Flaming Kaleidoscopes

Hi everyone! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving celebration! I most certainly did… on Thanksgiving Day I celebrated with a festive meal in my hut (complete with decorations!), thanks to my amazing family! Then I spent to weekend with a group of fellow volunteers in Popa, a village on the east side of my region. It was a blast! We got to take a boat ride on the river, I got up close and personal with some hippos, and we had a great Nam-style Thanksgiving meal together.

So, phase 2 is winding down, and I’m beginning to prepare for a few projects I’d like to work on next year. Here are a few of my ideas:

- An English after school program for the younger kids at my school (kindergarten – grade 3). In grade 4 they switch to English as the language of instruction, and for a lot of them, that’s a tough transition. So I’m planning to create a place for them to come (voluntarily) and practice, learn vocabulary, and just get more comfortable hearing and speaking English in a fun environment.

- Raising chickens at my school – this was actually something my principal came up with, but I love it! My school is in a very poor community, and because of that, many of our learners aren’t able to pay their school fees. That leaves our school in a pretty bad spot financially. Also, one of the big costs of the school is purchasing food for meeting and events at the school. It’s a cultural necessity to provide meals for any guests. So…I’m hatching a plan (sorry….I couldn’t help it!) to allow families in the community who are unable to pay school fees to donate either chickens or mahangu (millet – a staple crop for the farming families here) to the school’s flock. Those chickens can then be eaten at school functions, and others can be sold, generating a sustainable income. There are still details to hash out, but I’m really excited about where this could go!

- Two projects I’m taking over from my predecessor are the school library, and a girls’ group. I’m really excited about both of those! I’m applying to have some more books donated, and thinking about potential locations for a reading area (the library is now housed in a cabinet in the staff room). Also, my language tutor wants to co-lead the girls’ group with me! Which is really exciting and encouraging. I can’t wait to get started with that!

I’m also beginning to make some tentative plans for my classes next year. I’ll be teaching English and Natural Science again, as well as art and PE. So… if anyone has ideas for fun art projects that are possible with limited resources – send them my way! Here’s what I have readily available: sand, cardboard, cans, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, and…more sand. :) Also, it needs to be simple and something that can be made about 45 times. Like I said, ideas are welcome! :)