Last Day – Friday 17 April

On Friday we bid an emotional farewell to Sekei Primary School (although I will be staying in the house for 10 more days). Today Amy and Cat are flying home and Pippa is moving to Enaboishu Secondary School.

As my last lesson I did an award ceremony – ten pupils got a certificate and a prize (pencil case or pen) for effort, achievement, most helpful, best handwriting and most funny. I also bought three huge bags of sweets and gave each in the class a bundle with a name tag. They loved it; some of them looked so proud that I thought their grins would split their faces apart! Afterwards we played hangman, and they wrote things like “We love you, Madam Lucie” and “Goodbye Madam Lucie, God bless.” That made me cry. Alot! Faraja came up and wiped the tears off my face and all 70 kids mobbed me with hugs and kisses. I love my pupils – I’m really going to miss them.

Mr Hockey ushered us into his office to say thank you for what we had done, and then it was time to go to the staffroom. Over the sainted cup of chai, Mr Mkoosi stood up and gave a very moving speech that jerked the tears for a second time. We were then presented with kitenges (huge sheets of fabric used for clothes) which were tied around us in the Masai style – a traditional Tanzanian ceremony. All of us were crying rivers at this point, along with some of the staff!

I can’t believe how quickly the end of teaching has come round. It hasn’t at all been an easy ride – there have been many times when I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall and wishing I was anywhere but here. They have, however, been vastly outweighed by the satisfaction of knowing I myself have taught the children something; seeing them excited by a lesson; winking at them and them high-fiving me back; sharing a joke (“kichizi kama ndizi” – you crazy banana!); their excitement at getting their new display board; and the letters, notes and drawings handed to me, all say “we love you”.

This isn’t the final, final goodbye though. I’ve got ten days living in the house by myself before going to Dah to meet Jon (HURRAY!!!) so will still have hoards of kids at the door and will go to the staffroom for chai if I’m around at break time. I’ll have plenty to do with collecting clothes, sending parcels home, packing, cleaning the house, converting money, booking my bus ticket, cooking for teachers, and hopefully a few social calls too.

Thank you to everyone who has taken such an interest in what I have been doing, and for the donations towards desks, display board and books. It genuinely has been a great support knowing there are people at home thinking about me, and giving me the encouragement to do more pro-active things such as painting the school.
I will continue to update my blog with thoughts and reflections about my time here, as and when, and of course some tales from travelling. But as for updates about teaching: “T-t-that’s all folks!”

L
xxx