MARCH AND APRIL 2014 – A TANZANIAN LIFE FILLED WITH DANCING, GIGGING, AND TRAVELING

The months of March and April were busy with traveling between America and Tanzania, going on two safaris at Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater with a graduate school colleague and lifelong friend, beginning a new semester, gigging at a local restaurant, and learning many cultural/life lessons. Prior to going into descriptions of these experiences, I’d like to share with you a little bit of information regarding a dance competition I attended at the beginning of March.

 

In early March, a select group of secondary students from the government school, Uraki, participated in a dance competition. The competition had different categories (e.g., step, traditional) and various secondary schools from the Arusha area competed. Two of our music students at Makumira prepared this group of Uraki students to participate in the traditional dance portion of the competition. Our students, Megan and Ndale, did a wonderful job preparing these students and the Uraki secondary students gave a terrific performance. Unfortunately, Uraki did not win that competition, but their performance that day was definitely worthy of positive acknowledgement. They were authentic, expressive, precise, and energetic. They also had a lot of fun and were proud of the quality of their performances, which is worth a lot more than any trophy/certificate.  Many lessons were learned that day regarding doing your best, giving your all, and remembering that a competition yields results that are based on the opinions of a few individuals of a select performance on one particular day.  Hopefully next year’s Uraki participants will reap the tangible rewards of a job well done.  On to my personal journeys….

 

I traveled between America and Tanzania so much in March and April that I lost track of which time zone I was in at any given moment. My travels to America in March were completely personal. There were important issues that had arisen in my family to which I had to attend immediately. Although the circumstances were less than ideal, it was nice to spend quality time with my boys. After returning to Tanzania, I learned Texas Tech University wanted me to visit their campus, give some academic presentations, and meet with various members of the faculty and student body as a part of the interview process for a faculty position at their institution. Therefore, after only approximately 2 weeks in Tanzania, I boarded another plane and returned to the states. In addition to interviewing for a position at Texas Tech, I was able to spend the Easter weekend with my family. Talk about a nice bonus! Although my visit was short, it was so nice to be in the presence of my family again, especially my amazing children. Dalton, Tristan, and I had so much fun over the Easter holiday. Having to leave them again was the hardest thing I’d done in quite some time. While I was returning to Tanzania, in fact I was preparing to step onto a train to change terminals at the Houston airport, I received a phone call from Texas Tech within which I was offered the faculty position for which I’d just interviewed! Talk about another nice bonus! So, it looks like I’ll be returning to Texas in August and becoming a Red Raider. I will miss living in my home away from home and being around all the amazing people I’ve gotten to know over the past two years, but I’m looking forward to returning to my home state and joining the wonderful faculty of Texas Tech. As I’ve been told many times, I guess I better get my guns up (smile)!

 

Prior to and between my trips to America, I was able to perform a couple gigs with some of my former bandmates from last year. Gary (saxophone), Excel (guitar and co-vocals), and I, along with Hussein (new drummer) and Gary’s wife (percussion) played a night gig and an afternoon gig at this new restaurant called The Fig and Olive. The gigs were a success. It’s so nice to make music with these guys again (including Richard on bass when he’s available). Very fulfilling…

 

Between my two trips to Texas, I also hosted a visitor. My former graduate school colleague and lifelong friend, Dwayne Wasson, visited me in Tanzania. Unfortunately, due to all the flight delays I experienced while trying to return to Tanzania from Texas, he actually arrived two days prior to me. Luckily, Carol was on campus to play host for him and she enabled him to feel very comfortable until my arrival. While he was here, he gave a lecture to our students on instructional strategies and worked with some university and secondary school string (violin and cello) students. He and I also went on two safaris together: Tarangire National Park (the home of several hundred elephants) and the Ngorongoro Crater (the home of more animals than you could ever imagine seeing in one place). Of all the safaris I’ve been on, and that total is now up to 7, this had to have been one of the most exciting. My gosh… You would not believe all that we experienced while on this safari. We saw 12 black rhinos (it’s rare to see even just one), witnessed an entire pride of lions feasting on a wilderbeest that had been killed earlier that morning, and then watched in disbelief (and even disgust) as the laughing hyenas decided to devour all the leftover parts. It was unbelievable! I felt like I was living a moment from the Discovery Channel. By the way, hyenas literally laugh when they’re “excited.” I thought the woman in the safari vehicle in front of us was laughing uncontrollably at what we were observing (which seemed a bit strange). I quickly realized it was the dang hyenas! Extremely unreal and a bit creepy…

 

The first week of Dwayne’s visit also marked the first week of the second academic semester. I absolutely love the courses I’m teaching this term: Latin Music History (yes, that’s a first, but I’m drawing from my experiences with teaching the graduate level multicultural course I taught at UT, so it’s all good), Brass Techniques, Brass Ensemble, Applied Brass Lessons (10 students), Conducting (which I get to co-instruct with my colleague, Leena), and Music Education (which I also co-instruct with my colleague, Carol). I’m also supervising 3 third year students (seniors in this program) in their completion of their research projects. Although the load may seem a bit heavy at times, the rewards of teaching the music students at Makumira are so great that the load is one worth bearing. Kabisa (Exactly)!

 

I’ve learned so many cultural/life lessons over the past two months. Some of these lessons focused on food, others on roles within the family, and still others focused on the approaches one chooses to take to life. Food… Oh my… I had an interesting conversation with a student about foods that some people choose to eat in this part of the world compared to foods that some people choose to eat in the western world. I couldn’t believe it, but this student informed me that some people in Tanzania eat elephant and (prepare yourself…) even dog! I couldn’t believe it! I seriously thought he was joking until another student confirmed this information. My gosh… I went into shock. In my attempt to share with this student some of the “interesting” foods that some people in the west choose to eat, I informed him of frog legs, snails (i.e., escargot), pig feet, and pig ears. The student’s reaction to my list of “interesting” foods was quite hysterical. Immediately, he said, “You have got to be kidding me! Oh no… Just stop!” He could not get over that westerners could eat these things. The only exotic foods we could agree upon were antelope, alligator, and pig intestines (i.e., chitterlings).  Mmmm… Tamu sana (very delicious)!

 

About family roles, I had a student tell me that, in his opinion, men are the heads of households and women are second to their husbands. He stated that for decision-making, they can work together on those tasks, but when it comes to daily responsibilities, the man is the person in charge. He even put this into a biblical context regarding which roles men and women are expected to assume. I couldn’t believe it! I even told him that. I made my standard, “Are you kiddin’ me?” response. He wasn’t kidding. He was very serious. He also gave an example of getting an unwanted visitor out of the house (i.e., bug, critter, etc.). Now I was with him there. Goodness knows, I am such a wimp when it comes to little critters in the house. Even since I’ve been here without my family, I’ve had to ask male students to come to my house to assist with getting rid of lizards. So, I was with him on that one. Well, the conversation progressed and then I posed a question regarding income. I asked him about women who make more money than their husbands. Specifically, I asked him what does he think about a woman earning more money than her male counterpart (as we know, some of our American men face challenges when it comes to having a wife who earns more than he does). His response: “I call that a blessing, my friend! Anytime money is able to come into the household, it doesn’t matter who it’s from, it’s a blessing.” For some reason, that struck me as funny. So, the man is the head of the household, in charge of most things concerning the family, but when it comes to money, it’s okay for a woman to make more than her man because that’s a blessing. Too funny…

 

Lastly, I learned a beautiful life lesson this month. As I approach the final three months of my time in Tanzania as a Fulbright Scholar, I’m trying to make sure that I prepare myself for the transition better than I did last year. Last year I was a mess! I had so many challenges with adjusting to life in America that I am not sure I ever fully adjusted. I’m trying to make sure that I’m more prepared this time. I have, already, however started to have moments of sadness. Well, last weekend, I was having some of those moments and a very wise student shared the following advice with me:  Live in the moment, my friend. Enjoy the present. Tomorrow will happen. The future will eventually become the present. (That’s inevitable.) But for now, cherish every moment that this day brings.  This student has continued to provide me with frequent reminders of the importance of enjoying all that the present day has to offer. Yes, we must plan for the future. This is one way in which our cultures differ. As Westerners, we are constantly planning for the future. Although there are clear benefits to living one’s life in this manner, there are also some drawbacks. Constantly planning for the future may lead one to forget to immerse oneself in the moment and fully appreciate the present. Many people in the Tanzanian culture, subscribe to that way of life. Live for today. As challenging as it is for me to make that transition (personally and culturally), I have decided that those are the very words that will carry me through these next 3 months. I will find a healthy way to balance my need to plan for the future with my equally important need to live in the moment. Asante tena kwa mwanafunzi mzuri kabisa!

