Having woken up bright and early, today we finally made contact with the elusive Marie Eve. Abebe picked us up at 8, and we were at the Hilton by 845. Of course, Anisha forgot to bring her phone number (though both phones we brought were fully charged), so we spent half of an hour calling her room, knocking on the door, peaking in the breakfast lounge (which would have only been effective if we knew what she looked like), and waiting in the lobby. Finally we got on the internet and got her phone number. Turns out she was in the breakfast lounge. Anisha went to go meet her, and I checked to see if blogspot worked—it did! So since I emailed them to my mom last night, I was able to go to sent mail and post them. Maybe Ethiopia is only blocking blogspot on my computer :-/. Anyway, Anisha’s awesome aunt sent popcorn, crackers, pumpkin bread mix, apple spice bread mix, zippy bags, a book, lots of socks, a hoodie, and a jacket. After we got back, I did my lesson plan. I have to remember to bring a bottle of water with me—we are still doing “th.”
And I think I forgot to mention that we went stargazing last week one night. It was awesome. Plus, the dogs scared Anisha because she thought they were hyenas. Heehee. So many stars. I wish we knew more constellations—the only one I know is the W one, and I do not even know what it is called.
Tonight we tried to make rice and beans, but the beans failed miserably—they were still hard after an hour of cooking them. Maybe we can resuscitate them tomorrow. I got so hungry that at first I ate just some plain rice (which I think is good with just salt anyway, and then I ate more rice with some hard beans. In between that, I ate cake! We used our gas stove, and it turned out pretty well, for having NO idea the temperature in there. We bought a cookie sheet and a pan kind of like what we use for banana bread today. Anyway, we all agreed the cake was a success. Cookies next? Well, first we have to find baking soda here.
Ah Monday. We actually worked in the clinic, moving all of the medications for the pharmacy out of the lab room and into the blue bathroom, and moving everything else in the lab room to the pharmacy.
This is something Anisha wrote about today:
“Anyway, so the Pharmacy supplies have been stored in the lab for a few months now, and when we went to sort through all the drugs and move the furniture, I found we had accidentally instigated a crusade against the adversary. As Cameron and I sifted through a box of vials, a whole battalion of cockroaches stampeded towards our legs. “CHARGE!” Jennifer yelled, while Cameron and I dropped shoe bombs down on enemy territory. What ensued was a battle of size vs. creep-factor. It was a scene straight out of The Mummy, with roaches of all sizes rushing towards us, antennas out and ready, as if challenging their opponent to a sword-fight. Thankfully, our version of the scene was sans flesh-eating insects! I am happy to report that the causalities from our brigade were zero. The enemy, however (cue serious announcer voice), lost countless lives today. ;-D”
I love her.
We had cake for lunch (well, we had lunch too), and then did something. Dr. Gemechu finally made it back, and we made him try a piece of our cake. He liked it! He said he usually does not like chocolate cake, and asked how we did it, because most of the cake in Ethiopia was very crumbly. Anyway, I am quite proud. He said that maybe we could go to Hareg’s house with some of the older girls who live around here and teach them how to bake as part of a Pathfinders thingy. Excitement! Then we went and talked to the principal and vice-principal about teaching and stuff, and it looks like Cameron came to Africa to teach English and music, and will instead be working in a clinic and teaching music! Haha. I have more of an idea what to do now with my classes, which is good. Another development: I wrote that I had about 37 kids in my class. WELL, I only said that because that is how much the vice-principal said was in Anisha’s fifth grade class. I have 52 (!!!) third graders on Wednesday and Thursday, 46 second graders on Monday, and 45 second graders on Tuesday. Shooooo. Anyway, at least they said we could print stuff.
Okay so I love second grade (at least the A section!). Their teacher stayed behind, and she is very nice. She helped translate when they did not understand. We practiced “th” a little bit, and I made everyone stick out their tongues. I like the kids who are goofy and love sticking out their tongue much more than the shy, older kids ashamed of the fact that they have tongues. Then, I passed out a word beginning with “th” to every desk (shared by usually three kids), and had then try to figure out what they were. Most of them had NO idea. I like it better than what I did with the third graders, which was to have each one of them say, “thumb.” This way, they all got to say different words, which turned out to be a blessing when I tried to have them read sentences aloud. I am totally going to get little candies or stickers to hand out if they can do special things like that. Occasionally. I was intense on the soccer field. I learned how to trip people when you are battling for the ball. I TOTALLY stole it during “practice” from this much better, older guy and totally kicked his but (figuratively), and he gave me an awkward hug afterward… awkward. Then during the game, I was trying to steal it from Gueremo, and totally blocked him out like in basketball…. I was rewarded by an elbow to the spine. Well, I asked for it. Basketball defense can be applied to the soccer field…. as long as it does not involve using your hands, which I have unfortunately done quite often—accidentally! Cameron’s nickname is “verrrry dangerrrous goalkeepah.” Hilarious. Yobe (like the name Job, pronounced “ee-obe”) is such a show-off. You know all you have to do is guard him long enough, and you will get the ball. He rarely passes, but he is really a good player. Thomas and Samuel had a weathered old soccer ball yesterday, which today had been reduced a split-in-half ball. China and I started playing with it, kicking it back and forth, and then Stefanos and China were playing with it. And kids in America need X-box. It finally ripped in half, and China kept wearing his half on his head like a hat. I took the CUTEST pictures! The one of China and Stefanos with the ball-halves on their heads is below. I also got a really good one of Maskarem.
