Friday, September 26, 2008

BEST DAY EVER


So I just got home from one of my favorite, if not the favorite day I've had here so far...
Today was my first day teaching PE at Kitale Forest Primary school...I have to say I was a bit nervous going into it because I didnt know how the kids would receive me or if there would be work for me to do...I also am not a fan of being in front of a lot of people, I get nervous and don't want the attention. But I figured it's Africa and this is the place for me to stretch myself right? I need to get over it



It was sheer craziness, at one point I had class 5 with about 50 students AND class 7 with 70 all at once...






They lost a frisbee in one of the trees so Rodgers climbed up about 30 feet and brought it back down...


Turns out they had plenty for me to do...First, I did some grading for class 7. Then when I was done with all my PE classes they had me teach an impromptu HIV/AIDS class..
To be honest it was one of my favorite parts of the day. In Nashville, one of my jobs is for a non-profit called World Vision and a HUGE part of what they do deals with the HIV/AIDS crisis, esp. in Africa. It was great to talk about what it is, how you can or cannot get it, myths, what it does to your body, and most importantly how you can keep from getting it...Its a subject I feel very passionately about, so I actually didnt mind at all when she threw me up in front of the class without any prep.


The house 1 boys invited me to come to their house for lunch...it was only about a 10 minute walk


Braum and Jonah...


Paul


Evans...



Paul borrowed my camera when we got back to school and took some of these shots...No worries, it was still break time, class hadn't actually started yet..


Some of the students


At the end of the day the deputy had me sit in on Class 4 Swahili, which is great because I need to work on mine. But still the kids were really excited and very encouraging...I totally felt like Billy Madison, being the 26-year-old student in the class 4 primary school class, sitting in a tiny desk repeating sentences back to the teacher...




I love this picture of Joseph...


Today was so great. The teachers and the deputy, Martha, were so encouraging and supportive. The kids were so much fun and really participated, which made me sooo much more comfortable...I seriously cant wait for next week