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Moshi
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Moshi 30th May 2008
So here we are in Moshi. Situated in the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro it's the starting point for the climbers who are mad enough to want to climb it. But not us, no way. We would just like to get a glimpse of it one day. Instead we get to see the wide base of it and then white cloud. There are plenty of tour operators offering tours and climbs etc but unlike Arusha the touts trying to sell the tours DO actually take no for an answer. As we have been here for a few days now our faces are known about the town, the touts know not to ask us now which is a welcome relief.
There is a pleasant feel about this small town. There are many foreigners predominately Americans doing voluntary work out here, teaching in local schools, digging fresh water wells etc. It's also the first town we have stayed in Tanzania where it is actually safe to walk about once it gets dark. All the other places that we have been has been a definite NO-NO. So we have been here a few days now. We met a girl called Lisa from Boston who is volunteer teaching in a local school for children with special needs. She has shared with us many observations and situations she has witnessed in her time out here. We also got talking to her about a youth detention centre that she volunteer visits here in the town. She said that if volunteers go there then the staff will let children play in the court yard area with them.
We made a visit with Lisa on Monday. She took paper and crayons and a massive hula-hoop for the kids to play with. There were about 25 children ranging from 10 years to 16. All boys except for 2 teenage girls. Before we went we had prepared ourselves in our minds for some disturbing scenes but when we got there it wasn't as bad as we had envisaged. The kids were really pleased to see us. Martin played football and I talked English with the children who are so eager to learn. I did puzzles (which are only allowed out if there is a volunteer present, otherwise there are kept in a box in the office) and sang English songs with the children. It was definitely worth visiting these children some of whom have obliviously done something wrong to be sent there in the first place but some said that they were just 'in the wrong place at the wrong time.' The youngest boy a little 10 year old said he didn't know why he was there and for that matter how long? Many have no parents (most lost to HIV and Aids) and this is the only life they know. So if volunteers can go there and make a difference in their little concrete world then that must be a good thing.
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