Sunday, October 03, 2004
Saturday, October 2, 2004
This past week has been an interlude. No teaching. The Peace Corps pulled all of us from the Lake Region together at St. Augustine University for a weeklong conference on HIV/AIDS. Each of us – Sarah from Musoma, Kathleen from Bunda, Steve from Buswelu, Kim from Kinyago, Joe, Janna and Jessica from Bukoba, Jim from Sengida, Ryan from Ngonza and me. Becky led one of the programs, and Joan was there also, off and on, to assist. We were all to bring a Tanzanian “counterpart” with us, so that we could share the program, and hopefully plan some programs together on our return to our sites.
The meeting was led by Justine, imported into the country to lead a series of these programs. Overall, it was great to see our group of volunteers again. Some of the sessions were interesting, and many were boring. There was heavy pressure for us to hold meetings at our sites, start health clubs, teach about HIV/AIDS. I felt marginalized and uncooperative, because I am so focused on economic empowerment and expect to leave these classic HIV/AIDS efforts to others.
Our Country Director was with us for a day and a half to see how things are going. I pressed her to learn how I could influence the Peace Corps, both in Tanzania and in Washington, to encourage efforts for economic empowerment as a way to reduce HIV/AIDS and overcome poverty. Basically, I got no help or support at all. She said I could write a memo, but it should not be long, and programs are planned long in advance. I know am not the only one feeling a lack of support from her, but boy....
I did have a chance to publicize my efforts to encourage my students to be proud and to take responsibility for their lives, and several of the Tanzanians were very interested in this. Some wanted copies of the phrase that I use to open every class of mine, that we say in unison:
I am a proud Tanzanian
And my country is rich with opportunity.
My life now is exactly how I have created it.
With planning, with knowledge, with hard workAnd care for my health,
I can and will create the life that I choose.
In one session we broke into small mixed-culture groups to talk about how sex instruction occurs and is practiced in our societies. It confirmed again that sexually, this is a highly repressed society. Once married, Tanzanian couples must never show affection for each other in public. Any hint of sex – hugging, kissing the cheek, holding hands, touching – can only be done in the bedroom with the door closed and locked, whether there are children or others in the house or not. One group member reported that a friend who had studied in “The West” was ostracized when he hugged his Mother at the airport upon his return to Tanzania. If there are children in the house, the man will leave the bedroom to be sure they are asleep before a couple will initiate anything sexual. Of course men and women can never be alone together.
At the age of seven, children are banished from the house to live and sleep with other relatives or, more likely, in a special small hut built outside the parent’s house if they live in a village. A parent will never discuss sex or sexuality with his/her/their children. When they feel the time is appropriate they may ask an uncle or aunt to talk to their children. If their married children are having difficulties together, they will certainly not discuss it with them, but they may convene a meeting of close relatives to meet with the couple and counsel them. Likewise, if a son who is recognized as an adult is misbehaving or engaging in antisocial activities, their parents will not talk to him about it but will convene a meeting of close relatives to meet with him. In this way, his comments and the condemnation of his actions comes from the whole community and are common knowledge, not held secretly within a “nuclear family” structure.
As can be imagined, Tanzanians have difficulty understanding that Peace Corps members of the opposite sex can visit each other freely and even sleep in each other’s houses without having intercourse.
With all this talk of sex ..... ..... ..... I miss Myrna!
This week was the first Presidential Debate. With the time change, it began at 4:00am here. We made good use of our contact with Pete, a Scotsman and expat who lives in a huge house here in Mwanza. He is an accountant and general gofer for a gold mining company, and has lots of spare beds in his house for visiting geologists, friends, and occasional Peace Corps invasions. In addition, he has satellite TV, direct internet connections, and a well-stocked kitchen. So we brought beer and camped out there. Most of us, including me, slept until shortly before the debate, but a few stayed up all night to enjoy the rare pleasure of watching movies on satellite TV. I’m so glad we got to see and share the debate. I did not want to have to rely on the spin doctors and the BBC to hear what happened. And it sure was much more fun to watch the debate in room full of interested people.
