Some more news...

Hi everyone!

well, it's only been a couple of days...but I thought that maybe I could be more concise if I wrote more often.

So...a few things have happened since Monday. I got to talk to quite a few people online, including my parents through Skype (what a wonderful idea it was to download it!! Thanks Mark & Leanne!), and Mel and Dan (even though the time difference is of 6 hours and it has been very hard to make our schedules match up). I can't say that I wasn't extatic to talk to them all!!

Yesterday was bordering awful at the pre-school. We had 3 things prepared for the kids to work on, but because they took longer than expected on the first two, there was too little time left to do the third, but loads of time still that had nothing planned. I figured out tonight however, that that's how African schooling works. I'm very used to my "ultra-structured, go by the exact plan for the whole year" kind of schooling and so to see a full hour go by where both kids and teachers just sit around was especially hard for me. To add to the equation...it was actually quite warm yesterday, and the kids, when not given anything to do, decided they wanted to sit on my lap and climb in my arms and on my back. I'm usually fine with all that, except when I am covered in sweat and would rather not move for fear of sweating more. (You can all imagine that at that particular moment, I had no will to have 10-15 kids sworm around me to cuddle or play...) On the up side however!, I don't really mind the bike ride anymore. I mean, I don't necessarily enjoy it because I never really did like bikes to begin with, but I must say that you learn quite quickly where to ride on the road and how to avoid the bumps, rocks, and dents!
I then spent the afternoon prepping (photocopying, mostly) for ESL and welcoming my new house help person!...it's kind of hard to let someone do all the work that you are used to doing yourself at home!! but I must say, she did a fantastic job and I will be glad to see her again on Friday. I got all my stuff ready for the ESL class, and I would like to thank you all for your prayers because it went quite well!...they are all willing to discuss and chat about all kinds of different topics. I have decided to integrate a Bible study as part of the Biblical outreach section of the ministry, but I think I might have a few Muslims in my class. So I hope not to offend them, and to use the outreach of what it is supposed to do, reach out :) I mainly want to have the class discuss different part of the study questions along with all the other discussions I hope to fit in.

Today was fairly relaxed. The kids behaved alright, or at least in comparisson to yesterday. I wish I spoke Maure (that's how you spell it apparently, not Moré) so I could get them to listen a little more, but I know that they are also only kids and that I need to be gentle and patient with them. I worked on my prep for tomorrow's class, and as I said earlier, talked to Mel and Dan. Both were kind of randomized and definitely not planned (or at least, not on my part...) but I was very very glad to hear from them and what they're up to! I also went to the prayer meeting, and actually had a very good time and a few really nice chats with Jenny and Leanne.

So off I go now, to talk to Dan on MSN some more actually...
Take care everyone!...and I'll catch you on the flip side!