 

   

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 2014 – BIRTHDAYS, CONCERTS, AND… FIRE!!! WOW!!! FIRE!!!

February is a month filled with special birthdays and a very special holiday.  I turned 45 this month (shhhhh…  please don’t tell anyone) and my mom is in her 70s.  Unlike most birthdays, I woke up on this particular morning (February 12) feeling quite sad.  I missed our family tradition of someone bringing me breakfast in bed and I missed the sounds of my kids waking me up with a Happy Birthday song.  Ramon sent me a gift:  Money!  As I picked up my “gift” from the local Western Union, the nice man behind the counter wished me a happy birthday (since he’d seen it on my passport).  What was my reaction?  I cried!  My gosh, the hormones of a 45 year old woman…  I said thank you and I cried.  I cried because here was a stranger giving me my first birthday wish of the day.  Not my kids, not my parents, not my husband, but a stranger.  Granted, he was a nice stranger, but a stranger nonetheless.

Luckily, the day became happier after that moment. I returned to campus and had a student sing “Happy Birthday” to me over the phone.  I drove to the other side of campus and, upon exiting my car, was greeted by a colleague and another student who also sang “Happy Birthday” to me.  I went upstairs to the classroom and upon entering the room, four students played (piano, trumpet, percussion) and sang “Happy Birthday” to me.  All those beautifully performed birthday greetings made my heart very happy.  The rest of the day was also nice.  Several students and friends sent me birthday messages to my phone and via Facebook (asante tena) and one of the students even purchased a birthday card for me.  I had lunch with a colleague and a recent graduate of our program and I had a wonderful dinner at one of the extremely nice restaurants in Usa River.  At the end of the day, Ramon, Dalton, and Tristan called to wish me a happy birthday.  As one may expect, Dalton gave a beautiful performance of the birthday song and Tristan gave me a silly performance.  Apparently, according to Tristan, I am now 102.  I guess that’s how he sees me.  Oh well…  Hamna shiida (No problem)!  As long as I don’t look 102, it’s all good.

Mom also had a birthday this month.  Oh, how I wish I could have been there.  On the weekend of Mom’s birthday, the internet was AWFUL!  Therefore, after our concert at the Arusha Community Church, one of my colleagues and I went to a local restaurant to access the internet so we could Skype with our family members and send some emails.  Thankfully, I was able to talk to my mom (who received the flowers I’d ordered for her) and to wish her a happy birthday.  Later that day, Ramon and the boys went to her house for a birthday celebration.  As much as I wish I could have been there, I’m just glad she had a happy day during which she was surrounded by people who love her dearly.

This month was also filled with concert performances galore!  We had three end of the semester concerts:  Two at Makumira and one at the Arusha Community Church.  All of the concerts went really well.  The concerts at Makumira were filled with performances of the brass ensemble, many traditional dances, choral ensembles (mixed, men, women), and other small ensembles.  I had so much fun conducting the brass ensemble, dancing four different traditional dances,  and singing with the choirs, which are comprised of students and faculty members.  Although the audience seemed to enjoy all the performances, I personally believe one of the highlights was when two of our first year students became creative with their use of fire.  Yes, you read that correctly:  fire!  We have some first year students who have toured internationally as a part of a circus and they are very impressive performers.  Well, one of these individuals eats fire and the other likes to put fire all over his body and … (wait for it)…  in his pants!  Oh my!  It’s a sight to behold!  They are both amazing dancers, but when they break out the fire, I can only think of one word to describe my reaction:  WOW!!!  I kid you not, Hadija really eats fire!  Heri, her fire-loving partner, brings her a tray of flaming papers and she eats them!  Then she takes him a stick with fire on the end of it and that fire goes places where fire does not belong!  Unbelievable and…  WOW!!!  Needless to say, the audiences enjoyed that portion of the program on both dates.

The concert at ACC also went well, but was very different.  First of all, there was no fire.  Instead, there were performances of the brass ensemble, choral ensembles, recorder ensemble, chamber orchestra, solo trumpet, baritone, piano, voice, and flute (that would be me…), and small ensembles with guitar, voice, and percussion.  I really enjoyed having the opportunity to play a Bach Sonata, a Telemann Suite, and a piece by Saint-Saens with my colleagues, Leena and Carol.  Our students did a wonderful job with this program, too.  Considering the event occurred in the middle of the final examination period, I thought the students were terrific.  Sometimes we ask and expect so much of them and, as is the case with most music students around the world, they always deliver.  From attending additional rehearsals (asante brass guys…), to running to the market of Leganga with me to get ndizi, biscuti, na maji (bananas, cookies, and water) so students would have snacks during and after the performances (asante Andrea…), to loading and unloading all the equipment required for a concert away from campus (asante Excel, Hussein, and others…).  You ask of these students and they deliver, which leads me to my next point.

Why did I return to Makumira for a second year?  First of all, it’s quite an honor for Fulbright to have renewed my contract.  From what I have heard, that doesn’t happen often and I feel truly fortunate to have been given an opportunity to spend a second year in this beautiful country.  Secondly, the students are nothing short of amazing.  I really enjoy teaching and learning from the students of Makumira.  They have the biggest hearts, an incredible work ethic, and they are truly interested in learning all they can learn.  How do I know they have big hearts?  By the way they accepted my family last year and continue to accept me this year.  My heart fills with joy every time any of the second year students call me Dr. Mgole.  I will forever cherish that Sukuma name that they shared with me.  How do I know their work ethic is incredible?  Despite the challenges they face on a regular basis (e.g., power outages, internet outages, limited resources), they always deliver.  They submit their work in a timely manner (even if the power/internet was out…), they will even rehearse/complete exams in the dark, and they’ve learned how to use technology in such creative ways to obtain the information/documentation that they need.  These students are some of the most resourceful and creative people I have ever met and they continue to astound me.  Lastly, they are here to learn!  The level of attentiveness and active engagement they display in my classes is quite impressive.  I used to think that they hung on my every word because I was “that American professor who speaks English too quickly.”  Now, some of that may have been true, but I now realize that these students hang on my every word because they’re fully understanding me and they’re wanting to acquire as much information as possible.  Who wouldn’t want to teach here?  Of course I miss my family, especially my kids, but I feel truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to be a repeated academic and musical presence in these students’ lives.  And I am incredibly thankful to still have each of them as repeated personal, musical, educational, and cultural presences in my life.  Truly thankful…

Well, I better wrap this up.  Most of the pics in this posting were taken from my current house and “old” house.  Unfortunately, I don’t have any concert pics.  I was too busy performing to take pics.  🙂  I hope you enjoy these pics of some of my “natural” surroundings and some of the “indulgences” that I like to enjoy while living in Tanzania.  Siku njema kwa wote (Have a good day, everyone)!

JANUARY 2014 – The Emotional Journey from My First Home to My Second Home

Maybe I shouldn’t write this blog entry while having a sad moment, but it seems to be the very therapy that I’m craving right now.  It’s actually the third day of February and I’m having an incredibly emotional day.  For some reason, my readjustment to Tanzania without my family this time has presented some different challenges.  I’m beginning to recognize the reasons for these challenges, but it doesn’t make dealing with them any easier.  Well, as I am prone to do even when I’m teaching, instead of starting with the negative, let’s begin with the positive.

