My first group

The first group of my time here came the week before Christmas. Sorry that was so long ago as I try to keep you more up to date. A group of 12 from Malibu Presbyterian Church, CA,—many of them Pepperdine students plus another couple from Wilmington, NC, joined them for the week. They had amazing energy and great attitudes—up for anything and everything. Their project for the week was helping to build a soccer field at Repatriate, one of the HOM campuses. It’s hard manual labor, spreading a thick layer of sand over a thick layer of gravel from piles at the edge of a large field. We thought that it would take them all week using buckets and wheelbarrows and it was pretty close. In the hot Haitian sun we encourage lots of breaks in the shade of the tent and lots and lots of water. There is also a school there with preK and K kids so the group would break at the same time as the kids and go to see the children who performed their song repertoire and introduced themselves with hugs and chants of I LOVE YOU. Each afternoon on their return they were ready to see other things—orphanages, a walk in the surrounding area, a drive around the city, anything. I would have been done for the day but they just kept going.
Most of the week I was busy at school but as the kids were taking exams and there really wasn’t too much for me to do, I went with them for 2 days…hot, heavy, fun, exhausting. They had a system down in filling up the wheelbarrows and dumping them and leveling the sand…taking breaks was no problem and they were hard workers! As careful as they were it did seem that each day another person or pair would be sick and in bed for the day but as soon as they could they would be up and join the group again. The evenings after dinner (food does get more variety with the groups though not a huge change—I’m getting ok with it) would be devotions and team time. The devotions were for everyone and the team time was a time where staff could excuse themselves while the group debriefed the day. And then came games if people were still up for it (and usually they were).

staff classes

This class keeps changing times as the staff is needed for different things throughout the day. The staff does speak English so this is just to improve English speaking and understanding. There is the habit to answer yes to everything here even when you don’t understand…so sometimes it is hard to figure out if they understand (when asked if they understand they still often say yes…and then ask a question that obviously means they didn’t understand). At the first class they said they want more praying vocabulary so that they could pray in English and feel comfortable with that so we did some different names for God. Our last class was on pronunciation of past tense verbs.
The other class I have is for the interpreters that work with the groups. More conversation. I’ve only had 2 classes with them. I had 4 the first day when I just kept asking questions to get them to talk. We got into a discussion of introverts and extraverts and whether one can change into the other…I’m planning on looking for some French podcasts or Haitian Creole ones to have them translate but the ones that I’ve found have been at what sounds like triple speed…The 2nd class only Rony showed up. I believe that he is by far the most advanced and really doesn’t need to come to the class. I told him so but also said that he was most welcome. We talked about pronunciation and how we run our words together. He’s actually been studying this (a lot) and is looking forward to taking his TOFEL exam so he can study or work in the states to help him get along.

Joyeux Noel

Merry Christmas!
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. May you be surrounded with loved ones and remember the joy that the very first Christmas brings to all of us.

I’ve been reading about John the Baptist’s birth and the big plans for him to make way for Jesus. That is what we are called to do. Make way for the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Offer to Him the best of ourselves as the Little Drummer Boy did—not materially but with what we can. Love to you!

Stars

The evenings are long. It gets dark early but even more than that we have dinner at 5:30. That is early! I’m not saying that I’m not hungry by then but when dinner is over at 6 the question is what to do with the rest of the evening. For the first week I pretty much went back to my room and read or watched a movie on my computer or played computer games, but definitely wasn’t social. Patty, my roommate) would disappear for the evening. Then I decided I was done with that. But I still wasn’t social…I went up to the roof (they are flat here) and watched the stars. We are in the middle of Port-au-Prince so there is quite a bit of ambient light (even with power cuts they don’t seem to happen to the whole city or there are a LOT of solar and generator powered lights). But I’ve found some constellations and Jupiter and 2 shooting stars. I’ve started to use it as my quiet time. I set an alarm for 30 minutes and I just think or not. One night I thanked God for everyone I could think of…and I ended up thinking of people that I haven’t thought of in ages. It has been cloudy some nights but that doesn’t take away from the awesomeness of the night sky. I recommend it to you all either on your own or in the company of good people.
(I have also started being more social and watching movies with others in case you were worried about my being alone too much)

Cold showers

I’ve never been a big fan of cold showers. They don’t have to be hot but to not have any heat at all?! And yet after a day in Haiti, I welcome my shower. I feel dusty and grimy even when I’ve been in the classroom (shady) all day. I might have to do with the chalk that seems to get everywhere or the light colored dust that shows up on all clothing and shoes. Of course the temperatures here in Haiti also make it easier to get into that cold shower. So far the evenings do get a bit cooler when the sun has set and only 2 nights have passed that I have really dreaded getting under the water. One was actually a cool evening and the other was just very windy…
I’m grateful for everything that I have…and while maybe wishing for more, I know that what I have is often more than most of the world has. Thank God for my many blessings.

