Day 6 - Homestay Prep, Lunch at Banjika School, Homestay Pairs, Local Farmer's Market and Homestays Begin!



Our day began with an orientation to homestays, given by Tim Mdinka, discussing what to expect with limited bathroom facilities, showers with buckets, and other aspects of the typical homestay accommodations. We also discussed different ways to communicate with our partner hosts and offer assistance as guests.  


With our arrival, Randall had us all doing fun games to learn names with tag and discuss cultural connection and exchange. A great first meeting for both Menlo students and their Banjika partner students. Afterwards we had lunch together.


Once we finished lunch, students were told who specifically would be their homestay partner.


As a final activity, we all traveled to a nearby farmers' market, which only happens twice a month. Students and their partners walked around together for an hour and them we returned to the school to walk to our homestays.


As we waited to go to our homestays, the Banjika students taught Menlo students a fun foot tapping game-- a Tanzania favorite.







We are so excited to now be settled in with our hosts and beginning what is the most powerful part of our trip.  Tomorrow, many of us will attend church services and spend Sunday with our families. Monday, school will start at 7 am with cleaning up the rooms and grounds for an hour and then class begins at 8 am. Menlo students will shadow some classes and later in the day help assemble with their partners the solar lamps will brought from the Whitaker Lab.  Many adventures to come in the next few days!

-Joseph M.

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