the day by day

Life has certainly become busy these days. Every afternoon brings an activity and the weekends have not become a reprieve to the crazy schedule. I am learning to better balance my time through this, and I do relish the times that I get to know the students better.

I was talked into playing softball-slow pitch softball. For those of you who know me from my younger years, I was not known for my stellar softball skills. I am viewing this as a ministry, a time to better get to know the kids. Plus they can’t say too much because there have to be three girls on the field and there are only four girls on the team.

I have been experimenting more in the kitchen. I made crackers the other day. They didn’t taste half bad. Well except for the little accident. I forgot two pans in the oven while watching a movie and they were burnt to a crisp. I hated to throw them out because of the time and labor involved. So I have compromised, and I eat them with my homemade, weak, salsa. That is followed by lots of water.

Yesterday I made two apple pies with a couple students. I am a big fan of apple pie. I have learned I’m an apple snob. Haha. I like Granny Smith apples in everything. You can’t always find them, but they did have them yesterday when I went to the fruit stand. I made a big deal of this and the students looked at me like I was crazy.

Then after that, two students came over and made chicken curry. It was fabulous and a definite learning process. You cannot buy chicken breasts. You buy a whole chicken and you have to debone, deskin, and remove all the yucky inside organs. Fortunately, one of the girls was an expert at this.

I know what you’re thinking-I’m making my students cook for me. That’s not entirely true. As you know, getting to know the kids outside the classroom is my favorite part of teaching. It is encouraged here because our lives are so interconnected. I like to cook and I find a lot of my students like to cook as well. It is such a fun time of hanging out, joking around, and building great relationships.

Last night I went to our church’s choir concert. There were 9 choirs there. Let me tell you-it was an African event. The singing was amazing! It was also a great reminder that time is not the most important thing here. The concert lasted four hours. Unfortunately I did not stay for it all. I took video and hope to piece some of it together when I come home so you can enjoy it as well.

Hmmm…what else…
The diplomat spoke at our school the other day. She is a strong Christian and it is great to have people in public service that desire to follow the Lord. I find myself buying into an international view of America, and I don’t always like that. Sure, America has its problems, its vices, etc. I’m not ignorant of those. However, we tend to gloss over all the good features of America-our giving spirit, the chance of opportunity, etc. I am proud to be an American. I wish others around me would be proud to be Americans too instead of focusing on all the negatives. The same should be said of you in America. Yes, acknowledge the problems and try to change them, but don’t ignore the things that make America truly great.

Until next time…