Message to 3S

November 5, 2010

Habari za asubuhi 3S, 

Greetings from Tanzania. Habari za asubuhi is Swahili for Good Morning.  Swahili is the native language in Tanzania.  All of the children in the village speak both English and Swahili, so it is not difficult to communicate with them. 

This is where I live
Mikumi House

I am living in a coed house with 12 kids and two "mama's". Mama's are woman who care for these children like they are their own. The children in my  house  range from the age of two years to 11years old.  All together there are 63 children living in the village.  

Sharifa
Kindergarden

The only way that I can think of explaining the landscape in Africa is to have you imagine the opposite of our town's landscape.  It is so dry around here.  The ground is dust and the grass feels and looks like hay.  There are very few trees and shrubbery.  The weather here is like our fall weather. There is a brisk breeze with little sun and clouds. 

Gabriella
Pre-school

As you are reading this during your morning meeting, it will be 4:00pm in Tanzania.  Tanzania is 7 hrs ahead of New Jersey.  So while the children here are preparing for bed you guys are having your lunch.  Isn't that CRAZY?!  The children at the village attend school like you guys.  They start going to school in Kindergarden and go to 8th grade. In Tanzania the different levels in school are called primaries, so a third grader would be in Primary 4.   

 From, Julie:)