September 30th. Where are we?

The last few weeks have been quite busy and challenging even though school was in recess. Most of my time has been spent  trying to get some semblance of order into the financial records of the building which is going ahead with more speed now.
Block making is progressing at the rate of 550 blocks per day but as fast as they are being made, the contractors are using them . Work had to cease for a couple of days to allow the block makers to get ahead a little and give the blocks time to cure properly.

Boy's Dormitory

Staff Flats

We are still in Africa but we aren't sure where that is. After ordering a book online from a seller who advertises free world -wide postage and then being advised that they don't send to Africa, we are left wondering just where we really are. Needless to say the book is not forthcoming and I have a very disappointed student.


The students are all back at school now. Holidays finished two weeks ago and for the last fortnight, there has been a gradual trickle of students back and a carnival atmosphere has prevailed. The celebrations have all but come to an end except for a Form 4 disco today from 7.00 am until night.This is the culmination of their Graduation Ceremony yesterday. We were invited guests and of course had to sit with the dignitaries and be on show yet again. It is a very big all day event - very different from Graduation at home but very enjoyable.The whole school participates and parents, neighbours, friends and villagers all come to join in. Apart from the usual speeches and presentation of certificates it is more like a concert with all forms participating. After quite a late start ( this is African time), lunch was served at about 2.30 pm and for the remainder of the day the parents spent time with their children.
One Third of the assembled people.
Graduating students
Part of the entertainment

Science demonstration - this is how it's done.

A traditional dance.After a minute or so people just converged on the oval and joined in.

The acrobatic team.
As I finish this, the carnival is over. The students are all back from the disco and Monday morning it's down to serious study for the exams in three weeks time. This is a National Examination and if you don;t pass you can't ever go back to Secondary School. It is a mystery to me why the graduation ceremony is before the exam but this is the way it's done.

The only other thing looming for us is our visa renewal. We  have to go into Uganda and  wait and see what happens when we try to re-enter Tanzania. Hakuna Matata.














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