Greetings from Mabibo

As the plane touched down in Dar es Salaam a little more than two weeks, the thermometer on the airplane read 28˚C, and it was only 7 am. Needless to say, Tanzania has welcomed me with a blast of heat, courtesy of the equatorial sun and the warmth of Tanzanian courtesy (please pardon the play on words!). I came via Toronto, where I was able to enjoy a last meal with my friends Tom and Laura, via London, where I barely made my flight after spending the afternoon with a friend, Olivier, who is studying at Oxford. After discovering that my backpack full of clothes was lost somewhere between Moncton and Dar, I was greeted, along with my community mate and fellow first year JV, Caroline, by the two volunteers who have been living here - Kate, with whom I will also be living during the next year, and Susie, who has finished her two-year commitment and will be heading home on December 18.

These first two weeks have been busy attending to newcomer shenanigans, while also juggling around the chaos that accompanies the last week of school. Through it all though, Kate and Susie have been patient with Caroline and me, taking time to show us around our neighborhood community, Mabibo, and teaching us Swahili. We have also met the only other American living in the local community, Father Don Ward, who is our point person in country.

This week I began my work at Gonzaga Primary School, where for the past two days we have been holding admission examinations to help select the students for the upcoming year. I received my teaching description as well! I will be teaching math to Standard III and math, general science, and English to Standard V. Standards are the equivalent of grades, and go up to Standard VII, where students then begin with Forms I-IV, followed by A-Form, which has levels V and VI. Gonzaga is still under construction, although there will be enough classrooms finished to begin the school year in January.

We are heading out to Zanzibar on Thursday for a four-day retreat. I look forward to this time as a chance to look back on the past two and a half weeks, and also to look more closely at what I hope to learn and gain through this experience. And, of course, I look forward to relaxing and swimming in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean!

Stay well, my friends, and thank you for the email updates! It is wonderful hearing from you!

A Final Send-Off from the Great White North!

Well, the day has finally arrived! On November 23, 2007 I am leaving for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where I will serve for the next two years with the Jesuit Volunteers International. While in Dar I am living with two other volunteers, Kate and Caroline, and together we have committed to live in intentional community, practice simple living, and learn about faith and social justice.

This autumn farewell was capped off with a snowy camping trip up to Fundy. After spending a night huddled around a campfire, we awoke to find the ground covered with the freshly fallen snow. It made for a beautiful hike and I will carry those images with me throughout the next two years.

My mailing address in Dar is:

Nicholas Ford

c/o Jesuit Volunteers International

Loyola High School

P.O. Box 1140

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

If you do send something, please let me know since the intercontinental postal system is less than reliable!! Finally, I would just like to thank you all for your support and spirit throughout this process. It has been wonderful talking to you all about this upcoming adventure.

You will be in my thoughts and prayers. Keep in touch!