Heri ya Krismasi!

Merry Christmas from Tanzania!  I hope that everyone is enjoying a cozy and festive Christmas, wherever you may be!  My Charlie Brown Christmas tree is standing by my window.  Most Christmas trees in Tanzania are fake, and wanting a real Christmas tree, I harvested some branches from some nearby pine trees.  The long fragrant needles are adorned with Tanzania's finest colored, flashing and music-making lights.  My ears are grateful that the music can be turned off!

At the end of the school year in French class, students learned how to wish someone a Merry Christmas in French, and then made a French Christmas card for their family. We talked about different things they could draw - stars, angels, Christmas trees, Father Christmas and practiced saying Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année.  Enjoy their Christmas wishes.

By Peace and Justus, Standard 2

Netball

KEMPS recently had their first student vs. staff netball game.  Scheduled for a Friday afternoon, the whole school congregated at the netball field for this competition.  For those of you that don't know, netball is a game that is similar to basketball that is played by women in the UK, and in Tanzania.  Take away the dribbling, the backboard, and the talking, and you have a fairly close picture of the game. 

The staff team comprised a mixture of teachers and matrons.  As I did not know the rules, I was expecting only to observe and cheer; however, no sooner had I reached the field than Zelva and Teacher Moreen summoned me to be their last player.  Apparently one of the matrons had "disappeared" that afternoon because she did not know the rules and didn't want to play!  Wearing my long skirt and my sneakers I entered the game.  I'm sure my outfit made quite a fashion statement.  Despite my lack of experience with the rules, my seventh grade basketball instincts came back, and the staff team were able to work together to rival the students who had afternoon practices and much experience.

Unfortunately the game was called short by an expected downpour in the afternoon.  The sky became dark, the wind picked up, and staff, students and teachers alike sprinted down the hill as the curtain of rain swept over the field where, moments before, all were cheering and clapping on their teams.