Mwalimoo

I really need to pace my internet time better, i never have time to write this blog! annyway. Im growing to love the poli poli concept here - esp as it applies to teaching - chai (the mornign break where you eat sweet potatoe, pray and drink uber sweet tea) only ends whn you have had at least a few helpings, regardless of whether children are in calssrooms or not. obv we try to be as punctual as possible, but its enver a good idea to offend the terachers by explainging that its lesson time now! So now i've been miss cait for a whole 2 weeks! Im teaching form 6 with my pally Lizzie (for all those of you who know, lix is so like Deborah its untrue!and debs,in reply to the email im learning swahili dam fast!). I teach 60 children in a room with a hole in the wall for windows and door and a broken blackboard - prtetrty much a typical image of a v basic school. The kids are FAB! so ful of nergy and absolutely love english lessons (kn idea why since we're only doing grammer at the moment - papa you may laugh, i also swear i didnt have any grmamar knowledge in me!). had some hilarious homeworks to mark yesterday, tyhe classics being: What did you do at the weekend? My Cat pooed. We've taken over from a teacher called Gibson - legend and a half!hes vg at english and has invited us to his for meals etc, generally just being relaly freidnly. Today i saw my first caning - i felt so physically sick i hadf to leave the room. not much else to say about it apart from it was really horrendous to watch.

This week saw the beginning of Nkoaranga choir, art club, football team, netball tournament and recorder club (nightmare!). All the children hang around for hours after shcool anyway so its easy to get them involved - i think having muzungoo here is still such a novelty that wthey're up for anythign we offer.

This place is a haven for gappers.we live just next to a group of aussies and there are csome canadians at the hospital down the road as well. Its apparently the oldest hospital in Tanzania, set up in the 30s. Next week we're going in to learn how to do vaccinations so we can help out!

Must go now, off to plan out easter roadtrip to Kenya :) will plan my time better next week and write mroe!lots of love to everyone xxxxxx