My very Different Tanzanian Christmas

Happy Christmas to you all. 

Its funny, Americans do not say Happy Christmas, they tend to say Merry Christmas. This was new information to me, as I was getting rather confused with some of the looks I got after I greeted people ‘Happy Christmas’ I mean when you think about it they mean the same thing, however my conclusion is happy means well just happy, whereas merry can be interpreted into a little tipsy therefore are Americans telling you to have a tipsy Christmas? Well whatever it is I learnt something new. 

Our homemade stockings all hung up.

So Christmas is a BIG deal to me and being the first Christmas away from home and my family was a toughie. (Let’s just say after a whole pack of Kleenex and a soggy pillow I wasn’t in the best of states) However Christmas came and I’ll be honest it was different but also very enjoyable. Lots of things were done using improvising, for example my Christmas wrapping, using what I could find I thought I did an alright job, it kind had that vintage edge to it. We all did presents together and I was blown away with the kindness of my friends and family who had sent cards and gifts. (Thank you to those particular people)

We all then went to another missionary’s house who was holding a Christmas dinner and games afternoon. About 5 other families were also invited so it was going to be a packed house. Even after a breakfast of miniature hero’s  (Christmas tradition, thanks Rumana) and some eggs, I was still rather ravines for some food. 

You see I do try and be healthy with a segment of orange.

Okay so now I new not to expect a traditional English Christmas dinner as 1) I am in Tanzania and 2) all the missionaries are American. But when I lay my eyes on the buffet feast that was before me I had never been so surprised in my life. (Okay slight exaggeration but just need to set the mood of what is about to come)

Laid out on the table they had all the right food groups that you would get in your traditional English roast, protein, carbs, veg etc., but in a very different way.

Okay so let’s start with potatoes, now I am use to roasties at Christmas, I would stretch to mash or possibly new but never have I ever envisaged eating potato salad on my Christmas dinner. (Let me just stress the potato salad was out of this world I am merely stating the bizarreness of it compared to what we are all used to) I then moved up the table and there was a big bowl of macaroni cheese, not sure where that fits into the food groups I could kind of get away with substituting it for cauliflower cheese, but anyway I had to side-track that helping as it was full of gluten. 

We then come to the veg, or should I say salad in this case, slices of cucumber and green pepper (very nice but again so different) With the absence of Brussels sprouts I gather they needed to find something that well, erm, lets just say…. You know…. So there was a bowl of baked beans, yes baked beans (extremely good if I say so with an added bbq spice to it) but yes there we have it. Opps, yes of course we also had some delicious roast meat, pork and beef, which I guess, was one thing that resembled what of an English roast. The meal was delightful and after 2 ½ helpings later I was feeling that same ring of belly that is always evident on the 25^th.

The games that followed were so imaginative and fun; our host did a good job. We played lots of different Christmassy films, but one that stood out was an outdoor snowball fight. (Yes yes before you begin to wonder why on earth we had snow in Tanzania, it wasn’t real) It was a concoction of flour and something in a scrunched up pair of tights. You would throw it at your opponent and it would explode leaving them covered in flour. Now I got covered (a bad time to where one of your best dresses) it was such fun and I felt the potato salad drop from my belly just in time for pudding. 

So there you have it, my very different Tanzanian Christmas. 

My housemates and I

Even though I was away from my family it was very special spending it with the people I have met here, and even the children missionary children that I teach in the school.

Teaching the kids the chocolate game. (When you roll a 6 you come put a hat, scarf and gloves on, then use cutlery to eat as much chocolate as you can untill another 6 is rolled) We had to improvise with what we had in Africa. 
That turned out to be a helmet, gardening gloves and a pretty scarf.

Only in Africa...

Christmas Production

INN 355 (said three, five, five. Not three hundred and fifty five, just saying)

So all the children in school are involved in the play from the very youngest 2 year olds up to the eldest at 13 we have all worked really hard together to make this production a success.

So I wanted to give the children a chance to put some input into their costumes. So children were able to look through their clothes (or families clothes) and pick out items that would be suitable for their character. 

One by one the children came to me with their costumes picked out, then came the day when the adorable 7 year old Charity came to me (very pleased with herself that she had brought in her costume, picked out all by herself she told me) 

Just thought you should all know the character that Charity is playing is a shepherd on the way to the birth of Jesus.

With that in mind I was expecting brown rags, a rake and something resembling somewhat of a Shepherd. So you can imagine how I was rather taken aback when she pulled out her Disney’s Little Mermaid costume. (Literally using all my self-control not to burst out laughing) 

As she was so pleased with herself for bringing it in, I allowed her to wear it during the play.

