CRCL Tanzania Trip 2018

Kinsondela shadowing day Today myself and a few other students went to Kinsondela secondary school where we each were allocated different class rooms to go into. We essentially were all students in the school in the sense of us being in each lesson and experiencing an average school day for the pupils. I was sat with three boys Dennis, Steven and Boniface (surprisingly two classic Cumbrian names). The day started off by us setting off on an hour walk at 6:30 which wasn't very fun however when we arrived we were expecting breakfast to be ready but of course were in Tanzania so time doesn't really mean anything over here so it was late shock and even bigger shock when we finally got it, it was egg and bread. There so adventurous over here. Throughout the day I had geography first lesson where we partook in a practical outside which was eventful. I then had history which wasn't so fun but after our awesome breakfast we had maths which I was buzzing about because I love maths h...

We started working at Katumba on the 24 th in small groups of 5. When we first arrived, our priority was to sort the physio room out which was horrendous. There were wheelchairs still in packaging piled up in the corner while current students were using broken wheelchairs, some had no wheels! There were also some bikes which unfortunately due to them being piled under such a weight could not be used due to the tyres bursting. After we had sorted the room out we had a tour around the grounds and looked into the dormitories. Most were rammed with beds yet there was a brand-new dormitory with new mattresses, storage and electricity that wasn't being touched. We also discovered that albino children were locked in their dorms at night to keep them safe as many Tanzanian's still believe in black magic. It was crazy. Once the tour was over, Sharon started to treat students by cleaning up wounds and offering further support through the assistance of crutches and boots. We gave a pair ...

Ano's Homestay At the homestay we had a surreal time because we had an insane amount of food and his family was so nice and welcoming to us. I went with Reid and Nathan. To begin with we sat in his living room talking with Ano's friend and met his family. Ano brought out samosas and these like beef balls which were both delicious and we wolfed them down. Next, he brought out an amazing omelette which was the best omelette I have ever had. We then got a tour around Ano's farm and he showed us how to chop down a sugar cane and a banana tree. They both required a certain skill. We then came into have tea which was a huge meal full of an array of wonderful foods. After tea Nathan got out his guitar where we just started to play and sing whilst his younger sisters and brothers listened and seemed to enjoy it. I next had a shower in a room made from bamboo sticks and leaves with a kanga as a door. They had warmed the water so it was the first warm shower of the trip. All the whil...

To start the day we had the usual breakfast of bread and eggs with tea. At this point everyone was unsure what to expect from the church service being aware if would be completely different to home. One certain expectation we had was that we would spend the morning signing because singing has been a huge part of the past two years. After breakfast we headed to Ano's church joined by David and Lulu in ­­­ where we received a very warm welcome from the minute Lulu (the blue bus) pulled up outside. The church had organised a seating area at the front so that we could enjoy the full experience. Not going to lie this was definitely a memorable experience. The singing and dancing never stopped as they celebrated God within this was also a chance for us to perform some of the English songs we had prepared for the duration of the trip. More than 3 hours later we headed to the priest's office where they had prepared tea for the group as well as taking pictures with visitors of the churc...

Alright all, Tanzania is pretty cool. Today is my birthday, gonna have some bevvies later. We started the day with breakfast; a bread and an egg. However during this time everyone here has put banners and balloons on my door and in the food hall saying "Happy 18 th Birthday" which was amazing and has made my birthday so much more enjoyable and easier to deal with, so thanks everyone. After breakfast we headed to Kapa Rungwe Falls, a massive waterfall 2 hours  away from the Bible Centre. It was named after a man who fell or jumped (dunno which is better) off and is the only one to have survived. I assume others have survived but I can't imagine being so competitive as to jump off a cliff to try to survive just to get a name changed. Each to their own. The group sang happy birthday to me again as well and so far I've had a fantastic birthday and have made unforgettable memories. Kapa Rungwe was beautiful and I can't think of a more unique place to have spent my 18 ...

20 th   July 2018 Blog   We started the day with breakfast from the Mamas, and then we headed out on our way official visits. We visited the Education commissioners. During the meetings Ivan spoke about the charity and our work, with Vale translating when needed. When speaking about the charity, Ivan spoke of our fundraising work, and the projects in Tanzania that CRCL has helped fund (for example: building classrooms and supplying electricity, doors, and windows in schools). Afterwards, we had a trip to Katumba II, which is a boarding school that caters to disabled children in the area. Unfortunately, we only had time for a short visit today, but after visiting the school we're hopefully planning to timetable more time there. The students were all really friendly and enthusiastic towards us, and it was so fun to meet them – we're all very excited for our next visit! Afterwards we got dinner at Kivanga bar, which was a hillside bar and cafe, which was chipsi mayai and soft drin...

