Kimaro

 

Kimaro

                Over the past two days, I have taught in the Prep Class. Yesterday I was really nervous to teach because I was still getting used to the kids and settling in with the teachers. Today when I taught and I looked back at the class the expression on the kids’ faces was priceless. The kids were looking at me in amazement; they always had huge smiles on their faces and seemed like they never blinked. Today teaching was a lot easier because I knew most of the kids’ names and I was comfortable in the classroom and with the teachers. I love the kids they are all I look forward for tomorrow because I love smiling at them, and having them smile back is one of the best feelings ever.

                I gave the Prep Class a huge jar of hand sanitizer and the teacher, Happy, read all the directions and rules. She made all the kids who were younger than six years old stand up and say that they can’t use it because it was against the rules. She also said that if it got in their eyes they would die but she said it in a joking manner. At first I thought the teacher was being serious but then everyone started laughing, so I started laughing, too, realizing how cool the teacher’s and the student’s relationship is. Even after the teacher would slap a kid in the hand they would always say goodbye at the end of the day with a smile on their face.

                Shame: if a kid doesn’t do well on a problem or messes up a lot they get shamed. That is when all the kids and the teachers throw their hands up in the air and yell “shame, shame, shame” and then a song that I don’t understand. It is very weird to watch because the kids who are getting “shamed” don’t do anything they just stand there and take it. I was very confused the first time it happen because I thought the kid would start crying or would actually get hurt. I know now that this is part of their culture and is accepted everywhere. One of my favorite kids is Godwin. He has the cutest face and has the funniest laugh, but he is a huge trouble-maker so he gets shamed a lot.

                Kevin, Nicole, Mrs. Gutmann, and I went to a house visit today. We went to Mr. Kimaro’s house. He is a teacher at the school and has one son who goes to the school. The visit today has definitely changed my outlook on everything. He is an amazing man. When I got back from his house I was speechless. Mr. Kimaro lives in a house that was the size of a college dorm room, with his family of five. I admire him so much because he took so much pride in everything he owned. There is a bed that already takes up half of the main living room, and then there is a couch with two chairs and a coffee table in the middle with just enough for walking room. The room connected to it is even smaller and is even more packed. There is another bed, a stove, and jugs of water all over. In the corner are all their clothes stacked up in suitcases. Mr. Kimaro is a teacher at LOAMO and is a student at the University of Dar es Salaam studying computer technology. I really feel for Mr. Kimaro and his family. He borrows money for everything and then when he gets his paycheck he has to pay back all his debt. Mr. Kimaro was so open about everything and is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Visiting the Kimaro’s house today has definitely changed my life and I am grateful that I had the chance to do meet this family.