One Week

I have officially been back home for one week. I can hardly believe that one week ago I was waving goodbye to the turquoise blue Indian Ocean, passing the Kiembe Samaki school for the last time and wandering the streets and alleys of Stonetown buying one last souvenir for my friends.

There is so much that I miss about Zanzibar. I miss:

1. The cool ocean breeze

2. The amazing, talented and hard working students that I worked with. 3. Then winding alleys that you can get lost in. 4. The African sunsets. 5. The busy and bustling market. 6. The friendly and curious people who wanted to get to know us a little better 7. The Massai Warriors, so cool! 8. The amazingly clear water.

An Amazing Teacher

While working at the Kiembe Samaki Skuli, we were lucky enough to work with a wonderful teacher, Tuma. From the first moment we met her she was enthusiastic about what we were doing. Just like the students, she was apprehensive at first to jump in, quietly observing what we did and the students reactions. Once in a while she would jump in and help with translations or work with students whose English proficiency was not strong enough. Without judgment but unrelentingly, she would work with the students on pronunciation and grammar until they got it right and were confident performing it.

As time went on, she would stop us and ask us what we were doing and more and more she got comfortable jumping in. She managed to do this without stepping on our toes and became a real asset to our team.

Towards the end of rehearsals, she even took a group outside and rehearsed with them. Even though I did not witness this myself, I heard from Maya Turner Singh, one of my co-teachers that she worked creatively from the group and pushed them to speak loudly and clearly. What a success to have a teacher that has never taught drama before take a risk like that!

While we never see Tuma on stage, she was very much a part of our team. She is excited to take what she has learned and implement it into her own classroom. She might even want to start a drama club!

If I ever go back, which I hope I do, I would love to spend time doing professional development with more teachers. If they are anything like Tuma, they will be excited and eager to learn something new that engages the students. What an incredible experience that would be.

Bongo Flava

While in Zanzibar, I was introduced by the students to Bongo Flava, a fusion of traditional African rhythms and hip hop. It's what all of the kids are listening to there. I have to admit that I don't love hip hop here all of the time but I love the sounds of Bongo Flava. Bongo Flava can be found mostly in Tanzania and is sung by Tanzanian artists although it seems like the music is popular in Kenya too. If you really want to get specific there is Zangi Flava which is like Bongo Flava but indigenous to Zanzibar.

While in Zanzibar, I had a cd made of music so that I could remember it and learn it for my next trip. You don't buy cds like you do here. There are these tiny shops and you tell someone there what you are looking for and they make you a mix cd. It is wonderful because there were so many surprises. I love almost all of my music.

While on youtube.com, I found one of my favorites. You can hear it and watch the music video. Watch it. The video isn't anything amazing but I love the song. It makes you want to dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqSsbA_iFk8&feature=related

Back Home

I have been back home for about 2 1/2 days now and it has been a big adjustment being back. I have been so jet lagged that I have been physically ill. I think my body was exhausted from the 30 hour flight and an overwhelming experience. I have been falling asleep by 8 pm and have been waking up by 5:30. I want to break this pattern but my body is not cooperating.

I was not able to blog like I had hoped. The internet service in Zanzibar was very slow and I barely got to email my family and friends. I had high hopes for documenting every moment through this blog but, that didn't happen.
I was also much busier than I anticipated. That is not a bad thing. The work is why I went there and the hard work that I and the team put in completely paid off. We had an amazing show, the students learned so much and gained a great deal of confidence as actors, English language speakers and citizens in their community and school. The transformation that I witnessed from the first to last day is almost unbelievable.

I have worked with groups of teens here in NYC and have not been able to accomplish with them over several months what I helped to accomplish in 9 days. The students at the Kiembe Samaki school were dedicated, ambitious and completely trusting. I never heard the word "no" from them. They were always willing to try something new and by the end, were the agents of their own change and risk taking.
As I look back on my experience now, I am completely overwhelmed by my 18 days in Zanzibar. It is kind of like a dream right now. I still want to document my experience but I think instead of it being a day to day record, it is going to be a collection of memories and recollections.

As I try to tie together my amazing experience and find ways to make sure that I can go back every year for the rest of my life, I will continue with this blog. This was only one of many experiences I hope to have working in communities all over the world. I know that this is what I was meant to do. Even when it was hard, it was happy. This is what I want my life to be.

