daily happenings.

Things are beginning to become routine here. My issues of nausea and bad sleep have stopped (other than my usual sleep issues even when I’m in the US!)

My day looks a little something like this:

Wake up and meet the kids to walk them to school. I have only done this twice so far, but each time all the kids at the school run over to the gate and push and shove so they can get to touch the muzungu – I thought my arm was going to fall off this morning! It’s a bit uncomfortable having so much attention, but they’re funny.

I then go down to the house where the younger kids are. It is difficult to know what to do with them, as I cannot communicate any instructions for games or any activities. I brought down a few books, which ends up being a bit frantic, but they enjoy looking through the pages after I have read it. I have also tried a few games of kicking the ball around. I am going to try to communicate to the aunties for them to come up to the classroom at my house every so often so they have some more resources to play with, etc.

The school kids come home at 12:30 and we eat lunch. If they have homework, I have been trying to help them with it (it’s mostly just copying letters or numbers a few times over), but the language barrier makes this a challenge at times. They know enough English that we make it work though (homework, very good, finish, etc). I have also made some 1-10 flash cards to try to teach them to read the numbers. They can count them out loud, but do not recognise the symbols. I hope by the time I leave they will do this with ease!

Then the kids have a nap/down time. This has also become my down time – I have a chance to write emails, write this blog, read my Bible, or just read a book. I feel a bit uncomfortable sitting around doing the same stuff I’d do at home when I came all this way, but I also have to be aware that I need to take care of myself and have some relaxation time – and also, there isn’t really anything else I CAN do since the kids aren’t up.

A little before dinner, I go back down to the house and do the same thing – sit with the kids, watch a DVD with them, play hand slapping games, etc. We then eat dinner. The food is definitely different, but it’s definitely edible – rice, potatoes, beans, etc. I am not having any major issues with this. I also have a fridge full of fresh fruit at my house.

The kids go to bed around 8 or 8:30, which is when I walk back to my house – my hot water is delivered and I go about my bucket-bathing process, which was easy to learn and I am now pretty pro ;)

Bedtime comes pretty early because I don’t have much else to do, and I have early mornings. And it gets dark very early here – it can feel like 11 pm and it’s really only 6 or 7. It’s been weird to try to adjust to being out when it’s so dark – I would never be out and about in the dark in the States, so just being out in it is strange enough, but then also being out in the dark in a foreign country! I don’t feel unsafe at all, it’s just a strange feeling – a little disconcerting I suppose.

It’s not the most exhilarating schedule, but it has its fun moments. I also have begun searching out some activities for me to do outside of the home 1 so that I can have some English-speaking interactions, and 2 to break up the monotony of each day. Last night I went to a Bible Study that Abby told me about with about 10-15 English-speaking women. It is already SUCH a blessing. It’s really comforting to realise that I’m not the only one who has struggles in this situation. We can all laugh about the same challenges, but also support each other in them. The study we are doing is about God’s promises, which is so necessary for me and was exactly what I need right now, and I’m sure for the other women there too. I will be very much looking forward to Thursday nights for the rest of my time here. I got a lift from an Irish woman named Clare, who is already so helpful and someone I hope to spend time with in the future – we are going through a lot of the same emotions and challenges.

So overall, things have improved. I am still very much struggling with the language barrier and lack of ability to organise things for the kids to do, so I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the big kids in a few weeks who can serve as translators. It is really difficult to be spoken to constantly in a language you do not understand.

Your prayers are still appreciated as I continue to adjust to this country and culture – but my most urgent prayer is that I am able to bond with these kids amidst my language frustrations and that I am able to somehow stimulate them and have fun with them.

If you have any questions or are curious about anything, feel free to email me and I’ll address it in my next post!

Thank you again,

-Bronte.

P.S. today I saw a man who looked like Barack Obama minus having a white mother.