Food

I love food. I find that I’m also pretty easy to please when it comes to food. I was warned before I came that I would be eating rice and beans. At other times it would probably be beans and rice…so I knew what was coming…and yet I wasn’t ready for this. (I've been assured that it is better when groups are in the compound--I'll find out soon)

Breakfast: bread and bananas everyday (no problem with this)
Option 1: spaghetti with a tomato, onion, and sometimes sausage coating more than a sauce. (I haven’t been able to eat this yet…it is offered but it just doesn’t smell like breakfast for me and my stomach)
Option 2: porridge—it tastes like oatmeal but is smoother and runny. Not too bad with banana and bread in it.
Option 3: scrambled eggs—almost omelet style with onions, peppers. This is by far my favorite especially as it is served with fresh mango slices.

Lunch: rice and beans in some variation everyday
Option 1: Stop Hunger Now mix as this is what the children at school get each day and we are eating a bit of that. It comes with a bean sauce (really bean juice with a few beans in it) or sometimes an oily tomato sauce that sometimes has anchovies in it.

Dinner: fresh juice—orange, grapefruit, passionfruit, lemon—it is the best!!
And then usually (not always but mostly) rice and beans and an oily sauce with meat, onions and okra…not much extra flavor though sometimes they throw in some hot spice that is great! An occasional salad which is some green plant and sliced tomatos.

and no dessert...

where we eat--you can't beat the view

Teaching teachers

In the afternoons (and sometimes Tuesday and Friday mornings) I have classes with some of the staff of HOM and the teachers from school. These are some very fun classes. I had no real idea where or how to start so I figured from the beginning (as if I know where that is). I’ve been trying to remember my first French classes and learning some Spanish—start with greetings and introductions and go from there. Of course where to go from there is the big question. But it seems to be that was a good place to start. I was trying to get a feel for where they were in their English and of course they come all over the scale. The teachers are at the beginning so we are doing lots of vocabulary…using the questions of what you like to do, what will you do this weekend and then what did you do last weekend which led into past tense verbs and all their complexities. English is really an impossible language…

Example: For regular verbs, add –ed to the end to make them past tense. This –ed has 3 different sounds depending upon the last sound of the verb. It can sound like a , a , or a as after enjoy, wish, and need. Listen carefully when you add the –ed. Also for pronunciation the th is somewhat specialized in English—it is not found in French, Creole, Chichewa…taught and thought sound a lot alike. But they are fun classes with lots of laughter and smiles and questions. I will ask a question and then we go around the table…answer the question and then they have to ask the next person…as much talking as I can get them to do…

LETTERS ONLY

I asked about an address and was told LETTERS ONLY as they charge a lot to receive packages here (even as small as a dvd). The JS will be for me.

Leon Dorleans (JS)
c/o Mail N More
Box 240
10900 NW 21st St.
Suite 130
Miami, FL 33172

He told me that he checks it twice a month but as it is in Miami I feel that it might be every other month…

as well as my phone number for those who might be interested...
I have a Google voice number for when I'm around my computer and the electricty/internet is working
828-419-0163or I have a Haitian cell phone (that I haven't really started carrying around yet-but I'm sure I will)01150931704911

First week

Discussing my schedule before the week began

It went really well. Classes did anyway. I am at the school 3 days a week with so many classes. Each grade is big enough for 2 classes. I teach 1st-6th grade. The classes are 30 minutes each. 4th-6th grade have 2 classes each week. So that is 9 hours of English lessons a week at the school. On Tuesdays and Fridays I have classes with the staff and teachers. 2 hours a week for each of those groups and the teachers are divided into 2 classes. As well as 1½ hours with some of the interpreters who work with the groups when we have them. That is a lot of planning! And for the first week I’ll have to admit I didn’t do a whole lot of planning. The other confusing thing about my schedule is that not all of the grade classes are back to back. If I have the 6th grade A class on Monday it doesn’t mean that I also have the B class (which would be the same plan) but that might happen on Wednesday along with the A classes second session for the week. But I think it is going to work out. All week I got the new class jitters—what if I screw up, do a bad job, blank, I don’t know, but that didn’t really happen.
The 4th-6th grades have been studying some French all year with Wahite Frick (pronounced Wyfrik) who had worked with the Canadian English teacher who used to be here. The 1st-3rd grades were new additions…so for the 1st-3rd grades we sang ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ with key words being star, diamond and sky…it came out sounding like “twinkle twinkle twinkle STAR” with the motions that we used in Malawi and a few extras that I threw in. Next came ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’. A huge hit as I heard it all around school all week though I don’t know that they really took in the names of the body parts. In 4th-6th I introduced myself very briefly and then had them ask me questions. I could tell they had just learned about family relationships as I was asked ‘how many cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas and grandmas I had as well as their names. I was even asked if I had a brother-in-law. Well what his name was…my age, if I was married, if I have kids, etc. Then we just did some vocab that I had on me—classroom objects.
The coming week is for Christmas carols…it will be more singing than I think I’ve done in a very long time!