The rest of my time in Texas was pretty wonderful.  I had such a great time loving on my kids, eating frozen yogurt with them, taking them to the park, playing Wii and Monopoly with them, reading bedtime stories to/with them, building Legos with them, enjoying meals together, going to movies, helping them with their homework, and watching them sleep <…tears…>.  I truly enjoyed all that I was able to experience with them, which I had missed more than I’d even realized.  To laugh at their silly jokes and even provide discipline when required felt so nice.  To have to leave all that again was truly painful.  Our entire family cried over my leaving again for a couple days prior to my departure.  The “I will miss you” and “I love you so much” exchanges were all very emotion-filled, which made the day of my leaving Texas for Tanzania all the more challenging.  I was not happy about saying goodbye to my babies, although it was something that had to be done as a continuation of my work as a Fulbright Scholar.

So, I did it.  I boarded the plane and hit the skies for the return flight to my home away from home (minus my family).  My flight experience was amazing.  Aside from being sandwiched between two rows of crying babies for the flight from Michigan to Amsterdam (OMG…), everything about this flight went well.  There were no delays and all of my layovers were of a reasonable length.  I made it safely to Makumira and was then escorted to my new faculty house.  Here are some positives and negatives about the new house.  The positives are that it’s bigger, it has backup lighting that works when the power goes out (love that!), and it’s been renovated so it’s nicer in many ways.  The negatives are that it’s a different house so it doesn’t have the memories that we had in the other house, it’s not in the middle of the campus so my walk to lower campus is a bit further, it doesn’t have a carport, the toilet is malfunctioning, and it’s so big that I think I actually miss my family more by being in this house.  I didn’t anticipate having to adjust again to my life in Tanzania, but I feel that my adjustment this time has actually been more challenging because I am living in a different space.  At least when I returned in October, I returned to the same house in which we’d lived last year.  Therefore, everything felt very familiar and comfortable.  This time, the only things that feel familiar are my students, colleagues, and teaching responsibilities.  Everything else feels so different because my living arrangement is so different.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m appreciative for the opportunity to live in a larger and nicer space.  It’s just presented me with some personal and emotional challenges that I’d not expected.

With all the readjustments came a very unexpected and unwelcomed occurrence from which I am still trying to recover.  I lost my wallet!  Yes, while living on the other side of the ocean, I lost my freakin’ wallet!  I have traveled around the world as an adult several times now since 2011 and, thankfully, I have never lost anything.  This was my fourth trip to Tanzania and on my second night here, I lost my wallet.  Who knows why it happened.  Maybe I was too jet-lagged.  Maybe I was feeling emotional over some sad news I’d received from home that very evening.  Maybe I was just careless.  Or maybe, just maybe, it was just my turn to have some bad luck.  Who knows.  It’s gone and I am now trying to recover from that loss.  Thankfully, my family and friends have provided quite a bit of financial and emotional support through this mess and I look forward to having my head completely above water within the next few weeks.

Apparently writing this blog entry was the therapy I needed.  The tears have stopped flowing and I feel a bit more at peace with the different challenges I have faced during my first few weeks back in Tanzania.  I miss my children immensely.  I do, however, realize all the things for which I should be thankful.  I still love the work I’m doing here.  I still adore the students with whom I am working.  I still appreciate my colleagues at Makumira.  I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have to share my love of the teaching and learning of music with the incredible university students at this institution.  I am also thankful for all the knowledge I am gaining as a scholar regarding the indigenous songs and dances of Tanzania.  I am just going through some stormy moments.  My recent experiences have moved me to think of the following quote on a regular basis:

“May God give you…  For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial.  For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh, a sweet song and an answer for each prayer” (an Irish blessing).

Ubarikiwe sana (may you have many blessings)….

Tristan taking a break from playing soccer at Zilker Park

Dalton’s enjoying a sno-cone at Zilker Park

Tristan, Atticus, and Dalton on the Zilker Zephyr (train)

My latest hairdo prior to returning to Tanzania

My “new” faculty house, which is more than twice the size of the previous house

Another view of the newer house with my repaired car parked in front of it

Beautiful red amarillos in my new backyard

Love the way this amarillo is reflecting the sunlight!

One of many banana trees in my “new” shamba (garden)!

This sets on the back of the property of my “new” house and it’s apparently where service workers used to live (back in the day). So thankful that is no longer the case…

African Ensemble

Second year students enjoying poring over literature in research class

Engaging discussions in research class

African Ensemble with 3rd year students

December 2013 – A Maasai Village, Car Accident, and Going Home for the Holidays

One of the highlights of this month was visiting the village and family of one of our recent graduates, Olodi.  When I traveled to Tanzania for the first time in July 2011, I was so honored to visit the home village of Olodi, who was a first year student at the time.  Olodi is Maasai, he plays euphonium, and he’s a very nice individual.  Daris Hale (a Fulbrighter at the time) and I had an incredible time with Olodi and his family.  His mom prepared a delicious traditional Tanzanian lunch for us, we drank loshoro (Maasai drink for which you must acquire a taste), and we exchanged gifts (we had taken some different food items and she gave each of us some beautiful beaded bracelets).  Olodi even took us for a walk throughout his village, which enabled us to meet many of his family members and to see the primary school he attended as a child.  At the end of that visit, I could only hope that I would get to visit his mom again someday in the future.  Well, that day finally came.

All of last year (2012-2013), Olodi invited me to visit his home again.  Unfortunately, circumstances were such that we could never schedule the visit on a date that would work for all.  This year proved to be a bit different.  Olodi returned to Makumira to participate in the university commencement ceremonies.  Prior to the beginning of the ceremonies, Olodi and I spoke about my visiting his home village and family again.  Believe it or not, we were able to choose a date that worked for both of us.  So, on Saturday, December 7, Olodi and I loaded up my car and visited his home village and his family.  It was another wonderful afternoon.

In addition to interacting with his mother, I was also able to meet an additional sister, his brothers, his sister-in-laws, and some of his nieces.  They served another delicious lunch and I took some rice, sugar, and chai.  As I was leaving this time, instead of sending me with bracelets, they sent me with a huge bag of parachichis (avocadoes)!  There were 14 really large avocadoes that one of the boys actually picked from their avocado tree, just for me!  I’ve never seen avocadoes so big in my life (and I’m not kidding)!  That was definitely a nice bonus.  The biggest bonus was the fact that I was able to visit with his mom for the second time in my life.  Very sweet woman…

On our way to Olodi’s village, I was stopped by the Tanzanian police (aka eskari).  Apparently, I passed another vehicle “too close to a bridge.”  First of all, there were several diesel trucks that were driving very slowly.  Well, I was one of many people who were being very patient and waiting for the ideal time to pass.  Finally, when the opportunity presented itself and after I’d already gone over the bridge, I passed the diesels (along with several other vehicles).  I guess I was the only one who passed “too close to a bridge” so I was pulled over and the officer proceeded to try to fine me 30,000 TSh (which is the equivalent of $20).  I was prepared to pay it, but Olodi encouraged me to wait so he could talk to the officer.  He and the officer chatted a bit, the officer repeatedly referred to me as Ms. Michelle (my middle name on my international driving license) and told Olodi that I needed to pay the fine so I could support the local government.  Somehow Olodi managed to talk him down to only 10,000 TSh and then we were on our way.  Thank goodness for Olodi and his smooth Swahili speaking skills!

My last week in Tanzania (before I was scheduled to leave for Texas to spend the holidays with my family) ended up being much busier than I could have ever anticipated.  Not only did I need to pack my belongings, which included Christmas presents for my family, but I also needed to pack my house!  I was informed five days prior to my departure date that I would be moving into a different (much larger) house during the holiday break.  Well, since I was going to be in the states during that period, I needed to pack all my belongings so they could shift my stuff from my current house into the new house once it was time for me to relocate.  On top of that I had my final day of teaching that Friday, which was also rather hectic as I was trying to prepare my students to be able to complete the different reading and written assignments they would be expected to complete during my absence.  Needless to say, as I was warming up my car that morning to drive to a meeting, I was a bit distracted.