Where have I been?

Sorry I have not written in a while. First, we were really busy working on the show and I had much more work to do than I expected. But it was all worth it. The show and the students were amazing. More than I ever could have hoped for.

Then, the internet was very weak and I could not access my email or blogger. So I physically couldn't post here.

Then...we have been experiencing a lot of blackouts so there was not even electricity for me to use. I promise when I get back I will fully update this blog with everythign that happened, including pictures.

I leave tomorrow. I am so sad about this. I am ready to be back home but, at the same time not ready to leave. I can't wait to share all of my experiences with all of you.

The Most Beautiful Day!!!!

Can each day get more amazing than the next? Yes it can. We only had 2 hours at the school today which we were really bummed about but the kids worked super hard, as usual. I was greeted today by a wonderful boy who I truly adore name Muhammud and he gave me a small orange. How sweet is that? And because we are becoming more familiar with them, they want to teach us so much. As I was walking with my group to rehearse, they saw some friends with some food and got some for me. It was a sweet cassava with a little salt on it. They were so excited that I tried and liked it! And no, I am not sick. We had so much fun rehearsing our scene, about a girl whose parents make her stop going to school to marry a 60 year old man. This was a fictional story but one that could have been true. It's amazing. In one part there is a wedding scene and we started talking about Henna tattoos. I told them that I am getting one right before we leave to show my husband! The girls screamed with glee!

When the day was over, one of the girls called me over. She took my hand and with a pen started to draw a henna design. All of the girls started gathering around to watch and were so happy that I was letting them do it. All of us ended up getting it and I can't tell you what an amazing bonding experience it was. First of all, we were all being so girly! Second, they were tickled pink that we let them do this and they all wanted to touch me and be a part of it or to sit and talk with me. Then they started playing with my hair and suddenly started screaming! I said, "What? What?" They decided that they want to braid my hair. They did a little bit just to see and they were so excited, telling me that I look so beautiful! I told them that on MOnday they could braid my hair. I am probably coming home with cornrows!!!!!!!!

Then we started taking pictures and they were just grabbing me, begging to have a picture with me! You should ahve heard all of the screams! They were so excited! And we were dancing and laughing! I can't even describe it!

Today was one of the best days of my life! I am so happy! As we left, they were hugging me, telling me that they were going to miss me so much this weekend. Then as we were leaving, we overheard one of the girls say, "I'm so happy!!!!!!" My work here is so important. I feel like I am giving them as much joy as they are giving me.

Another fun thing that happened today, as we were rehearsing our scenes, all of these students started surrounding the classroom just watching us. They loved it! I feel like we are part of the community now.

Image Theatre

Today was the day I have been waiting for. Since we have been planning in early June, I knew that I was going to facilitate image theatre with my group in order to create more material for my show. I woke up feeling sick this morning. Not from nerves. Probably from my spicy dinner the night before. I was afraid I would have to run to the hole in the ground (bathroom) several times. This was not how I pictured this going.

Thank goodness it all cleared up and peppy Carrie was back. We placed cards around the room with themes they had told us they were interested in exploring in their play. They had to walk to the card that they most wanted to discuss and explore. The themes they chose were, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, poverty, education, and government. Then we each went off with a group and created pictures (tableaux) with them. They really enjoyed this because I told them that they were making photographs with their bodies. They thought that this was a lot of fun. Then we brought the photos to life through thought tracking. I thought that this would be a difficult concept for them to grasp but they got it right away. Then we presented each scene to the class. They loved saying "1, 2, 3, picture" and clicking a fake camera before each scene! Every scene was unique and showcased each student well. Even those who have a low proficiency in English had an important role to play.

From there we went back into our groups and created full scenes for each theme. Some groups had trouble because of their language skills but there determination was strong and with practice they will be incredible.

I was particularly proud of my group. They jumped right in and were willing to try anything. With each rehearsal, they became more and more passionate and more and more free with their acting. Their confidence was out of this world. We worked well together, making sure I understood them and they understood me. The result gave me goosebumps. They even added a song to the end.

I love these children. They never cease to amaze me. I am at home here. I am at home.

