Teaching and Water

So, since we've talked last, Emily and I have fallen into teacher roles more completely. There was one day in Form I when I caught some boys scuffling in the back, and I asked them (in Swahili) what the problem was, and of course they saythere is no problem. But one kid tells me that they were fighting over a pen, so I scold them, and ask them where their work is. Of course they haven't started, so I get my annoyed teacher face on, and ask if they know what they are supposed to be doing. Of course they say yes, so I stand there and wait for one of them to read the directions on the board. Then of course they don't know what they are supposed to be doing, so I make them admit they didn't know what they were doing, and explain, and then walk away, shooting stern glances their way every once in a while.

Then at the end of class, Emily was explaining their assignment, and a lot of students weren't paying attention. I was already annoyed at those boys, so I had had enough. I yelled Sikilizeni! which means listen, and a deafening silence fell. Let me tell you, it felt really good.


In other news, the water tower is working! Now the students don't have to fetch water every day, except as punishment. Emily reeeally wants to start a school garden, and now that we have water it's actually possible so that might be happening in the coming months. Also, we're starting English lessons for the teachers this weekend, and other villagers next week, so our plates are filling up. It will be quite interesting, and I don't really know what to expect from either, but I never really do, and it seems to work out ok for me. :)

It's great getting emails from all of you, even if I don't get a chance to respond. I'll be back in Iringa not this coming saturday, but the following, so you'll hear from me then!

Normalcy

Now that Emily has been here for two weeks, everything is feeling settled again. We have a routine now, which includes school assembly at 7:30, then teaching one or two periods. Tea time/breakfast is 10:00, and lunch is at 2:00-ish. The afternoon usually involves writing letters and journals (it's a good thing I like writing!), and then we play sports at 5. At 7:30, we eat dinner, and then go get hot milk (straight from the cow, boiled) with sugar [sooooo good].

This week both me and my friend Mario (our teacher friend, remember?) hurt ourselves (me, a pulled muscle, him a kicked knee) playing soccer, so we were out for a couple days, and now we're only playing frisbee for a while, as it's easier on your legs. So, I taught him how to play and he thinks it's a really great game. He told me that he was going to make permanent teams so that his students could play a different game sometimes. He meant his boy students.

But then later he told me that he was asking for a list of girls who wanted to play as well. I figured he was going to make separate girls' teams, but when I asked, he said I had mentioned that girls and boys can play frisbee together, so that was what he was intending to do. :) I'm really excited. None of them know how to play, so we don't have to worry about the boys dominating the game, and the girls are improving very quickly. It's so great!

Other than that, teaching is also starting to get more normal. Apparently some of our Form II students told another teacher that they enjoyed having us in class, which was nice to hear. Unfortunately they are preparing for a national examination this fall, so our teaching has to be really focused on that, and not as much on other things, but hopefully they're still learning useful things.

Alright, timed internet is such a bummer in terms of being able to think while I write, but I hope it's ok. Let me know what you want to hear more about, and maybe I'll oblige ;)