Weekly Photo Challenge: Anticipation

A submission to this week’s photo challenge :Anticipation

It’s that time of year when Christmas is approaching fast. Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas and each year as part of the anticipation of this most important event we put up  decorations in early December. Even though the glitz and glamour could be said to overwhelm the true meaning of the season- it is nonetheless a great way to signal that this important event is on it’s way.

Living here in Tanzania, a long way from family it is a touch stone to the life we lived before we came here, even if the equatorial heat makes Christmas a bit different to a British Christmas.

So for this submission the focus is Christmas.

A year ago we were anticipating and then welcoming our mums to Tanzania.

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This year with no family visits and with our son back in the UK at University we’re doing something a bit different for which you will need to read the next submission.

Happy Christmas to all who read this post.

Jetting Off!

Mwanza has changed in the last few days. The Christmas Holidays are upon us and with international schools having broken up last week the ex-pat exodus has begun.

Not all ‘Wazungu’ have gone of course, but many have jetted off to their homelands or else to explore foreign parts within and beyond Tanzania’s borders. Some local Tanzanians will travel too in the coming days as they visit family across Tanzania. 

A few like us are staying put and like us are having visitors to stay. Soon we will welcome family to our Tanzanian home, two Mums Jetting Off from their homes to foreign parts (Mwanza). We’e looking forward to receiving our first house guests, though in actual fact we have secured accommodation in a vacant house next door. 

Before they arrive here in Mwanza they will meet us in Moshi – we’re holding out for a view of Kilimanjaro- though this may be a vain hope beyond a glimpse from the aircraft flying in. So we too will be jetting off from a wet and rainy Mwanza, in hope of a dryer Moshi and a more leisurely return through the Serengeti in the days ahead. We are looking forward to visiting the animal park again and introducing it to our visitors, as we will Mwanza. Mostly we’re looking forward to the relaxing time and conversations you just don’t get with Skype.

Lifeline Lost?

It has been a mixed holiday. We have enjoyed ourselves here but the frustrations of slow (exceedingly slow) network connections and a faulty mic on my iPhone have combined to make contacting home a nightmare. This has been particularly true of my mum. All this leaves me somewhat cross and annoyed. There doesn’t seem to be an easy solution – the mic issue seems to affect FaceTime and Skype as well as video recordings and whenever I try to use Speakerphone, but is intermittent. The connectivity since Christmas has been ridiculously slow (see below). At times my 3G has been faster than WIFI. Changing from
Vodacom to Airtel has made no difference.
It’s not just calls, the use of the network for school work and social networking is restricted to one computer with a Zantel dongle. This is also the only allowing us the option of downloading our iTunes Christmas Gifts.
Before Christmas things were fine but now we might just have to bite the expensive bulletin and return to using the TTLC landline. 😦

Malaika Return

A return to Malaika Beach Resort was our Christmas treat yesterday. Having postponed this from Boxing Day, Having looked at the weather we headed out of town. Malaika is on the coast of Lake Victoria and we were looking forward to a day in the sun. To be honest our initial experience was none too promising as we arrived to thick grey cloud and spots of rain. Thankfully after an hour or so during which we had some lunch we were able to enjoy some good sunshine and fun in the pool.

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Songs of Christmas: Day 25 – O Come All Ye Faithful

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 25th offering:

 

Day 24

Donna Summer: O Come All Ye Faithful

Amy Grant: O Come All Ye Faithful

Kings College Cambridge: O Come All Ye Faithful

Songs of Christmas: Day 24 – Merry Xmas Everybody

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 24th offering:

How could I not include this one, even if I don’t like the X in Xmas!.

Day 24

Slade: Merry Xmas Everybody

Songs of Christmas: Day 23 – Joy To The World

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 23rd offering:

One of my favorite carols in two updated versions and a more traditional one.

Day 23

Chris Tomlin: Joy To The World (Unspeakable Joy)

Mariah Carey: Joy To The World

John Rutter / Cambridge Singers: Joy To The World

Songs of Christmas: Day 22 – Gloria

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 22nd offering:

Day 22

Michael W Smith:  Gloria

Songs of Christmas: Day 21 – Angels From The Realms of Glory

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 21st offering:

Day 21

Annie Lennox: Angels From The Realms of Glory

Songs of Christmas: Day 20 – I Wish It Could It a Could Be Christmas Every Day

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 20th offering:

Day 20

Wizzard: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day

Songs of Christmas: Day 19 : Mary Did You Know?

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 19th offering:

Day 19

Pentatonix: Mary Did You Know?

Meredith Andrews: Mary Did You Know?

Songs of Christmas: Day 18: Driving Home for Christmas

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 18th offering:

Day 18

Chris Rea: Driving Home for Christmas

A firm favourite always reminds me of that last day of work and going home. Of course with no car here in Tanzania it’s not quite the same.

 

 

 

 

 

Songs of Christmas: Day 17 – Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 17th offering:

Day 17

Vaughan Williams : Fantasia on Christmas Carols

A great mix of Carols combined into a classical masterpiece. How many can you recognise.

 

 

 

 

 

Songs of Christmas: Day 16 – Breath of Heaven

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 16th offering:

Day 16

Amy Grant: Breath of Heaven

Sam Levine : Breath of Heaven

Donna Summer : Breath of Heaven

 

 

 

 

Songs of Christmas: Day 15 – Christmas Wrapping

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 15th offering:

Day 15

The Waitresses : Christmas Wrapping

 

 

 

Songs of Christmas: Day 14 – Rejoice

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 14th offering:

Day 14

Hillsong: Rejoice

 

 

 

Songs of Christmas: Day 13 – The Christmas Song

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 13th offering:

Day 13

This song has sung “many times, many ways” over the years

Christina Aguilera: The Christmas Song

Christina Aguilera: The Christmas Song (Thunderpuss Remix)

Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song

Donna Summer: The Christmas Song

Francesca Battistelli: The Christmas Song

Sam Levine: The Christmas Song

 

 

 

End of Term

Finally we’re here at the end of Term One and The holidays are here and I feel ……exhausted.
Today we had an awards ceremony for the first three hours. Sadly Zanzibar (my house) were pipped to the Sports Day – winning more events overall but losing out on coming third more often than Pemba who one overall. The children won awards for outstanding (English, History and ICT for Bex) and most improved (PE for Matt). They also won awards for the school production. In dispersing the awards were musical and drama pieces from various groups of students.
Assembly was followed by two lessons and the ubiquitous Power Cut. Then tutor group parties to complete an early finish of school at 2:15. Three weeks break including a week in Zanzibar to come and a somewhat different Christmas / New Year to usual.

Songs of Christmas: Day 12 – Mary’s Boy Child

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 12th offering:

Day 12

A Christmas classic from ’80s Disco Pop Group Boney M and Harry Belafonte

Boney M :Mary’s Boy Child / O My Lord

Harry Belafonte: Mary’s Boy Child

Songs of Christmas: Day 11 – Winter Snow

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 11th offering:

Day 11

Winter Snow : Chris Tomlin featuring Audrey Assad

I heard this last Christmas – another haunting melody with meaning. A perfect song for those days when the world is blanketed in white (not something we’ll ever have here though!)