Day One and Two of Teaching

Sorry I haven't written much these last few days. Schedules kept changing on us, which seems to be normal here in East Africa. You never know what is going to happen. But you know what they say, Hakuna Matata!

Yesterday we began teaching the students at the Kiembe Samaki school in rural Zanzibar. As you can imagine, I was both nervous and excited to start. I didn't know what to expect or how we would be treated. So far in Zanzibar, children have either been afraid of us or very curious to the point of staring and not blinking or responding. Would these students be the same?

From the moment the first student walked into the room, we were greeted with the warmest of welcomes. Karibu! They would shake our hands and ask our names. They were so excited to meet us and learn why we had come. And they jumped right into all of the games and activities with incredible enthusiasm.

This group of teens are eager to learn everything we want to teach them. Their English is not as good as we hoped but we are working through that. I am doing a lot of miming. So are they. But we are making it work. At every moment they are pulling me aside asking me how to say something in English, pronounce something, explain it better.... They have learned to trust me so quickly, I can't even believe it. The one big difference I have seen here versus NY is that in Zanzibar there is an incredible thirst for knowledge. These teens are like sponges and are absorbing everything.

In only two days we have begun to create our play. They are doing this by teaching us about Zanzibar and coming up with small vignettes in groups. I worked with two incredible groups today who were eager to try anything and everything I suggested. They also had brilliant ideas of their own. I felt so proud when they presented their scenes and they were strong, clear and creatively presented. They were obviously proud too.

And when we leave for the day, they all shake our hands, some even kiss them (a real sign of affection) and thank us for our hard work. When does that ever happen.

I feel completely privileged to be here. The students are so empowered by this work and I really believe that it is going to be life changing for so many of them.

I wish I could write more but I am so overwhelmed myself. And exhausted. On top of that, I will be leading a 2 hour image theatre workshop with them in order to create new material tomorrow. I am so scared and thrilled at the same time. The people I have traveled with agreed to film me so I can learn from the process. Maybe at some point I will be able to share the highlights.

That is all for now. I am so tired and need to eat dinner. But I will write soon.

Day One of Zanzibar

This is something I wrote after day one and couldn't get it onto blogspot so here it is now. Yay!
The rest of today was so much fun. My roommate and I, both feeling overwhelmed by actually being here, just laid in our bed and listened to the sounds of the neighborhood. Zanzibar is like a symphony of different sounds; a sound scape of children laughing, men shouting at TVs that they use to watch the world cup on in the street, babies crying, bicycles ringing, motorcycles buzzing, roosters cockle-doodle -dooing just to name a few. And each time we listened more, we heard more sounds. It's an amazing thing.
Then we went to dinner on the rooftop of this fancy hotel called Ebony and Green. We got there at 6:00 to watch the sunset over the ocean.You know those sunsets you see in cartoons like The Lion King where the sun is an exaggerated neon red that sinks slowly into the ocean until you hear a faint sizzle? That is exactly what it was like. I watched the sun set very quickly until it was only a sliver kissing the end of the Indian Ocean, just leaving a pink and blue glow as a reminder that it was there only moments before.
Just as the sun disappeared, a new symphony began. The call to prayer. You could hear mosques from around Stonetown singing their own traditional songs. The wind was blowing a cool air from the ocean, and the fabric on the restaurant ceiling was billowing a deep percussion to accompany the music in the air. We didn't make a sound. We just sat in this place listening to these new and beautiful sounds, completely awed and humbled by the experience.This was followed by a delicious meal of hummus, potato fritters, spiced carrot soup, a seafood salad, grilled red snapper with coconut rice and dessert. They had a traditional band playing while women danced at our tables in primal, isolated pelvic movements. They were so confident in their movements, so powerful. They invited us up to dance but none of us had the courage of these women. They way they moved their hips, butts and pelvis without moving anything else was amazing and something I clearly can not do. This would not have been any competition. John, however, decided to give it a try and it was amazing to watch.

We followed dinner by a walk around Stonetown. I don't know what everything looks like during the day but at night, it looks like a movie set. It can't be real. But it all is. Then we went to a rooftop bar, had a drink, toasted to a safe journey and watched for shooting stars.
I am going to like Zanzibar.

