5+5

Asante to everyone who has donated so far!
Every little bit counts, if you donate $5, and then pass the link on to 5 friends, who also donate $5, that's $30 right there! So don't think that you can't help, even if you really can't make a donation, spread the word! It's amazing what can happen when we all get together.

I have a pending donation of $108 from Siri Karm at the Boston Language Institute, thank you so much for your kindness!

Also, I have made business cards! If you would like some to hand out to friends and family let me know. Thanks John and Judi for helping me make them!

There are also some updates to the site, as you can see there is now a "fundraising thermometer" to the right. All things considered I think we have made great progress, and I have faith that I will reach my goal! I have also added a link to the official Amani website on the top right. And if you scroll down to the bottom I have posted my email. Don't forget to check out the list of people who have donated!

Swhahili for your thoughts.
In Swahili, the prefix changes rather than the suffix when you change the class of the word, ex. mtoto - child, watoto - children
so...
Jambo - hello
Hujambo - How are you? (to one person)
Sijambo - I'm fine
Hamjambo - How are you? (to more than one person)
Hatujambo - We're fine.

Donate!

The donate button is up! At the top of the page on the right. Thanks John for helping me out :)
If you'd like to make a donation, the money is going to go towards recorders, percussion instruments, sheet music, and a decent CD player. Paypal does take a bit of it, but it's still awesome to have an easy way to donate!
PLEASE share this with as many people as possible!


I've also added the Amani video, and if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, Amani do-gooders!

More Needles

Today I got a typhoid vaccine, polio vaccine, and the second of three rabies vaccines. They didn't hurt as much as the others, but I know how sore I'm going to be from the rabies one. Taking my backpack on and off while climbing Mt. Monadnock tomorrow is going to be interesting...

My doctor prescribed azithromycin for the inevitable diarrhea for the first couple of weeks. Definitely bringing some over the counter stuff for the rest of the time, just in case. She also prescribed doxycycline for malaria, which I have to take every day on a full stomach starting the day before I leave, the entire time I'm there, and for a couple weeks after I get back.

I got faux leather to make the peace bracelets with, but it is definitely not as malleable as real leather, looks like I'll have to go with the real stuff. I never realized how easy it is to work leather, it's like writing in butter! I got some leather stamps and a metal stylus, can't wait to get the leather and start playing!

Amani!

Peace!
Amani means peace in Kiswahili, Amani is also the name of a children's home located in Moshi, Tanzania. In January 2012 I'll be traveling to Tanzania to start a music program at Amani children's home.

Right now I'm in the fundraising/preparing stage. I got stuck by 5 needles yesterday! Meningitis vaccine, yellow fever, rabies, a TB test, and some blood work. I am a human pincushion! I also need to be fundraising, learning Kiswahili, and getting some ideas/lessons about teaching music!

As for fundraising, hopefully I will get a donation button up here soon. Also, I will be making bracelets! Peace bracelets, they are going to say peace on them in all different languages. I will definitely post when I have those sorted! I need money for a good CD player for the classroom, lots of percussion instruments, recorders, and sheet music.

Kiswahili is the language spoken in Tanzania, along with some English. And if you've seen the Lion King, then you know some already!
simba=lion
rafiki=friend
hakuna matata=no worries
asante sana=thank you very much

Some other words I really enjoy:
Jambo=hello
Mambo=what's up?
Na wewe?=and you?
Mchana mwema=Have a nice day.
Bomba!=Fantastic!

And as for teaching music, well, I've never taught it before! Right now I teach English as a second language, and I definitely believe that any experience teaching is helpful. I have observed once at the Kennedy elementary school in Billerica, and have gotten some ideas from the teacher there. But, I really could use all the advice I can get! I'm thinking lots of singing and dancing and chorus activities, if anyone could recommend any books with good music and back-up CDs that would be wonderful!

At this point I'm the usual, nervous and excited. It's going to be hard, and unbelievably rewarding. Six months really isn't that long, but I'm sure it will feel like it sometimes. I'm stopping in London for a week first, and am SO excited about being back there and seeing some great friends. I leave Boston on January 4th, then I leave London on January 11th, switching planes in Mombabsa, Kenya. Then to Kilimanjaro international airport, which is about 45mins from Moshi. Amani is right at the bottom of Mount Kilimanjaro! I definitely want to attempt a climb while there, who could resist? Moshi is the city that all climbers go through. I've also checked out couchsurfing and there are plenty of CSers in Moshi.

So, in summary, fundraising, preparing, learning Kiswahili, and getting stuck with lots of needles!

For more information on Amani, visit http://amanikids.org/