And I think I forgot to mention that we went stargazing last week one night. It was awesome. Plus, the dogs scared Anisha because she thought they were hyenas. Heehee. So many stars. I wish we knew more constellations—the only one I know is the W one, and I do not even know what it is called.
Tonight we tried to make rice and beans, but the beans failed miserably—they were still hard after an hour of cooking them. Maybe we can resuscitate them tomorrow. I got so hungry that at first I ate just some plain rice (which I think is good with just salt anyway, and then I ate more rice with some hard beans. In between that, I ate cake! We used our gas stove, and it turned out pretty well, for having NO idea the temperature in there. We bought a cookie sheet and a pan kind of like what we use for banana bread today. Anyway, we all agreed the cake was a success. Cookies next? Well, first we have to find baking soda here.
Ah Monday. We actually worked in the clinic, moving all of the medications for the pharmacy out of the lab room and into the blue bathroom, and moving everything else in the lab room to the pharmacy.
This is something Anisha wrote about today:
“Anyway, so the Pharmacy supplies have been stored in the lab for a few months now, and when we went to sort through all the drugs and move the furniture, I found we had accidentally instigated a crusade against the adversary. As Cameron and I sifted through a box of vials, a whole battalion of cockroaches stampeded towards our legs. “CHARGE!” Jennifer yelled, while Cameron and I dropped shoe bombs down on enemy territory. What ensued was a battle of size vs. creep-factor. It was a scene straight out of The Mummy, with roaches of all sizes rushing towards us, antennas out and ready, as if challenging their opponent to a sword-fight. Thankfully, our version of the scene was sans flesh-eating insects! I am happy to report that the causalities from our brigade were zero. The enemy, however (cue serious announcer voice), lost countless lives today. ;-D”
I love her.
We had cake for lunch (well, we had lunch too), and then did something. Dr. Gemechu finally made it back, and we made him try a piece of our cake. He liked it! He said he usually does not like chocolate cake, and asked how we did it, because most of the cake in Ethiopia was very crumbly. Anyway, I am quite proud. He said that maybe we could go to Hareg’s house with some of the older girls who live around here and teach them how to bake as part of a Pathfinders thingy. Excitement! Then we went and talked to the principal and vice-principal about teaching and stuff, and it looks like Cameron came to Africa to teach English and music, and will instead be working in a clinic and teaching music! Haha. I have more of an idea what to do now with my classes, which is good. Another development: I wrote that I had about 37 kids in my class. WELL, I only said that because that is how much the vice-principal said was in Anisha’s fifth grade class. I have 52 (!!!) third graders on Wednesday and Thursday, 46 second graders on Monday, and 45 second graders on Tuesday. Shooooo. Anyway, at least they said we could print stuff.
Okay so I love second grade (at least the A section!). Their teacher stayed behind, and she is very nice. She helped translate when they did not understand. We practiced “th” a little bit, and I made everyone stick out their tongues. I like the kids who are goofy and love sticking out their tongue much more than the shy, older kids ashamed of the fact that they have tongues. Then, I passed out a word beginning with “th” to every desk (shared by usually three kids), and had then try to figure out what they were. Most of them had NO idea. I like it better than what I did with the third graders, which was to have each one of them say, “thumb.” This way, they all got to say different words, which turned out to be a blessing when I tried to have them read sentences aloud. I am totally going to get little candies or stickers to hand out if they can do special things like that. Occasionally. I was intense on the soccer field. I learned how to trip people when you are battling for the ball. I TOTALLY stole it during “practice” from this much better, older guy and totally kicked his but (figuratively), and he gave me an awkward hug afterward… awkward. Then during the game, I was trying to steal it from Gueremo, and totally blocked him out like in basketball…. I was rewarded by an elbow to the spine. Well, I asked for it. Basketball defense can be applied to the soccer field…. as long as it does not involve using your hands, which I have unfortunately done quite often—accidentally! Cameron’s nickname is “verrrry dangerrrous goalkeepah.” Hilarious. Yobe (like the name Job, pronounced “ee-obe”) is such a show-off. You know all you have to do is guard him long enough, and you will get the ball. He rarely passes, but he is really a good player. Thomas and Samuel had a weathered old soccer ball yesterday, which today had been reduced a split-in-half ball. China and I started playing with it, kicking it back and forth, and then Stefanos and China were playing with it. And kids in America need X-box. It finally ripped in half, and China kept wearing his half on his head like a hat. I took the CUTEST pictures! The one of China and Stefanos with the ball-halves on their heads is below. I also got a really good one of Maskarem.
