Friday, March 25, 2011

Tale of two Cultures:

Two pre-teen girls stood a short distance form me laughing behind their hands and obviously looking at me. You share my culture, you can put your own interpretation on this, it would probably be close to mine.
    Later, it was interpreted for me........”This is Dorine. She is so beautiful, I like to just stand and look at her.......”
    I need to renew my mind!!

Thursday, March 24

    Today I am at home preparing for the big weekend. There are some very small jobs I can do.
    The extreme heat yesterday took its toll and some rest is OK with me. I do have a class later on, but until then, computer work and catch up on my laundry etc.
    Last night Eunice showed me a bag in our kitchen with an un-plucked chicken in it. This morning, that bag started to crow (OK ....so it was dark...... I couldn’t tell it was a rooster!) He is now loose in the kitchen. Wisdom dictates that I keep the kitchen door closed until Bahizire gets here! I was wondering if that constitutes a ‘bag lunch’? ..... nope....it’s a reprieve for the rooster! I spoke too soon.........
    Next week I am hoping to hire a Swahili teacher. Last night I had guests, and I told them that I could speak Swahili, they were understandably surprised, until I recited all the non-verbal communication sounds! We shared a good laugh together! They agreed that I was part way there, but there was room for improvement!
    Classes are cancelled until next Thursday, due to schedule overload. That will afford me some time for preparation and printing notes for the class. To do this, I open the English lessons I brought, select the points I want to highlight, open the Swahili version, and copy those points onto a sheet for the class. My English/Swahili course transcript is indispensable!
    To all my invisible friends who have crossed cyber-space and send a friendly word, I thank you!

DDWS

Monday, March 21, 2011

Sunday, March 20

It rained so hard all Friday night, that Saturday classes were cancelled. There was however, a church meeting later in the morning.

    OK, so the choir is ready as far as I am concerned. Apparently they are not perfect, but I can’t tell.......I think they are very close to perfect. I am ‘singing’ with the Swahili Choir as well, oh, and ‘dancing’! I will sit in the back row and no one will even notice me (who am I kidding?!.....just let me deceive myself. OK?)

    Today, Monday, the class wrote their first test. We also shared a great lesson time. Corrections are done and I need to prepare the Thursday lesson. First, I am speaking in the Sayuni Church, to the ladies group. That will be Wednesday. I am taking in some classes myself every evening this week from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Things are well on the way for the big weekend. They are expecting approximately 500 people. There are plans throughout the day, each day from Thursday to Monday.

    We have had some problems with the power in our house (the main wire was cut), so we have been in the dark for 4 or 5 days. No problem. .....I am usually ‘in the dark’ so to speak! But...... those cold showers at 5:30 a.m.......! Well, it’s better than coffee for waking one up, although there’s a slim chance of it becoming addictive behaviour!!

    Important lesson of the day; a minivan is an 18 passenger vehicle, I did not know this! Life is all about learning, isn’t it?