My first week at site and the first of adventures with Mbili Mbili

Welcome to Muyako Combined School!

On Sunday I finally arrived at the site which I will be serving the next 2 years! I felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement and nerves as we hauled through the deep sand into Muyako village and pulled up to Muyako Combined School. As we reached my hut, I was greeted by a pack of grade 10 learners ready to assist me with my accommodations and moving in.

Our teacher housing on school property

My home for the next 2 years

My kitchen area

My hut is much bigger than I expected it to be and includes my bed, wardrobe, a desk and chair, a gas stove, refrigerator and even some extra space for when I decide to start doing yoga. My electricity comes through an outlet extended from the school and although I don’t have plumbing, I am able to get water from a tap that is about 70 meters away. I’ve learned very quickly that 70 meters is actually quite a distance when carrying a 25 liter jerry can full of water, but I’m hoping it gets easier as I start building those muscles!

The school tap that's currently leaking during a drought...

My bathing area

I have a pit latrine in a building behind my house. I was lucky enough to have a fancy one that looks like a toilet, rather than just a giant hole in the ground. It’s basically a not as smelly version of a port-a-potty. My bathing area consist of a circular area of reeds where I am able to bucket bathe. The cold baths are very refreshing in this insane heat (average of 104 degrees everyday), but I may need to begin heating water for bathing come winter around April.  I’ve been able to adjust pretty well to my new environment thus far, and I’m learning new things about myself such as exactly how much water I use in a day and that I can peacefully coexist with giant spiders living on my walls. It takes me much longer to do even the most minute tasks, but I am enjoying learning to live more simply. Other than missing air conditioning, the hut life isn’t bad at all. 

 Now onto the more exciting thing:

Meet Mbili Mibili

As you may remember my homestay family had puppies, and I decided to adopt the runt of the litter to take with me to site. I named my little girl Mbili Mbili, one of my favorite words in Silozi, which means pepper (pronounced Mbeelee Mbeelee). She is an interesting character to say the least and at 9 weeks old, is a feisty little ball of energy. Like a typical puppy, she loves attention and always wants to be by my side. Because she is still very small, the big dogs will attack her if she is left alone outside so I tried to keep her inside my hut during my first day at school. She immediately started crying, and after an hour I had to go retrieve her to get her to stop. She then proceeded to follow me around the school the entire day as my little shadow.

 

Wherever I go she follows me; whether I’m going to a class, the library (my new small office), the latrine, or my bathing area, and waits outside for me. The learners absolutely love Mbili Mbili and she has quickly become the school celebrity. I can’t tell if they are more excited to have a new volunteer or that the volunteer has a puppy. Mbili Mbili is especially helpful in getting to know the younger pre-primary and grade 1s who haven’t learned English yet. They speak Silozi with me as they come by to visit with the puppy. My only problem now is that the learners keep coming by my house after school to ask to play with the puppy, so I’ve had to put in place some restrictions.

Having a companion has definitely helped make my transition easier, although I’m pretty sure dog training has been the biggest challenge I’ve faced so far at site.

Hanging out in her new bed

Greeting the learners in the library

Following me around the school grounds

I’m very excited to continue learning more and more about my community over the next few months before I officially begin teaching in January. The Muyako school and the surrounding village has been very welcoming far and I am very excited to begin building relationships and share my experience with you all. Ni ya kulata Muyako (I am going to love Muyako).

 

 The previous volunteer left this behind on my wall (I love Muyako)