Late on Monday afternoon, we were finally joined by the girls – Vita, Faaria and Rute – making our team complete. There was much anticipation of their arrival, from staff, students and Iain and I alike, as it meant that we could at last get ahead with our many projects, and begin to explore Mtwara as a group!
And so the week set off into motion: we took the girls out on a small tour of the COTC compound, introducing ourselves to the staff here, and we also took a stroll into the quaint town Mtwara hosts. We had our first meeting with the COTC principal – a warm individual; glad to hear us formally introduce ourselves and our projects to him. Our networking with more and more students here was pushed to new heights, establishing a much-needed base of connections: invaluable, what with our limited grasp of Swahili! Work on our projects began, but come mid-week the internet supply at the COTC had cut-off ... a massive hindrance!
Come Friday evening, the five of us and a few of the COTC students headed off to Makonde Beach Club (a new, outdoor bar along Shangani Beach – popular with expats here) for a well-deserved night out. Saturday was mostly spent lying on the beach, but we were also invited to another case-based presentation by a few of the second year students which went on until late in the evening; the commitment the students have to their course, proved by all of these sessions, genuinely is inspirational. A lazy Sunday saw us wander out into the markets in town, stocking up on our favourite chai’s and fruits and finally end with us showing X-Men: Origins in the dining hall to a handful of students.
All in all, a great start and I look forward to seeing the project develop!
Shirwa Ali
