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/