Ok, sorry I haven't been updating as much as I should, but things have been extra busy around here lately. I haven't been this busy since I first got here. I'm on the home base computer that has a habit of truing it self off at very bad times so I'll keep this short and to the point, or points as the case may be.
In excellent news little Parcely is home from the hospital and back with the Kili Kids and his 
brother and sister! His skin is clearing and he is eating again. We saw them all yesterday and all 23 kids were doing well. It's so hear warming to see them all running and having fun, they all have such sad stories. Every time we show up they run to us and hug us around the legs two or three deep. The two hours we spend there at any one time always fly by, and I never notice the language barrier. There is a Kili Kids web site for those interested in looking, which I can't seem to find just now, sorry. When I get the address I'll post it.
Today I was able to change my flight home until the first of June, so I'll be home on the second or third depending on how my flights turn out. There was a fee, and I didn't have the money on me today to pay so I'll have to go back tomorrow to get the actual ticket. Hakuna matata, it won't be any trouble.
I've been having a wonderful time with my students lately. They have always been good, but
now I've been having success in teaching the standard 2 students simple division and telling time. They have picked it up amazingly fast. I only started both on last Monday and they already have the basic idea. They can tell me the hour when I draw a clock on the board, and the minutes in 15 minute intervals. Tomorrow I'll introduce more of the minutes to them, and I'll try to show how division and multiplication (which they already know in the basic form) work together. I must admit, I have much more appreciation for basic math after having been teaching it for several months. The simplicity of it is so beautiful a nine year old can grasp it.
Last weekend we had a little adventure. All 12 of the volunteers currently at CCS decided to take a small trip up Kilimanjaro for a night. We made the arrangements and were picked up on Saturday morning. Our first clue should have been the state of the van and truck that picked us up.
I was in the van with three other volunteers and as we got passed the paved roads and onto the dirt roads things got interesting. We stalled out several times and were slightly worried that we would be stuck. But we made it to our first destination, an hour hike to a waterfall. The hike was pleasant and cool since we were higher up the mountain. It was rolling country side that could almost have come out of Europe. It being the rainy season the water fall was impressive to say the least and we could only get so close with out getting covered in the spray.
Back in the truck we made our way farther up the dirt "road" toward the Kili View Lodge. Unfortunately the last stretch of road was just a bit too steep and a bit too wet and our trucks tires
were a bit too bald and we had to walk the last 500 meters. Fortunately I didn't bring much with me. At the lodge itself they tried to put us into too few rooms with too few beds, fairly standard practice, but after a bit of discussion led by Dave (aka papa Leo) we got it all straightened out. We were the only people there and more rooms weren't really a problem.
The view from there was incredible. We were able to look down on Moshi, and up to the peak of Kili (even that far up we were still well below the tree line and vary much in the rain forest area). The night was cool and rainy, and our beds were extremely comfortable. In the morning we awoke to find ourselves in one of the clouds that often sticks to the side of Kili. I could see the peak vaguely through the cloud, which was ironic that Kili was out but we weren't. We were served some excellent coffee that I had too many cups of and after breakfast we came back home. Because of the rains the road was even worse going down and we had to walk back to where the van and truck had stayed since yesterday. We slipped and slid down the mountain, but made it safe and sound in the end. It was the kind of trip where you need a vacation to recover from, but it was a good time.
That's about all I can think of just now, and it's getting late and I want to try calling mom again before bed. I've been sent a camera cable from home so with any luck there will be pictures again on the blog soon. I hope every one is good back state side and abroad.
In excellent news little Parcely is home from the hospital and back with the Kili Kids and his 
brother and sister! His skin is clearing and he is eating again. We saw them all yesterday and all 23 kids were doing well. It's so hear warming to see them all running and having fun, they all have such sad stories. Every time we show up they run to us and hug us around the legs two or three deep. The two hours we spend there at any one time always fly by, and I never notice the language barrier. There is a Kili Kids web site for those interested in looking, which I can't seem to find just now, sorry. When I get the address I'll post it.Today I was able to change my flight home until the first of June, so I'll be home on the second or third depending on how my flights turn out. There was a fee, and I didn't have the money on me today to pay so I'll have to go back tomorrow to get the actual ticket. Hakuna matata, it won't be any trouble.
I've been having a wonderful time with my students lately. They have always been good, but
now I've been having success in teaching the standard 2 students simple division and telling time. They have picked it up amazingly fast. I only started both on last Monday and they already have the basic idea. They can tell me the hour when I draw a clock on the board, and the minutes in 15 minute intervals. Tomorrow I'll introduce more of the minutes to them, and I'll try to show how division and multiplication (which they already know in the basic form) work together. I must admit, I have much more appreciation for basic math after having been teaching it for several months. The simplicity of it is so beautiful a nine year old can grasp it.Last weekend we had a little adventure. All 12 of the volunteers currently at CCS decided to take a small trip up Kilimanjaro for a night. We made the arrangements and were picked up on Saturday morning. Our first clue should have been the state of the van and truck that picked us up.
I was in the van with three other volunteers and as we got passed the paved roads and onto the dirt roads things got interesting. We stalled out several times and were slightly worried that we would be stuck. But we made it to our first destination, an hour hike to a waterfall. The hike was pleasant and cool since we were higher up the mountain. It was rolling country side that could almost have come out of Europe. It being the rainy season the water fall was impressive to say the least and we could only get so close with out getting covered in the spray.Back in the truck we made our way farther up the dirt "road" toward the Kili View Lodge. Unfortunately the last stretch of road was just a bit too steep and a bit too wet and our trucks tires
were a bit too bald and we had to walk the last 500 meters. Fortunately I didn't bring much with me. At the lodge itself they tried to put us into too few rooms with too few beds, fairly standard practice, but after a bit of discussion led by Dave (aka papa Leo) we got it all straightened out. We were the only people there and more rooms weren't really a problem.The view from there was incredible. We were able to look down on Moshi, and up to the peak of Kili (even that far up we were still well below the tree line and vary much in the rain forest area). The night was cool and rainy, and our beds were extremely comfortable. In the morning we awoke to find ourselves in one of the clouds that often sticks to the side of Kili. I could see the peak vaguely through the cloud, which was ironic that Kili was out but we weren't. We were served some excellent coffee that I had too many cups of and after breakfast we came back home. Because of the rains the road was even worse going down and we had to walk back to where the van and truck had stayed since yesterday. We slipped and slid down the mountain, but made it safe and sound in the end. It was the kind of trip where you need a vacation to recover from, but it was a good time.
That's about all I can think of just now, and it's getting late and I want to try calling mom again before bed. I've been sent a camera cable from home so with any luck there will be pictures again on the blog soon. I hope every one is good back state side and abroad.
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