the whole school at chapel

Sunday

Sunday Diane and I started church here at Terre Noire (where I’m living). Church starts at 6:30am…and we can’t sleep in because it is on the compound. We were there long enough for me to be introduced as a visitor…and then we took off for another church. We went to Repatriate as Pastor Leon Dorleans was preaching there (under a tent as the church hasn’t been rebuilt yet). He is the Executive Director of HOM. The church there was just beginning when we arrived around 8 (I think). He let us use his hymn book to sing along—very helpful for the French hymns. I was again introduced as a visitor (Diane has already been to the churches). When Pastor Leon started his preaching he had us stand up again and introduced us with more information. Matt was an anesthesiologist and now is the volunteer coordinator for HOM. Diane is helping to get the high school started as she is an expert at high schools at home. Jessi is here to teach English for a year. She is single and living at Blanchard. All this was in French/Creole. I have to admit I usually try to keep that fact out of the announcements because I would have to say it comes in handy at times to have a husband or a boyfriend no matter how far away they are (or how imaginary) but ok. I find myself able to follow some of the sermons as they are a mix of French and Creole…I understand for a bit and then wonder what is happening and then realize the speaker has switched to Creole. This sermon was 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The Word is inspired by God to help us to live for him in all that we do.

After church we took Diane to the airport—hard to see her go but I know she is coming back and Monday was my first day in the school!

Beach

Saturday was a scheduled staff retreat. The staff from the Guest House all piled into the van at 6am to head to Jacmel where there is a beach so that we can build some rapport and get to know each other better. 4 American volunteers, 2 pastors, 2 cooks, a cleaner, the construction manager, one pastor’s wife, guesthouse manager, accountant, and a field staffer. What would have been about a 3 hour drive (so I’ve been told) was extended due to multiple breaks—gas, breakfast, at least 2 market stops to buy fruit, etc. I think we arrived around 11. A devotion and prayer followed by a get to know you game. Say something that you know about the person sitting on your left and then that person says something about themselves that people probably don’t know (not hard as I didn’t know anyone and could have said anything) and then continue around the circle. While I was a bit skeptical about the game when it was introduced, I think it went well. Then we tried to figure out lunch but the options didn’t look too appetizing at the stall across the street with the fish, lobster, or conch and everyone walked off. So some of us headed for the water. Beautiful, salty, sunny (a little bit too sunny). I went for my usual swim away from shore and got yelled at for ‘going out too far.’ (also the second time I did it—well not yelled out but told I’d gone way out). It was beautiful—but too far to go for just a day…Fish in a spicy sauce for lunch…a whole one with bones and tail :( but it was tasty. Then we went to tour another town. To tour a town by Haitian standards is enough to just drive through…and that is exactly what we did. 30 minutes out of our way and we didn’t even get out of the van. We made it back home around 7 that evening…way too long in the car and yet I am so happy that I’ve been to a beach (and I’ve been told there are closer ones!)

First 4 days

In my first 4 days I went to 5 schools which is more than most people do the whole time they are here! HOM has 4 primary schools (preK-6th grade) under its umbrella. I am living working at the Ecole Christienne Terre Noire (Christian School in Terre Noir) so that will be number 1. With Diane here as well as Bill and Linda Glass (president and first lady of HOM) we made visits to the other schools. Linda takes pictures of each of the kids that has a sponsor so that their sponsors get updated pictures with the kids’ report cards each year.

So we went the school at Ebo Beach (there is no beach) to get more pictures and saw some of the hurricane damage as the roof has been taken off the church/school.

The 3rd grade teacher showed me the French lesson they were working on.


The next day we went to the school at Repatriate to get more pictures and do a valentine’s day project with the kids (for sponsors).

That school is all preschool so far—they are adorable!! HOM is undertaking to build a high school (7th-13th grade—not a typo, there are 13 grades) so that they can better follow the kids that have sponsorships. Thus on Friday we went to visit 2 existing HS to get some feedback from the principals about how to get and keep good teachers, layout, curriculum, etc. They were good and interesting visits showing real foresight and planning and aspirations as the earthquake in 2010 did so much damage that the schools are still trying to recover.

Arrival

Haiti! Here I am! It was a breeze! It was an early morning last Tuesday (flight left at 7am) but it was only a 5 hour flight. I remember waking up trying to prepare myself for the flight, subconsciously expecting the Africa flight, and then smiling with the realization that it wouldn’t take a fifth of that time! Diane (family friend who has had her heart here in Haiti for a long time and who agreed to come with me) and I flew through Raleigh and Miami with no problems but no extra time either. I had been warned many times by many people about the airport and the chaos on arrival. When we arrived it was a breeze. They have just opened the new arrival gate so everything was new and different, but not too crazy. When we tried to leave to get our ride we walked the wrong way but were caught in time to not get too far away. Haiti is hot (not sweltering yet) and green (though not many trees from deforestation and natural disasters). I hear Creole and French and try to respond but Chichewa comes automatically. That is changing some now as my first week is nearly over. The roads are terrible (bumps and potholes), nothing is signposted, the people are friendly, and I wonder what am I doing here…here's to the next adventure!

another essay

Describe an experience in which God surprised you.

