Day in the Life
We asked Tanzania volunteers to describe the towns in which they live and schools where they teach. We hope these samples will give you a picture of life as a WorldTeach volunteer in Tanzania, but please keep in mind as you read these that every site is unique. Your experience will be what you make of it!
Mzumbe Secondary School by Matt Mills
Muyenzi Secondary School in Rulenge, Ngara by Lauren Godfrey
Mahenge / Nawenge Secondary School by Megan Shaw
Mzumbe Secondary School by Matt Mills
Host Community
For my placement, I am located at Mzumbe Secondary School, which is about 15 miles outside of Morogoro town. The Mzumbe campus is actually a community comprised of both the boarding secondary school, as well as Mzumbe University, which is one of the main University campuses in Morogoro. The campus is located right in the middle of the Uluguru Mountains, and is rather vast and spread out with many fields and trails surrounding the community. It is quite peaceful and quiet at Mzumbe, with no lack of gorgeous scenery. Also, because it is a large campus, there are many resources available nearby including a market for any basic needs, as well as wireless Internet access at the University library, which is only a short 15 min. walk from the secondary school. Since the community is a bit removed from Morogoro town, most of the faculty lives on the campus in teacher housing, and this provides a great opportunity to get to know the other staff members of the school.
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Host School
Mzumbe Secondary School is known as one of the top secondary schools in all of Tanzania, consistently ranking at the top of all government schools in national examinations. There approximately 50 students (all male), and about 30 teachers. Mzumbe offers both O-Level (Forms 1-4) as well as A- level (Forms 5-6) studies. Each form has approximately 100-150 students, with roughly 35-45 students for each “stream” or class. While the school has a sufficient number of classrooms, as well as a library, there is no functioning computer lab or appropriate science labs for the students to use for their studies.
Teaching Assignment
I am currently teaching A-Level English Literature to a class of Form 5 students. There are 31 students in my class, and I teach them twice a week for 80 minutes each class period. For this class, I had to familiarize myself with many of the African texts that are on the Ministry reading list, since African literature is not commonly taught to American students. A-Level students prepare for a national exam that is taken at the end of Form 6 for each subject they are studying. If they are studying English as one of their subjects, they take one examination solely on literature, and one exam on language skills. The topics I have been covering include analyzing Novels, Plays and Poems. Most of my students have a good grasp of English, but still need a lot of help when it comes to analyzing literature and reading advanced texts. There is a lot of emphasis on English communication skills, including speaking and writing about texts in the English language. In addition to teaching A-Level, I also assist other teachers and provide language lessons to some of the younger classes from time to time.
Language Issues
At Mzumbe, most of the faculty and the students speak English with ease. Since English is the language of instruction at all Secondary schools in Tanzania, it is encouraged for the students to speak English at all times while on school grounds. However, there are often times when students may not understand my American accent, or some of the more difficult words or phrases I might be using. Also, since English is a second language for both faculty and the students, they are reluctant to speak in English unless they have to. It can be frustrating at times when you can’t understand any of the faculty members in the staff room, or understand what’s being said during staff meetings, but on the bright side it encourages me to learn Kiswahili on a daily basis!
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As for my living arrangement, the house I have been provided with is basic for most American standards, but relatively nice for Tanzania! I have a fairly large house with a furnished kitchen, living room, bedroom, toilet and shower room, and a large porch that overlooks the Uluguru Mountains. I am also lucky to have running water and electricity. The accommodations are simple and basic, and aside from having a few insects and geckos as roommates every now and then, it’s a very comfortable house that’s quiet and peaceful.
Challenges and Rewards
Living and teaching at Mzumbe has many challenges but also many rewards. As with all Tanzanian schools, the lack of resources and the large class sizes are some of the greatest challenges. There are often no textbooks to provide students, or teaching materials at your disposal, so it’s really up to you to get creative with how to teach a lesson to the class. While this is challenging, it’s also quite rewarding when you successfully pull off a lesson for a class of 40 students. Also not knowing the native language can be challenging, especially when you encounter someone who doesn’t know English. One of the other challenges of living in Africa is adjusting to the culture. Africans tend to take their time, and are usually more relaxed with their daily schedules. While this can be a luxury at times, for an American who is used to keeping a schedule it can be frustrating from time to time when you are unaware of when and where things are happening (like staff meetings or assemblies). Along with the frustrations of getting used to the culture, adjustment to it also brings some of the greatest rewards. Tanzanians are some of the warmest, friendliest and most welcoming people you will ever meet. Strangers will constantly smile and greet you respectfully, and as a foreigner you are always as welcome as any family member would be. Getting to know Tanzanians and getting to learn more about their rich culture has been one of the greatest rewards in this experience.
