Well, we wrapped up(sort of) the first term at Kayuki Secondary. After grading the physics exams and writing my end of term report for peace corps, the nearby and wonderful PCVs: Amber and Kavisa came to Kayuki, and together, we facilitated the first Girls Empowerment/HIV,AIDS awareness confrence at site. We also received tremendous support from each of our counterparts Lukasa, Elizabeth and Gloria. Many thanks to them who ran excellent sessions and were absolutely essential players in a successful event.
What surprised (and delighted) us was the level of enthusiasm that the girls maintained almost constantly for the duration of the three days of sessions and which culminated in an extraordinary presentation of peer education skills planned and rehearsed by our confrence participants. about 150 Kayuki students attended the show and learned about good decision making skills, safe behavior models, and how to use condoms via all student skits and demonstrations.
...I say, simply wonderful. Now that the confrence is over and I'm finished filling out those nasty student report cards (my signature actually started failing toward the end because of the yips) I get to enjoy some vacation. Well, not yet, but having arrived in Dar es Salaam, the seat of urbanity in East Africa I feel like vacation has already started despite the fact that I'll technically be in PSDN (Peer Support and Diversity Network) training for the next three days. Badaa ya hapo lakini, I'm going to Zanzibar to enjoy Stonetown, Jovani forest, and hopefully a beach stroll and a dip in the ocean.
Post your shout out to Zanzibar now and I'll be sure to deliver the message when I arrive there.
