Game Day and an Unforgettable Ride

Behold, a Tanzanian village school bus!

Although we had a police permit to transport students by truck on the highway, the way students like to hang off of the side of the truck or sit on top of the cage caused some concern.


Then somebody suggested a "short cut" through the back village roads, covered with an inch deep layer of dust. You know what, "short cuts" are pretty much the same all over the world; there is always a down side. (I remember taking a short cut out in America's wild west years ago. Our son, Gabriel, was behind the wheel, learning to drive. We found the road getting narrower and narrower, and then suddenly one side of the road was a sheer drop off.) In addition to the dust, our game day short cut turned a two hour trip into two and a half hours, making us late for the competition. All were in good spirits though; youth in general seem to thrive on adventure!

We lost all events: football (soccer) 2-1 in the final few minutes, volleyball 6-5, and netball 7-6. This would be a real downer in American culture, but here it is more about getting together and sharing the time. We sat with the teachers of the Vwawa school, discussing academics and the possibility of our graduates studying at their "Advanced School" of Form V and VI, and they were very excited about coming to Idigima for a rematch in sports and to add a debate competition.

Your Hands & Feet in Tanzania,

Gary & Joanne