Day 106 - February 27th

Today my friends and I visited the place which is the source of the Nile River! They claimed that the river is 70% fed by Lake Victoria (which we were on some) and 30% fed by a spring (which it looked like was bubbling up near a sign marking the source).

We rode all around in the boat, which was fun, and we saw lots of birds of all kinds, dragonflies, and even what we are pretty sure was a Black Mamba snake! It was at least three feet long, and was hanging like garland in a tree near the shore. Our boat driver approached closer on purpose, and one of my friends FREAKED out, yelling, Those things can jump from tree to tree, far!"
Thankfully, the snake took off when our boat was close...it was as scared of us as some of us were of it!
We saw pretty large Minotaur Lizards, too, whose bodies were about the size of my arm. And we saw water birds fishing, other birds roosting, and lots of nests. Some of the non-water birds were brightly colored - one had a blood red stomach, and another looked like a zebra with its black and white stripe like markings.
There were people fishing, too, so we saw many other boats with people hard at work.
And what a view! Three countries touch Lake Victoria (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania) and the views are spectacular! Green hills, distant mountains, lush jungle, and the vast water. Breathtaking! The photos to come later will not do it justice.

Even the land on the drive there was lush. We drove through a portion of rainforest, and apparently farther up the road than where we were, babboons just hang out by the road. We traveled alongside countless fields, and I saw a tea plantation, among other crops. And we saw cows, goats, etc. We would see some small "village houses" like I would expect in Cameroon, and within five minutes, we would be going through a town with lots of shops and advertising everywhere. There are a LOT of billboards here in Uganda, just like at home, except they are tall and not as wide.

Then we had lunch at a great restaurant, and we all had bacon cheeseburgers and fries. It was so ridiculously good. I haven't had a burger, much less one with cheddar cheese and bacon on it, in a loooooong time. Mmmmm :-)

I got to go to one of the nicest grocery stores in the city on the way home, and it was like walking into one in the States. It smalled like one, was lit like one, offered most of the same items you'd buy at home, some with variety and choices, and the checkout counter was like home. You don't realize how different things can be until you've experienced it, and it is hard to describe how the subtle differences add up. I wish I could have stocked up on soy milk, since they had several kinds, but I don't want to have to figure that out with traveling.
It took a loooong time to get home, because we hit downtown traffic...way worse than home in Jacksonville ever is. There are people selling stuff on the street, and constantly maneuvering bodabodas (motorcycle taxis), in addition to all the cars. We were near where embassies and government buildings are, so we saw beamers, Benzes, etc. We enjoyed most of our drive, however, laughing at the random things the people were selling (vanity mirrors, childrens' toys, chargers [how would you match that up?], and pretty much anything that they could carry. They should sell cold drinks...those would sell! We cheered on one man who ran after a car where he had a potential sale, and they bought the carrots successfully when they stopped again in traffic, just long enough to make their exchange before the car advanced again! We clapped and waved at him, and he raised his fist, triumphant. Too funny. We also enjoyed people watching in that very international area, and we got a laugh when some people were doing the same thing, and staring at us.
It passed our time, and finally we arrived back home.

Everywhere we have gone screams progress - Uganda and Ugandans want to work toward a greater, more successful future. They are more advanced than Cameroon already. They have some significant hurdles to overcome as of yet, but the people seem committed to working hard and gaining progress.

We'll be airport bound soon....I will be sad to leave my friends. Being with them, and visiting some of the more western places, has often tricked my brain into thinking I'm at home, or somewhere in the States.

I am excited to get back to the bush, teaching, my friends there, and my quiet life, now that we are finished traveling. But I am really going to miss my friends, and home now, I think. I really can't believe that I will be going home to Florida in only two and a half months. Time really has flown in many ways, though I know I will never be the same as before this experience. God is good. I've learned a lot. I've gained perspective and vision. I still don't know what God's next step is for me with certainty, but I know that He will provide what I need in it.

Day 105 - February 26th

First off, shout out to my MOM - who is awesome! It was her birthday! But thanks in part to some awesome people off the coast of Kenya (welcome to Africa!), internet was crazy, though I was at least able to send a quick email to her wishing her a happy birthday. Thanks to my friends here for making that possible.

On Sunday, we went to an awesome Ugandan church, where the service was in both English and Luganda (the language here). I had a GREAT time worshiping with my Ugandan brothers and sisters in the Lord. Their worship was so genuine, and they were so kind and welcoming. I am so glad we got to share that time with them. And the area the church is in is just beautiful. Pictures don't do it justice.

Then we went to the pastor's house for lunch, and stayed for tea, too. The meal was amazing, and I enjoyed just talking to new people and seeing their life and home. It was a very enjoyable afternoon.

