Life is Good in Mto Wa Mbu: My First Month as a Red Rhino Volunteer
Karibu! The moment I entered Mto wa Mbu, Tanzania, I heard this salutation everywhere - along with smiling faces and curious looks. And, as it turns out, the people of “Mto” are very welcoming.
Today is Thursday, which is Market Day. The market is directly behind my house, and it attracts people from all over the greater Arusha area. Vendors display their goods on blankets and racks, and you can find just about anything you need for the week- including fruits and vegetables, meats, clothing, shoes, and toiletries. It’s crowded and fun! Last week, there was a performance by a local Ngoma group - traditional Tanzanian drumming and dancing- and it was fabulous!
On most days you see safari jeeps driving up and down the main road. My first week here I had an opportunity to take a one-day safari to Ngorongoro Crater. The crater, which is actually a caldera, was formed 2.5 million years ago and is now home to a wide variety of wildlife. We saw zebras, hippos, wildebeests, giraffes, gazelles, and of course my favorite — the warthog (think Pumba from Lion King!).
East Africa is geographically and geologically unique. It is home to the East African Rift, which contains the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge, and many large lakes (including Victoria) that are expanding as the land pulls apart. Mto wa Mbu sits to the east of the Rift, and the flat-topped escarpment is easily visible from the town. It is a gateway town, into that area that will eventually be pulled into two separate parts.
Our daily trek to the Mungere School, home of the Red Rhinos, is an adventure in itself. We begin by picking up 11 staff members on or just off the main paved road, then we turn onto the dusty path that leads to the school. To the left, the escarpment gets closer and more majestic, and to the right are boma, or compounds, where the Masaii people live. These are one-roomed huts, made of sticks, mud, and leaves, and are sometimes encircled by a “fence” made of a thorny briar bush.
Usually, cows, donkeys and goats are enclosed or wandering free with their owners. Small children yell and wave as we pass. Red Rhino students, with their signature red sweaters on or around their waists, are gathered by the gate that leads into the school and smiles erupt on their faces when they see our jeep. They enter and begin their morning - watering plants, hoisting the flag, and lining up with their form levels to listen to morning announcements.
Classes begin at 8 am, and students are fed two meals per day. Breakfast (or “tea”) begins at 9:20, consisting of a boiled yam and tea, and lunch at 12:20, which is either beans and rice, maize or ugali (a cornmeal paste). On Friday, meat and vegetables are served. Bananas are always on the side, and come from the school’s large garden. At 3:30, students clean the classrooms, line up again, listen to afternoon announcements and go home. Fridays, again, are special: students end classes at 3:00 and can play games or sports until the end of the day.
I must admit, the first day I spent at the school was long, hot and dusty and I considered that maybe I wasn’t cut out for this, but now it’s just another day spent with a staff that is helpful and passionate about teaching, and students who are absolutely lovely. So, I have realized it is the people who make the place, because after being here for almost a month, I hardly notice the heat and dust. Everywhere I go, a beautiful smile or a happy Karibu! is there. My experience here is just beginning. Next week I begin eight weeks of teaching English Immersion to a Pre-Form class. Hakuna Matata! Let the fun begin!
By: Kimberly Comerford
