First Graduation!

The first graduation for Maria de Mattias Secondary School is over!  We had a big day on Saturday after several fairly big days of preparation.  But everything went quite well and it seems as though the graduates and their families as well as the other students had a good time so that’s what counts.  We started the ceremony with a Mass at 10.00 a.m. with the graduates acting as the choir.  They did a very good job of singing, doing the readings, etc., and there were about half a dozen priests who helped con-celebrate.  The main celebrant gave a very good homily with emphasis on women and education, contrasting the privilege that the graduates have over the many girls living in villages who haven’t had the opportunity that they have had. 

After the Mass the entertainment started.  The students, graduates and lower forms, had all prepared songs or dances and they performed with lots of energy and enthusiasm.  In between there were some speeches, the graduates gave gifts  to the teachers, and plenty of loud music was also part of this segment.  Finally came the giving of gifts/awards to those students who performed well in various activities during their four years, e.g., sports and games, discipline, punctuality, neatness, and of course academics.  Then school-leaving certificates were awarded to each of the 80 graduates, they were showered with paper leis and gifts by their family members, and then this part was over.

We had contracted with a caterer to provide the food for the graduates and their guests and that went well, with about 300 plates being served.  The food was good:  plain rice and sauce, pilau, chicken, beef, cabbage, roasted potatoes, and fruit.  There was soda and water for everyone, and even some cake.  Everyone had enough to eat, I think, and enjoyed the time together.

By this time it was 5.00 p.m. and after paying for some of the services like food and sound system, (I was chairperson of the planning committee hence that was my job …) I left the students and their matrons to clean up and came home to rest.  I think I was sleeping by a little after 8.00 p.m., tired but happy that the day was over and that it was such a special one for the graduates.

Now I’m trying to remember everything that we did, what was done well, what wasn’t, what we forgot to do, problems that arose, so that next year the planning will go a little more smoothly.  Doing something the first time is always a bit problematic; next year should be easier.

 The school courtyard and decorations.

I was too busy to get more photos but here's one of Eva and I.

20 October 2013

This past week was full of activities, and nice ones on the whole.  On Monday morning early we went to Morogoro, a 3 hour drive away, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of priesthood of a friend of ours from the early 70’s when we lived in Dar es Salaam.  It was a great celebration, with the Mass so filled with joy and celebration.  The church is large and it was packed, with groups of children dancing and singing, a group of really elderly folks, and lots of people of in between ages.  We sang songs most everyone knows so the roof almost rocked off the church.  The Bishop of Zanzibar gave the homily, talking about how J. was the first Tanzanian to become a Spiritan (Holy Ghost) priest who had not been a diocesan priest before.  Since that time the Spiritan Congregation has been blessed with many young Tanzanians and has been a province of its own for quite a few years.  He talked about how J. can get along with any person, and loves and is loved by all.  All of that is true and really the celebration showed how many people care for him.

And that came through again in the party that followed.  We had entertainment, speeches, food (1800 people were fed!), and gift-giving until nearly 6.00 p.m.  We were then invited to the parish house for further food and drink and conversation so it was a full and happy day.  We stayed with the sisters in Morogoro overnight and came back here early the next morning.

At school we continue to prepare for next Saturday’s graduation.  Things are coming together and I guess there’s no hurry on anything!  The invitations are still not out but hopefully that will happen today.   

Saturday I met with a young woman who is just starting her course at the University of Dodoma.  Esta is from a home very close to the school I was at in Singida, and attended secondary school there.  Her family has very few resources so I helped her through secondary school, through A-level, and teacher’s training college with gifts that people had given me.  She taught for three years but her desire for further education remained and so she applied to and was accepted at the university for a degree in education.  She had her finances all worked out:  With the salary she gets (she is employed by the government so a small part of her teaching salary continues to be paid) plus a little loan she managed to acquire from a bank, she paid her tuition and her room in the dormitory.  She needed stationery money yet (which I gave her) and money for food.  I thought it amazing that food was the last item on her priority list!  Somehow she’ll manage, and I’ll help as much as I can.  This is just another example of how important education is to so many young people here. 

Esta and I met at the town square in Dodoma, and sat at a place where they sell soda and lunches.  We each had a soda, and I also ordered sodas for her two roommates, with whom she came.  I noticed that they weren’t drinking their sodas and later Esta told me that they were probably saving them for later, when they’d buy a packet of biscuits and drink their sodas and count that as their supper.  These kids know how to get by!!

Another week has gone by, and so fast.  There are not that many days left in the year, and I was reminded of that with a notice on the bulletin board at school:  Terminal exams are due into the office by 8^th November!  That really means the calendar year as well as the school year is drawing to a close.  We are busily preparing for graduation and had the first rehearsal of the students’ entertainment on Wednesday.  They have prepared some nice entertainment -   A little play, some songs of various kinds , i.e. traditional and modern, a traditional dance.  The program is set to last for 2½ hours so I hope that everybody is ready to be entertained!

The little ones are still so faithful in coming to their afternoon sessions.  I have divided them into two groups because of their number but these days the ones of the older group are coming late because of activities they have at school.  And so the small ones hang out by the gate and ask if they can come in to study!  And one of them told me the other day that she thinks I should teach on Saturday as well.  No thank you!  Anyway, I love their enthusiasm.

6th October 2013

Another week has gone by in Dodoma and more signs are here of a change of seasons. Just like in the north there’s an obvious change of seasons (I’m reading of snow in ND, SD and WY!) so here we have much warmer weather with lots and lots of wind. Also during the week there were some cloudy days as we hear of rain in neighboring regions. Here in Dodoma we don’t expect any rain until December but some parts of Tanzania have what are called the “short” rains now, and these places will have a longer and heavier rainy season in March and April. There farmers plant some short growing crops at this time and so have two growing seasons and two harvests every year. That’s certainly not true for farmers here in Dodoma. Another sign of changing season is the appearance of leaves on the jacaranda and flamboyant trees. I’ve already seen some jacaranda trees in bloom and the flamboyant trees will be a sea of orange color before too long. I continue to be amazed at how, during such a dry time, these trees can produce such beauty. Last week we administered the entrance examination in order to choose students to join the secondary school next year. 360 girls sat for the exam and 80 were chosen to join. Lucky are those who are assured of a place in secondary school for next year. Now I’m working on a program for intensive English learning which these girls will do in November. That will give them a good preparation for their first year and learning all their lessons in English and hopefully make it easier for them next year. As I see these girls beginning school I always think of all the other ones who don’t have this chance.