Monday, November 9, 2009

RAINING!!!.....Retreat with the Nuns....Lecturing and Planning



Today is Sunday, November the 8th and it has been raining off and on since last night.  What a relief to all of us.  We still have no water today but no matter....the rains are coming and the weather is cooler.  Everyone tells us we need to buy umbrellas but we can't find where to buy them.  So for now we are making do...
David requested one of the three cars the university keeps around again for today.  I never thought I would say it but it is nice to be able to drive to church on our own and be independent for at least one day a week.  After church we ventured to our market places ( David enjoys teasing the two retired sisters from India who own one of grocery stores) and then drove home only to find the electricity and water off.
Oh well,that is Dodoma!

I have included a picture with Dr. Carr and myself discussing my teaching of English Literature.  Then another of the instructor who has returned to take the English Literature course back.  He was the young fellow who had the terrible traffic accident that killed two people.
 What a relief! Now I can concentrate on the grammar course and other three seminars during the week!  David is still working on developing a master's degree program in special education and teaching his class of 300 students.



This Friday and Saturday we ventured along with the Salaman's and their two boys to a missionary conference for UK people.  It was held at a Catholic retreat ran by nuns and local residents.  The Catholics sure know how to invest their money in God's name.
 The facility was wonderfully build like a villa opening to a courtyard. It had acres and acres of walking gradens, food gardens, orchards and a trade school located across the main road to train young adults in woodworking, cooking, sewing, etc.

 The rooms had great hot water and had it all the time!( Can you tell we were very impressed!)  It was also located on a rise from where you could still see the small hills surrounding Dodoma and the communication towers.  The local residents still live in extreme poverty right up to the walled gates but at least this retreat offers them some local employment.  David and I were the American babysitters for four British children, the Salaman's children, and two wonderful girls ages five and eight who came up from the sourthern part of the country (near the Mozambique border) with their parents.


 All in all it was a refreshing change and the food was great!





Missionary Truck from
Tobora Area. (notice
no dirt even though it came
60 miles on dirt roads)
                                                         Courtyard at Catholic retreat.
          David with some of his 300 students.

Teaching in a lecture hall with a poor sound system and concrete walls and floors makes it tougher be understood by students who speak English as their second language.