Chama Cha Viziwi Tanzania

 There are those moments in life when you do something, something that seems impossible or insurmountable, and you succeed. It may seem like a small task to others, but to you it is a personal, meaningful accomplishment that you won't soon forget.  The feeling of this kind of success is a rare but invaluable feeling that I am proud to say I had today. 

  I went down to the CIEE office this morning apprehensive about my placement in an internship that I am supposed to have for the rest of the semester.  The program director was out so I sat in the office with two other girls and his assistant twiddling my thumbs waiting to hear if CHAVITA (Chama Cha Viziwi Tanzania) would have me.  Fortunately my advisors figured out that even though CHAVITA had a phone number listed for their organization, every person within the organization is deaf so the only way to communicate was via SMS.  There isn't really a TTY system set up in Tanzania.  We got in contact with them and the director of CHAVITA welcomed us to the office in Temeke to set up a further appointment but wondered 'how, given her language restrictions, does this girl expect to communicate with us?' I immediately realized my mistake.  I had assumed that for the first two weeks or so as I was learning TSL(because the language is different from ASL) I would be able to fingerspell (a.k.a. spell everything out) because the alphabet's are the same, and communicate that way.  I did not realize however, that I would have to fingerspell everything in Kiswahili because there was almost a zero percent chance the local deaf community knows English! I was immediately disheartened; I had wanted placement with this organization so badly and had built up how amazing the experience of working with Tanzanian deaf communities would be in my head.  But how was I supposed to be a helpful intern if I had little to no way of communicating? Almost ready to consent to another internship (teaching geography at a primary school...not my forte) I remembered that there is a TSL dictionary and my mom had found one in the US for $100.  Maybe this way I could postpone the internship a while, learn some TSL and everything would be great! But it would take a long time and cost lots of money to ship the book to Tanzania, so that idea probably wouldn't work... Again, I was just about to lose hope when my program director, now back in the office said "hey Jennifer, why don't you check the office next door? They sell language dictionaries." Wouldn't you know it, they had a TSL dictionary for 10,000TSH which is roughly SEVEN DOLLARS! Not only was this book super cheap (I bought it on the spot!) but it is written in English AND Kiswahili so I know what's going on in both languages! I took this as a good sign. 

  I rapidly began looking through the book and memorizing the signs of "want" "help you" "student" "learn" "name", etc. because I had just been informed that I was going to have an interview with the director in 30 minutes! I was terrified. My Kiswahili is coming along but I didn't think the director of such a prominent organization would care about my three to four word sentences regarding students and their ability to cook warm bread, or a teacher's love for loud music and cold beer. The taxi finally came and I went off to meet the CHAVITA director with my stash of TSL words and swahili words I could fingerspell.  Never have I felt like I was riding off to a judgement such as this. I am sure I looked like a crazy person in the back seat of the taxi signing to myself in the attempt of memorizing simple phrases.  Well, crazier than normal. 

  After an hour and a half drive and some serious hunting for the mysterious CHAVITA building we found it! The complex is a little series of houses set off from the main road with a gated entrance, and as soon as I walked in we were greeting by an obviously hearing guard.  I one of the deaf ladies carrying some water but no one else around so we followed her into a little workroom.  She spoke a little as if she lost her hearing in her childhood or had some speech therapy but of course it was in Kiswahili. So Cecilia (the assistant) translated.  

   Remember that amazing feeling of accomplishment I said I felt? I ended up having a full conversation with three deaf ladies in Tanzanian Sign Language both with signs and fingerspelling! It may seem small to you, but I went from not thinking I would get to the CHAVITA organization, to having 30 minutes to learn TSL, to communicating effectively in two languages that I have just recently been introduced to.  As self-glorifying as it may sound I have honestly never been so proud of myself. Unfortunately the director was in a meeting with another mzungu from Finland so I have to go back next week, but I am not nervous now.  I know I have a looong way to go with both languages, but if I could do it today I can do it tomorrow.  If anything communicating with those women today showed me that even though learning a new language can be hard, it is more rewarding than you could imagine.  Even if CHAVITA doesn't need an intern I know this is what I want to do with my career and I know I can do it.  I feel empowered and confident and I am eager to see what happens next.