I have found that God has different plans for us than we often have for ourselves. I have heard that if you want to make God laugh tell Him your plans…and my second year in Malawi was exactly that. I went to Malawi with a plan and purpose: to work with the youth program of the Synod in starting a girls’ program. Within 2 months of my return my contacts in the Youth Department had been fired and I had to find my calling outside my original plan for the year. My plans had fallen apart in the first months of my return, I felt lost, useless and like I must have misread the signs about coming back. It took time and reflection to adjust my outlook and find the ways that I was called to be in Nkhoma—to not be affiliated with one of the many facets of ministry there but to help where I could in the community. I spent the year helping at the hospital, the school, and the guesthouse as clerical assistant, teacher, headmistress, teacher assistant, and manager. Had I planned to come and help at the school, hospital and community in the mish-mashed way that I did, I most likely would not have returned. The surprise at finding my niche in the school and hospital and community after my youth work failed was gratifying. Beginning the year with a completely different picture of what I would be doing and how I would be helping, I found it to be an eye-opening experience of what I could do and how to be flexible in God’s plan. I felt that I was supposed to be there, doing what I was doing and maybe that was why God got me there.

more reflection

I had to write some essays and do some deep reflections for the application to volunteer in Haiti...

Describe previous mission experiences and the way in which you grew as a person as a consequence of that service.

Since graduating from college I have had many jobs and enjoyed them…most of them working with youth or adults and I figured that my calling was there. When called to Malawi, I had no idea what to expect. The school needed a kindergarten teacher. I had no training in early childhood education or teaching but as a kindergarten graduate (24 years before) I was assured that I could do it. I had worked one-on-one with K, 1st and 2nd graders, but never in a classroom to myself. My understanding was that school was in English, there was curriculum and plenty of supplies there ready for me to use. My first day was a nightmare. It sunk in (quickly) that while English was used in school, these children didn’t know English and I knew no Chichewa and had no assistant or translator. I was ready to jump back on the plane and head home—I was in over my head! After a pep talk from a mentor and a chance to journal, I awoke the second day and did a short devotional before going back to school, and while it certainly was not a cake walk it was better than the first day. And each day after that got better—well, there were days that didn’t but they were in the minority. The kids and I grew and learned together. What I expected for the day didn’t usually happen—if I “knew” it was going to be a great day, it was more chaotic than normal; when I expected chaos things went smoothly. I learned to continually remind myself that it was God’s day and whatever happened would be in His hands, we work to meet the plan but nothing we do can throw it off. It is a great lesson that I’ve taken with me. My teaching was fulfilling and challenging in a way I would never have foreseen. I could do it and enjoy it.

HOM

So headed down to Haiti with Haiti Outreach Ministries (haitioutreachministries.org). Started in 1989 to build a church it has expanded to continue in its ministry of loving thy neighbor by embodying Christ in the daily lives of its volunteers and goals.

HOM does this through education in training and teaching to help Haitians to help themselves and their communities, through vocational training to help them get jobs to make a living to support themselves, through medical care that they would otherwise go without, and through nutrition to help with health and growth. This will grow Haitian leaders, economy, community and opportunities for outreach groups.

what's next?

This along with many other equally impossible to answer questions come from everyone I meet. "How was Africa?", "When are you going to grow up?", "Are you going back?" I don't really know that people want or listen to an answer which is ok as I don't really have one for them. I find my answers just as broad..."Africa was good. I really enjoyed it.", "Not in the plans.", "Someday, I just don't know when yet."

And then comes "What's next?" When I say that I don't know yet I am usually then given a smile and the statement "Take your time, you just got home, it will come, it is nice to relax and process, there is no hurry." (Any or all and in any order) I come away feeling like i needed to be reassured even though I wasn't the one asking or even apologizing for my answer. But maybe it was the way I said it, as though I might wish I had a better answer for them.

Well, now I do! Even before I arrived home I had been given a heads up from a friend in Raleigh that the NGO Haiti Outreach Ministries was looking for some staff. I looked it up online and couldn't find anything but he got me in touch with the right people. It is another year-long volunteer position (maybe someday I'll get paid for what I do). It looks like I will be teaching English to 5th and 6th graders as well as some after school classes for young adults as well as helping to coordinate the volunteer groups that come down. The plan is to head down after Thanksgiving...more to come!!

MALAWI: YEAR 2

I want to thank you for all of the support, prayers, encouragement, cards and emails I received while I volunteered for my second year in Malawi. Also for all your support for my parents when I over stayed my year and wasn’t sure when I was coming home. Running around barefoot, swimming in the lake, and talking with strangers…all things we are told not to do but which make the world the amazing place that it is…well, at least I took my anti-malaria pills!