I was actually so distracted that I allowed my car to wreck itself!  I kid you not!  My car had an accident in my front yard without my sitting behind the wheel.  My gosh…  Long story short, my car has had two problems that have been repaired (or not) by local fundis (workers):  it doesn’t go into reverse easily in the morning and the locking mechanisms frequently malfunction.  Due to these issues, when I realized I didn’t have a notebook that I needed for my morning meeting, I got out of my car that was just sitting still, leaving it in reverse (since it felt like it was in park) and the driver’s side door wide open (so I wouldn’t lock my keys in the car for the second time that week).  I entered my house, searching for my notebook, when my car suddenly kicked into reverse and proceeded to back itself out of my carport!  I ran to my front door yelling, “Stop!” (as though that was going to do something) and saw the driver’s side door hit a tree and hyperextend itself (yep…not good).  I started to run after my car (barefoot in the mud, mind you) and it finally stopped when it hit a small tree separating my yard from my neighbor’s, which was the same time at which I was able to put it into park.  Sigh…  Talk about drama.  Well, here’s the happy ending:  Excel (great student and fellow bandmate who willingly assists me with various tasks) took my car to a fundi while I was teaching later that day and arranged for it to be fixed.  I was able to open and shut the door during the rest of my time in Tanzania and it was fully repaired while I was on holiday in Texas.  All’s well that ends well, right?

So, the following Sunday I boarded a plane and headed for Austin, TX.  My flight went well and Ramon, Dalton, Tristan and my dad greeted me at the airport.  It was so nice to be around my family again.  It was at that very moment that I truly realized just how much I had missed them.  I had missed the hugs, kisses, and the silliness.  Dalton and Tristan have to be the funniest and wittiest kids I have ever known and I really appreciate that about both of them.  I had such a nice time spending the second half of December with my family.  Here’s a sample of some of the special things we did:

1. Tristan was Superstar of the Week for his Kindergarten class the week I arrived.  I was able to have lunch with him (and Dalton) a couple times that week and I also read books to him and his classmates.  Lots of fun.
2. Dalton turned 10 the week I arrived.  I’d already planned and organized his party while in Tanzania, so he and his friends had a wonderful time celebrating at Blazer Tag.  I can’t believe he’s already 10!
3. Ramon, the kids, and I spent Christmas Day with my mom, dad, brother, and step-family members.  I baked a couple loaves of pumpkin bread to share with my family.  It was so nice to be around them during the holidays and to enjoy all the delicious food.
4. Ramon, the kids, and I spent a quiet night at home on New Year’s Eve.  I made my cheesy black-eyed pea dip, which everyone always enjoys.  The boys tried to ring in the new year, but their little bodies were a bit too tired.
5. We had playdates, happy hours, and Tex-Mex meals galore!  It was nice to be with the kids while they played with their friends and I enjoyed hanging out with my buddies, too.

I’m so thankful I was able to travel home for Dalton’s birthday and the holidays.  I appreciate Fulbright offering me a split contract, which enabled this trip to occur.  I also appreciate the flexibility of Makumira faculty and students, who understood the importance of my traveling home for a bit.  Here are a few pics that were taken during December, both in Tanzania and America.  Enjoy!!!

(Statement of Disclaimer:  This site, Tanzanian Adventures at wordpress.com, is not an official Fulbright Program site.  The views expressed on this site are entirely those of Jacqueline Henninger and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the US Department of State or any of its partner organizations.)

Sibusiso in Tanzania (school for children with special needs)

Sibusiso in Tanzania (school for children with special needs)

Flowers on my favorite road in Arusha, TZ

Flowers on my favorite road in Arusha, TZ

Dalton’s 10th birthday party cookie

Dalton’s 10th birthday party @ Blazer Tag

Snow in the Minneapolis airport, which led to a couple delays

With Olodi and his beautiful mother

Dalton and Griffin on Dalton’s birthday @ Mills Elem

With Tristan at his holiday party at Mills Elem

Dalton and Tristan (Dalton is Tristan’s official 4th grade big buddy)

Fun with my boys

Tristan and Santiago (aka Gogo)

Santa and the Henninger boys

Trail of Lights, Austin, TX

Tristan and his new scooter

Dalton and my dad at Chuck E. Cheese’s

Well… Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you, too!

November 2013: Continued, but Slightly Modified, Adventures

Well, I am finally taking the time to begin blogging about the second phase of my Tanzanian adventure.  Actually, I guess it’s the third phase since I visited Tanzania by myself for 2 weeks in 2011, returned with my family for 11 months in 2012, and here I am again.  Unlike the most recent experience, this time I am having another solo adventure.

In late August/early September, Fulbright notified me that my application for a renewal of my contract had been approved, which would enable me to return to Tanzania to continue my teaching and researching at Tumaini University Makumira.  This was very exciting news, but presented some challenges with trying to make it work for me and my family.  Ramon had already returned to work and the kids were enrolled in school.  After several weeks of discussion with all of my immediate family members and Fulbright representatives, it was determined that I could enter into a split contract.  The split contract will enable me to teach and research at Makumira for a few months, travel back to the states for several weeks, and then return to Tanzania for the duration of my contract.  As much as I cried the entire time I was away from Tanzania, learning I could return to this place that became my beautiful replaced those feelings of sadness with feelings of extreme happiness.

On the first day of classes, the students gave me a welcome I will never forget.  I flew into Tanzania after 3:00 am on Monday, October 21.  Our terrific student, Excel, picked me up from the airport and took me safely to my faculty house (same house we were in last year).  After sleeping for about 3 – 4 hours, I got dressed, and headed to the Music Workshop class that was scheduled for that morning.  One of my colleagues, Leena, was the first to greet me outside the building, which was really nice.  She and I approached the music classroom together and as soon as I entered the door, the students applauded and cheered.  They then gave me lots of hugs and warm greetings in Swahili, which filled my heart with joy.  Randy then said, “That was my other surprise.  Dr. Henninger is back!”  There were more cheers, including my own.  I truly enjoy living and teaching here and it warmed my heart to see the students’ faces and smiles again.

As much as I adore these students, I am missing my family more and more every day.  Being in Tanzania without my family is one of only many ways in which this experience will differ from the last.  Throughout this blog, I will attempt to capture those moments that distinguish this adventure from the previous one.  Here are some of the additional ways in which it has already been different:

