Zanzibar. You couldn t come to Zanzibar...so BSL brings Zanzibar to you! TOGO TO TANZANIA. Join Us on Our Voyage to The Land of Sea and Spices!

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1 Zanzibar THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF LOME S FIRST ANNUAL WEEK WITHOUT WALLS TOGO TO TANZANIA 2015 You couldn t come to Zanzibar...so BSL brings Zanzibar to you! Join Us on Our Voyage to The Land of Sea and Spices! The salty air makes its way through the narrow, winding streets packed with tourists, locals and the occasional vehicle. Vendors call out from their shops, cut into the stone walls that give the town its name. Stonetown is a place full of life, despite its dark history. People push their way forward, ignoring the sellers calling out their wares, save for the tourists who are eagerly swept into the grasp of a potential sale, at a ridiculously high price. The tourists don t know the value of currency very well, after all. All around us are bursts of random Kiswahili - Mambo!! Salaama, Asante Sana! - echoing out from a multitude of voices. It s impossible to pinpoint the precise speaker in this chorus, only one instrument in the orchestra that is Stonetown. Our group is distinguishable easily, from our bright yellow-and-megenta paignes that stand out like air brushed photos in a muted mass of black and white. The entire scene is one big photograph, one that great artists should have taken their time to paint. As another gust of wind blows around sharp corners and narrow lanes, the sun filters through a gap in the clouds. This place is a well of inspiration that will never dry out. By Serena Sabnani, year 10 Socially Responsible Tourism Respects local culture, knowledge & expertise Uses community based service providers Empowers local leadership Ensures that money generated from tourism directly benefits the community Asante Sana Jambiani! British School of Lome WEEK WITHOUT WALLS 2015 What an honor it has been to accompany this remarkable group of British School of Lome students on our first annual international Week Without Walls trip! Everywhere we went our students garnered praise and complements by our hosts and guides for their courteous and respectful behavior. They were joyful and flexible travel companions, and each individual pushed themselves well beyond their own comfort zones, whether in the water or on dry land, meeting new people, exploring new cultures, or trying exotic foods. Soleine, Marlene, Dominic, Maxwell, Whitney, Denise, Joseph, Richman, Sasha, George, Maxence, Serena and Noellie...Asante Sana. We will never forget you. With Love and Respect From Your Teacher Team, Fuchs, Spence, Fugill and Cowell

2 Asante Sana Mwalimu Neema & Hamid! BSL s Jambiani Village Tour After our kiswahili lesson, Mwalimu Neema led us through the village. We stopped to greet many elders with the formal greeting Shikamo! and had a chance to chat with younger people too. Mwalimu Neema took us to her grandmother s house, where we were introduced to many examples of traditional technology, like a Swahili refrigerator that cooled water down so much we couldn t believe it. We are going to have to try to figure that one out in science class next year! Neema s grandmother was weaving rope made from the fibers found inside a coconut. In order for the fibers to be strong enough to weave, the villagers first bury the coconuts deep under the sand on the beach. After one year of being buried with the tide coming in and out, they are dug up and cracked open so that the fibers can be extracted to make rope. This kind of indigenous knowledge just amazed us. Neema s grandmother runs a Madrasa in her house, where children from the village study the Koran. She uses the traditional wooden tablets for the children s studies, where they copy passages from the Koran in Arabic, using charcoal. The tablets and the Arabic writing were so beautiful and highlighted the many ways people keep their traditions and culture alive. Another very interesting thing we learned was the importance of coconut trees to Zanzibari families. No matter how much land a family sells, all of the coconut trees on that land remain in the original family. For every child who is born, a coconut tree is planted for them. The people of Jambiani use the coconut tree for everything from food to work to beauty products and building houses. The uses of coconut trees are amazing! Finally Mwalimu Neema took us to her own beautiful house where we met her handsome husband Hamid. Hamid told us how he built his house himself, beginning at the age of seventeen! Hamid cracked coconuts for us to drink the traditional way and gave us wonderful gifts that he wove himself from the leaves. We learned so much! Kiswahili Mambo! Poa. Shikamo. Marahaba! Hujambo - Sijambo Habara za asabuhi Nzuri! Salaama! Salaama Jina lako nani? Jina langu Unapendeza sana! Asante sana! Karibuni Zanzibar! Asante Sana!! Unasema Kiswahili? Kidogo! Pole Pole! Ndio Hapana Our students amazed Mwalimu Neema with their eagerness to learn and their wonderful participation. They were so hungry for more that our lesson went way over time and we had to postpone our village football tournament! All the way through the village tour BSL students practiced their new words and phrases with people they met in the community.