THE PLAN When I returned to Malawi I was planning to help start and implement a girls program through the Synod. This began with an intensive language course…I spent a little less than 2 weeks with a missionary from South Africa who had been in Malawi for over 40 years. Mornings were spent one-on-one learning grammar…I know lots of rules (though I still have trouble putting them into practice). In the afternoons I went to a nearby village with Amai Chigaga and took part in their day-to-day work from cooking to harvesting to prayer meeting to carrying water. A wonderful experience that helped to jumpstart my Chichewa…However, my contacts with the Youth Department of the Synod were fired and I got redirected—>

EBENEZER SCHOOL After realizing that my days in the Youth Department were over, I went back to the school where I worked during my first year. As the curriculum is mostly American, there were things that I could help decipher and explain. I helped in the second grade class with math and with reading in the other classes. I also helped in the office with the computer, laminator, copy machine, etc…and for a few months was even headmistress! When the third term began I was asked to take the second grade class as that teacher had moved away, so I was back to teaching mostly full time.

HOSPITAL I also helped at the Mission hospital about 2 days a week. I began by helping keep notes for the epilepsy clinic on Tuesday mornings. Africa Burn Relief (American organization) pays for all of the burn patients and, as epilepsy is the largest cause of burns in third world countries, they also pay for the epilepsy treatment. They wanted to know if patients were coming back, if the treatment was helping, if they were taking their medication, etc...I also helped to put patient files together (all the paper work for the doctors to fill in for the patients) and do computer entry for some of the government programs that pay for health care.

COMMUNITY I made some wonderful friends in the Nkhoma community: long term volunteers, missionaries, medical students from other countries, and Malawians at the school and at the hospital. It was a great time to be there and to feel that I was helping and useful. Though I felt at a loss in the beginning when my proposed plan fell to the wayside, it was an amazing year and a half. With the support that I received (from here and there) I felt that I was in God’s hands and I am so grateful for that.

TRAVEL While there I did some traveling… this time mostly in private cars instead of public transport. Many weekends were spent at Lake Malawi relaxing, swimming and eating fish dinners. Over Christmas I traveled with Ute (eye doctor in Nkhoma from Germany) to Mozambique to swim in the Indian Ocean and try out my nonexistent Portuguese and to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls, go on safari, and admire the astonishingly beautiful and varied landscape we found. People everywhere were extremely helpful, positive, friendly and hopeful for a better future.
Once again it was hard to leave Malawi, but I'm glad to be home.

Zikomo kwambiri (thanks a lot).

beach

Then off to the beach (I can’t stay away from the water) with mom, dad, aunt Liz, and family friends Mike and Diane. Beautiful weather, wonderful food (I’ve missed shrimp!) good waves and plenty of down time to read, chat, watch the democratic convention, and US open and to play some tennis our selves.

housesitting

Can’t get away from it! though this is a much shorter timespan to house sit (just the weekend), here I am in the mountains of NC with an amazing view of a valley, beautiful sunsets and a big black dog named Cokie. I was asked to walk Cokie only if I felt like it but that was no problem. the first night I waited until after dinner as it was a hot day…went out to find her, put her leash on as she was in the driveway (ready I thought) and then she turned around and went in the house…no walk on her schedule. But we walked both of the next days (but she only wanted one a day—as I tried for a second one and she refused)…some of the views I got…perks of housesitting: television, internet, air conditioning…although there is really nothing on television worth watching even with 800 channels!—well we did find “the princess bride” though the tv cut took out some important (in my opinion) scenes.

signs of the times

so i went shopping the other day with mom. just running errands and picking up this and that. we went into one store and this was outside...


seemed all natural to me until i realized it was still august...the end of august but still august...and halloween isn't until the end of october...2 months away. i knew/know that we start christmas too early...i have to try very hard not to listen to the christmas music on the radio before december but this was a new one that i noticed...

it took me a few minutes to realize that the timing was off and i put that partially down to having spent so much time in the southern hemisphere where the seasons are opposite from here...in new zealand the trees were changing color in april but when i saw them i just assumed it was sept/october as my wanderings didn't really have me dealing with the date each day

shock...or not

i really don't know where or how to start...so here goes

coming home hasn't been nearly as hard as i thought it would be. i don't know if it is that i've done it enough times now that i know what to expect and have braced myself for it or if i'm still in denial and it is coming or if it really was time to come home.

i found the time difference easier to deal with than i thought i would. that i think has to do with being in NYC for the transition time--staying up later and having no plans so no rush to get up in the mornings (until we had to get the moving van and wanted to do that early). though trying to keep in touch with everyone in the other time zone takes some juggling...

i still expected power cuts in the evenings and as yet haven't had any which has been very nice...occasionally something happens and i forget where i am and expect another one (this is over a month out)

internet: home is still dial up so i visit the coffee shop or hotel lobby to do any of my online stuff. last week i was trying to skype and it worked for a while and then would randomly cut me off...after 3 times it was decided that it was kind of like i was still in malawi!

