This is the entry that I wrote last week- it has re-appeared!
Tujatane - the Tongabezi Trust School is an amazing place. Vanessa (who built it, and is the director of the school) picked me up from Jollyboys on Tuesday morning to take me there,show me round and introduce me to everyone. I was really taken aback by how beautiful the school and its grounds seems, there must have been nothing there before, and now there are over 6 classrooms, kitchens, toilets, staffrooms, library, computer room, 3 teachers houses and Adelaide's stunning addition of the Music Room built last year. I have to say, walking into the Music Room I was taken aback at what Adelaide and Rob achieved in such a short time, and reading the dedication to Adelaide's late uncle William who the room was built in memory of really pushed me over the emotional edge! The first lesson I sat in on Tuesday was unfortunately my worst subject- Maths. The kids knew more than me, and in English could explain fractions and percentages. In the afternoon I went to listen to some of the children who study music practicising in the music room with Sophie who looks after the room (and is leaving the school in January which is a shame for them but she is going to study to be a teacher herself) we ended up all jamming together, with some percussion, some songs in their language and also English and some crazy dancing from Sophie and I. She can dance, I can shuffle around looking hopeful.
Yesterday at the school I sat in the Grade 5 class most of the morning where Caeser is the teacher and the kids are aged 9-11. There are some exceptionally bright kids in that class, and some who can read better than some 9 year olds back at home. We did English, then Maths (I could almost manage it this time) and then they did some singing which I joined in, and I can't now get the tune out of my head and woke myself (and possibly the other 3 in my dorm) in hte middle of the night singing it. I met Mike Zulu for the first time, the music teacher who is very enthusiastic that I've come here and has lots of ideas of things we can do- we played some tunes together and I sat and watched some of his keyboard classes.
Today we took the performing arts group to a competition- traditional dancing and poetry, The dancing was surprisingly saucy for such young kids but someone explained what it all meant. The poetry was about street kids, written by the children and performed very well. I think we may win the trophy, there were 3 germans at the judging table, they looked quite impressed.....
I also managed to fit in a visit to a community radio station who need some help, our Deputy Head David lives near it and presents one of the shows so introduced me to the programme manager Andrew so we are going to meet up next weekend and see how I can help them raise their profile and sort out their programmes! I'm very excited about this. Oh and also if anyone would like to build them a website, on the house of course, please let me know, they would love it.
It's bloomin' hot here but today someone asked me if I would miss Winter- you can imagine my answer. At least here I don't have to wear gloves and a hat- inside.
Oooh today was World Post Day in Zambia and the post office gave me free air mails to write and post out. That got me very excited.
Tuesday 14th October
More Pictures!
Sunset Cruise/ Top of the Hippo
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