June 4: My First Day of School

After morning chai, my homestay brother Elidaima walked Shujaa and I to Shishitoni Primary School, a 30 minute walk from where we live. I knew we were getting close when little kids in school uniforms dropped what they were doing to simply stare at me. Its a pleasant and inquisitive kind of stare; a reaction I've become used to in Shishitoni. .. (not many "whites" stop in on Shishitoni when visiting Tanzania).

A few paces later, we had arrived. Shishitoni Primary School is comprised of 7 medium-sized, open air classrooms, made of concrete and cinderblock, where anywhere between 50-100 students squeeze into several wooden desk/benches. Before we entered the classroom, however, the headmaster approached and welcomed us into the school's center courtyard. When we had reached the middle, he made a motion with his finger, and the school bell began to toll. Instantly, 300 students sprinted to the edges of the courtyard, encircling our teaching group with a line of wide eyes and big smiles, all in ascending height.

After the headmaster had formally introduced us to the students, they sang us a song of welcome and were released to their respective classes. The school day had begun...

Our first class was Standard 6 (about 5th or 6th grade), and we walked into a classroom of 70+ students. It was at that moment that it hit me... this is the reason I am here. Finally, after two long weeks of orientation and over a semester of planning, preparation and study, it was time to begin teaching about HIV & AIDS to the people who need the information the most. Sitting in front of me was the future of Tanzania, and I found it so difficult to tell them that over 25 million of their fellow Africans were living with a virus which would one day kill them.

But despite the harsh implications of the facts and figures of the first day of teaching, I felt strangely encouraged. Knowing that every class period from here on out would be dedicated to educating the kids about what the virus really is (and isn't), and the ways in which one can prevent ever contracting HIV, really excites me. I can't wait for week #2!