continuing

back in the US and a bit over whelmed (maybe a lot) but not necessarily the reverse culture shock i was expecting...but i hope to put an update of what has been going on and to continue updating with the everyday that maybe aren't so everyday...but give me a little time to figure it out and get where i think i can catch up...


here's what was happening in the lake (pond) outside our house yesterday...not sure what is going on--refilling tanks, moving water...but it was pretty
double rainbow?

home again!!

and i'm back in black mountain, NC!! nice to be home and see my mom and dad and sister!! hope you are all well wherever you may be!

ny->ct

So I’m a week behind in real life…last Thursday we picked up a U-Haul van, loaded it with most of Ana’s belongings…it was a toss up on who would drive…she doesn’t drive often since she got her license her sophomore year at Davidson…I have been in Africa for a year and a half driving on the left side of the road, back for 3 days…and we were on staten Island and had to drive through NYC…I drove with her as navigator…we thought we were lost many times but as far as I could tell didn’t do anything to make other drivers upset or actually get lost…we did go by Laguardia and didn’t know we would be there—a plane landing scared us to death as it sounded and looked close enough to land on us but on we went. Ana will be teaching at Hotchkiss School next year—we moved her in and took a look around. A lake practically in her back yard (so we went swimming), another one close by (I didn’t see this one), carpeted apartment on the third floor above a family who have been there for years…a wander around campus made it seem much closer together than the map they had given us on arrival…there is a cemetery in the middle of the campus which is a bit strange but it is all beautiful. We had decided to stay the night and I’m very glad as I don’t know that I had it in me to do the return trip that day…google maps said 2 ½ hours but it is much more like 4 in a big van (and not knowing the area).
We went for dinner just down the road. Had been told that the black rabbit was a good place to eat. we walked in and were seated very quickly inside as the porch was very full…as was the inside…and I didn’t make it…too loud and close and I really felt it and we had to leave…I think it was good because we went next door to Mizza’s for pizza that was really good and not crowded and we could sit outside where we could hear the live music playing from next door.

bruise

Rhona, Reinette and I gave blood the Friday before rhona and I left…I’ve never been good with blood but I know that it really helps and there is almost always a shortage so in we went…also none of us will be able to give for quite a while in our home countries…it didn’t really hurt while it was happening but after my arm was really sore. It hurt to extend it fully…when I arrived in NYC I had a full blown bruise on the inside of my elbow! the others saidAnd now a week later it is still there though it is finally turning those greeny yellows that mean it is thinking of going away. theirs was sore but i don't think anything near mine

1st night stateside

The flight wasn’t bad…long but that’s to be expected (as they tell you in your itinerary and it won’t change much) we were 30 minutes late in the end but after 23 hours what is another half hour? Ana met me at the airport (when my bags finally came through) and led me through NYC public transport out to her apartment on staten island…over 2 hours but I was able to move and walk and had someone to talk to so I didn’t mind…and none of the subway ride was as crowded as it would have been in malawi.
It stays light so much later here—doesn’t get dark until 830! Still having trouble getting my head around that and it is throwing me off for readjusting I think…when the sun goes down I think it is a little after 6 and then we eat…so dinners have been around 9—which works as I nap in the afternoons. The first night we walked to a Mexican restaurant and I had a really good burrito filled with mushrooms (and spinach and rice and beans) and a blueberry margherita…found myself surprised with the complementary chips and salsa as well as the carafe of ice cold water that just appeared on the table.
Had another group come and sit at a table near ours and I felt like it was just out of a movie…NY accents, Italian looking couples, and loud talking with no care who heard their arguments or other discussions…

saying goodbye

Hard to remember in the moment but it is true…there are no hellos without goodbyes and we just need to cherish the moments we can spend with people—that is what makes our life richer and worth living…

“Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I’ll miss you.
Until we meet again.”

graduation

Thursday before school ended we had our graduation/closing ceremonies. Each class did a bit of a performance—reciting memory verses, singing songs, “reading” in the little classes, and the third grade even did a skit entitled “No Common Sense” where two book-wise men bring a leopard back to life with their learning and are eaten even when they were warned by their ignorant servant…each student received a certificate for some aspect of their academics or behavior giving time for pictures and parents to come up with little gifts…usually sweets or drinks, sometimes money or a big bag of puffs (tastless cheeto round things the kids love). Kindergarten graduated and then the kids got to go home with all the stuff I could give them out of the classroom—workbooks, papers, report cards, certificates…

Friday was the last day of school and not many came…at assembly there were maybe 20 kids. Granted it was party day but really. I was going to set up the projector and show a movie but of course the computer and the projector wouldn’t talk to each other…so we just watched it on the laptop screen…Berenstein Bears cartoons…and everyone left at 1030…except for teachers who had to empty their room into the office so at the beginning of the year the teachers can get what they want and will use instead of lots of things that should probably be in other classes…there is a lot of stuff in a classroom!

lake finale

Feel like time is flying…have to get to the lake as much as I can before going home…I mean if I’m going to have to take the pills for the bellharzia I might as well give myself the full benefit of maybe really needing it…so the two weekends before I left I found myself in Senga Bay. The first was with Ute for an overnight…beautiful, relaxing and quiet at the CCAP cottages. Only downside was there was no fish at the restaurant (WHAT???) they said it was too windy for the little boats to go out as most of the fishermen don’t know how to swim.

