a more formal and 'official' system in the cities.