Random Highlights
1. There is a boy in class 5 who is extremely shy and soft-spoken and who never really shows much excitement or enjoyment while reading. He is one of the lowest readers and therefore shy about reading out loud. After we read together the book he took home last week and another easy reader I tell him thank you and to go get the next student. He doesn’t get up immediately but instead opens his empty reading folder and looks up at me with sad questioning eyes. I explained to him that because of the 2 weeks break I am not letting kids take books home (because that’s how we lost so many last year). He finally stands up, clearly disappointed and says “thank you very much” and then leaves. I had no idea this kid even liked reading these books. It’s moments like these that remind me why I’m here.
2. Lina left a custard apple on my window sill one morning.
3. Jeff, another quiet and shy student in class 4 read Sweet Dreams Maisy to me during reading groups. There’s a part in the book where Maisy says twinkle, twinkle little star and Jeff started singing the song. It was adorable.
4. Watching a 3 year old girl breatfeed…there is something seriously wrong with that.
5. I went to see the Canadian doctor up at the hospital to check the status of my ear (I’ve been half deaf for awhile). When I finally reached the top of the hill, drenched in sweat, I was relieved and looking forward to the easy walk down hill. I saw the doctor and was feeling great about my ear healing up and almost back to normal again. I started walking down, watching my step as the dusty road can be slick. I was almost to the bottom when my phone rang which I decided I could handle walking down and talking at the same time. About 2 seconds later, I literally bit the dust with the phone flying in the air. Never thought I would leave the hospital looking worse than when I went in. I was quite a sight walking through town with blood dripping down my leg and foot.
6. Making sangria with some sweet and fresh pineapple!
7. I was walking back from the store and passed a big group of yungfala boys on the sandbeach. They of course yelled the usual obscenities to try and look cool in front of their friends. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing though when I heard what they were jamming out to on their radio…My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion!
8. I was storying with a mama in the next village over when she saw the bandaids on my foot and asked what had happened. I told her the story and removed the bandaid to show her. Her response: “I have never seen a white woman with a sore like that. That is a black man sore.”