The next weekend we (Reinette, Rhona, Amanda and I) met Linn, Mike, Froydis, Anna and Iain at Cool Runnings. Still beautiful but of course more people means not as quiet…though still relaxing. A barbeque at the beach…fish dinners…napping on the sand…swimming. On the way there we stopped to get milk as Reinette knew of an amazing drink—a spoon of Nutella in a cup of hot milk…wow…and Rhona had brought me some Nutella…
we also stopped at the pot-potters to pick up pots that Reinette and I had ordered in May. He had told us they would be ready in 3 weeks so 2 months later they still werent’ around…well, not quite true…I’d been back 3 weeks after and nothing…Reinette was there 2 weeks after that and still nothing…same for the next 2 times we were at the lake…last week when I was with Ute he called me and said he was in Lilongwe with the pots…not helpful as I was at Senga Bay and then he sold them…we stopped by on arrival and they still weren’t out…but they were being decorated right then so we told him that we would be back on Monday…and he please please chonde chonde had to have them ready…and he did….

writing

The girl was want to give the seep. The seep wented grass. And the girl give the seep. How am am not hury agen. And she take the seep.

Peter go and take a grass. And he gave a giraffe the grass. And the giraffe start to eat the grass. And the giraffe fensh and he put the giraffe. In his house.

David and his pet went for a long walk. The boy picked some grass. The boy feed the pet.


Ther was one boy at eth dam. He was take the giraffe. And the giraffe was went the grass. The boy go to take the grass.

They was a boy with grass. And the boy was with a giraffe. And the boy give the grass to the giraffe. And the giraffe start to eat. and the boy wa huppy. And liso (also) the giraff was huppy.

Peter was in the garden to gave the giraffe. Peter he poes to take the grass. Peter he gaves the giraffe. Peter he loves.

They was a big boy. And was frowing the grass and the shep come at the boys home And the shep stated to play a game and he come out the houes. And mom call the boy And the boy run to Home and was stated To eat. and the shep go home.


The boy is take a grass to giraffe. So mom said we a good boy. I can give you a gift. think mom come here my good boy. Okay I aw coming I want to givu you a gift.

Long time ago the boy was goveing his littr (little) hours (horse). And he shout to the littr hous. And he don’t hove (have) a Dad. He don’t hove a house. He just weya (wear) ony (only) this cros (clothes). And he wantade to cill (kill) the littr house anb eat it.

stateside

Finally headed home. Had a departure similar to my first. Rhona had been visiting and she left the day before I did (again)…it didn’t feel real the whole trip to the airport with her even when she checked in and they couldn’t find her flight transfer in Nairobi (but they finally did) until she had to walk up those stairs through security…then we broke down. A shopping spree in town as there is a group coming tomorrow and Jane needed to get some supplies and I needed to buy some more strawberries in the market (another buying weakness of mine). Dinner with Jane and Ute (with whom I lived in the cottage last summer) of wine and cheese that Jane had brought with her (just arrived on thursday). Back to the cottage after to pack because of course I hadn’t done that…try as I might procrastination seems to be quite engrained…
This morning (Sunday) was rough…finish packing—less baggage than I thought I would have but still all sorts of loose ends…and people dropping by for goodbyes which are always hard. Even with the feeling that I will see them again…here or anywhere…it is hard to say goodbye when you don’t know when and sometimes even when you do. Jane and Ute dropped me at the airport…and now I’m in Jo’burg airport in South Africa with a 6 hour layover…
I do still have more stories from nkhoma (of course) so I’ll continue to post those as well as a bit as to what is going on…landing at 7 am in NYC (made it to NYC and out to Staten Island with Ana) and then the travel down to NC…not yet planned…

rhinos

Rhinos live near pools and rivers. They wallow in the mud. Rhinos run and move quickly. They can even jump.

Tempo

Sorry if this is a repeat but it has been getting to me again…the speed that songs are sung here—they are all so dirge like. Amazing Grace is so slow and it is sung so often…when we were around the fire they started it and Andrew played it just as slowly…after the first verse he leaned over to me and said that surely I know it…I agreed but said that unless he plays the remix version and speeds it up I refuse to sing it that slowly. We sped up some (but still).
In the mornings before school we have a teacher’s meeting with a short devotional and anything else we need to talk about and we usually sing a song as well…again it is often a very slow Amazing Grace…though sometimes we sing other songs…but not usually any faster.

Pluto and Goofy are playing golf.

