studying Swahili in the wild

Here's where we study Swahili every day.

Yes, our clasroom really is a thatched-roof hut.  Cool!



We love being in the same class together.



Sometimes we even have class outside on the giant boulder

but we are easily distracted by the fascinating lizards nearby.

We begin class Monday-Friday at 8:30am.  After a quick chai break at 10, we continue studying until lunch at 1:30pm.  After lunch we give the kids a nap and we start homework and review until supper.  After supper we finish homework and practice what we learned that day.  Then, after hand-washing some laundry and tucking the kids into bed, we're so exhausted we crash until morning.  Language learning makes our brains hurt but we already see significant progress in our ability to communicate.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn this beautiful language and culture. 

our mountain cottage

Welcome to our home for the next four months.  The kids call it "our mountain cottage."  (it really IS on a small mountain)

around here people call it "banda 4"

the kids love it

there's plenty of room to do pre-school

and lots of opportunity to be creative - she was making potato soup!

the view out our front door...we'd love to see you standing there :)

 

on the road to Iringa

Here we go to Iringa for four months of Swahili language study.  We boarded the bus at 6:00am.

Sit back, relax, and get comfy.  It will be seven hours!



we drove past the local Wal-Mart




beautiful scenery



Is that where we will live?

Yay!!!  We made it.  We survived the seven hour trip with only one 10 minute bathroom stop.  Thank you God for your abundant grace.


Stay tuned next time for pictures of where we live and study.

We like these critters

These critters are fun.  Here's some of the wildlife we've enjoyed in Tanzania.

hunting for bugs outside our door

resting before the evening meal

What's the difference between a turtle and a tortoise?

EEEWWWW!  At least we didn't squish it between our toes in the shower.

These are the "safe" critters.  We've heard rumors of scorpions and spitting cobras but we haven't seen any yet.  Pray that God would keep us safe.

the plan, roughly

Here's the plan, roughly.

{click on the picture to zoom}
(1) First we stay in Dar es Salaam for orientation.  (2) Then we move inland to Iringa for four months of Swahili language school.  (3) Finally we move to Musoma and begin the work of Bible translation.