Around 120 languages are spoken in Tanzania. Thursday we visited the open air village museum in Makumbusho, which showcases the variety of house types from around the country. A map from the museum (see below) shows that the Mara region–where students will do their service during the second half…
Students had been split into 4 groups for language instruction by KIU (Kiswahili na Utamaduni, “Swahili and Culture”) teachers. These smaller groups began this morning. Students arriving early snacking at the canteen near the church…
Today was the first day of classes. Everyone made it to Upanga Mennonite Church, where students will have Kiswahili language classes each morning. It was a day to get acquainted with language teachers and set up groups. After lunch there is often a lecture. Today we heard from Pastor John…
Time clocks are starting to change for sleeping and waking after a second night in Dar. We started the day with a bus tour of Dar es Salaam. One of the highlights was a walk through the markets of Kariakoo which sprawl over many city blocks. At the center is…
We had the opportunity to meet with author Neema Komba. She wrote a fascinating story, The Search for Magical Mbuji (which appears in the collection “Safe House” edited by Ellah Wakatama Allfrey). It deals with themes of family, superstition, and arguing with and respecting tradition. She was passing through…
23 students arrived safely tonight in Dar es Salaam! Their flight landed a few minutes early in Dar es Salaam from Arusha. During the day time with everyday heavy traffic it can take more than 2 hours to get to the airport. But students arrived in the evening, and today…
Welcome to the 2017 Goshen College SST unit in Tanzania! We, Kathy and Paul Meyer Reimer, are the faculty leaders. Paul is a professor of physics, and Kathy is a professor of education at Goshen College. Together we have lead 2 other SST units (Cuba and Dominican Republic). We have…
It’s official. The Tanzania SST 2014 group has safely launched from the airport in Dar es Salaam heading home. Students spent the day visiting their Dar host families, resting, and doing some last minute shopping. They will arrive in Chicago on Monday April 7th in the early evening after a…
We just returned this Saturday April 5th from our final 3-day retreat in Zanzibar. We left Musoma on Tuesday morning via bus to the town of Mwanza, also on Lake Victoria. In Mwanza we caught an airplane to Dar es Salaam where we spent one night at the…
Today was a day of mixed emotions! The students all safely arrived back in Musoma from their various service locations and of course were delighted to reconnect and see one another again! However, it is of course also a day of saying goodbye to their host families, friends,…