They are two dog’s in the play ground. Goofy wanted to play golf. And he started to play in the sand. And Goofy called pluto come and play with me. And pluto don’t want to play.
Pluto was playing golf with Goofy. Goofy Start to put tee. Pluto start to hit the ball. And the ball go at the hole. And Pluto was the winner.
Pluto wants to play golf. Pluto says I will start. He hit the ball with a golfsick. The ball goes in the hole. So Pluto he say i’m the winner.
Pluto wanted to play golf. Pluto call Goofy to play with her. Goof said what do you want for me. Goofy said I be a winner. Pluto said I will be a second.
Pluto like to play golf. Goofy wanted to play golf. I don’t find the ball. How can find the ball.
Goofy like to play with a golfstick. Pluto read for the game. They started the game. Goofy started to throw golfstick. This is a golf. Goofy hit the golf.
They like to play gof. Goofy made sandcastle. Goofy put on the ball. Pluto wanted to start. Goofy won the game. Pluto won second.
Pluto wonted to play golf. to play golf and he start. and Goofy tell Him to tak a boll And he tell hime wdys the boll. And he was find it and he was stated to play agn the Game.
Goofy like to play golf? p0luto started to play golf. okay said Goofy let’s play golf. Pluto said I dont want to play golfstick? okay I will start. but I will be a last one? okay you can be a last one. yes
Pluto wanted to play ball. And Pluto said I will start. And he makes a sand castle. And I will be the second said Goofy and Goofy won the golf.

Jack

Jack go and take a cow to a man. So Jack gave him a cow. So the man was afraid but the man gave Jack a cow. Jack go home. Jack play with the cow.
Jack go and take a cow. The cow was very happy. But jack was happy when he saw a cow. Ack was playing with the cow stared to cry.
Ther are boy and the mother. And the mother have the boy seeds. And the cow was just quit. And the boy was helping her mother. And the seeds give the cow.
The lettir (little) boy wont to Play with his hors. and the Man was tell him that He shood do that. he wos Tell him and he do want He was tell him and he Was do with his hors. and the hors help the boy And the man came bak And the man tell him good.
The boy walked on the street. The boy walked on the street and saw a farme. The boy wlked on the street. He walked in it. H saw a man. Jack exchanged his caw for bean seeds.
The boy is chaned the cow. This home is very nice. The boy wented to hlap his father. The cow was very hung. The cow was in the house.
The boy gave his cow he wanted a bee seeds. The cow was skard. The cow dan’t want te man. The man want the cow. The boy was going to eat the seeds.
There was A boy. He was going to Her friends Dad said came Here. dad I am going to my friends okay lets go? oh Jack I am going to town but can you see my cow okay Dad! So do you no This yes I no. bye see you letter. Jack your mamy is comig. Bat don’t go There okay bye Dad. Is okay it will bee yours. That is good Dad love me? Mom Come Here Dad gave me. Mom is so good cow.
The boy want to help his Father. And want his father he find he giv him maonew (money). And he giv the seeds to give throw And his father want always. And th boy start to give th cow And os the cow start to eat.
The mother come to take a cow. To gave me a com. What is name. my name is David What you doing.

bonfire

Friday night the girls had the guesthouse lit a bonfire outside (of course). That was the plan anyway but when I went over they still hadn’t started. Then one came to tell me they were starting. I went out and it was pleasant…cool so we were all sitting as close to the fire as we could. Looking around there were so many Americans! It is not a usual occurrence to have many Americans (thought looking at the guest house books it will be getting more common) and there were 4 of us along with 4 Irish and 2 Dutch. Then another American arrived with his guitar and one of the Malawians he is living with. So we sat around singing songs and chatting. At one point I leaned over to the dutch girls sitting next to me and pointed out that Americans are strange (I was then told I’d better get used to it as I am headed home soon)…it was a nice evening…we realized we know the choruses of many songs but can’t get too far in any one song…works also for our short attention spans…

Moving

Back into the cottage on Thursday when Maralise returned from South Africa…woke up on Friday completely confused…where I was I knew on some level but I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to do…what to eat for breakfast, when to leave to get to school, what to take with me, etc…but the day worked out.

Saturday I went to the lake for the night with Ute. When we take it easy in the morning the time we spend at the lake is actually relaxing and feels much longer than it is (though of course we would love to really stay longer). Stopped at the Red Zebra Lodge for lunch where we were informed that they have no fish…at the lake and no fish…too windy for the small boats to go out. So burgers instead…beautiful weather though the water was cold for swimming (but of course we did).
Sunday I moved into the veitch’s house for 2 nights…they were gone to the lake for 3 days and wanted someone in the house to stay with the animals…now I have stayed in all but 2 of the azungu houses in nkhoma! Woke up Monday morning after a strange dream that they had sent a cleaning crew to the house but hadn’t told me and the crew wouldn’t talk to me…strange…back to the cottage hopefully for the remaining time here…can’t believe it is less than 2 weeks!!