Just saying hi

I am having trouble uploading pictures from the internet places here so I will try to update as best as I can with pictures. I have to go now but will write more soon!

I Made it to Zanzibar!!!!!

Today was my first day in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It started with a 28 hour flight that began at 4am at Laguardia Airport for our 6am flight to DC. From there we hopped on a plane headed for Addis Adaba, Ethiopia with a stopover in Rome. This plane was the most ghetto plane I have ever seen. First class was cruddy and tight. And if first class is cramped, imagine economy. I am not a big girl and I could barely fit my legs in the space between my seat and the seat in front of me. I got leg cramps the whole trip.

Many of you know that I have been dealing with bad swelling in my right foot for no aparant reason.. To make matters worse, we were not allowed to deplane in Rome and because they were refueling, we were not even allowed out of our seats. It is not almost 12 hours since I have gotten off of my flight and my foot is still huge. I am so upset but I am not in any pain and for that I am grateful.

From Addis Ababa we hopped on another plane to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. I think the flight was about 3 1/2 to 4 hours but I am not sure because I completely conked out. Then after the plane landed was stayed on the plane while they refueled, sitting of course, and then took off again for Zanzibar which was only 20 minutes away.

I did not get to see too much of Zanzibar today. We went straight to our hotel which is simple but nice. Except that my bed is broken so I have to sleep with my roommate tonight and we don't have any running water so I can't take a shower. Blah. But I am in Africa (yay) and I have to roll with the punches.

Can't Sleep

I went to sleep at around midnight tonight hoping to get around 3 1/2 hours of sleep but no such luck. I got a restless hour and a half and have been up since watching the new TLC series "Mall Cop of America." Pathetic. But it is what it is.

Things to Do Before I Go

My first flight takes off in less than 21 hours. Unbelievable! Today I am spending the day at home taking care of last minute details. Here are the things I need to do. If I am forgetting something important please comment and let me know.

• Finish packing
• Go to Costco to get my Kashi bars
• Go to the gym, one last workout that will hopefully result in a 20 pound loss
• Try and learn a little more Swahili
• Clean a little bit so my husband isn't angry at me the whole time I am gone
• Pay my rent so my landlord isn't angry at me the whole time I am gone
• Stop at Allstate and insure my laptop and camera
• Drink lots and lots of water so that I am completely hydrated for the flight
• Have dinner with my husband
• Spend "quality time" with my husband
• Get about 4 hours of sleep, enough so that I can function but insufficient enough that I can sleep on the plane and get on Zanzibar time
• Start taking my Malarone, the malaria pill
• Set my alarm for 3:30 am
• Take one last shower before the trip
• Wave goodbye to Brooklyn
• Give my husband the biggest kiss ever before I leave him at the airport
• Cry
• Get on an airplane and try to keep busy for 28 hours
  

Day Out With the Hubby

Today my husband took off of work so that he could spend the day with me before I go. We usually get one full day together a week but we wanted to do something special. The day was packed with fun activities and we had the best time. I am so glad we did this. We have never been apart for this long before so it was important to get some quality time in.We started the day by going to Madison Square Park and getting lunch at Shake Shack, a special treat.

Then we walked around the park and looked for all of the statues on the buildings. See that little guy up there?
Then we walked across town and took a walk on the Highline. We have been wanting to check it out for a while and I am so glad we did. It is beautifully designed, with creative and fun art installations. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it.

After our walk we realized how thirsty we were so we went to the Biergarten at the Standard Hotel for a little refreshment.
We then ran a few small errands and then walked home over the Brooklyn Bridge. It was an amazing day. I am so glad Ken and I got to do this.

Is Zanzibar a Real Place?

This is what most people ask me when I tell them this is where I am going. Most people don't know where it is. A lot of people are just hearing about it for the first time. So I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you a little about the place I will be visiting.

Zanzibar is off the coast of Tanzania which is a country on the East Coast of Africa. To the North is Kenya and Uganda. To the West is Rwanda, Burundi, and D.R. Congo. To the South is Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. Here is a map to show you exactly where it is.

