'the views expressed in this blog are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of VSO'.
Tuesday 6th October 2009

Before i start..please could someone tell me who 'xurxo33' is? I have no idea...and I would really like to know!!! pleeaaase!!!!!!

Anyway, this morning looked greyer than usual...I set out in a t-shirt...with a cardigan in my bag...thought it was going to be a cool cloudy day, all day! I visited Naraninya primary school...it is about 20 minutes away on foot...with some of the most incredible views! The school itself is at the top of a short but steep hill...it is possibly one of the best schools in the area, but they have very little in the way of basic resources...even down to classroom and office space. The principal’s office is at the back of one of the year one classrooms, while the teachers have built their own staffroom in the playground...using wood and tarpaulin...I saw 4 classes...3 English (p1, p2 and p6) and a p2 maths class...all the lessons were taught through English...and these are some of the best lessons I have seen since I arrived here...the teachers were enthusiastic and use what visual aids they have...even drawing the questions on the board, so that the children understand...there is something so nice about this school...so caring...I think it might be my favourite...having said that, at the end of the p6 English class they sang me a song...then asked me to teach them one...no we all know that Christmas carols are my speciality...but I just couldn’t do it!!! So I taught them the song I always turn to when in doubt...the one we used to sing with my granddad...Here we are again, happy as can be...you know the one...and if you don’t...if you work at Grange just ask the children I taught in year 1 who are now in year 4...they will tell you! They seemed to like it though...and as I left the classroom and walked away, I could hear them still singing it! From there I headed to the nursery...it is one of the only ones still running. Nursery is not free and many of the parents can’t afford to pay, and therefore don’t, but they have decided to stay open anyway...and for good reason...it is incredible...they don’t have a classroom...so they are at the back of the school under a tree...the children were singing and dancing and taking part in little role play activities...it was lovely!! I was then asked to say a few words to the teachers before I headed off...I reluctantly agreed and Ruairi translated for me...although I think they understand more than they like to let on!!! It really is a lovely school...sometimes you just get a feeling...this was one of those times! Then it was time for the uphill walk home...and now the belting sun had decided to come out...bloody hell...it was hard work...I did even contemplate crawling at one point...back home...I had about an hour before my maiden voyage on the back of a moto...Alexis (not the charge of education) was called...he is apparently a good driver and has a slightly lower bike...for people with short legs!...he arrived with his friend (for Ruairi) it was explained that this was my first trip and I have been known to fall while getting off...so it he could find a step that would be great...and off we went to Ndora school...the dusty dirt track was very bumpy...the entire time...all I could hear in my head was the bit from Harry potter and the prisoner of Azkaban...when they are on the night bus...’are you ready ernie...we are in for a bumpy ride!’ or something like that...but then this thought was interrupted halfway through the journey when the moto driver turned round (yes he turned round...obviously not right round...but far enough!) to as what I had done to my legs to make them sore...I then had to explain that they were not sore...just short! The humiliation!!! By the time we arrived, my legs had turned to jelly...and my hand ached from holding on so tightly...oh the pain every time I had to shake hands with people! At Ndora school I was supposed to see a science lesson, followed by Religion in p6...but much like the UK...during the run up to exams...I just had to sit through nearly 2 hours of Maths!!! I was introduced to the teacher and pupils...and they were told that I only spoke English...the children understood this...but it seemed that the teacher didn’t...and at the end of the lesson he babbled away in French to me...I did understand most of what he was saying...but the children found it very funny...only to soon it was time for the moto ride home...only this time...it was quite as slow...as were being chased by a rather large and scary looking rain cloud...thankfully I made it back to the district office just in the nick of time...I was very nearly the saddest I have ever been in my whole entire life...I have never seen rain like it...it was even worse than last time...maybe made worse by the driving winds...crazy...thankfully the rain had stopped by the time I came to walk home...I was followed home by an old lady who was wittering on in Kinyarwanda...I have no idea what she was saying...by the time I got to the house I was 6’2” and felt like I was walking with 2 medium sized children attached to the bottom of each shoe...I had been wondering why everyone was walking around with bare feet...and then it dawned on my...for the exact same reason I was considering taking my shoes off...because they were caked in mud! Not only that, half a tree had been pulled down by the winds and was now being gathered up by the locals...but the place was a mess...