First teaching week

My first experience teaching the young ones (6-7 y) today. Interesting! They don’t understand a lot of English, so I’m becoming very good at singing silly songs and doing clapping games. I love the art lessons! It is becoming clear that the children are NOT used to using their creativity and independent thought in school (picture our schools 50-100 years ago), so the challenge will be to “defrost” them a little and getting them to believe in their own thoughts and ideas.

My principle started first day in school reading out a letter from the Chief of Mohale’s Hoek pleading the pupils to stay away from drinking and unhealthy living. (Same guy that was pissed when he came to our house) She also told the teachers not to use corporal punishment, something very common here BUT actually illegal. Already seen a few slaps, and the stick is out most of the time! As adults, so children…I have had to lay down the rule in my classes… any child that hits, beats or kicks another will not be taught by me!

So far our experience with the wildlife of Africa has encountered the Wild Life of crawling insects in our rooms. The problem has become more serious as the week has passed. First Danielle and me got covered in rashes, something we though was an allergic reaction to new bacterias, but then Rachel and Catherine got them too. We were told by the doctor it was bed bugs! …and yes we had to admit we had seen a few crawling creatures. So, we got the house fumigated, but it didn’t seem to work. Things were still crawling around. Then our South African lock fitter came to the house. He stated that the little darlings were not bed bugs but animal lice!!!!!!!!!!! … and that we should get ourselves out of this house as soon as possible! Our organization has now moved us into the posh… and only… hotel in town, while our house and all our belongings are thoroughly poisoned and washed, the walls painted and carpets rinsed!

In the weekend we are going to Maseru to watch England-Wales playing rugby and shop for new bedding and mattresses and hopefully in the start of next week we’ll be back on track again. The very good thing that’s come out of this week is that we’ve met a bunch of very kind, helpful and reliable people, so we feel very safe and looked after. We’ve also had a chance to hang out by a pool, get a sun tan and eat lovely foodJ.

So don’t worry about us back home! We are in good spirit and are looking forward to new (but hopefully less crawly) adventures.

Miss you all!