3 IPSUM: Vivamus est ipsum, vehicula nec, feugiat rhoncus, accumsan id, nisl. Make friends on the beach at sunrise... THINGS TO DO IN ZANZIBAR Float With Friends 1. Vivamus est ipsum vehicula nec. Praesent et dolor ac sapien vehicula bibendum. Donec eu ante. Pellentesque quis est eu pede laoreet elementum. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus. 2. Feugiat rhoncus accumsan id nis. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Fusce consequat porttitor arcu. Vestibulum ut nunc. Sed dictum ante vel lacus. Read in the garden in the late afternoon. 3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Nunc elit odio, pulvinar at, tristique quis, mattis vel, elit. Phasellus tincidunt suscipit urna. Aliquam pellentesque ante vitae ligula. Phasellus tempus sem nec tellus. Reflect While Looking Fly 5. Pellentesque nunc tellus iaculis Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Etiam venenatis wisi ac diam. Integer aliquet metus pretium mauris. Pelentesque nisl. Integer aliquet metus retu ium mauris est Vivamus est ipsum Enjoy a lecture by Joseph... Enjoy a lecture by Joseph... Unless he s unavailable!

4 HAKUNA MATATA! It s hard not to be happy (and stunning!) in Jambiani! Prehistoric Caves & Slave Dungeons Our guide Mr. Issa showed us stalamgites and stalactities and a ground water pool. Bones, stone tools and ceramics dated from 10,000 B.C. have been found in these caves. When open slave markets became illegal, enslaved Africans from all over the continent were held here by the hundreds, awaiting the horrific Journey of No Return. Visiting the caves was a sad, sound learning experience for all of us. Below, Issa shows us how guards got in and out of the caves. The top entrance was chained off and heavily guarded with long rhinoceros hide whips and muskets during the times enslaved peoples were held captive here. Dalladalla to the Caves and Dhows Home! picked us up in our dhows and we sailed Once again our students were great sports. They experienced local transport on the Dalladalla through the village to the caves, asked wonderful questions home to Kipepeo. After stopping to snorkel and swim and snorkel, of course! Our dhows were going UP...on a Tuesday for sure! during our tour, and then enjoyed a break in the turquoise sea in the waters in front of Coral Rock Hotel while we waited the tide to come in. When the tide was high enough, Captain Issa

5 The Eco-Fashion Challenge 1. Vivamus est ipsum vehicula nec. Praesent et dolor ac sapien vehicula bibendum. Donec eu ante. Pellentesque quis est eu pede laoreet elementum. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Whitney Soussou gracefully accepts her award for best design. 2. Feugiat rhoncus accumsan id nis. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Fusce consequat porttitor arcu. Vestibulum ut nunc. Sed dictum ante vel lacus. 3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Marlene takes the mic to explain her creation. Her team s sea urchin shell watch was especially noteworthy. It s all in the FAMILY: Model Sisters Denise and Noellie It was a supreme team effort, says Whitney. Sacha Montoya models the winning look below. Sacha also won best walk. Note the flying flower petal detail on the runway. Feugiat rhoncus, accumsan id, nisl. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, lorem ipsum consectetuer adipiscing elit. Pellentesque nunc tellus, iaculis quis, volutpat eget, bibendum ac, lectus. Vivamus est ipsu vehicula nec. It s all in the family: Model Sisters Denise and Noellie

6 Stonetown, Zanzibar... The people in the oldest part of Stonetown are mostly hawkers and tourists. Many of the activities and shops are designed for people coming from all over the world. The wind, transporting a mix of spices, salty and air and Swahili food, is very calm and peaceful. In our matching yellow and pink corn dresses and shirts, we do look like tourists, but at least tourists who care about Zanzibar s Muslim religion. It really is shocking to see women walking around in short shorts and tiny t- shirts, not because of the look the citizens of Zanzibar might give them but because of the spectacle they create wearing this while surrounded by fully covered women. I think that as a tourist, when visiting a new place, it is not normal to ignore that country s religion and rules. Respect is important. Overall, Stone Town would be a place that I highly recommend for tourists who love shopping and some beautiful historic sights. Our two trips to Stone Town were perfect activities. For more simple people, I would recommend that they visit Zanzibar s stunning villages, like Jambiani. Jambiani, Zanzibar... Across the Spice Island from old Stonetown, there is a village called Jambiani, which is quite big and very close to the sea. Our quiet guest house, Kipepeo, which means butterfly in kiswahili, is on the beach where the air is fresh and the sound of calm waves makes you want to fall asleep on the white sand. The people there are more conservative in their religion than the people of Stonetown. I think it is because the Zanzibari citizens of Stonetown have a tendency to forget their own culture because of the touristic influence. Kipepeo house is very comfortable and calm, the decoration is on point and the staff are very kind. Having back problems, the Swahili massage really helped me and the red and black henna is beautiful. The henna ladies, Zena and Mama Hemmy, were so gentle and respectful. Everything in Jambiani is very SALAAMA and I love saying Asante Sana for everything. Asante Sana, Zanzibar! Denise Rozande year 10 All of the student writing in this newsletter was completed at at the 6 Degrees VIP Lounge on Stonetown Day! Thanks 6 Degrees!