The programme for the play

In addition to this the same darling little lady came to me the day after looking rather pleased with herself informing me that she has 2 goats. I smiled as I thought toy goats would be good to use in the stable set. It was only after a little more conversation that I realised that these were not toy goats that she was talking about, but real live goats. (Yes real live mitten munching spitting goats) Lost for words I just told her I’d get back to her (which opps I never did)

The children did tremendously well, they all remembered their lines, spoke with enthusiasm and the audience loved it. I felt so proud looking up at them all I could have cried.  In true African style the power was out, (on both days of the performance) so the keyboard was out of order so accapella it was, and it was fantastic. To end it all in true school style, our little kindergrarder that was playing Mary asked to go to the bathroom during the stable scene, (all I could think was I’m so pleased she asked and there was no little accidents)

The last day of school was such fun (tiring, but fun) we celebrated after the play with a Christmas party, a Christmas party with no Christmas songs (not enough internet to download all the classics) so S Club 7 it was however I think it was just myself enjoying it. 

A little gift for each of my children.

(so amazed at how excited they got)

Some of the children and I enjoying a Christmas party :)

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Ahhhh Christmas time, mistletoe and wine (minus the mistletoe and wine unfortunately :p) I look outside my window and feel the sweat start to drip down my neck and I know it’s the Christmas season but it just feels all wrong. I should be choosing out a new set of gloves, gorging on gluten free mince pies and sitting on Father Christmas’s knee telling him what I want for Christmas (okay I got a little carried away with the latter but you understand) But you know what? I wouldn’t change being here right now for the world. I am surrounded by love, faith, happiness, beautiful children and a tremendous view of Kilimanjaro. What more could I want?

 My 3^rd and 4^th graders and I have began the process of transforming our classroom into a Christmas bonanza, with a lack of coloured paper, Christmas trees, tinsel and Christmas lights, we had to use our imaginations to create that Christmassy feeling.

Making salt dough christmas decorations. (so not gonna lie they all thought id brought in cookies so making decorations was a bit of a blow)

The finished product:

It’s less than a week until the big Christmas production arrrrghh! (Breathe holly breath) So writing and directing a production is a lot more work than I had anticipated. Along with the play you have to then think about the set, costumes, music and believe me they are a lot harder work in Africa. That is why I am so grateful to my other teachers for all pitching in and helping make the practice run so smoothly (just)

The children are great and are all super excited about the coming play. I have some real budding actors amongst the midst. Along with acting the children have got involved with all aspects of the drama such as painting the drop, making props, costume design and creating the Play’s Programme.

I love teaching drama and am too excited for the performance to take place. I had each child involved in the production to draw their character and then stuck them all together to create the front cover of the play’s programme. It turned out really cute.

In addition to making Christmas crafts at school, us teachers have been busy at home also. Making out house festive to the best of our abilities.

our christmas decorations cardboard and twigs. simples

nativity made from Banana leaves

twigs glued together in 

We also decided to bless all the other missionary’s out here with carol singing. We dressed complete with woolly hats (which resulted in a bucket full of sweaty hair) and candles (unlit, they are to precious in times of power cuts) and went one by one to each house and sang a medley of Oh come all ye faithful, a mash up of Away in a Manger English/American (yes there are 2 different versions) and ended with the crowd pleaser that is We wish you a Merry Christmas.

It was such a joyful Christmassy night, and the last house we went to invited us in for soup (shame it wasn’t actually cold as hot soup would have been so nice, I mean it was nice anyway but you know what I mean)

And then just as teachers do when the kids are away we all had an indoor water fight, it got rather messy but was refreshingly good and cooled us all down.

I will now leave you with a glimpse of the joy that I get to experience each and everyday.

Presents, chocolates and Christmas trees are nice but living in Tanzania with these kids and seeing them grow and smile every day (well most days depending on the amount of work I throw at them lol) is priceless. (Oh crickey I sound like the MasterCard adverts)

Thanksgiving a view from a Brit

Thanksgiving what to say… 

a time where you eat marshmallows on top of your potatoes, where you make crafts of the meat that you are going to eat before you even eat it, a day in which you think about what you are thankful for and the day after is a day in which you supposedly shop till you drop buying things on the cheap, a time where it is evidently acceptable to belch, fart and make other noises unknown to me up until now and a time for getting together with great friends and seeing everyone in the spirit of the holiday.

Making felt Turkeys with one of my students

I should clarify my mouth is not actually touching the Turkey

All in all I LOVE thanksgiving! 

All the more for celebrating it in Tanzania of course. So even though it is not an official English holiday I still woke up bright and early, unable to sleep from the excitement of a holiday and got dressed in my comfy thanksgiving clothes (stretchy trousers (oh my goodness I know your not meant to put a bracket within a bracket but I was just about to type pants in stead of trousers, the Americans are turning me) as I knew I would be eating a lot) and waited for everyone to wake up ready for our planned brunch.