1. I have a car!  The last time, we opted to not purchase a car for many reasons.  We ended up with a wonderful neighbor, Michael, whose car we were able to use on occasion, so it worked out fine.  This time, since I am alone, I felt it was important for me to have a vehicle.  Thanks to the incredible car-shopping skills of our terrific student, Excel, I now have a Suzuki Escudo that I am driving on and near the campus.  As soon as my International Driving Permit arrives, I will be able to drive to and from Arusha and beyond.
2. As I mentioned earlier, I am in the same house, but I have a new neighbor!  Originally, I thought my neighbors were going to be Emma, Grace, and Jason from Korea’s NGO, Music for One.  Unfortunately, they left the same week I arrived, which meant I was going to have a different neighbor.  I’m happy to report I have a nice neighbor from Finland, Senni.  Senni is an expert in traditional music from Finland.  She brought a beautiful instrument called a Kantele, and has allowed me to play on a Finnish overtone flute called a Pitkahuilu, as well as a Jew’s Harp!  She and I have a lot of fun chatting, so I am sure we will be wonderful neighbors.
3. We are putting together a new band.  Instead of being part of StiggyPop, Excel and I decided to form a new band.  We don’t have a name yet (oops…need to work on that…), but we’ve already started making contacts for gigs in and around Arusha and our first two rehearsals were pretty terrific.  Our current line-up consists of me (vocals and flute), Excel (guitar), Senni (keyboards), Richard (bass), and Mtui (drums).  We also have an international student from Canada who has rehearsed with us one time.  We hope he’ll be able to join us on occasion on bass.  So, the only new people are Senni and the guy from Canada.  The rest of us are carryovers from StiggyPop.  Although we miss Michael and Joash (keyboards) like CRAZY, if our first rehearsal was any indication, I think we’re going to have a lot of fun again this year.
4. I am teaching all the brass classes this year.  All of them!  I have 8 applied lesson students (trumpet, trombone, and euphonium), I conduct the brass ensemble, and I’m teaching brass techniques.  Yes, I am a flute player, but I am having a lot of fun working with these brass players.  In addition to those lessons/classes, I am teaching music research and music education classes.  Four days out of the week are pretty full, but every chance I have to work with these students is so rewarding and fulfilling that it’s all worth it.
5. I am being even more immersed into the Tanzanian culture than I was last year.  I have only been here 6 weeks, but I have already had experiences I didn’t have the last time, such as:
   1. I was introduced to and enjoyed eating sugar cane for the first time!  A student purchased sugar cane for me, showed me how to cut it, and then showed me how to eat it.  It was delicious!  Apparently it also serves the function of keeping one’s teeth strong.  Not sure I need that, but I LOVED the sweetness of the cane!
   2. I shopped in the local markets of Tangeru for the first time!  Tangeru is a town/village near Usa River and their market is a really popular place to visit on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  So, one Saturday morning a student and I visited Tangeru market and I was shocked by how many different things you could buy there.  We only had time to shop on one half of the market, but I got 2 new blouses, some new earrings, a set of screwdrivers, a washtub (for laundry), and a broom.  I hope to visit the other side of the market sometime in the near future.
   3. I’ve driven a vehicle with the steering wheel on the left side, on the left side of the road, and at a speed that enabled me to overtake (pass) a slow diesel truck in Tanzania!  I never wanted to even think about driving while here last year.  I have to say, I am very happy to have a vehicle, which is giving me bit of freedom and independence this year.
   4. With the aforementioned vehicle, I was able to transport 4 students (okay, one of those students was actually the driver) to Nairobi, Kenya to attend a performance of the Nairobi Orchestra.  Randy, Carol, Megan, Katie, Excel, Edson, Stephen, Audax, and I had a safe and enjoyable trip and I am so glad I was able to visit Kenya.  We were there for 3 days and 2 nights, which was just long enough to try to familiarize ourselves with the ridiculous roads of Nairobi and to miss Tanzania!  I couldn’t believe how happy I was to return to my home away from home sweet home after that trip.  Kenya is nice, but it is not Tanzania.
   5. While on the aforementioned road trip, I had an interesting bathroom experience.  Sigh…  I’m not sure this one is fit for print, but it was definitely one that I will never forget…ever.
   6. I’ve eaten at more of the local dining places, based on the recommendation of students, and have survived.  The food is always delicious, but you sometimes worry about the steps that are taken to properly prepare the food.  Luckily, I haven’t had any major issues and I’m glad that my dining experiences have been broadened.
   7. Each time I have had a guest in my house (i.e., Senni, Liz, Scarlet), I have had a lizard stop in for a visit.  This freaked me out both times.  During Senni’s visit, two students (Andrea and Excel) ran the lizard out of the house.  During Liz and Scarlet’s visit, Liz took care of it!  I was so impressed with Liz (oboist and owner, Music for Tanzania)!  She’s more of a woman than I am, because all I did was run up and down my hall screaming about the dang lizard until it was moved from my house into my yard.
   8. I have had a wonderful time visiting a local venue to listen to live zilizopendwa music on a couple of different occasions.  You may recall my sharing before that this is like old-school Tanzanian music.  I just love it!  Yes, the chordal progressions are very repetitive, but the melodies are nice and the groove is perfect for dancing.  I had a great time on both of those occasions, which were musically and culturally enriching experiences.

Clearly, this experience is very different from the last one.  Sadly, I’ve spent two holidays away from my children, which has been challenging.  This was the first time I wasn’t with my kids for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Yes, I talked to them several times per day during both of those occasions, but I missed going trick-or-treating and enjoying a feast with our entire family.  Luckily, I have nice colleagues and students who kept me company on both of those holidays, which made it a bit more bearable.  I am truly thankful for the wonderful support network I have at Makumira.  I am also thankful for the split contract I have with Fulbright, which will enable me to be home for Christmas and New Year’s.  It is also my hope that they will join me once their school year ends in June.  It will be so nice to have them with me in the country with which we all fell in love last year.

Until my next entry…  Tutuaonana baadaye (see you later)!!!

The Closing Chapter of Our Family’s Time in Tanzania

The end of our time in Tanzania seemed to happen so quickly and was filled with so many wonderful and emotional experiences that I never took the time to close this blog.  That’s the purpose of this entry:  To bring to a close the incredible experience our family had in Tanzania.  This final blog entry will contain three main features:  A final farewell description of the incredible students with whom I worked at Makumira; A highlight of some of the amazing experiences Tristan and I had during our final weeks in Tanzania; and a short list of the things I will miss most about Tanzania.

Terrific Students:  I’ve mentioned some students by name in earlier blog entries and I wished I’d had the time to do that for all the students.  In an attempt to make up for those names not mentioned previously, I’d like to take a moment to describe for you the incredible characteristics of each of the classes of students.  The first year music students at Makumira are some of the most enthusiastic bunch of university students with whom I have ever worked.  Whether they were studying theory, philosophy, behaviorism, advocacy, or performing in the brass ensemble, their enthusiasm for the subject matter and their willingness to participate in class discussions and activities was to be commended.  They’re also a great group of dancers who have hearts that are the size of Texas (thanks again for the beautiful kangas)!  I am certain they will make excellent music teachers and positively affect the lives of many music learners.  The second year music students at Makumira possess an admirable level of inquisitiveness, intelligence, and creativity.  They are an excellent group of thinkers, which was very apparent during class discussions and presentations.  They are also a group of students comprised of wonderful instrumentalists and dancers.  I truly enjoyed teaching them about research, music education, and brass performance techniques.  The third year music students, who I also met during my first visit to Tanzania in 2011, are a wonderful group of caring individuals who possess a passion and enthusiasm for the teaching and performing of music.  I felt truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with these students at two different points in their educational careers.  The first time I met them was during their first year at Makumira and I was serving as a guest lecturer on the topics of multiculturalism and research in music education.  It was so nice to work with these students again in the context of brass ensemble and brass techniques classes.

Amazing Experiences at the End:  I don’t even know where to begin!  During our final weeks in Tanzania and the few weeks we spent in Germany, Tristan and I had the time of our lives!  Here are a few highlights:

1.  Final Concert – I had a wonderful time conducting the brass ensemble, which had their best performance of the year; I truly enjoyed singing with my fellow colleagues and students; I absolutely loved performing the dances representative of the Sukuma and Maasai ethnic groups and I appreciated the students allowing me to be featured along with other colleagues/students in each of those dances; and I had a wonderful time singing “La Bamba” with teacher and student accompaniment at the end of the concert.  What wonderful memories!

2.  Student Home Visit – Angel…  Thank you so much for inviting me to visit your home near Moshi.  I truly enjoyed meeting your beautiful family and visiting with them that afternoon.  The food was delicious and the conversation was wonderful.  Your entire family is amazing, which explains why you are such an incredible person.  I can never thank your family enough for the gift they gave me before I left:  The chicken!  More wonderful memories:  Your dad presenting me with the chicken, your mom insisting that I hold the chicken, my actually holding the chicken, and then the chicken pecking me on the hand!  Then we rode the coaster back to Makumira with your holding that chicken in a box the entire time!  Good times…  Oh, and then my falling on my bum while exiting the coaster…  Yes, that was one for the books.  🙂  Angel, I had a wonderful day with you and your family and I am so glad we were able to make that visit occur before I returned to the states.

