Bagamoyo

Bagamoyo is a very cool town. It couldn't be any more different from Saikeri if it tried. Instead of Maasai warriors i am surrounded by rastas, artist, musicians and poets. It is a town of teaming with creativity and a very lively history. I live in a very small house with 8 volunteers, i share a room with a girl from Toronto called Krystina. We have a lady who cooks all our meals for us her name is Happy but she lives in town. Our house is down a dirt road about 5 mins walk from the beach. I had my first day at school and it was really good. There are 50 children all pre-school age and we are with them from 8am till 12pm. It is very basic, a small room about 15ft by 30ft with a blackboard painted on the wall, no table or chairs but it does have a concrete floor which is nice as the kids can sit and not get filthy. There are two teachers both male and they are open to all and any suggestions that we give them. The children only speak Swahili which makes it very hard so the two teachers give the lesson and Krystina and i assist (as opposed to Kenya where i was teaching classes of 46 science and English by myself!!)the children. We have already approached them about having an hour of structured play for the children each day, where we will set up 3 stations of Art and Crafts, Reading and Games using supplies we have brought. As all they seem to do is fight during their play time. We are also going to start a hygiene session each day where we will provide the children with toothbrushes and paste and soap, in the hopes that they will carry on the good hygiene even when they leave the school. It is small steps right now but i have only been there one day and i am sure there is a lot more i can do in one month! So i will keep you posted.