ISTEP Tanzania Nova Scotia Study Tour – Habari Nova Scotia Community College! Nova Scotia is beautiful. In July 2016 I had the opportunity to visit Canada, my first time to fly out of Africa, I was so excited.

Our Safari started at Dar (Julius Kambarage Nyerere International Airport (JKNIA): 5 Tutors from VETA Mikumi and 3 from VHTTI Njiro campus. After more than 20hrs of travel we arrived at Halifax International Airport and Gordon Wilkie was there waiting to Pjilsa’si us to Nova Scotia.

The following day NSCC Directors of International Learning Katie Orr and Kellie McMullin Arrived and pick us to the NSCC Institute of Campus. The purpose of our Safari was to learn how ‘Eco-Cultural Tourism’ industry is growing faster here in Nova Scotia and take the experience we get to VETA Mikumi and establish long and short course for Eco-Cultural Tourism by January 2017. To attain goals of the project, NSCC International Directors i.e. Katie Orr, Kellie McMullin and other staffs arranged tours.

Among the areas visited includes; Ross Farm Museum, Fisheries museum of the Atlantic, Blue Rocks FISHING, South Shore Public Library, Lunenburg Ghost Storytelling Tour, Black Loyalist Heritage Center, Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, Grand Pre, Pier 21 Canada’s Immigration Museum and Peggy’s Cove. The main objective of visiting these museums and national parks is make us clear that Tourism is not only about Wildlife, birds or trees but can be about people’s way of living, theirs Culture, Language, Norms and Traditions. I learned a lot of things such as Creativity, Enthusiasm, Good Interpretation Skills, Technological Advancement in Tourism Sectors, Financial Support from Public and Private Sector to empower museum owners, Importance of Record Keeping.

Going back to Tanzania all these ideas has to turn into action so as to make sure that we meet project goals. This can be done through Cooperation, Commitment, hard work and Determination. We have to find the way in which we can collect information of our ancestors, to train our students and become good interpreters, convincing different entity for financial and technological support. Apart from that I also had an opportunity to attend two adult learning courses i.e. Facilitating Adult Learning (BOPPPS) and Assessing and Evaluating Adult Learning (CATs); methodologies, styles and techniques learned are so much important and will improve my teaching carrier.

I also attended workshops such as Strengths (where I discovered my strengths), Entrepreneurship Skills (where I learned how to facilitate students become an entrepreneur) and Great Teachers Day where we shared experience with NSCC teachers from different campus about learning process.

Also I had an opportunity to engage with IT issues such as ISDN, Networking and basic CAD as well as to see Library System and to learn how it works. Got an opportunity to visit NSCC Campus i.e. Institute of Technology, Burridge, Truro, Akerley and Waterfront. In all campus we got a warm welcome from Principal and all staffs.

In NSCC we have been treated so nicely, everyone was so kind.

What I learned from NSCC Staffs and Faculty is Respect, Hard working, Cooperation and passion

Lastly, I would like to thank all NSCC staffs and Faculty for what you did to me I never felt lonely, all time I felt like am in home with family. My appreciation also goes to my Campus Principal Mr. Christopher Ayo for granting me this opportunity to lean, thank you so much.

Good bye everyone at NSCC (goodbye means I will miss you until we meet again)

Asante Sana

Selemani Mbaga

Information Technology Faculty

Mikumi Vocational Training Centre

Tanzania