3. Daladalas and Coasters – Megan and Angel:  Thank you so much for providing me with the opportunities to FINALLY ride a daladala and a coaster.  Megan, our outings to Arusha were so much fun.  I am so glad I had that kanga made into a skirt and that you and I were able to ride on daladalas together on more than one occasion.  Yes, I was a bit frightened during that first outing, especially since I had never sat so close to so many strangers in my life!  However, by the time I rode a daladala with Angel, I was a pro.  No worries whatsoever. Angel, thanks again for helping me to recover from that slip off that coaster.  My gosh…  I think my ego was more crushed than was any part of my body.  Slipping and falling while exiting a coaster filled with people.  Oh well…  That’s what I get for wearing those cute Maasai sandals that day.

4.  Recording Session – Excel and Joash:  Thank you.  Asante sana sana kwa kila kitu.  I had such a terrific time spending time in the recording studio with both of you.  Thank you for taking time out of your final full day on the campus of Makumira to record a few songs with me.  I feel so fortunate to have had so many opportunities to make such wonderful music with both of you and I am truly grateful to you for allowing me to take home audio memories of our musical times together.  Playing with you guys and the rest of our band was truly one of the highlights of my time in Tanzania.  I love how our band came together from 7 different countries and had an instant chemistry that enabled us to make wonderful music together.  You two guys definitely contributed quite a bit to the quality of that experience.  Excel:  The audio files you mixed turned out beautifully.  Thank you for taking the time to do that.  You are an incredible musician and it’s apparent in all that you do.  So, to both of you:  asante tena.  I will forever cherish the musical moments we shared and I only wish we could do it again (…tears…).  NB:  “Hallelujah” is playing on my iTunes while I type this portion of this final blog entry.

5.  Michael and Germany – Michael, thanks again for opening your home to Tristan and me during our transition back to America.  We had a wonderful time visiting with you and your family for those three weeks before we returned to Texas.  You and Constanze were great hosts and I appreciated all you did to make us feel comfortable.  We had a wonderful time meeting your friends, traveling to Heidelberg, and exploring all that Black Forest has to offer.  Jermaine:  Thanks to you and your mom for being such great hosts during our visit to Stuttgart.  It was so nice to see you again and I appreciate how wonderful you were with Tristan.  All of you live in a beautiful country (which is how I remembered it from my childhood) and I’m so thankful for the opportunity Tristan and I had to experience that with each of you.  Michael, thanks for being such an awesome colleague and becoming such a great friend.  I look forward to seeing you again sometime in the near future (…more tears…).

Of course I could list many more incredible experiences of our final weeks in Tanzania.  However, to keep this at a reasonable length, we’ll leave it at these five.  I do, however, want to thank everyone who went out of their way to make our final days in Tanzania so special.  Tanzania will always hold a special place in my heart and soul.  I have been forever changed (in a positive way) by my Tanzanian experience, which was facilitated by the Fulbright Scholar Award program.

In closing, what will I miss most about Tanzania?  Let’s see, here’s my list, which is in no particular order:

1.  The beautiful people.  Everyone I met while living in Tanzania was beautiful both inside and outside.

2.  The perfect weather.  Living in a tropical climate was a dream come true!  Few allergies, ideal temperatures, beautiful flowers and trees…  Loved it!

3.  The music.  I just love the music of Tanzania, especially the traditional songs and zilizopendwa!  Good stuff!

4. The roadside scenery.  Whether it’s the women carrying things on their heads or the cows on the side of the road, they’re sights that are unique to Tanzania.  I will definitely miss that.

5.  Chai time.  We need chai time in America.  Period.

6.  Pole, pole (slowly) versus haraka, haraka (hurry).  Americans need to slow down a bit.  It enables you think!  Imagine that!  We need a bit more pole, pole in our haraka, haraka American lives.

7.  Samosas, Wali na nyama, Wali na kuku, Chapati, Chips Mayai, na Pilau!  Where am I going to get my favorite Tanzanian foods???

8.  Fresh fruits and vegetables from my own garden.  I will certainly miss the endless supply of papaya, mangoes, bananas, tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers, and onions.  If only Texas weren’t so darn hot, we could grow our own fruits and vegetables, too.

9.  The emphasis on community and greetings.  I loved how much value was placed on establishing and maintaining a sense of community.  We could definitely use more of that in the US.  I also appreciated the importance of greetings.  You always greet people in Tanzania, whether it’s a simple “Habari” or “Hujambo” or a more specific “Habari za usiku.”  Greetings matter because people matter.  I will certainly miss that aspect of Tanzanian culture.

10.  The level of fulfillment I had while teaching, researching, and performing in Tanzania.  I truly felt like I was able to share and use all of my “talents” and abilities while working at Makumira.  I taught, I researched, I conducted, I played my flute, I sang, and I danced.  Randy:  Thanks for providing me with so many opportunities to be an active member of the music department.  I truly appreciate every experience with which you, the department, and the university provided me.  I did all these things while sharing this experience with my family.  It was definitely the most personally and professionally fulfilling year of my career.  Asante tena Fulbright na Makumira kwa kila kitu!

So, in closing, ASANTE SANA SANA SANA!!!!  Tanzania was terrific and I look forward to returning to this beautiful country for a third visit.

Weeks 35 and 36 (May 5 – 18) – A Fulbright Specialist, Cantate on Mother’s Day, and More Terrific Students

This was an eventful two week period.  Dr. Ian Davidson, Professor at Texas State University, arrived on the Makumira campus as a Fulbright Specialist.  He gave composition presentations on campus and performed a couple recitals away from campus.  One of his performances occurred during a concert given by Michael Neymeyer’s German choir.  I also performed a movement from a Bach Sonata on this concert.  Michael accompanied me on piano and it was a very positive and enjoyable experience.  To play my flute again in so many different settings (choir concert, with the youth choir at Makumira, and during jazz gigs) has been incredibly fulfilling and has really added to the multidimensionality of my life in Tanzania.

Mother’s Day, which is primarily a western holiday, occurred on May 12.  We spent Mother’s Day participating in the Cantate that was held on the Makumira campus.  This event consisted of performances of church choirs from the Arusha area and beyond.  In addition to the church choir performances, the Makumira brass ensemble, choir, and youth choir (Yubilate) also performed.  Tristan was so sweet on this Mother’s Day, which was my first and only Mother’s Day to spend away from Dalton (who called me just after midnight to share his mother’s day greeting with me).  Tristan drew me a nice picture, gave me flowers from our garden, sang beautifully and played a percussion instrument with Yubilate, and sang beautifully with our university choir.  Later that evening, we went to dinner at Njiro Complex with Michael Neymeyer, which was a perfect ending to the day.

I’d like to spend the rest of this blog entry sharing with you a bit of information about some more pretty incredible students.  Of the first year students, I’ll share with you a bit about Megan and Muyonga.  Megan is the oldest daughter of Randy and Carol Stubbs, the head of the music department and a lecturer in the music department, respectively.  Megan is a wonderful cellist who also plays piano, sings, and is an incredible traditional dancer.  She and her family have lived here since she was 12 years old, so she considers Tanzania her home.  She speaks Swahili fluently and has completely adopted many Tanzanian mannerisms.  I have truly enjoyed having her as a student in my theory, philosophy, and music education classes.  Muyonga is another first year student who is from Dar es Salaam.  He has to be one of the sweetest students in this class.  He’s always polite and has one of the biggest and brightest smiles.  He plays trumpet really well and is also an incredible traditional dancer.  He frequently pays me compliments regarding my traditional dancing, which means so much to me given the level of expertise he possesses in this area.