Originally, we were supposed to board the Tazara at 1pm, but unfortunately it was delayed until 11pm… what a surprise. Not all of us were that gutted though, because we had enjoyed Dar Es Salaam so much. Instead, we spent the day practicing our songs and playing Mafia until we left. Finally, we set off for the Tazara and on the way we stopped at an American supermarket, the choice for me was overwhelming so I ended up not buying many snacks, but I did give baked potato flavoured crisps a try. Eventually, we got on the Tazara and we had a really good night, we sang and danced for the passengers that found us 'muzungu's' entertaining. Unfortunately because of how late the train was we missed Mkumi National Park but other than that everyone had a good time. Max

Today was our first day at the Bible Centre so we spent the morning relaxing and getting used to our home for the next few weeks. This morning we all washed our clothes in buckets of cold water which we all strangely found satisfying to do! Then some of us braved our first bucket showers which were nowhere near as bad as anticipated, if a little cold. Afterwards we unpacked all 27 of our donation bags, it was amazing to see how much people had given to this cause and we are overwhelmed by all the medical supplies, stationary, clothes and gifts we can now give out to the people of Tanzania! Reid particularly enjoyed being our model for bra measuring, as seen by the photos! After lunch, which was a mixture of rice, noodles, beef stew, plantain and vegetables, the Tanzanians from last year's inward came to visit for the afternoon with their teachers- it was so nice to see them all again and none of us could take the smiles off our faces! Whilst the RCCL meeting was occurri...

So today was our full day on the Tazara – and one that unsurprisingly became longer than planned after the various (around 20) times it managed to break down. The original ETA was 11pm, however this was then extended to 3am. This however, was not something to worry about as there was plenty of alcohol aboard and so we were able to try the various Tanzanian options available. Unfortunately, we went through the Safari area at around 5am and therefore everyone was still asleep but that shouldn't be an issue because it won't be long until we are also on Safari. The scenery we saw was incredible and unlike anything I had personally seen before. As time went on we travelled through town after town, hills after hills and plenty of tunnels (even when the lights weren't originally on). Going through the towns we saw plenty of people who all had excitement in their eyes as the train flew past, and we were able to gift the children sweets out of the windows and greet people with t...

Interview with Assah Mwambene Today Oliver, Max and myself were interviewed by Assah Mwambene who works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was interested in what we hoped to gain from our experience in Tanzania which I said was mainly wanting to feel like we have made a difference with our work in the schools and all our donations, but also to learn about the culture of Tanzania and make new friends. Assah had been part of the exchange in 1991, but also had visited in 2006 and was familiar with Eskdale including the Ratty and Miterdale, as well as Wyndham school. Lettie

A day in Dar The day started off with mandazi, bread, pancakes, watermelon and tea for breakfast, we then packed our day bags and drove to the national museum of Dar es Salaam as we were in traffic we experienced buying things through the window for the first time. While we were there we learned about pre-history and the evolution of mankind, as we were walking around we came across the skull of a whale which was huge! We then went to a nice fish bar where we all had our dinner. We then proceeded to the ledger hotel which was when we all had a swim and sunbathed, for our tea there was a buffet that had a variety of foods and cakes for dessert. During our bus journey on the way back to the Pentecostal we sang some songs for the Tanzanians and they sang for us, as soon as we got back we all went to sleep as we were all so tired and worn out. Megan

In the small hours of this morning (Saturday 14th July), the group gathered with copious amounts of luggage to begin their journey. All the luggage (and people of course!) made it through Manchester airport and they departed on the first of 2 flights. They have since both arrived in, and departed from Istanbul. As I write this, they are currently in the air over Africa. Safari Njema!

This is the trip plan broken down by day for anyone who wants to keep track of what the group should be up to.

Welcome to the 2018 outward blog. The group is all packed and ready to go, are you ready to follow the adventure? After almost 2 years of fundraising, hard work and fun our 18 students and 6 leaders are preparing for the off. With a total of £21,315 raised by the group, they can be proud of what they have achieved so far. With almost a month in Tanzania ahead they still have a lot to look forward to.  On behalf of the CRCL committee we wish them an amazing trip and hope you will all enjoy following their adventures here on our blog.  CRCL.