Anisha and I have all these moments where we think we’re disagreeing but then we realize we are arguing the same point. It is funny. We just have to be like, “I think we’re saying the same thing.” and move on. I think we both just like to be right heehee.
Tuesday we had a little meeting with Emmanuel and Daniel about Pathfinders. We went through an honors book and picked out the ones we might be able to do here. After that, we went back to the room to make lunch, only to discover that we had no electricity or water—I used the last of what came out of the sink to boil water for pasta. I made the macaroni and cheese/fettuccini alfredo stuff (the cheese here is SMELLY—Gouda). Second grade (class B) did not live up to the expectations set by 2A, alas. The teacher was more participatory, kind of too much, though. The kids were inattentive, and did not have as good of a grasp of English as 2A.
“Tttthhhhumb. Who can say that?”
“”
“Tttthhhhumb.” *raises hand* “Can anyone say that?”
*lots of raised hands*
“Okay” *points*
“”
“Tttthhhhumb.”
“”
“Tttthhhumb.”
“Tttthhhh”
“Tttthhhh UMB.”
“Tttthhhh.”
“Tttthhhh UUUMMMBBB.”
*covers mouth and mumbles*
I cannot win. Whatever. I like third grade. Tonight, we ate Laura with carrots. Delicious! Cameron’s cousin and aunt and some other lady and their driver came by tonight. His cousin came to pick them up to bring them to Gimbie. They all seemed very nice, despite our very messy living room. They smelt Laura cooking and said that it smelt good. We again got invited to Gimbie for Thanksgiving. We are all okay with going on a bus :-). Eight-hour bus ride? Bring it on. I was cooking Laura tonight, so did not play soccer, but apparently there were no adults, so all the little kids got to play—even Maskarem and another girl. China got a bloody nose—poor kid, his head attracts the ball.
On November 20-22, they are having a Pathfinder Camporee here. As Dr. Gemechu says, “I don’t know where they are going to stay or what they were going to eat, but they’re coming!”
Cameron’s aunt brought us some stuff—Wheat thins, Reece’s Pieces, taco seasoning, spiced cider, and Tabasco sauce. Tonight we are going to watch a movie about a giant turtle called “Mel” and drink spiced cider.
Tuesday we had a little meeting with Emmanuel and Daniel about Pathfinders. We went through an honors book and picked out the ones we might be able to do here. After that, we went back to the room to make lunch, only to discover that we had no electricity or water—I used the last of what came out of the sink to boil water for pasta. I made the macaroni and cheese/fettuccini alfredo stuff (the cheese here is SMELLY—Gouda). Second grade (class B) did not live up to the expectations set by 2A, alas. The teacher was more participatory, kind of too much, though. The kids were inattentive, and did not have as good of a grasp of English as 2A.
“Tttthhhhumb. Who can say that?”
“”
“Tttthhhhumb.” *raises hand* “Can anyone say that?”
*lots of raised hands*
“Okay” *points*
“”
“Tttthhhhumb.”
“”
“Tttthhhumb.”
“Tttthhhh”
“Tttthhhh UMB.”
“Tttthhhh.”
“Tttthhhh UUUMMMBBB.”
*covers mouth and mumbles*
I cannot win. Whatever. I like third grade. Tonight, we ate Laura with carrots. Delicious! Cameron’s cousin and aunt and some other lady and their driver came by tonight. His cousin came to pick them up to bring them to Gimbie. They all seemed very nice, despite our very messy living room. They smelt Laura cooking and said that it smelt good. We again got invited to Gimbie for Thanksgiving. We are all okay with going on a bus :-). Eight-hour bus ride? Bring it on. I was cooking Laura tonight, so did not play soccer, but apparently there were no adults, so all the little kids got to play—even Maskarem and another girl. China got a bloody nose—poor kid, his head attracts the ball.
On November 20-22, they are having a Pathfinder Camporee here. As Dr. Gemechu says, “I don’t know where they are going to stay or what they were going to eat, but they’re coming!”
Cameron’s aunt brought us some stuff—Wheat thins, Reece’s Pieces, taco seasoning, spiced cider, and Tabasco sauce. Tonight we are going to watch a movie about a giant turtle called “Mel” and drink spiced cider.
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