Reflections Tanzania Africa: February 2009

Dear Friends and Family,
I don't know if I'm wasting my time introducing new vocabulary words at the beginning of each Form 2 English period. But the word for today is what I hope for all of them to become. INDUSTRIOUS...its an adjective which means someone who works very hard. While I hear about students still waiting to get school fees from their parents, I discover a student like Jovin who has found other means of paying for his.
Jovin is the boy wearing shorts on the left side of the photo.

Here is a sixteen year old boy who I remember vividly last year.
On my way to fetch water I see Jovin surrounded by thousands of small plants contained in little plastic pouches. At that moment I quickly snapped some pictures without understanding what he was planning to do with the plants. I did ask him what kind of plants they were. They were tiny bamboo shoots. I have never seen them that small before.
It's now February and Jovin is in my FORM 2 class. I can see how serious it is for him to be in FORM 2. And I especially know that he goes home after school, eats food, returns back to school to help carry bricks, sand, and afterward, continues to his father's vegetable garden to help til dark.
Jovin's mother and sister Froida. They were planting beans on my way to fetch water

Jovin forces to open his eyes during my class sometimes. I know how hard he works knowing that the government Exam in November is just around the corner.
On Monday, I have assigned a writing activity in English class. I haven't given any creative writing lessons yet, however I used this is as a chance for them to show their prior knowledge as well as apply their knowledge about the Working Words on the Parts of Speech. Although Jovin didn't quite follow my instructions for the writing exercise, I did discover something admirable about this boy. I want you to read what he wrote:

My name is Jovin Choga. I am a student of FORM II. Last year I was make many trees to our garden. I did make one thousand and five hundred those belongs to me. But also to this month of this year, |I sell there trees of ninety thousand shillings. 90,000shillings.
Also, my parents they are very happy and me I'm very happy because I have ablility to pay school fees of this year. But today, I want to say that every person should make your work which can help yourself

Yes, he didn't quite understand or follow the prompt, but here is a great example of an INDUSTRIOUS boy who has found a way to pay for his own school fees this year. Although I plan to share his composition in class as an example of what not to do, deep down inside, I am proud of Jovin. And I will cherish his industrious drive as another affirmation of why I came to Africa.

.....Even teachers can learn a thing or two from their students...