– Our MYP Week Without Walls

What a week, with over 200 students and over 30 staff out in various locations all over Tanzania it definitely tested our logistical abilities to make these 5 trips happen. I cannot thank the teachers who went on the trips enough for giving up their week without their family and comfortable beds to take the students on these amazing learning experiences. In particular the staff who spent hours putting together the itineraries, booking accommodation and activities for the students. Here is what some of the students had to say about their trips.

Robin Marsh

Students went to Lake Eyasi and experienced the Hadzabe and Datoga tribe’s lifestyle, then visited Maasai bomas to round out their Northern Tanzania tribal experience.

Overall, I think our trip was great. There were some rainy unpleasant bits but we really enjoyed the fun parts like hunting with the Hadzabe Tribe, visiting the Datoga tribe and seeing them melting metal, playing in Lake Eyasi and shooting our bow and arrows at trees.

This trip was an amazing experience and we really enjoyed it start to finish!

Dara M1

Students learned how land is eroded by the sea, followed ancient Dhow routes along the coast, learned about the history of the Pangani/Tanga region and developed an appreciation for Marine conservation.

For the M2 WWW, we went to the Pangani school house. The drive was around 8 hours long and was full of sleeping, talking and laughing. The second day, we went to Pangani town for a tour. We saw Swahili doors and watched the fishermen at work at the harbor. We met an old man named Mzee Sungura who read us a Kiswahili poem.

The third day, we left early for Tanga. We went to Urithi Museum where we watched a Taarab performance (local music). Then we went to the famous poet Shaaban Robert’s home and next we visited Tongoni Ruins. The final full day, we went by Dhow to Maziwe Island to snorkel. The coral reefs there are so beautiful!

The trip was amazing. The only real challenge for me and my tent mates was sleep! The highlight for me was the stunning colours from the coral reefs and listening to the Taarab music.
Townes M2

Students developed their cultural understanding of music and Swahili at the Arusha Cultural Arts Centre, where they took part in many activities. They then spent 2 days on the Maasai step presenting their performances and learning from/teaching Pamoja students.

For the M3 WWW trip we visited the Cultural Arts Centre in Makumira, Arusha whereby we were split into two groups; group A which mainly focused on dance and drama and group B which primarily focused on making traditional drums out of cow skin and drumming. Both groups did tie dye and were presented a tour of the Maasai and Meru bomas as well as their traditional instruments such as the Zeze, Putukulanga, Kinumbi, Marimba, Tandala horn etc. Since I was in group A, I partook in 3 dances and assisted in creating props such as the ‘Usinga’ (synthetic hair attached to stick) for the Mandilu dance and the ‘Kibwaya’ (skirt made from slip knots in sisal string) for Mkwajungoma. For drama, we were split into two once more and had to create a play that incorporated several aspects of the different cultures present throughout Tanzania and East Africa. Since we only had a limited amount of time to practice and absorb all of the dance steps and lines, at times it was quite stressful and challenging, especially when trying to get the timing right. Yet I enjoyed the entire experience and was able to bring forward a great performance. The organisation was well equipped with excellent facilities and extremely helpful and patient staff. I was able to acquire information about Tanzanian culture and history that I, myself as a Tanzanian did not know and I am grateful for being able to be a part of such an opportunity.

Sharon M3

The M4 students were studying how biomass growth is affected at various altitudes in West Kilimanjaro. They were also taking part in forest hikes, river swims and other outdoor activities.

During the Week Without Walls trip for M4, we went to Simba Farm to study the biomass and temperature in the high and low altitudes. It was my first time in years there, and on the day we arrived, it was cold; however, throughout the entire trip, the weather was constantly changing. We went on hikes to the river, the caves, the plains area and the shrubs. I enjoyed swimming in the river, although it felt like resting in a bathtub full of ice, it was strangely relaxing. We faced a few challenges: the long walks and hikes, including walking down steep steps to get to the cave. It was a unique adventure, and I hope the M3’s next year will enjoy their stay too.

Scarlet M4

The M5 students looked at how altitude affects the human body, measuring their reactions at various altitudes in Mtu wa Mbu. They also discovered the area through hikes and other outdoor activities.

As the M5 class, we were blessed to have gone to the Migombani campsite, which is situated in the Lake Manyara region. This location was filled with numerous amounts of nature and outdoor activities but not forgetting the fantastic view of Lake Manyara. While we were there for those days, we were tasked to challenge ourselves by doing a range of different activities, such as swimming in the infinity pool and trying to get better every day or even running up the hill surrounding our campsite. On this trip, we got to experience a lot of new things. Still, more importantly, we got to bond with our new classmates and our fellow Arusha M5 class and got to know each other better, and enjoyed Lake Manyara’s view. Its surroundings and the campsite had an infinity pool that we got to use and appreciate. Blessed with many positives, we also got to challenge ourselves to do better at whatever exercise we chose, which wasn’t easy, but we all got to overcome it. Overall, this was the best trip the M5 class has been on as a whole and has been an excellent way to end off our MYP journey.

Micah M5