tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85460782838614790082012-02-17T00:39:45.021-04:00Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-29615563633554506792009-11-30T09:45:00.006-04:002009-11-30T12:14:20.069-04:00

The school year has come to a close. The students will begin their end-of-year examinations tomorrow morning, which will finish on Thursday, and then we will have a celebration to mark the end of the year on Friday – it will also mark the conclusion of my time here in Dar.Trying to close this log with a summary of what these two years have been risks falling into danger of cliché or missing the

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-36057966684599083262009-10-27T12:31:00.004-03:002009-10-27T13:26:23.674-03:00

I wish I could take credit for that title, but I am happy to pass credit to the child who, somewhere, sometime ago, wrote it as a prayer describing the silence he heard. Like the child, I have grown very thankful for moments when I am able to hear the spider's silken web being woven. We are enjoying frequent blackouts in Dar-es-Salaam these days. The country is run mostly on

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-23298858718734067072009-09-30T11:53:00.004-03:002009-09-30T12:08:02.043-03:00

Gonzaga has a library – at least one in the works – so this past month the students have begun to discover the wonders of the books and the mystical librarian.We are in the midst of an election year. National elections will be held in January 2010 and so campaigning has begun with the ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), quite literally paving the way. With only a few months left in the term

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-16072158053978661612009-08-31T12:15:00.001-03:002009-08-31T12:20:11.875-03:00

We had a meeting last week in Tegeta, which is a ‘subdivision’ of Dar es Salaam, about an hour and a half in traffic from Gonzaga, the school where I teach. The new academic dean and I were to attend a meeting with academic deans from other local mission schools (schools with some religious affiliation) to discuss the most recent mock examinations administered by this group. These were taken

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-84274469727499175022009-07-30T12:01:00.005-03:002009-07-31T12:34:18.786-03:00

To the faithful readers of this web log, apologies for its hiatus. We are back in the midst of the second semester at Gonzaga and I have returned to my monthly updates. The latest happening in Luhanga involves the installation of a new flag pole in our courtyard at school. The Tanzanian flag now flies Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's, beneath the cloudy skies of Dar es Salaam in July. The

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-79843160961732998582009-05-31T12:45:00.003-03:002009-06-01T11:54:50.292-03:00

May began on a sad note for the Gonzaga community. In my last entry, I wrote about the explosions that were set off accidentally at a local miliary base. One of our boys in standard one lost his father, a member of the military, in the blast. The following week, a boy in standard two's father passed away due to a heart condition. In both cases, the school sent a delegation of students from each

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-6025867148430424712009-04-30T11:38:00.005-03:002009-04-30T12:16:05.597-03:00

"Hujambo?" a neighbour asks as I return from work. I reply, "Sijambo." Translation: No news? No news. Indeed, such was April. Not much to report on this end. We went to Tanga for a retreat at the beginning of the month where we met up with the two volunteers from Moshi. They then came down to celebrate the Easter holiday with us in Dar where we got our fix of fishbowl and other

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-5405509034172402502009-03-31T10:49:00.005-03:002009-03-31T12:15:58.065-03:00

Just finished up a wonderful two weeks with the Family Ford. School had a midterm recess and so during our week off we travelled north to Arusha where we went on safari to see the wildebeests and other wild beasts of this fine land. Despite the draught the country is experiencing due to the late arrival of the BIG rains, the wildlife was magnificient.After four days in the north we headed back

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-85985764160232045012009-02-28T09:26:00.003-04:002009-02-28T09:37:21.951-04:00

Writing about the second month of school during the second year here in Tanzania is far less captivating than it was last year. As I have sat here today setting the school’s midterm examinations, I have been mulling over what I could write about. The month did pass quickly, but I think if I was to look back through past entries I would find that I begin more than half of those with a sentence

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-4608012655499009412009-01-31T11:04:00.003-04:002009-01-31T11:36:01.006-04:00

We marked the completion of our first year at Gonzaga this past Monday, January 26. With one year of growing pains under our belt, we have opened for the second time on much smoother waters. Three weeks deep into the new school year and we are now fully staffed, although I say this with fingers crossed as our final hire's first day is to be Monday. But I feel confident. Nevertheless, we are

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-17287082906760903692008-12-30T07:46:00.004-04:002008-12-30T08:40:25.945-04:00

It has been a busy month. A friend working in Uganda visited at the beginning of the month, four new Jesuit volunteers arrived on the 5th, and then on the 17th we said goodbye to our communitymate of the last year, Kate. After Kate's departure, Caroline, I, and the four fresh arrivals escaped the heat of Dar and travelled north to the town of Lushoto for retreat. Lushoto is a town built into the

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-68473266747978858622008-11-30T11:39:00.004-04:002008-11-30T12:13:43.258-04:00

Tanzania is fully swept up in Obama's victory. Driving into town last week I was driving behind a dala dala simply named, "Barack Obama." Sitting in church this morning, I was sitting behind a woman wearing a "Hongera (Congratulations) Barack Obama!" khanga, a piece of traditional cloth worn as a skirt or as a head dress, with a giant silk-screened image of Mr. Obama's face beside the African

