Dear friends,
Today was our last day of teaching. So in between classes and tutorial sessions, we have been cleaning our room and packing. Tomorrow morning we will begin our travels back to the US by getting a ride to the airport at Mtwara (three-hour drive because the sisters will take us, longer if we had to take a public bus). We will sleep Tuesday night in Dar es Salaam, and see some things in the vicinity of Dar during the day on Wednesday. Our flight to Amsterdam leaves late Wednesday night. I have a four-hour layover in Amsterdam, which should give me some time to wander around the airport. As we ran through the airport on our way here, it looked like an interesting airport to investigate. For instance, I noticed that there is a Library in the airport -- a place with tables to work at and comfortable arm chairs in which to sit and read. Sr. Virginia's layover in Amsterdam is just one hour, so she is hoping that there is no delay so that she can easily make her flight.
Overall my experience here has been quite positive. After some adjustment to the culture, I became quite comfortable teaching ... and the sisters seemed comfortable with my teaching style. I have had a busy schedule: morning prayer and Mass in the early morning, breakfast, then teaching mathematics from 8:30 - 10 am, and a tutorial session in English conversation with two sisters for 1 to 1.5 hours. Sometimes I can get 30 minutes for doing some laundry before lunch. Following lunch, I appreciate a short rest and time for my own private prayer and journaling. I usually have another tutorial session at the Regional House -- either proof-reading or helping with writing letters / reports, or learning various computer skills. Following this afternoon session, I sometimes have time for a bath. (I really do not like a cold shower, so most afternoons I take a bucket-bath rather than a shower.) Sometimes I take my bath after Evening Prayer while we are waiting for supper (which usually occurs about 6:45 or 7:00 pm).
Since I started teaching the mathematics class in the mornings, my days have been quite full. I'm sorry I haven't written more often. I have taken about 180 photos, but I haven't yet resolved the problems with uploading them in a format that Sr. Patrice can use in the blog. Perhaps I will have a little more time when I get to Boston College and the Clavius Group to send a few photos.
Well the folks in Encounter Tanzania have just stopped in ... so I will close here so that I can visit with them. I will send an email when I arrive at Boston College. My cell phone is completely dead (due to not being recharged for three weeks), so it will need a day or two to get recharged before I can call you.
Peace,
Sr. Barbara Reynolds, SDS