This past week has been an interlude. No teaching. The Peace Corps pulled all of us from the Lake Region together at St. Augustine University for a weeklong conference on HIV/AIDS. Each of us – Sarah from Musoma, Kathleen from Bunda, Steve from Buswelu, Kim from Kinyago, Joe, Janna and Jessica from Bukoba, Jim from Sengida, Ryan from Ngonza and me. Becky led one of the programs, and Joan was there also, off and on, to assist. We were all to bring a Tanzanian “counterpart” with us, so that we could share the program, and hopefully plan some programs together on our return to our sites.
The meeting was led by Justine, imported into the country to lead a series of these programs. Overall, it was great to see our group of volunteers again. Some of the sessions were interesting, and many were boring. There was heavy pressure for us to hold meetings at our sites, start health clubs, teach about HIV/AIDS. I felt marginalized and uncooperative, because I am so focused on economic empowerment and expect to leave these classic HIV/AIDS efforts to others.
Our Country Director was with us for a day and a half to see how things are going. I pressed her to learn how I could influence the Peace Corps, both in Tanzania and in Washington, to encourage efforts for economic empowerment as a way to reduce HIV/AIDS and overcome poverty. Basically, I got no help or support at all. She said I could write a memo, but it should not be long, and programs are planned long in advance. I know am not the only one feeling a lack of support from her, but boy....
I did have a chance to publicize my efforts to encourage my students to be proud and to take responsibility for their lives, and several of the Tanzanians were very interested in this. Some wanted copies of the phrase that I use to open every class of mine, that we say in unison:
I am a proud Tanzanian
And my country is rich with opportunity.
My life now is exactly how I have created it.
With planning, with knowledge, with hard workAnd care for my health,
I can and will create the life that I choose.
In one session we broke into small mixed-culture groups to talk about how sex instruction occurs and is practiced in our societies. It confirmed again that sexually, this is a highly repressed society. Once married, Tanzanian couples must never show affection for each other in public. Any hint of sex – hugging, kissing the cheek, holding hands, touching – can only be done in the bedroom with the door closed and locked, whether there are children or others in the house or not. One group member reported that a friend who had studied in “The West” was ostracized when he hugged his Mother at the airport upon his return to Tanzania. If there are children in the house, the man will leave the bedroom to be sure they are asleep before a couple will initiate anything sexual. Of course men and women can never be alone together.
At the age of seven, children are banished from the house to live and sleep with other relatives or, more likely, in a special small hut built outside the parent’s house if they live in a village. A parent will never discuss sex or sexuality with his/her/their children. When they feel the time is appropriate they may ask an uncle or aunt to talk to their children. If their married children are having difficulties together, they will certainly not discuss it with them, but they may convene a meeting of close relatives to meet with the couple and counsel them. Likewise, if a son who is recognized as an adult is misbehaving or engaging in antisocial activities, their parents will not talk to him about it but will convene a meeting of close relatives to meet with him. In this way, his comments and the condemnation of his actions comes from the whole community and are common knowledge, not held secretly within a “nuclear family” structure.
As can be imagined, Tanzanians have difficulty understanding that Peace Corps members of the opposite sex can visit each other freely and even sleep in each other’s houses without having intercourse.
With all this talk of sex ..... ..... ..... I miss Myrna!
This week was the first Presidential Debate. With the time change, it began at 4:00am here. We made good use of our contact with Pete, a Scotsman and expat who lives in a huge house here in Mwanza. He is an accountant and general gofer for a gold mining company, and has lots of spare beds in his house for visiting geologists, friends, and occasional Peace Corps invasions. In addition, he has satellite TV, direct internet connections, and a well-stocked kitchen. So we brought beer and camped out there. Most of us, including me, slept until shortly before the debate, but a few stayed up all night to enjoy the rare pleasure of watching movies on satellite TV. I’m so glad we got to see and share the debate. I did not want to have to rely on the spin doctors and the BBC to hear what happened. And it sure was much more fun to watch the debate in room full of interested people.