And here is a map of Zanzibar. I will be staying in Stonetown the whole time I am there and I will be teaching in a rural area of Stonetown. It has been described to me as "the Bronx of Stonetown."
Zanzibar itself lies in the Indian Ocean and is 6 degrees south of the Equator (HOT!!!) The main language spoken is Kiswahili with English being second. Zanzibar (or Unguja) is famous for its spice plantations, Arabian style alleys, palaces and snorkeling.

Zanzibar was the center of East Africa slave trade, over a million slaves were traded here with the permission of their own Sultan. Zanzibar was also the center of ivory trade for many years. But Zanzibar is most famous for its spices which brought people from all over the world to this remote place.

Because of Arabia's influence on this culture, Zanzibar is almost completely Muslim. Fishing and agriculture are are he main economic activities. A fun fact is that it was the main exporter of cloves. Who knew?

So, that is a very brief description of Zanzibar. Hopefully this helps give you a sense of where it is I am going.

One week to go!

I really can't believe it. It seems like yesterday when this trip was just and idea and a dream with no way of making it come true. But here it is and it is happening. In one week I will be on a 28 hour trip to the other side of the world.

I still feel like I have so much left to do. Like get more bug spray since I don't think I can have too much, get an adapter so I can charge my laptop, learn more Swahili because I only know, like, 2 words... So much to do and no time left.

Yesterday I met with the wonderful Ashley who will be my partner and co-teacher in Zanzibar. She is wonderful, has so many great ideas and is so open to trying new things and letting me do the same. We are both passionate about serving the students and making this an amazing experience for them. I think we will be a great team. We were so enthralled by the details that we only got through 3 of the 8 lessons but, we have a long plane ride to do the rest so we're not worried.

On Wednesday we all went to John and Jen's home (the organizers of the trip) and we collected all of the supplies we are bringing for the students. Pens, paper, chalk, folders, handouts, and more. We are totally prepared.

I really can't wait to leave and at the same time, I can wait a little longer. I am sad to leave Ken who I wish could experience this all with me. I know I will go back but it is still hard to leave him behind. He is a wonderful husband for letting me live out my dream and supporting me the way he does. I know that it is not fair for him to stay home when one of our dreams as a couple is to see the world together. But I will be hard at work (with a little play) and home before I know it.

It's really happening!

What I'm doing in Zanzibar

I have always been curious about the world. How people live, what they eat, what their daily lives are like... Then a few years ago I traveled to Thailand for my honeymoon and I was bitten by the travel bug. I loved seeing the traditional markets, eating from the same street stands as a local and speaking to a local who was just as curious about where I was from as I was about their home. After that trip, I vowed to get to know as much of the world as I could.

When I began my masters in Applied Theatre, I knew that I wanted to combine my love of travel and culture with my love of theatre. I am finally getting that opportunity. On July second I will be traveling to Zanzibar, Tanzania. Let me say that again.

ON JULY SECOND I WILL BE TRAVELING TO ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it myself. It doesn't seem real, to be honest but, it is and I am going. I will be working with about twenty boys and girls between the ages of 15 and 18 creating an original play based on their interests, passions and curiosities. I have no idea what the end product will look like. I have no idea what they will want to talk about. I know about some of the issues they face as young men and women in East Africa but what does a teenager there care about? I will soon find out. While we are creating this play, we will also be helping these young men and women learn and improve their English, a language that they will soon be tested on; a test that can make or break their future. They have only one opportunity to take this test and they can either pass or fail. If they pass, the possibility for a better education and a good job is increased. If they fail....? I want to help give these young men and women every opportunity to succeed, feel empowered to succeed while having them learn that their ideas, passions and concerns about their community deserve and need to be heard.

I will be taking with me a laptop and a camera and hope to document as much of my experience as possible. While I will not be allowed to use my own camera during the sessions with the young people (we will be using one company camera so as not to overwhelm the group) I will be constantly taking pictures of Stonetown and my other travels. I will be writing daily journals about my experiences, successes and failures. You are invited to come on this journey with me through this blog. Feel free to write advice, words of encouragement or just say hello.

For those of you who have already offered support, both monetary and through kind words, I thank you. You can learn more about my trip and donate if you can via a paypal link through this site: http://www.educationregistry.com/profile.php?id=223&style=owner

So, let's go to Zanzibar!!!!!!!!