Muyenzi Secondary School in Rulenge, Ngara by Lauren Godfrey
School and Teaching Assignment
Muyenzi Secondary School has about 350 students. The school has six permanent teachers. The staff is incredibly supportive and a great help. The second headmaster and I divide the English classes. I teach one class of Form I, two classes of Form II and one class of Form III, plus Form III Biology. I have between 30 to 45 students in a class. We have some books, but not one for every student. MSS does have a laboratory for science classes, but no electricity. The school is located on top of a hill with a small village at the base. It is about 7km from Rulenge, the town where most students live, and I take a piki piki (motorcycle) to reach school every day. The ride is breathtaking.
Community
My roommate and I live on the outskirts of Rulenge. Rulenge is a small, rural town about an hour from the Burundi border and two hours from the Rwandan border. Rulenge is a ten-hour bus ride to Mwanza, the largest nearby city in Tanzania. There are no paved roads or electricity in Rulenge, but that doesn’t take away from its charm. The people are warm and friendly. English is rare, so Rulenge is a great place to learn Kiswahili and even the local language, Kishubi. Saturday is Market Day and town bustles with activity because surrounding villagers come to sell their goods. There are a couple local pubs/eateries that serve chips mayai(a potato omelet) and mishkaki(beef skewers). Most of my students live in Rulenge, so I get an opportunity to see them outside of school, which I love.
Challenges and Rewards
My greatest challenges are resources for school and budget. At Muyenzi, there are not enough copies of books or materials for each student to have his/her own. For teaching supplies, I have access to chalk and plain white printer paper if there is a supply. I have learned to be creative because of the lack of resources, but it can be frustrating. Since I live far from school, about half of my volunteer stipend goes to transportation to and from school. I kept track of my expenses to make sure I have enough money to pay for transportation. My greatest reward has been becoming part of the Rulenge-Muyenzi community. Everyone knows each other and I take great satisfaction in being able to recognize familiar faces and have relationships with the people around me. At Muyenzi, I am known as “teacher” or “madam,” never “mzungu,” the Kiswahili term for white person. In Rulenge, I love being able to walk around town and always see someone I know. It’s comforting and it has become a second home to me.
Mahenge / Nawenge Secondary School by Megan Shaw
School and Teaching Assignment
Nawenge Secondary school is great! The headmistress speaks English well and the fellow teachers are welcoming and engaging. The students struggle with English and school in general (most of which is a product of their home lives). The school is very active with sports so bring your “A” game. The English department is well stocked with books (although the textbook at times leaves you needing additional resources). At times there can be a lot of “red tape” and procedures that interfere with teaching and lessons. There are many opportunities for afterschool clubs and activities (including debates, essay writing contests, etc). The school is a 2.5 km walk uphill which is great for walking off all the carbs you will eat (also great because the walk home is downhill).
Community
The community is very welcoming and you will spend a lot of time greeting everyone you pass on the street. You will always find a helping hand when needed. The people employed by the district or government speak English fairly well but there is a need for basic Kiswahili for everyday interaction in the community. There are many churches and opportunities for sports and outdoor activities. The community does not have an expat community and has limited access to western foods/comforts (no internet access or banking so come prepared). Access to other towns/cities is very limited due to infrastructure. Eating/food options are limited but everything is so fresh that your body will thank you.
Living Arrangement
The house is a large western style house. The house could use some maintenance but overall is in good condition. It has a western toilet, tub/shower and stove. The water and electricity are fairly stable. The house has a very large yard with lots of bushes, plants and trees. The yard is a common play spot for neighborhood children. The district provides a night watchman. Mahenge is set in a beautiful landscape with many hills and greenery. There is a need for hobbies/activities for down time so prepare appropriately.
Challenges and Rewards
There was difficulty at first living in a male dominated society. It is just very different than the U.S. in terms of the role of women (and is more noticeable living in a smaller town). School politics can be challenging and I have to remind myself that my way is not always the most appropriate. Some students are not serious and do not want to try or learn (so NO they don’t care nor understand what you have given up to be there teaching them).
The rewards are bountiful. Once you learn to embrace even the small rewards every day will give you many rewarding and memorable experiences. I love that children of all ages (even 2 year olds) can greet me every day in English. I have seen a noticeable improvement in my students and even though test scores are not on par to U.S. standards they are making great strides. Many students thank me and tell me how much they have learned. Even a student correctly using pronouns is a reason to smile and feel good about being a teacher at Nawenge.