Happy Memorial Day

25 May 2009
Happy Memorial Day!

Just a quick update about life this side. I am having a (mostly) wonderful time being busy at school this quarter. I am still teaching a few literacy classes a week to grades 5-7. Grades 6 and 7 are awesome. We read lots of books, write stories and have a great time. Grade 5 is still a bit of a challenge. I believe they might actually be taking years off my life. 60 kids is a lot, especially if they don’t speak any English and don’t seem to be too wary of my threats to make them leave class. It is making me appreciate the basics of teaching, and I am going to be a pro by the time they are done with me.

I am also teaching some small group reading/writing to Grade 4. They are so excited about books that it’s hard to not enjoy hanging out with them. Also, props to all you teachers/parents out there who have taught reading. I never realized just how hard it is to do!

I am also getting lined up to do some health education at the Home-based Care Centre in my village. Each month the guardians of orphans and vulnerable children come in and I have been asked to teach them about some common illnesses and good health practices. Recent statistics I have seen show that about 17% of households in my village are child headed, and many more children are being raised by very elderly grandparents. Its also not surprising that about 1/3 of all kids in the province are malnourished. Luckily the HBC Centre here in GaMaja is very well run and does a lot of great work in the community. Side note: Lady Maja (who runs the HBC would like some sunglasses from the US- if anyone would like to sponsor her let me knowJ).

Today I asked Grade 7 what they would like to see if they came to America and most common responses included: Beyonce, President Obama, Leah’s family, Leah’s husband and/or baby (they still don’t seem to believe me that I don’t have either) and what school looks like. I’ve got pictures of my family, I seriously don’t have a husband or baby and its unlikely that I am going to run into either Beyonce or President Obama, so I am asking for some help collecting picture from American schools. So whether you’re a student, teacher, coach or whatever, if you could take a few pictures of your classrooms, students, building, etc I would really appreciate it! I know school is out soon, so hopefully I have caught you all in time!

Three weeks and counting until I am back for a visit! I can’t wait to see everyone, eat some good food and take a shower! Don’t kid yourselves; I am coming home mostly for the showers. I would love to see lots of people, so if you are going to be around let me know!

I hope you are all having a wonderful, relaxing Memorial Day! There is a graduation party going on next door, and the graduates have arrived in style. Taxi full of people, dancing to blasting music and blowing horns. You have to give them credit; they do know how to make an entrance.

Things I’ve learned lately:

Month Eight: 13 Feb.- 12 March 2009
- How to greet in Shona (the language spoken in Zimbabwe)
- To use the LST Manual
- Some traditional Sepedi games
- Some awesome new party themes.
- More about friend (not sure I really wanted to know THAT much)
- The importance of and to appreciate sincerity
- To just go ahead and say what I think.
- World Cup kick of 484 days away or so
- To watch the sun rise and set in the same day.
- All about Vegan Taxidermy- Check out Urbanbeast.com

Month Nine: 13 March- 12 April 2009
- 21 km is a long way to walk, 56km is a really long way to run.
- SA maps are not to be trusted.
- Map reading and directional skills are key to a backpacking trip
- How beautiful 8000 year old San Bushman rock art is.
- How to barter really well for taxis
- “Knowledge of Self is Knowledge of God” Persian Proverb
- Peace Rain Prosperity
- About the Basotho people of Lesotho
- Slumdog Millionaire is an awesome movie
- More of the similarities between US Civil Rights Movement and SA Struggle against Apartheid.

Month Ten: 13 April – 12 May 2009
- To have faith in the potential of South Africa
- The importance of good leadership (and the effects of poor leadership)
- That I have a ganglion cyst in my wrist and whacking it with a book doesn’t work so well.
- Freshly Ground is AWESOME
- Development in the way we are doing it now, might not be the best long term solution
- Phonemic awareness
- About teaching reading to new learners
- My way around Pretoria a little better
- How to play cricket- but not how to keep score. The whole sport is very strange.
- To fail gracefully, again and again.
- Shantih Shantih Shantih- “Peace Through Understanding”
- About wines from South Africa
- Not to believe everything I think.
- Loneliness is passing.