Here it is! I have finally found enough internet (and intelligence) to set up this blog to give you all a slice of my new life in Dodoma. But before we dive in, I need to give you a little background info:
It was late January when I decided to apply for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps International Program. After filling out an intense application and attending an interview weekend in DC, I was offered a placement in Dodoma, Tanzania. There is a new Jesuit boarding secondary school, St. Peter Claver, to open in January 2011, and myself and one other volunteer will be two of the first teachers at this school.
So after leaving from John Carroll University in May, I spent the summer at home – catching up on some much needed sleep, getting out some of my built up creative juices (I’m sure only my family truly understands what this means), visiting friends and family, and helping my sister squeeze in a wedding three days before my departure. It was an amazing wedding. And it was a beautiful end to my wonderful summer. (So happy for Carrie and Dan!)
Because no other JVs have been in Dodoma prior to our placement there, I (somewhat) blindly packed my bags in late October for my two year safari (Kiswahili for journey). Novemeber 2, I stood at my ticket counter weighing my bags and sure enough, so many of my wonderful family showed up to say goodbye! It was an intense (a few minor flight problems) but really, really nice farewell.
From Pittsburgh I flew to Detroit where I had my last meal of sushi (yuuummm), and took an 8 hour flight to Amsterdam where I met Sean, my new JV Dodoma housemate, for our 12(ish) hour flight to Dar Es Salaam. We arrived around 11:30pm (Tanzania time) on Wednesday, and the Dar JVs took us to their home.
We spent the next the next few days with them, visiting their schools and watching them teach, hearing them speak Kiswahili really well, meeting the Dar Jesuits, and spending our last day at the beach. The Indian Ocean is beautiful and it was such a nice, relaxing day. To be honest though, Dar was much too hot and humid for me. I spent some time at the beach in the shade.
Sunday we went to Mass in the morning (beautiful, beautiful singing), and then got on the bus for an 8 hr trip to Dodoma. Marty, the Jesuit who is our mentor and the headmaster at the school, met us and took us to a pizza dinner to meet the Dodoma Jesuits, the Provincial of East Africa, and our new roommates. It was a great first meal. (I know, pizza in Africa? What?)
Because Sean and I are a community of two right now (usually there are 2 first years and 2 second years), we will be living with two volunteers from Germany, Jana and Thomas. They are both wonderful and I am enjoying getting to know them very much.
(I am now realizing this is a much longer introduction than I had planned…)
I am writing this on day 6 of my time in Dodoma. This week was full of many visits to meet people, trips around town to see the primary school, the new school where I’ll be working, the marketplace…etc. St. Peter Claver (the high school where I will teach) is still under construction, but it is a marvelous looking school, and I am very much looking forward to being a part of its first year.
Because of the construction, however, the school will have a two week delay in opening, with a mid-January starting date. So for the time being Sean and I will be helping with remedial English classes at the local youth center for students soon going (or hopefully going) to secondary school in the next semester. All secondary schools in Tanzania are English-only, so it is very important to have a good start on these skills.
My hope is to update this often, but that will depend on my schedule and my access to the internet (there is access, but it is a little difficult to use).
But when I cannot update, I love love love receiving emails: (laura.grace.heid@gmail.com). Also, I can receive snail mail: c/o Jesuit Fathers, PO Box 1079 Dodoma Tanzania (apparently big envelops are better than boxes, as well as things less than 4 lbs, and please don’t claim it to be more than $10 because I will then have to pay money to claim it!).
Wishing you all well, and I’m so glad you are interested in sharing this new chapter of my life with me! All my love and more.
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