Ray's report to family

Our African Safari 5/2011

After Joseph's death, Donna was resolved to go back to see where he died. For me it was very painful to think about a place where so much pain emanoted. I saw the "rock" in Mbugi as an evil totem. However, I wanted to support Donna and my friend said that she had to go to see where her son had deid. So we set out. We depended on the the help of so many people, that I thought it would be a miracle if it came off at all. As I began to set up the trip, more and more I noticed how many people Joe had affected and who wanted to help and see us. I knew how difficult travel in Africa could be, particularly because we did not speak Kiswahili.

We planned for just the two of us to go because it was a long trip and it would take over two weeks to do. Because of their own lives both Daniel an kyle would find it hard or impossible to do. Plus it had to be the dates we went as the new volunteers would be starting soon. Also the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corp is being celebrate this year, and there are many celebrations around that.

Then right before we left Osama Bin Laden was killed. Since we were going to a country that has a large Muslim population, it was a little worrisome. However, Tanzanians tend to be very non-judgemental and sectarian - tribal and religious problems tend to be minimal.

May 13 2011

We left early in the morning for Songea - a mere 4 hours away by car. The road between Njombe and Songea is beautiful, black top, two lane highway. There are many plantations and tree farms (even evergreens). The temperature is cool because the hills have enough altitude. All the Tanzanians consider the region very cold.
Songea is a market city, many stores restaurants, schools. We saw a political demonstration by an opposition party, that was lively attended. Pick up trucks full of political supporters drove up and down the main street blaring music and rhetoric. Armed police surrounded the perimeter of the crowd.

After lunch we started the drive to Maguu in the Mbinga region. A six hour drive on a narrow, rutted dirt road. This road is the highway between Mawali and the Tanzanian coast, so there are many trucks driven by professional truckers. Somewhat like Route 95. On many of the turns we saw trucks that had failed to negotiate the corner, and just toppled over onto the side of the road. Not an easy road to travel.

We arrived at St. Luise's Secondary School at around 5:30. This is a O (and most recently A) level school at the end of the dirt road! It is a beautiful school, well maintained with a brand new library. The girls are responsible for the gardens that surround the school, where they grow the fruits and vegetables that they consume. Apparently, it considered one of the best girl's schools in Tanzania, and the students score highly on the national exams. Sister Janeth is the principal. One of the reasons that Joseph had traveled to this region was to attend the graduation ceremonies at the school; he was friendly with the PCV teacher at the school. Sister Janeth was able to tell us about meeting Joseph, and how happy he had been at the graduation. How he had danced with the girls, and spoken with all of the students and how comfortable he felt on campus. I spoke about how Joseph had gone to a Catholic high school on a beautiful campus in the middle of the Bronx, and probably he had felt so comfortable at St. Luise's because it felt very much like Fordham Prep.

On the night of Joseph's death, Sister Janett, and many others, had coordinated the retrieval of his body from the rock.

Our Safari

Travel Schedule to Mbinga:

5/12 Dar es Salaam to Njobe. Lunch in Veta Mikumi (night at Agreement Hotel);
5/13 Njombe to Mbinga. Lunch at Heritage Hotel Songea. (night at St. Luise Secondary School);
5/14 Visit Mbuji Library in Maguu. Visit Hagati Secondary School. Visit the Rock. Night at Heritage Hotel, Songea;
5/15 Songea to Morogoro. . Dinner with Thomas and his wife in Morogoro. Night at ARC Hotel, Morogoro
5/16 Morogoro to Dar.

40 hours in the car in five day. The Heritage Hotel has ten rules; the first is that there are no refunds, the second is that check out time is 10 am, the third is that ammunition and explosives are not allowed in the room.

I dreaded this trip, and what we would find. But our visit to the Peace Corp office in Dar had notified us that we were about to visit the most beautiful area of Tanzania. I have asked myself for 18 months why Joseph felt that he had to visit this area where there is no information on the internet. When Tanzanians described as the most beautiful area of Tanzania, I understood why he had to visit.

May 11 Back to Dar es Salaam

Leaving Ndanda and Mtwara I think "I will never be here again"; but I thought that two years ago. We fly back up to Dar and are met at the airport by the Peace Corp driver Toby, and a Peace Corp volunteer, Amanda. Amanda has just come back to finish her last months of service; she had gone home to the midwest for her brothers wedding. Amanda had been a new volunteer two years ago, and had been with Joseph that weekend. She had hiked with Joseph the day before the fatal day, but was too tired to do the long hike to the rock on 9/22.

