Science with Standard 5: Toads and Microscopes



We became familiar with the different
 magnifications by looking at a handwritten letter before
moving on to plant and animal cells.



This past week, I brought out the microscope for the first time in my Standard 5 Science class.   As I entered there were excited whispers of "it's a microscope" and "Teacher, is that a microscope?".  As I introduced the different parts of the microscope there was dead silence as all of my pupils fixed their eyes on me and listened to every word.  Although it was slightly chaotic after the initial introduction, (the lab was supposed to take place in the classroom but had to be moved spur of the moment to my house where I had students on my floor and on mats outside), it was inspiring to see their faces light up as they peered through the eyepiece at the onion skin and rectangular outlines of the plant cells.  I had students who shut one eye and tried to peer through half of the eyepiece, those that were glued to it and couldn't tear themselves away, and those that wanted to come back to look again and again.



I love that you can so clearly see Owen's expression
of surprise as he looks through the microscope.



   This same class is also doing weekly observation journals of a site that they picked around campus.  Although they initially found it a challenge to describe what they were seeing closely, there have been some wonderful journal entries with students describing the colors, shapes, and sizes of what they see, drawing detailed and labeled drawings, and even giving some of their site residents different characters.  In one journal entry by Elton, aged 11, he describes his toad's home and how he loves his fat and very "handsome" toad.  In the several weeks since his initial discovery, this toad has become the focal point of many of the journal entries and much observation.  I have found pupils out at his home during lunch and after class, and several students have come and searched me out to show me how he likes to eat grasshoppers, or to investigate new found holes with my flashlight.

Starry Nights in Bukoba



by Deborah Elisa



In my Standard IV Vocational Skills Class we have just finished studying Vincent Van Gogh.  In preparation to study "Starry Night", and to make our own night landscapes, we went out to the edge of campus one night to look at the stars, the lights of Bukoba and the glow of the moon on the lake.  My pupils pointed out the milky way, Orion and several other constellations that they learned with Teacher Gayle. They were surprised by all the different colours they saw even though it was night time, as well as the small twinkles of light on the lake that identified the many islands just off shore. 

At first my students found it a challenge to draw in the style of Van Gogh.  He requires a lot of patience, espcially for those who are used to shading quickly with one color.  However, after practicing some bold strokes and building colors and lines together, (I drew my own Van Gogh landscape in chalk on the blackboard to demonstrate as they colored on paper), they created some absolutely wonderful and vibrant landscapes.  Here is some of their work.



by Egbert Elisa



by Anitha Emmanuel



by Daniel Baraba



by Aneth Kagwebe





Christmas on Zanzibar

After enjoying the rainforest of Amani, I traveled with friends to the island of Zanzibar for Christmas.  Although not known as a place to spend a white Christmas, its spices, Islamic architecture, white beaches, and teal water make a memorable Christmas location. 




These small alleys were the streets of Stone Town.  It is not without reason that Stone Town is often refered to as an African Venice.




Tucked in hidden corners and alleyways were found many carved wooden doors in the Islamic style.  The island of Zanzibar is almost entirely Muslim.  This was seen not only in the architecture, but also in the long black veils of many of the women that lived there. 



The House of Wonders was one of the palaces built by the Sultan of Zanzibar.  It was thus called because it held many novelties for its time including the only elevator on the island.  Located on the waterfront, its white tower could be seen from the square below where a nightly food market took place.  Stalls would appear selling skewers of sea food, mango and nutella crepes, and sugar cane juice.




Outside of Stone Town and its winding streets, the ocean was teal and inviting.  Canoes were plentiful and an ideal way of traveling through the more shallow coral covered waters.



Sailing vessels and dhows were also plentiful, lining the shores of the city.



On our own dhow on boxing day, we took a trip to a sandbar near Stone Town where we went snorkelling and swimming.



I have never swum in ocean water as warm as on Zanzibar.  It felt like bath water.  Can you believe the colour of the water?



After a relaxing day on the water or exploring the town, the most popular place to spend the evening was at the Africa House.  The old English Club during the British rule, this club has the best sunset views and is a popular place to watch the sun sink below the horizon, bathing the sailing vessels and dhows in its golden light.



Sunset at the Africa House.



Footsteps through Amani

I know that we are marching through February, and figured that it was time I finally got the last of my pictures up from my Christmas trip.  After finishing language training in Morogoro, I traveled north into the tropical rainforest of Amani Nature Preserve.  Also part of the Eastern Arc Mountain Chain, it is known as the origin of the African violets that are now common household plants.  For several days, I found myself hiking under tree ferns, through tea plantations, searching for three horned chameleons and learning as much as I could about the tropical rainforest ecosystem.



Hiking under the tree ferns.