7 Fumba OUR TRIP TO FUMBA WAS A MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE THAT TESTED OUR COURAGE, FORTITUDE AND STAMINA. WE OVERCAME OUR FEARS AND OUR SEASICKNESS, AND WERE REWARDED BY A VISITING FAMILY OF DOLPHINS! WHAT A DAY! Not everyone who visits Fumba Coral Reef gets to see these amazing animals. We even spotted a baby! On the first day the only thing we saw for miles was the blue of the sea and the wonderful white sand that we had been waiting for for so long. The Indian Ocean called to us directly when we arrived to come and swim and have fun, and we didn't even go to our rooms we just jumped in! The house we stayed in was really poa (that means cool in Kiswahili). There was the smell of nature in the air and the birds or coral from a were singing every morning next to our pool. We could see the sun rising every morning to its highest point, it was amazing to see. The water was clear but not next to the shore because of the small waves hitting the coast. One day we went snorkeling and that was like a dream. We went to a Never take shells nature preserve! magical place called Fumba where we got to see all the cool coral and fishes, even Nimo and Dora! We saw so many dolphins from our boat and ate fruit that turned our lips bright red. I think it was the coolest place in the world. by Sacha Montoya yr 7 After being stung by jelly fish during our first Fumba snorkel run, we had a meeting to review what we had seen under the sea so far (Inking Octopus! Snakes! Nimo! Dora!) and discuss some strategies for enjoying the wonders of the coral universe without freaking out! Luckily, our conference room was pretty cool.

8 Vivamus est ipsum Sea, Salt and Sand Our home base classroom and playground for the week were the beautiful Kipepeo house grounds complete with private pool and garden, miles of white sand as a front yard, and the Indian Ocean for a bath tub. We truly enjoyed! Asante Sana Jambiani Enjoying our pool OUR OWN CONFIDENCE IN THE Volupat SEA est GREW ipsum EVERY quis DAY! est eu pede laoreet elementum lectus 1. Vivamus est ipsum vehicula nec. Praesent et dolor ac sapien vehicula bibendum. Donec eu ante. Pellentesque quis est eu pede laoreet elementum. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus. 2. Feugiat rhoncus accumsan id nis.

9 BSL s Voyage to Zanzibar Could Not Have Taken Place Without YOU. ASANTE SANA & AKPE KAKA! A special thanks to Mr. Ben Fugill for his stunning photography! The BSL Parents Mr. Sammy & Mr. Alfred The BSL Senior Admin Team Ms Bella and Ms Jackie Ms Maureen and Ms Stella Auntie Eunice and Auntie Adelaide Mr.Nico and Mr. Sylvane Mr Kiddo Ali Mohammed Mwalimu Neema and Mr. Hamid Mr Issa Mr Madodo Mr. Tizo and Madame Salaama The Staff at Kipepeo House The Kiddo Inc. Team Mr. Haji Mama Hemmy & Her Team Peter Frances and Stone House Hotel Sea View Restaurant Pishi Restaurant Bahari View Restaurant Sea Horse Restaurant 6 Degrees Restaurant imagine ZANZIBAR MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Our kids are wiped out and so are we. We think we ve managed to fulfill our goal of offering a fantastic interdisciplinary and experiential learning experience to our students while engaging in socially responsible tourism that directly benefits our hosts, the people of Jambiani, Zanzibar. We even managed to come in a little under budget! With our savings we were able to donate two top quality balls to the Jambiani youth football league and one hundred dollars each to the Jambiani Secondary School and Health Clinic, as well as purchase resources in the airport for our newly inspired students of Pan-African studies. We found books on Kiswahili, Marine The British School of Lome WEEK WITHOUT WALLS 2015 June 30, 2015 Biology of the East African Archipelago, Zanzibar History and Literature, and Stonetown Art and Design! This way, students will have a head start in transforming their amazing journey into coursework! Of course, we re also hosting a reunion party during the first few weeks of the new school year, so we can reminisce and come back together as a BSL Togo-to-Tanzania Jambiani Family. I cannot wait. I hope you have a wonderful summer holiday! I am already missing the delightful company of your children. Best Regards, Sarah Fuchs Week Without Walls Trip Leader Zanzibar 2015