Now, she has volunteered to accompany us all the way out to the rock, and to meet with PC volunteers along the way.

We went to the Peace Corp HQ in Dar, where Andrea introduced us to the staff members. Many of the staff had been working on 9-22-09 and had helped in the rescue of Joe's body, the autopsy and the return to Dar and the US. As Andrea was introducing us, it dawned on us just how difficult those days had been for so many people. And we realized that another part of this trip was to say thank you to all those people who had helped our son, while he was alive in Tanzania, and to bring him home.

May 10, 2011 Ndanda and Mikindani

After lunch, we got in the jeep and drove out of Ndanda. Two years ago, after our epic bargaining with the wood carver (which ended with one of the carvers coming to Joe's house to apologize) we had driven out of Ndanda. I thought that there was not a chance in hell that I would ever be back to southern Tanzania. And yet, here we were.

What I am just begining to understand after spending a day with Peace Corp workers and ex-pat's is how normal Joseph's experience was in Tanzania. These American kids are plopped down in the middle of a totally different and foreign culture, with three months of rudimentary training. And the volunteers are young and resilient and at the top of their game. They take off; they implement ideas, and teach advanced level university courses, and teach and innovate like crazy Americans. The volunteers are also energetic in exploring new places; or keeping up with all the other volunteers. It really is a powerful American community overseas; and these individuals are the face of America to the world.

President of student councils' address

The Headmaster,
The Teaching and Non-teaching Staff,
Our Visitors,
Dear Students
Ladies and gentlemen, goodmorning/goodafternoon

We have the honour to receive the presence of our beloved family of late Mwalimu Joseph chow. You passed over the oceans and rivers, mountains and valleys just to come and see us. What kind of love! We really appreciate everything you do to us even those which words cannot finish to explain.

This day, 10th May, is the day that all of us remember the end of Mwalimu Joseph Chow's journey on the earth. Late Mwalimu Joseph Chow meant everything to us, he had the great contribution to students, teachers and the whole Ndanda society. At first place we received him as a teacher, fortunately, eh came the time when we lacked the teachers of physics and mathematics. Therefore his presence played the great role in triggering academic excellence.

In fact, we can really feel the gap left by Mwalimu Joseph Chow. We miss his everything. But when we turn around and see his family, we get extremely comforted because it is like everything good he did and wished has been left in the good hands of the family. This makes us deep down feel Chow's love is with us all the time.

Once again let us say thank you for your coming and for your great contribution to our school We wish you good time in Tanzania and welcome again.

Yours,

STUDENTS OF NDANDA HIGH SCHOOL

May 10 2011 Trip to Ndanda Secondary School

Jen and her dirver Chogo picked us up at 9:30 for the drive to Ndanda. The drive only took two hours, and it was a much better drive than two years ago when we drove with Joseph's principal in the school car and the road was under repair.

We drove through the town and past Joseph's house, my heart sank. His picture on facebook is of him standing in front of the sign that stands in front of his house. In 2009 Joseph had been so proud and happy to show us around his school and his life; to be with his family and to show us his world. He had indeed thrived in a tough situation, and he knew the experience would be invaluable.

We drove to the Principal's office, where we were met the by the vice-principal, Mr. David. An assembly of the entire student body was called in the courtyard, and Mr. David, the president of the student body and the head of the FEMA club gave speeches. Ray, Jen and I also spoke. We then announced that the following students received full scholarships for the next two year:

1. Fadhli Juma Nawaje Nanyumbu (Eddie Fletcher wrote a recomendation);

2. Eurarist Morit Mkanrango Masasi

3. Nelson Omany Mnanje Nanyumboo

4. Rmadhani Saidi Chiwonge Newale

5. Castor Alfred Mangaka Nanyumubu

6. Abdallah Dadi Mikindani Mtwara

7. Ibaidi Saidi

8. Kassim S. Dadi Mnyeau Nawala

After the ceremony and the pictures, we treated the boys to a lunch at the nun's beer garden, which is quite a treat for them.

I don't think the boys really understood the implications of the award until Jen sat down with each one of them and explained in Swahili the financial details of the award. After lunch, each and every one of them effusively thanked us for the scholarship; Joseph has made their lives so much easier! Many of them had started school and still had not paid fees, they had no idea where the money would come from. Some had still not finished paying fees for their O level courses, and all this has been waying heavily on the family. In order to be at A level, they have already tested in the top 10% of Tanzania's students. These are deserving, hard working young men, who deserve a small break in life.