Another long time has passed since I posted anything on this blog. What I’m thinking about today is how things change and especially how nature changes. Suddenly we find ourselves in what seems like a different season here. Today was the first day in a long time I walked in the morning without a sweater. The dry bushes are beginning to bloom, the flowers of “kiangazi” (dry season). The field mice are scurrying around when I’m walking along the road. I’m thinking about washing my blanket and putting it away for a few months. All of these outside changes bring a change inside as well, or so it seems. It’s hard to articulate what those changes are but I can feel them.
Or maybe it’s because I’m a bit tired after what seems like a rather long couple of months. Anyway, our mid-term exams at school are over with and the students go home on Saturday. The break is only one week and during that week we teachers will have a seminar/workshop with folks from the Ministry of Education. Apparently there are some aspects of the syllabus (“new” from 2005) that they want to share with us so it is said we’ll be learning from 8 a.m. until 4.30 p.m. all week. That’s a lot of time so I hope it’s worthwhile. I’m looking forward to meeting teachers from other schools and sharing resources and experiences, however.
The students have been in a “mood” this week. I don’t think it’s a very good plan to have them remain at school after exams are finished but the reason for that is so the teachers can finish marking exams and then prepare some short report for the students to go home with. The intention is good but the students’ thoughts are at home and no longer at school so it’s a challenge to have them pay attention in class. We’ve been doing more singing than usual because they love singing, and at least that keeps them awake and attentive when they’re not in the mood for learning.
I just went to the local fruit and vegetable seller to buy five oranges and five bananas. While I was there (a makeshift table under a tree) a little boy came wandering by, about 2 or 3 years old. He was from a traditional house just down the road and was looking so longingly at the oranges that were being sold. Of course I bought him an orange, and you should have seen his eyes light up! It’s the little things in life…
