Timbolo Primary School - Ngaramtoni

Joel Elkins September - December 2007

If you have the pleasure of teaching at Timbolo, you will undoubtedly develop a love/hate relationship with this road, which, depending on where in Ngaramtoni you live, takes between 40 and 50 minutes each direction, more if you stop to take a few pictures or engage with the locals, which you are likely to do at least a few times each trip, considering the splendor (both animate and inanimate) you will encounter.

For those who don’t have the pleasure, or are new to the experience, below is a roadmap of what you can expect to see. (This is just one of many possible routes to the school, but we have found it to be the fastest and most colorful. Times given are approximate and will vary.)

In order to be in time for morning assembly, you will need to leave the blue sign at the top of the Elias/David road at about 7:00 a.m. Turn left, heading north. In a few minutes (7:03), you will pass Emaoi Primary School on the left, which also serves as the local courthouse, a church on Sundays and, in the afternoon, an army training facility.




Pass this gate (7:06):

Next you will come to a stream (7:07), where, in the afternoon, you might see women doing laundry or army recruits rolling around in the mud. Given the state of the water, it seems better suited for the latter:



If you come at the right time of day, you may also run into Michael and his friends on their way to school, and they will be simply overjoyed to have the pleasure of walking there holding hands with a mzungu.



After a small incline, you will be able to see a gorgeous panorama
(7:10), one which will continue to impress you every time you pass it:



Immediately thereafter there will be a road going off to the right in a steep ascent, which you should take:

On the right at the top of the ascent (7:11), you will see a house with the world’s laziest cow. More often than not, it is sitting in a pile of hay:



Follow this road as it curves and you will most certainly be warmly greeted by a number of children, probably led by this adorable one:




A little further down the curving path (7:15), you will see a number of bomas (Massai huts), accompanied by innumerable goats and children (the latter of which love to have their picture taken; the former are indifferent):








Immediately thereafter, you will come to the “Trevi Fountain,” one of the few public water sources in the area, so named because it is usually left running whether or not is being used, which it often is, either for bathing, laundry or filling up buckets.



At the fork in the road (7:16), turn right:

In about 20 meters, you will see a small store on the right and a V on the left:
At this time, you will also probably be greeted by the “Dust Devils,” who are usually so covered in the stuff that you almost can’t tell where the ground ends and they begin.



At the V (7:17), take the diagonal path through the cornfields, as it curves by (not through) the trees:

If the corn is short enough, here is where you will probably get your best views of Mt. Meru:

Also, if you are on time, about now you may run into Joycey, who will always greet you with a big smile, on her way in the opposite direction:






You will exit the cornfields (7:21) and hit a road, which to the right leads to Kimnyak Primary and Secondary Schools. However, take the road left and then immediately take the fork off the road which goes underneath the Crying Tree, so named because, if it has rained at all in the past week, will still be dripping:

You are now overlooking what is affectionately called “Goatherders’ Hill.” This will soon become the highlight of your twice-daily trip. Once you are spotted, you will be assaulted with Massai greetings by the young goatherders until you are well out of sight. (Make sure you learn the proper responses to each.):


You may also have to pass a similar gauntlet when confronted with the “Ta Kwenya” girls, who are substantially less cute and often more aggressive with their greetings and requests:

You will come to and cross a dry riverbed (7:23) and turn right onto the main path. Continue on this road for a few minutes. On the way, you may experience a talking bush (7:26), saying things such as “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or “Welcome to home.” Don’t worry, you are not going crazy, that’s just the bush babies who live behind, practicing their English:


Immediately thereafter, you will come to an intersection with a blue store at one corner:

Make a left and continue up the long dusty road. You are now on the final (and most exhausting) leg of your journey. It is about a 14 minute walk up this last straightaway, where (if you’re lucky) you’ll meet some more of the regulars, including “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Shoulders” kid (who likes to show off his English, but needs a little help with the lyrics):


The “Good morning, sir, Good morning, madam” girl, who will greet you most politely with the best English pronunciation you will find in Tanzania, unless your camera is on video mode, then she’ll just stare at you:

The Boma kids, who are always more than happy to pose for the camera: About a quarter of the way up, you will see a fork in the road (7:29); stay on the main path (i.e. veer right)





From a distance, you may see a stone building (7:33) and think that you are almost there, but don’t get too excited – as you will see, it’s not the school, but what it is is anybody’s guess (a partially completed toilet?)



However, when you reach this gate (7:36), you are getting close:





You might even hear the drums from Sambasha in the distance. As you approach (7:40), if you are one time, the kids should be lining up for morning assembly.




The school is on your right. Good luck and have fun!