Seeing their giant fiddle heads lent a whole new meaning to the delicacy eaten in Maine during the spring.



Amani Nature Preserve is known worldwide for its butterfly farm which supplies many museums with butterflies for special exhibitions.  This particular butterfly is camouflaged to look like a leaf when its wings are closed, but displays these fantastic colors when its wings are open.




The tea plantations created many pockets of sunlight in the dense rainforest. 



Hiking through the tea plantations, we arrived at one of the sites where one species of African violets is found.  Growing on the damp cliffs next to the river bank, this is one of the seven species of African violets growing in Amani.




We discovered this three horned chameleon on a night hike with a biologist who is currently studying them in the preserve.  Chameleons are easiest to discover at night when they are not as well camouflaged.



Not only is Amani home to African Violets, beautiful forests and a renowned butterfly farm, it was also originally a research center when the British controlled Tanzania.  Nestled in the rainforest, this history is preserved by the stone cottages and this traditional English pay phone.  It doesn't matter how far you travel, some things still make you feel right at home!



    

Language School, Maasai and the Udzungwa Mountains

It has been quite a while since my last post.  I have returned to Bukoba, and taught my first classes for the year today.  In this post I want to share a bit more about my adventures in Morogoro (My travels to the rainforest and Zanzibar will follow soon).  I think the best way to do this would be with a tour through my photos.  I hope you enjoy.




This is the classroom where I learned Kiswahili every day.  The language school had many of these shaded bandas spread out through a small garden.  Each banda had a wonderful view of the Uluguru Mountains, and they were often visits by monkeys.

 


The view of the peaks from the classrooms.  Awe-inspiring, and also very distracting!

 


Around the campus there were many large and old baobab trees.  The most ancient was found in a field of yellow berries.  According to the grandfather of a teacher at the language school, this tree has not changed since he was a boy.

 


Although it may have looked small from the first picture, I felt small indeed standing next to its huge base.  This was not the only baobab near the campus.  



Not far away was a baobab perfect for climbing.  Perched surrounded by its giant arms, I spent many afternoons relaxing here after classes.



In a previous post, I talked about the Maasai.  This is one of the churches we visited while I was in Morogoro.

 



Among other things, the Maasai are known for their rhythmic dancing during church services.  Drums give the beat for the song, and the jewelry that the dancers wear emphasizes the beat provided by the drums, the singing, and the complicated footwork.



After the service, this Maasai Mama gave me my first lesson in beading by sewing one of her bracelets (note the Tanzanian flag) onto my wrist.



Excited by my new beading skills, I found the maasai beading store in town and started to get to know the local beaders.  I became particularly close with Agnes (pictured here).  We would bead together in the afternoons, and she helped me practice my swahili.  Although I got to know Agnes the best, many of the Maasai women came to look and see what I was beading, passing it around, exclaming in surprise, and telling me that I was now Maasai.

 While In Morogoro, I also took a weekend trip to Udzungwa National Park.  Although this national park is not as well developed as some others in Tanzania, it has many endemic species, and boast several spectacular waterfalls, one which we were able to swim at the base of.



This is the fireball lily that covered the cliffside on either side of the first waterfall.



In the forest interior, we came across this rather intimidating vine called the crocodile vine.



As well as a tree which we called the buttress tree, due to its interesting base.



After a hot and gruelling hike we reached our final destination, this huge waterfall which is the first of three drops of the Sanje Falls.  It was the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing swim and a pounding massage.

Kiswahili in Morogoro

For the past six weeks I have been studying Kiswahili in the town of Morogoro.  Although this town is not graced with the beautiful view of Lake Victoria, it is not lacking in natural splendor.  Morogoro is located at the base of the Uluguru Mountains – a range that is part of the Eastern Arc Mountain Chain.  Unfortunately the area around Morogoro has been largely deforested, but the Eastern Arc Mountain Chain is known for its rainforests as well as its endemic and rare species of birds and plants (it is in this chain that the African violet originated). 

            Language classes take place in the school’s outdoor classrooms in the shadow of the peaks, sometimes making it very hard to concentrate.  The campus is studded with baobab trees – something I have always wanted to see ever since I read Le Petit Prince in High School French class.  Sometimes called the “upside down tree” because it’s branches look like tree roots, this tree can grow to huge diameters (which I will show with pictures when I get back to Bukoba).

            This area of Tanzania is also home to the Maasai tribe.  While studying the language, I have also had the chance to attend a Maasai service in one of the villages.  The church was simply built – branches lashed together, the spaces between filled with mud and several left open to let in light and air.  The congregation in attendance was small and mostly women dressed in their tradition purple or red cloth, ears pierced and stretched with white beaded jewelry jingling from their ears, necks, wrists and ankles.  This was particularly impressive when the choir sang.  Singing and dancing, all their jewelry further emphasized their intricate and catchy rhythms. 