Two of the second year students I’d like to mention in this blog entry are Denis and Mtui, two supremely urban guys who have really enabled me to feel at home on a continent that’s so very far from my actual home.  Denis, who’s from the big city of Dar es Salaam, was the first student who approached me during a luncheon at the beginning of the year with a discussion about everything American and African American.  This guy knows more about African American sports figures and hip hop music than I do!  That initial conversation continued beyond that date to many afternoons following my research class.  Frequently, after our research class, Denis would accompany for part of my walk home and we would have such culturally rich conversations.  He would share with me interesting facts about Tanzanian culture and I’d do the same for African American culture.  I will cherish the memories of those walks home with Denis for a lifetime <…tears…>.  Mtui is the other second year student who is so incredibly urban and reminds me so much of home.  The way he dresses, the way he talks, the way he walks, his humor…  it’s all so incredibly African American!  Mtui is from Mwanza and is a wonderful artist and a great guitarist and drummer.  He’s also very intelligent!  The work he’s completed in both classes that he’s taken with me has been top-notch.  He recently joined our band as a drummer and it’s been nice jamming with him.  He has great energy and he has positively contributed to the great vibe we have as a band.   Both of these students also studied martial arts with Ramon and visited Ramon at home when he became ill.  So, Denis and Mtui…  Not sure what my life in America will look like without having these two students around, but I’m certain they will both be very successful in all they do <…more tears…>.

The final student I’d like to discuss is Adelina, an incredibly sweet third year student.  I met Adelina for the first time when I visited Tanzania in 2011.  Adelina is a voice major who is a wonderful actress and traditional dancer.  She’s also super nice!  During my initial visit to Tanzania, the fondest memory I have of Adelina occurred one morning during her theory class.  I walked into her class and she said something under her breath (kind of…).  Daris Hale, who was here at the time as a Fulbright Scholar, told me she said I was beautiful.  Now that I know Swahili, I’m assuming she said, “Umependeza.”  How sweet was that?  She held a special place in my heart from that point forward (smile).  What I have enjoyed most about Adelina during my time here as a Fulbrighter is her willingness to share with me information about the traditional songs and dances of different parts of Tanzania, her sense of humor regarding the type of tone we should sing with when singing traditional songs, and her positive words about my traditional dancing.  Adelina is one of many students who attribute the success I have with traditional dancing to my blood and African ancestry.  She, along with many of the other students, has done a wonderful job of welcoming me into their culture and making me feel like an insider even though I was born and raised on the other side of the ocean.

Many of the students tell me that I am their sister, their “dada.”  I absolutely love that they call me one of their “dadas” (sisters) and they view me as one who is more similar to than different from them.  There’s no way I could have expected to have been so accepted into this community, but I’m so very thankful that it turned out this way.  In fact, I was told by other Fulbrighters that I shouldn’t expect to be embraced by Tanzanians since I am still an outsider.  My experience, thankfully, has been the complete opposite of that, which is one of the many reasons I get so emotional when I think of leaving.  The sense of familism and collectivism has been positively transferred to my family and to me and for that I am so incredibly thankful.  Tanzania has definitely become my home away from home.  Unfortunately, I’m not quite ready to leave this second home…

Weeks 33 and 34 (April 21 – May 4) – The Chandlers, the Students, and that Dang Dress Code!!!

(Statement of Disclaimer:  This site, Tanzanian Adventures at wordpress.com, is not an official Fulbright Program site.  The views expressed on this site are entirely those of Jacqueline Henninger and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the US Department of State or any of its partner organizations.)

Dr. Glenn Chandler and his wife, Joy, arrived in Tanzania on April 21.  I went to the airport with Randy to pick them up and it was so nice to see some friendly, familiar, “Texas” faces.  During Glenn’s week here, he gave a presentation on the benefits of international studies during the workshop class and taught two different theory classes to the second and third year students.  The students enjoyed his presentations, which were very informative.  Tristan and I also enjoyed having Glenn and Joy as guests.  Tristan was especially thrilled about their arrival since they brought with them pop-tarts, velveeta cheese, and chocolate chips.  We are unable to purchase any of these items at the local stores, so we were very excited about their bringing these favorite food items with them.

The Chandlers had chai at our house a couple times, enjoyed Tanzanian lunches (chips mayai, which is a delicious potato and egg dish, and pilau) prepared by Mama Mary, and had some meals at the campus cafeterias and the Greater Mt. Meru Lodge and Game Sanctuary.  At the end of their week, they took a safari to the Ngorongoro Crater, which they thoroughly enjoyed since they saw a lot of animals.  As sad as we were to bid them a fond farewell, we were very thankful for the time we were able to share with both of them.

After the Chandlers left, I was walking on campus while wearing slacks and a kanga.  As I approached the main gate to exit the campus for the purposes of getting some money out of the ATM, I was stopped by a female askari (guard).  She proceeded to tell me (while speaking in English and Swahili) that I wasn’t dressed properly.  Apparently wearing a kanga over slacks is no longer allowed (okay, I may have pushed it a bit since my kanga was somewhat transparent…oops!).  As she and I continued our verbal exchange, she told me this is Makumira and women are only allowed to wear skirts or dresses.  Of course, I emphasized that it was a weekend, that I wasn’t working, and that I truly thought pants were allowed underneath a kanga.  She reiterated her points about women, skirts, dresses, and how all women at Makumira MUST wear proper attire.  I then looked at her and her female colleague’s uniforms, which include a top and… PANTS!  I asked her about the dress code and female guards and she and her female colleague burst into laughter!  They laughed!  “Ha, ha, ha!!!  No askari, only walimu na wanafunzi (teachers and students).”  I then responded, “Sawa (okay)…  I see…”  I was granted permission to exit the campus for the purposes of getting money, but was told I must change as soon as I return to my home.  Yes, “granted permission” and forced to “change.”  Sigh…  I absolutely, positively love this country and the people here.  I also absolutely, positively HATE this dress code!  Geez…

To close on a positive note, I must talk about some of these incredibly talented, smart, and sweet students at Tumaini University Makumira.  Since there are too many amazing individuals to include in one posting, I’ll mention about 5 – 6 students’ names in each of the remaining blog entries.  Let me begin by sharing a bit about those students with whom I have truly enjoyed working and making music on a frequent and regular basis.  You’re probably familiar by now with the names Joash and Excel.  These are two of the students who perform regular gigs with my colleague, Michael, and me.  Both of them have amazing aural skills and are able to pick out entire melodies and harmonies within minutes of hearing them.  Joash is a third-year theology major from Dar es Salaam who plays the keyboard like nobody’s business!  His improvisation skills are truly maddening (in a wonderfully, glorious way).  He’s also one of the nicest people I’ve met here.  Since Ramon left, he’s helped me out in many ways (e.g., fixing a keyboard, hanging a clock, etc.), which I have really appreciated.  Excel is a second-year music major from Zanzibar and plays guitar, bass, piano, and drums!  His overall musicianship is just amazing.  He’s such an important member of our ensemble, partly because of how well he plays and partly because of how well he leads our ensemble in a non-verbal and highly effective manner.  He’s spent some time studying in Norway, taught at a music academy in Zanzibar, and contributed significantly to the writing, editing, production, and publication of this wonderful children’s songbook, “Ukuti, Ukuti.”  Performing with these guys (on vocals and flute) has been an unexpected highlight of this Tanzanian experience.  I love how it has enabled me to reconnect with what originally led me to this field:  The joy of expressing myself through music and sharing these expressive moments with other terrific musicians.

