Mission(s) Accomplished

Friday was a day of (some) accomplishments.

On my agenda were:
- presenting a short training to some CCBRT-Moshi staff (I had been there for a week last year;
- bringing jump ropes to Amani Children's Center and getting pictures of the kids jumping;
- bringing ropes to Mkombozi Center for Street Children and getting pictures and videos;
- getting a Tanzanian SIM card for my computer modem (The Kenyan one won't work in Tanzania); and
- finding out when the bus to Mombasa leaves in the morning, where to catch it and what the cost would be.

Well, 3 out of 5 isn't too bad.

The morning began with a 20-minute power outage just as I was getting out of bed - the booklight I bought just before leaving helped locate my toothbrush and toothpaste as well as my clothing. Down two double flights of stairs to the ground floor only to learn that the breakfast room is up on the 4th floor. Up 4 double flights to the breakfast room, quick breakfast, then back down again. The morning desk clerk said it would be no problem for him to get the information I needed about the trip to Mombasa.

The CCBRT van around 7:15, and I was warmly greeted by some familiar faces, although there were lots of new ones. More hugs followed after the van arrived. During a brief meeting with Augusto, the program director for the Moshi site, I was delighted to learn that following my visit last year, they had painted a simple communication board on the lap tray of a child's new wheelchair.

Once we figured out how to connect to the projector and manage the volume, I was able to run through the DVD and Manual, and communication boards of the Basic Communication Package, the program developed in South Africa to train outreach and healthcare workers to teach parents how to create communication opportunities during daily activities with their children. I left the program components there, along with an assortment of children's books for Doreen's Montessori classroom.

One of the vans was leaving for town in the early afternoon. Great, I thought, I'll have time to get that Tanzanian SIM card. Long story short, the Tanzanian card doesn't work without a software download that involved me bringing my netbook to the shop. Carrying around any sort of electronics after being seen with it in a shop would not have been safe for anyone. I was, however, amused to be propositioned by a man (owner?/employee?/friend?) nearly 20 years younger than I who just could not understand why I wouldn't want to spend the next week in Mombasa with him.

After a very brief visit to the internet cafe and a quick change of clothing, I talked with the hotel clerk, who said he had been unable to get hold of the man who would know how to get in touch with the bus company. He suggested I just give him the money and he would try to get tickets for me after his shift was over. I thought not.

I caught a taxi to Amani (bumpy, bumpy roads), and had a delightful talk with Kathleen Mahoney, the Amani Communications Director, then watched the boys finish up a soccer game.

Their jump rope performance was absolutely amazing for children who had just been jumping for a year. They had tricks in there I had not seen in all the years I had judged at competitions. I tried to post one of the videos, but they were all too long. I was able to upload one to youtube for Mike because I knew he would be so proud (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m39URkUtMM) - watch and be prepared to be blown away.

Shared a taxi back to town with Kathleen and then had the driver take me to Mkombozi. Ben was the only one available at first - one jumper had left for the day, another was recovering from malaria. Ben's English is very good, and he has a great sense of humor. Ben found some newer jumpers and the jumper with malaria insisted on jumping as well. They also looked good. Simon, the sports director there, said they have been going to other schools in the area to demonstrate the sport.

After getting back into town, I bought a delicious Zanzibar pizza on the street in front of the hotel. It's actually fried dough surrounding a combination of vegetables, including potatoes. Cost - 500 TSH, about 30 cents.