Most of the men were absent because of the drought.  The Maasai are dependent on their cattle for their livelihood and consequently the men have wandered farther and farther from their homes in order to find sources of drinking water. 

            After the service, we visited the house of one of the language school teachers.  His mother showed us how to make traditional Maasai beaded jewelry.  We sat on mats on the floor of her home as she showed us how to bead and even sowed bracelets onto our wrists such that I don’t think mine will be coming off any time soon.

            Since this first encounter with the Maasai, I have since discovered the street corner where all the Maasai women sit and bead all day.  I have always loved to look at jewelry, and they always greet with a friendly smile and hello, encouraging me to use my Swahili.  When I talk with them, I have no choice but to use Swahili, as they don’t know any English.  Fortunately they are very patient and love to laugh.  Our most recent conversation covered the topic of animals.  Testing my knowledge of the names of the animals in Swahili, they asked if I knew what “Ng’ombe” was.  Thrilled that I had recognized the word, I responded with a yes – a cow.  Since they seemed unconvinced of my actually knowing what it was, I demonstrated by making the sound of a cow ("Moooo").  To which I was greeted with gales of laughter.  The Mama that was sitting next to me and with whom I was speaking burst out laughing, rocking back and forth and then had to imitate my cow sound.  She then wanted to know if I knew “kuku” (chicken) and I said yes again and paused, while she waited expectantly.  Finally I obliged by demonstrating with a “bruck bruck bruck”.  Her response was identical if not more hearty and appreciative.  After laughing she tried several times to imitate my chicken sound.  And then had to go back and imitate my mooing too.  I’m sure she was thinking “this crazy American…”, but I’m learning Swahili and laughing, and so are they (I’m not sure whether with or at me sometimes), so I love stopping by whenever I can.  Tomorrow I am supposed to go and show one of the women my bead work – I don’t know that she really convinced that I know how to bead and wants to see my attempt!

            In less than a week I will be on the road again.  I will be traveling to do some hiking in the rainforests of the Eastern Arc Mountain Chain, and then on to the Island of Zanzibar to spend Christmas sampling spices and exploring the renowned beaches with friends.  This may be my last post before the Christmas and New Year holidays, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Fresh Fish

Several times a week, a man selling fish arrives by bicycle at the school.  One of the teachers catching my glance towards the fish he was displaying asked if I would like a fish for dinner.  Admitting that it would be nice but that I had no idea how to choose, Teacher Berna took charge.  Sending me inside she said she would bargain for my fish (I think she could get a better price if the mzungu wasn’t present!).  Several minutes later, she came inside and in a very mockingly serious voice announced that it would be 2,500 Tsh, but that it was a VERY large fish.  The fish was huge.  Teacher Berna took it to the kitchen and had them gut it for me, and then she handed me the fish holding it by some palm fibers that were tied through its mouth and gills.  I had no idea what to do with it until Ester, an older Mama who helps me with cooking and cleaning, could come and prepare it for dinner.  Searching through my kitchen, all my containers were too small to fit such an enormous fish.  Finally I settled on my only frying pan, laying the fish in it, the head sticking out on one side and the tail out the other.  Both pan and fish went into the fridge, although only after one of the shelves had been cleared off entirely.  Ester arrived in the afternoon and I showed her my fridge, opening the door to display the fish that fit just barely inside as well as its inadequate container, my frying pan.  I couldn’t help laughing at the ridiculous picture.  She seemed to take it in stride, asking how I would like to have it prepared and donning the apron that she usually wears. 

I thought that my surprises with the fish were pretty well over at that point.  I was wrong.  Coming into the kitchen to watch Ester  – she is a great cook and I like to learn from her - I found her attacking my fish with my largest knife, raising the knife up high and bring it down on the backbone behind the head of the fish.  The backbone seemed to momentarily defy both chef and knife, only giving in to Ester’s brute strength as she used both her hands to twist the head off.  Not knowing whether to look shocked or impressed I decided to leave it all in Ester’s capable hands.  As I turned to leave she asked if I wanted to make a fish head soup with the head on Saturday.  Having just watched her struggle, and having had quite enough surprises, I decided to opt out of that particular cooking adventure.  Using my basic Swahili I gave her the fish head, a trophy for her epic battle with the fish (the fish head is considered to be a delicacy here, particularly the eyes and the meat found right behind them). 

The meal that evening was spectacular – fish baked in the oven with a creamy tomato sauce and tomato slices placed artistically on top along with chips (French fries) and salad.  I opened a bottle of wine in honor of the occasion and felt like I was eating at a five star restaurant!