Other wonderful music students I’d like to mention in this post include Andrea, Olodi, Angela, and Anna.  Andrea is an amazing first year student from Dar es Salaam who plays trumpet beautifully and is the most incredible traditional dancer I have ever seen.  He is also very smart, extremely dedicated to his academic pursuits, and the father of a beautiful baby girl.  The way his face lights up when he speaks of her truly touches your heart.  Olodi is a wonderful third year student who is majoring in euphonium and is a member of the Arusha Maasai ethnic group, has a heart of gold, and has taught me a lot about the Maasai culture due to his willingness to share.  I met Olodi during my first visit to Tanzania.  He was kind enough to take Daris and me to his home village, where we had chakula chamchana (lunch) with his mom and met other members of his family.  Since we’ve been here this time, he’s taken our family and Michael to another Maasai village where we witnessed a portion of a circumcision ceremony (the portion that the general population was allowed to witness, of course).  Our entire family had an amazing experience, especially Ramon who was able to dance with the Maasai men.  Angela is an incredibly sweet second year student from the Moshi area who is majoring in voice.  She has been consistently sweet with both Dalton and Tristan and has the kind of smile that is contagious.  She is one of the younger students and is very dedicated to her music and academic pursuits.  She has invited me to visit her family and I hope to do that before Tristan and I leave Tanzania.  For this entry, the last student I’d like to mention is Anna.  Anna is a second year student who is majoring in violin.  She’s also from Dar es Salaam, is a wonderful traditional dancer (she’s the model I try to emulate during every rehearsal), and is very intelligent.  The work she has done in my research and music education classes has been very impressive.  It’s important to know that women in this country aren’t typically afforded the same opportunities as are the men.  Therefore, for these female students to be in this program and to succeed while they are here is an amazing accomplishment.  My hat goes off to them each and every time I think about all the hurdles they have had to clear to make it to this point in their lives.  Very impressive ladies indeed…

Again, there are many more special students, whose names I will mention in subsequent posts.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  All of these students have inspired me in ways I could not have imagined.  Many of them have shared with me how much they have learned in my classes and how appreciative they are of the opportunities, information, skills, and techniques with which I have provided them.  I can only hope they know how much I appreciate all that they have taught me during my short time here.  I have learned more about life and music during my time in Tanzania than I could have ever imagined, thanks to them and their willingness to share so much of themselves with me.  So, to all these incredible students, I have three words:  ASANTENI SANA SANA!!!!  J  (That’s a genuine smile, especially for my sweet second years.)

 

 

Weeks 31 and 32 (April 7 – April 20) – The Journey Comes to an End for Two of the Henningers

Well, this had to be the saddest period of our time in Tanzania.  As you have read, Ramon was quite sick for the entire month of March.  We had some days here and there during which he felt better, but for the most part he was pretty darn ill.  If he wasn’t suffering from the symptoms of one of the four illnesses he developed, he was reacting to the medication they put him on to relieve the symptoms/treat the illness.  After meeting with different doctors in Tanzania and corresponding with Fulbright, we determined it would be best for him to return home so he could see our doctors in Texas.  After confirming that my dependents were honoring all the terms of the Fulbright Scholar Award, we rescheduled return flights to Texas for Ramon and Dalton.  Ramon and I went back and forth regarding whether or not he should take both kids, if I should keep both kids, or if we should split them between the two of us.  Taking into consideration the issues of homeschooling and summer camps, we decided it would be best for Dalton to return to the states with Ramon and Tristan would stay in Tanzania with me.  As much as we hated to separate them and to be separated from either of them, this was the best decision for all.

In addition to making flight (and child) arrangements, we had to start packing half of our belongings.  This was a chore!  Instead of taking all his clothes back to America, however, Ramon decided to donate many of them to our gardener, Elissa.  Elissa was quite happy with the shirts, jackets, and even Mexican blankets that Ramon gave to him.  This was one of the most generous acts I have ever seen Ramon display.  He even gave a blanket to Mama Brian and left other things here for me to share with people.

The day Ramon and I announced his and Dalton’s departure to the music students and faculty of Makumira was extremely sad.  I actually cried while sharing the news with my colleagues and students.  Thankfully, Dalton was standing next to me hugging my body for most of the time.  Ramon’s words were very touching, too.  At one point, he even thanked me for providing him with this experience.  He shared that he’d always wanted to visit Africa and he was very thankful for me since I provided him with the opportunity to have that particular dream realized.  Those were very nice (and completely unexpected) words.  After class, there were more tears while music students and colleagues said their farewells to Ramon and Dalton.

The next day, which was the actual day on which Ramon and Dalton were leaving Tanzania, was even more emotional.  I attended chapel that morning to listen to the performance of our brass ensemble, which was conducted by one of our third year students as a part of their class assignments.  The English sermon that was delivered by a German theology student addressed the journey of life, its unpredictability, but the overall significance of all life’s occurrences.  Her sermon really touched me.  On top of that, the selected hymn that was sung by the congregation was “Rock of Ages,” which is one of my mom’s favorite hymns!  I couldn’t hold back the tears (again).  I must have cried through that entire service (albeit quietly).

Saying goodbye to Ramon and Dalton at the airport was especially difficult (the tears are coming as I type…).  It literally pained me to say goodbye to my oldest son.  This was also the case for sweet Tristan, who practically sobbed the entire ride home and then cried himself to sleep.  We were fine the next day, or at least better, but that first night without Ramon and Dalton was very hard.

To end on a positive note, the Thursday before Ramon and Dalton left Tanzania, Dalton chose to fully participate in African Ensemble Rehearsal.  At this point, he didn’t even realize he would be leaving the next week.  He was just ready to enjoy the dancing and singing in this context.  Although he has danced and sang music reflective of the local culture in Yubilate (the youth choir), this was only his second time to actually dance with the university students.  He was fantastic!  He danced near his friends (Nathan Stubbs and Michael, Sophia’s son) and next to one of our most impressive first year dancers, Andrea.  Andrea was so wonderful with him, assisting him with complicated moves and encouraging him the entire time.  Dalton was smiling most of the time, which made my heart smile.  How many kids get to say they performed authentic Tanzanian dances taught by Tanzanians while living on a university campus in East Africa?  I only know seven (there may be more), and two of those belong to me.

At the end of this post, you’ll find pictures of Dalton and me dancing in African Ensemble, the boys enjoying time with each other, and Stiggy practicing his bass (we had another gig during this two week period, which was a lot of fun).

Weeks 29 and 30 (March 24 – April 6) – Celebrating the Easter Holiday in Tanzania with Hundreds of Elephants!

The nice thing about the Makumira university calendar is that we were actually off for 6 days for Easter break!  This enabled us to have a nice Easter holiday and to go on another safari as a family.

Easter was wonderful, quiet but wonderful.  We colored eggs with the boys on Easter Eve and they left notes for the Easter Bunny.  We told them we weren’t sure whether or not the Easter Bunny would find us in Tanzania, but we certainly hoped he would.  Thankfully, he did!  He left eggs, candies, cashew nuts (one of their new favorite snacks), and shillings for the boys.  They were thrilled!  He even left them a note (plus he told us to buy them a couple toys before the actual holiday, which they appreciated)!  Gotta love that Easter Bunny…  😉

That afternoon, we had a nice Easter dinner.  We didn’t have ham like we would usually have in the states, but we roasted a chicken and had some awesome sides (mashed potatoes, vegetables, garlic bread).  It felt like we were actually in America for a bit.  I even baked a cake, which made the boys very happy!  Life in Tanzania has taught all of us to be a lot more thankful for little things and to remember the real reason for the different holidays.  That capitalistic and consumeristic aspects of American life just don’t exist here, which has been quite refreshing.

In addition to enjoying the Easter holiday, we took another safari during this break.  We went to Tarangire National Park, which is known for having thousands of elephants.  We had to have seen over a hundred elephants, as well as gazelles, impalas, ostriches, vervet monkeys, warthogs, and even a lion.  The elephants were amazing, but the monkeys were downright aggressive!  One monkey entered a safari vehicle parked next to us at the entrance to the national park and helped himself to the boxed lunches that were in that car.  Another monkey stole Tristan’s lollipop out of his hand at the end of our lunch via a sneak attack!  That was a not so pleasant experience that traumatized Tristan for about 10 minutes after lunch.  He eventually calmed down and then slept in the back of the safari vehicle for most of the ride home.

Our group played another gig at Yaz’s Bistro in the Njiro Complex.  I absolutely, positively love playing with these guys!  Tonight’s gig was very nice.  We are continuing to expand our repertoire and the chemistry within the group is pretty amazing.  This has been one of the most unexpected and pleasant surprises of this Tanzanian experience.  I’m not quite sure how I’m going to adjust to life without these gigs once I return to the states.  These gigs feed my heart and soul like nothing I’ve experienced in quite some time.  I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to make music with all these guys who are literally from all over the world.  Very blessed…

Until my next (belated) entry…  BAADAYE (LATER)!!!