Monday 5-12-14

Monday 5-12-14

                Today was to be my first solo day teaching. Mamaliz had to go into Morogoro to get groceries and some medicine (the pharmacy at the hospital here in Berega is grossly inadequate, but it is what they have and I suppose it is better than nothing. So much of the time someone will have to go into Morogoro or Dar es Salaam to get meds for treating HIV or other diseases). We woke up bright and early. Ayla had slept in bed with me since she was still sick, and man that girl wants nothing but to cuddle. And by cuddle, I mean sleep right on top of your face. So I had a hard time sleeping as one might be able to imagine. Either way, I was ready. I got both kids ready to go to school, but I had Ayla stay with me since she was sick. I couldn’t keep her at home all day because there would have been no one here and that is just too long. Not to mention she would have freaked out. So Jove was a big boy and went off to breakfast with his friends and no Ayla. I was very proud of him. It is the little things sometimes. As we are walking out the door, Ayla is nearly vomiting. I was pretty worried because if she started to vomit in school, she would have to go home and I knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it for that long. I was lucky however, and it passed and off we went to school.

                With Mamaliz not in school, many of the kids were louder and misbehaving a deal more. I had raise my voice a few times for the kids to pay attention. Std. 1 was difficult simply because they don’t understand much yet. Mamaliz is able to occasionally use Swahili to explain to them, but I have very little Swahili and so I was faced with many blank stares. Std. 3 is shorter by an hour and so we did not have enough time to do all of what was planned, but they are a pretty good class and everything that we did do went smoothly.

                After Std 3 I took the kids home for lunch. I was going to send Jove to the school lunch, but I felt bad having him go off by himself when I was bringing Ayla back to the house. I decided to have him come with us also. I made the kids up some tuna and crackers and put on a movie for them on my computer. They were very happy. I decided since the classroom for Std. 2 was so very small and Ayla wouldn’t have anywhere to sit, I would just have her stay at home for the two and a half hours after lunchtime. She began to get nervous about being home alone, so I asked her if she would feel better if Jove was with her. She wanted him to stay with her. Jove’s class ends much earlier than the last one I teach and so it wasn’t like he was going to miss much, so I let him stay. Right before I was going to leave to head back to school the power went out. I let the kids know the computer would die pretty quick and they would then just have tablets, coloring, reading, or napping. They understood and I went off to teach my last class of the day.

                Std. 2, which is usually my favorite was quite difficult today. No one wanted to listen or follow directions. Anytime a question was asked, I would get nothing but yells of “TEACHER, TEACHER” something that I have told them I do not like and will not respond to. Raising your hand quietly is not that difficult. During our math quiz I even had one student Freddy begin to make farting noises repeatedly. I made a comment to the class to stay quiet and do the quiz, and then came another loud pretend fart. I then had him write me “I will not make fart noises in class” 100 times. He still has more to do, but I let him know I will see it to completion. That it is very disrespectful to me and to the other students when he acts like that.

                I got back home and it turns out the kids did pretty well during the time I was gone. It made me one happy mama. Today was Monday market and we needed a few things so I had the kids get ready and come up to the main part of the village with me. I did my best asking how much things were and using the little bit of Swahili I have learned, and I didn’t do too bad. I picked up some tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and greens. Tonight’s dinner was bean and potato soup with greens. The kids went nuts. Jove had three bowls and Ayla had two full bowls. Again, one happy mama.  While the kids ate, I read them the last few chapters in Ramona the Pest. Ayla especially was very pleased and grateful. Jove ran back outside to play the second he was finished eating.

                Power was still out and I needed to get the kids cleaned up, so it was tote baths in the kitchen. But they were warm baths since I boiled a few pots of water on the stove J After I got them tucked in, I even was able to take a nice hot tote bath. I have to say that it must be a very comical sight to see me squeezed into a plastic tote, but I do fit even if it is a tight squeeze. Sometimes it is just nice to sit in some hot water and that is the only way it is going to happen here. By the time my bath came around, the power even came back on, so I didn’t have to do it in the dark.

                So now I will read my book and enjoy some greatly appreciated quiet time and wait for Mamaliz to get back from Morogoro. I have no idea when they are scheduled to get back however so I probably will not stay up and wait for long. I just hope she is able to make it back tonight. I am not yet comfortable with making up the lesson plans myself and if she isn’t back before morning, I will have to figure something out. Here’s hoping. Goodnight everyone.