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-60884111942568134652008-10-31T12:18:00.003-03:002008-11-16T11:58:10.918-04:00

We celebrated Eid at the beginning of the month. As Ramadan drew to a close with the crescent moon making its appearance on the 30th of September, the mosques were filled as sheikhs prayed the sermon; their voices echoing through the neighbourhoods from megaphones perched atop minarets. The next day, a holiday, we were invited to break fast with a woman who worked down the street from us. We

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-37590837322334304462008-09-30T12:39:00.002-03:002008-09-30T13:24:50.357-03:00

It's getting warm again. The Dar es Salaam heat is coming as summer looms and the short rains are slowly arriving, adding humidity to the mix. I write with the same feeling one might have before a snowstorm, wondering whether or not a snow day is in the mix for tomorrow. Only today, the decision won't be based on snow, but rather the moon. If the moon is positioned correctly Eid ul-Fitr will

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-53018858584770682362008-08-31T12:37:00.003-03:002008-08-31T12:49:15.956-03:00

August has passed and it is hard to believe that third quarter is already coming to a close. This semester time seems to be passing quickly, so I suppose I am either having more fun or am more comfortable. I think it is probably the latter, which inevitably leads to more of the former.At the beginning of the month, we relocated, something we had been anticipating for the previous eight months.

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-32132609054585921672008-07-29T11:55:00.004-03:002008-07-29T12:47:58.568-03:00

This month we returned to the classroom. We opened on 8th July, following Saba Saba (Seven Seven), a national holiday here and a day reserved for an international trade fair - an event mixing something near the magnitude of the Calgary Stampede with the organization of your local county fair; a very dangerous mixture. We made it to the event after being turned away in the morning from one of

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-35043486011324919632008-06-29T08:14:00.007-03:002008-06-29T10:00:54.414-03:00

Recently, we traveled to the northeast of Tanzania to a town called Arusha. Arusha is home to the entrances of many national parks and is only an hour's drive from Moshi, which boasts the title of housing Africa's tallest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Closer to Arusha is Tanzania's second highest mountain, Mt. Meru (pictured above).We leave again from the Ubungo bus station. This time we are

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-31492006445559111362008-05-31T12:22:00.004-03:002008-06-01T06:25:49.979-03:00

It has been a month of slower moving here in Mabibo. May marked the end (for the most part) of the rainy season and it also marks the end of Gonzaga's inaugural semester. We held our first Gonzaga Day yesterday - a day of celebrating the feast day of our patron saint. The actual feast day is June 21st, but as we will be on June holidays, we chose to mark the end of classes with the

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-27353446515882639222008-04-29T12:01:00.003-03:002008-05-01T06:24:15.917-03:00

Back home, the saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers." In Tanzania, I think the saying goes like this, "April showers bring April showers." Of course, the rains also bring long grass to our yard, providing a perfect breeding ground for snakes and it provides us with precious drinking water, but I would be remiss in not mentioning the wonderful showers with which it provides us.* * * * * *

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-89168336215599457382008-03-31T10:56:00.003-03:002008-03-31T12:31:51.840-03:00

School re-opened last week and second quarter is running much smoother. First session ended on the 14th and after hanging around Mabibo that Saturday as Kate and Caroline finished up parent-teacher meetings, we, along with Father Don, left for Ndanda on Sunday, headed for a four-day retreat.We awoke earlier than normal and groggily walked to the Jesuit residence where Fr. Don was waiting with Fr

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-53920059693215088132008-02-29T08:48:00.004-04:002008-02-29T09:57:10.847-04:00

Two weeks ago, as I made my way into the city centre I was amazed by the number of men working at the side of the road digging a ditch. What was amazing was neither the fact that the new ditch would finally allow for the dirt road to be paved nor that these men were laboring in the midday sun. I was amazed because Tanzanians were, admirably, still relying on their own work force to build and

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-88530821856839394882008-01-22T11:13:00.000-04:002008-01-22T12:26:15.773-04:00

Well, school is in full swing! The students finally arrived at Gonzaga last Monday, giving the school a much needed boost of energy. By the end of the week, we had begun following the daily timetable, almost all the students were adorned with Gonzaga blue and white uniforms, and any student who had dared to return to school with long hair was clean cut. Almost everyone! There is still one child

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-74780019523563796362008-01-05T07:48:00.000-04:002008-01-05T08:44:10.690-04:00

Zanzibar was wonderful. Kate was proposed to twice on the beach. The first proposal came from a Masai named Cheap-o-price, the second time, from a young Muslim man who, in an effort to woo her, calmly explained that all she would need to do in order to convert to Islam was change the way she dresses. Kate was almost convinced, however, the conversation was interrupted by the call to prayer from

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-2015658588040652622007-12-11T09:31:00.001-04:002008-05-01T06:23:19.816-03:00

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

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546078283861479008.post-28413695707794291122007-11-23T09:25:00.000-04:002007-11-23T10:10:13.527-04:00

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

Nicholashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17714038537440833687noreply@blogger.com6