Gluten free corn bread (tastes better than looks honest, and a lovely card from Melissa)

Unfortunately there is no Macy’s thanksgiving parade in Tanzania, so we settled for getting cosy (well as cosy as you can in 30+degree heat) in front of the film Miracle on 34^th street seen as it has the parade in it. We had a full day of preparing our dishes for out thanksgiving feast later on in the day. Well I say we but really I was a little too engrossed in the film but I was there with a helping hand when bowls needed licking or fudge needed test tasting.

my lovely housemates engrossed in the film

Other than brunch and my occasional nibbling I had saved myself for my feast, you only have your first thanksgiving once so I wanted it to go down with a bang aka bloated stomach. When I arrived at our host’s house I was not disappointed, there was food coming from every direction and I got a glimpse of the 100 US dollar Turkey before it got carved up. (yes I did say 100 dollars no idea why it was so expensive, when there’s food about don’t ask questions as I am too busy scoffing my face) Oh boy was it all delicious. 

Blooming expensive Turkey

 After my 4^th plateful I decided to pace myself to make room for pudding, (don’t want to be greedy or anything :p) Deserts are harder to find gluten free but my trusty housemates had cooked up delicious fudge and chocolate toffee so I was more than happy and satisfied. After a Christmas sing along and a cuppa thanksgiving was finally coming to a close.

Stuffing my face while I can

Opps I forgot to mention the best bit, just like they do in the movies, before we ate, we all went around the room and said what we were thankful for. It was so exciting. What was I thankful for? Well that would be telling, it might not be worth being thankful for if I tell. (Not sure if that’s exactly how it works but hey)

Choices

I reread my first blog post, and it really encouraged me. (Not to blow my own trumpet or anything: p) but it reminded me of the choice I made. I choose to LIVE my life, I choose to serve God and I choose to live a life that I would look back on and smile at.

I feel that this journey I have encountered on so far has been one of challenges, loneliness, learning more about who I am and experiencing new and exciting things.

I have learnt a lot about making the right choices recently. You have a choice weather you are sad, weather you are mad or weather you are glad (Pastor Show) you have to wake up and choose to me glad, because you are only ruining it for yourself if you are down or depressed. Yes, circumstances and difficulties are apparent and everyone has problems but you are letting the enemy win if you choose to dwell in these negative thoughts and feelings. Choose to be happy, to look at all the positives in your life. By all means I am not saying it is easy, personally I find it far from it, choosing to not listen to those little niggling lies in your head, that your rubbish, your life isn’t going anywhere, you’re not good enough and nobody likes you. 

I think back to my mum’s sermon on not listening to the lies that are in your head. She talked about Super Nanny the way that the parents would have to sit the child on the naughty step and when the child got up the parent would have to take the child back. This could sometimes happen for over an hour the first time it was tried. Every time the child would run off the naughty step, the parent would have to drag them back until they stayed sat down. Many parents would give up and describe how difficult it was, but the parents that didn’t give up later would describe how eventually the child would stay sat on the naughty step the whole time and with time would behave better. This is what we need to practice when we hear that niggling lie, that negative thought which makes us feel crap and worthless. We have to take that lie or thought to the naughty step, it may crop up again during the day but you gotta drag it right back over and over again. Eventually those lies will start to fade out, realising that they will just get put on the naughty step and realise there is no use or gain for there existence any more.

 

So back on track, that is what I have been practicing, it is easy to get in that mindset of I am worthless, nobody likes me and I am not good enough. But that is my choice to feel that way, it can be hard at times, but I have to make the choice to think I am worth something, some people do like me and I can be good enough. Don’t get me wrong no one is going to stop you from feeling that way, you can go through life feeling sorry for yourself, sulking in self pity and where will that leave you. Will you lead a happy life that you will look back on with a smile? Will you live the life you use to dream about? If not make the choice to change. Now!

This time last year my sister was in an eating disorder mental hospital ward for the 4^th time, barley 5 stones her life seemed doomed and recovery seemed like another mountain just too hard to climb. To see someone you love so much detiorate in front of your eyes, somebody so beautiful hurt themselves to a close death, somebody with so much potential locked up in hospital was horrendous. 

Like so many who suffer with eating disorders they sadly pass away, this was the path Harriett was on, with her organs shutting down, passing out and having no real control over her body. Unfortunately there was a rainy lonely afternoon when Harriett was ready to end it all. She had made up her mind and decided life was too hard with this illness over her. Something inside her decided to (at the last moment) call out desperately to God and at that moment there was a change inside her. Determination, love and a purpose for living filled her spirit and she made the choice to put her all into getting on the road to recovery. I couldn’t be prouder of my sister; the last 6 years have been tiring, dark, painful, frustrating and heart breaking to say the least. I look at her now, still recovering, but happy in whom she is, an amazing walk with god and doing what a 20 year old should be doing, enjoying life. So when you think your life is hard, depressing or not going anywhere, look at the choice Harriett made. Wherever you are in life there is always a choice to make. Make the right one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE55pRT991c&feature=share&list=ULuE55pRT991c