Update 27 Feb, 2009
Hello Family and Friends, I apologize for failing to update in so long! Things have been pretty busy here since starting the new year. I am now teaching at two secondary schools (another one in my area was in dire (sp?) need of a math teacher) and finally get to use my pc-issued bike. Everyone also laughs at the helmet, but I've gotten used to that!
The new school, Kighare, is a community government school and very different from Lomwe (which is private). There are about 70-90 kids per class, and 4 teachers. I broke up a fight the other day in an adjacent classroom. When there are no teachers around there is very incentive for the kids to study, so it can get rough.
This year is going extremely well, although I still miss home. To compensate for my lack of updates, I have decided to pack this one with Pictures. Enjoy!
School
We
acquired internet at school. I
don't' get it, for the first year at
Lomwe the computers were unusable, and suddenly we have
internet?!?! It would be very convenient except for the fact that its a 56 KB speed. 56 KB! So its like
almost having
internet. I get to load pages slowly and then look at them until they computer gets overwhelmed and shuts the page down. Still, I guess I shouldn't complain since it beats a 4 hour
busride. Anyway, I have had a lot of fund working with teachers at the school on integrating
Internet into classroom studies, and showing the beauties of
wikipedia. The downside...they can read this blog (Hello Mr.
Ndekero!) so I can't write any gossip anymore...or lies..... The pic is of Mr.
Mvungi, Mr.
Senkoro, and Madam
Mfinanga while we are checking out
gmail.
I'm also having fun Form IV students to whom I teach computers. They also Peer Educated during the Seminars I was facilitating (see Usangi Women's Empowerment Post). Here they are posing, practicing for the Miss Dar competition.
Visitors
In early February I was overjoyed to receive my one and only Ma, sister Dr. Molls, and the ever-cool Aaron. I was so busy visiting with them, I forgot to take pictures 
except these two flattering morning pics. I had all of these activities planned when they got the village, but we ended up just spending time in my house instead. 
Much-needed quality time, and it was wonderful. Ma and Molls were coming from a month working in a hospital in Uganda. Thanks for stopping by guys! After the visit Aaron climbed Kili. Poa kichisi kama ndizi bro!
I also had some
sitemates come for a long-
awaited visit!
The pic is of
Hari, me, Martha and
Leiha (who ran from there villages all the way to my house). We had a little too much fun, especially with my neighbors Eva (in black) and Mama
Baracka (in green). Good times.
BABY!!!!
My friend Irene had a Baby,
Bryson, on January 26
th, 2009
at 5:30am. Thankfully, the birth went smoothly, but he was sick soon after coming out so had to stay in the hospital a week. He was so small, 2kg (4.4 pounds)! He had an IV and a feeding tube, which was just heartbreaking to see.
A month later he's up to 3 kg and looking a lot better. Look at the those cheeks!
He cries quite a bit, but when he calms down we hang out. He's a nice guy; Great taste in music but limited attention span. We take naps together in the evenings. Welcome to the world little guy!
Hangin' Out
When not at school, having visitors, or holding
Bryson, I'm usually just hanging out these days with the
villages locals i.e. children.
We draw and joke around and even read the financial times for
fun. Usually I hang out and read while they play around.
And the following montage is what happens when you let an 8 year old play with the camera:
Tabu Playing Hollywood Star Doctor
Baraka Studying
Cooking in the Kitchen
Shangaa!
Halima
Random
This tree fell at 4am one morning. It was huge! I heard it fall even though it was all the way down in the valley, and it sounded like a big crunch.
Thanks for checking the Blog out. I will try to be more
diligent with my updates. I hope you are well!
-Hils
Kirongwe/Lomwe Villages (25 February, 2009)
Kirongwe/Lomwe Villages (25 February, 2009)