Day 104 - February 25th

So, since I posted last, we've:
- been in 3 countries
- been in 3 time zones
- used 4 currencies (talk about confusing!)
- been in two different hemispheres
In the last 36 hours, I've gone from fairly remote rainforest to the largest city in Uganda, which even has a few tall buildings in downtown (small skyscrapers).
Talk about reverse culture shock in some ways!
I am GREATLY enjoying our time with our friends, and their girls. They are soooo cute and love to play.
We all went out to have dinner at a Chinese Restaurant here in the capital(minus the kiddos), and I had beef and broccoli. I love broccoli, and it can be hard to impossible to find in Younde (and not found elsewhere in Cameroon). And then we hung out after dinner, and it just felt like home as we all walked and talked.
So happy to be here with good friends. :-)

Day 103 - February 24th

Well, I have had an authentic Cameroonian cultural experience today - we rode public transport to Younde! They are also referred to as "bush taxis."
It was a pretty nice one by Cameroonian standards, a van-ish bus. They piled our belongings up top, and seven hours later we pulled into Younde! In between, we stopped for passengers to get on and off, and once for a damaged tire.
I was thankful it wasn't too hot, and I was by a window. But I was also thankful I took Dramamine, because I was all the way in the back corner.
A well tempered baby and her mom sat beside me, and she was a cute diversion between naps and reading my book.
I learned about the Cameroonian concept (if you can call it that) of personal space. They generally don't have a concept of it, but on transport, they tend to take up their entire seat space, and even if part of the seat is open next to them, they don't always spread out as most Americans I know tend to do. But, then, maybe that was just my experience. :-)
I am now much more thankful for riding in private vehicles with air conditioning, too. :-)
Soooo, we are off to the airport soon, and tomorrow I will visit two African countries - Kenya and then our final destination, Uganda! We (my friend Marcus and I) are excited to see our friends there!
I will post my next blog when I can - riding public also led me to leave my laptop at home (shocking, I know, if you know me well). ;-)
So until next time!

Day 102 - February 23rd

We decided to start school a little later today, since we were up late looking at pictures. The kids did pretty well, and worked hard for me. And we had some good test grades today. Always good news, right?
Jenn and Heidi and Annabella hosted lunch, and I enjoyed making Annabella laugh as much as our yummy chicken noodle soup and fresh bread. Good times!
After I finished up with school, Nathan took our visitors (and me) to go on a jungle hike at Mayos. We went to the baptism site from New Year’s Day, and it was a good hike! A little more slick, which I found out the hard way (thank you rains) but I was none the worse for wear.

And I braved the water this time, just wading up to my thighs. It was a cool break in the fairly muggy afternoon!
And then we hiked back and headed home to dinner and roasting marshmallows! Yum!

Day 101 - February 22nd

I awoke to rain; who needs an alarm clock? LOL but seriously….
It was another Monday, school speaking, but we made it through, history and all. I had lunch with the Abbots, along with Marcus. I enjoyed it. And we finished school in enough time that I was able to go to Likano at Lossou with Barry Abbott and all of our visitors. We enjoyed worshipping God with the Baka at Lossou, and greeting everyone there. I was glad to be along to see our friends who are visiting us out in the bush as they experienced the village, and a piece of the Baka life. Later in the evening, the Conrods set up the projector and shared photos and video from over the span of their ministry and life here. The plethora of good memories they have were evident, and I enjoyed that picture into their life.

Day 100 - February 21st

Rainy season has arrived early! As we prepared to head home to the bush, and packed the truck, the heavens opened. I even awakened to the sound of thunder, and had to pack in a rush so that it could be loaded before the rain, but we still didn’t beat it.
It finally let up after a while, but the rain left its humidity behind. And we got on the road home! We had a good, uneventful drive and made decent time. We had 3 visitors from Mbingo, north of Bamenda, where there is a hospital, the 5 Conrods, my friend Marcus, and I in the truck, so pretty much all our luggage was tarped on top of the truck. We looked Cameroonian coming down the road!

And we were greeted by rain when we got home to the bush, too!
It was SO GOOD to be home. And it feels funny to call it home, but then it totally doesn’t. I was so happy to be back in my room, my bed, in my space. :-) And to have friends here! There was another mission team visiting (6 people) so we had a large meal with and found places for 19 people to sleep!

Day 99 - February 20th

MONDAY! With all that Monday can be, it was today!
We did school here in Younde, which was us just trying to get back into the swing of things. Later in the afternoon, we did some science reading, and then I worked more on the to do list. I'll get to "play" soon enough, got to get the work done!
After an awesome dinner which we got from an awesome chef here in Younde, (he makes killer Chimichangas too, btw!) Nathan and I headed to the airport to pick up my friend Marcus, who is visiting from the States. Later this week, we will get to visit my friends who are in Uganda! I am excited to travel and see more of Africa, and to see all of my good friends from home!
But, most of all, I am excited to get home to my own bed tomorrow! Even if I will only be there a few days..... :-)

Day 98 - February 19th

On our lovely Sunday, I got to sleep in a little, and then we (Conrods, our three visitors, and, the two folks staying where we are (called the Peach Palace), and I) had church together. We had a really good time of sharing moments in our walks and journeys as missionaries in different capacities, sharing moments of thanks and some areas where we are learning even now to trust God's hand of provision in each of our lives and situations. It was a REALLY good time for me, and I feel like I gained perspective from hearing about the lives of my colleagues. God is good.
The rest of the day was pretty chill. I was kind of a homebody, and I worked on the endless to do list, preparing for my upcoming travel, and my friend Marcus's visit. But school is pretty much set now, and I feel good about it.

Day 97 - February 18th

Today (Saturday) we came back to Younde! We have some visitors, other missionaries, who are with us, and will come out to Bakaland to see our lives out there this week. And I have a friend coming to visit, for whose arrival we are hanging out in Younde for a few days. It is going to be a busy, fun week when we get home, but boy I can't wait! At least the longest part of our drive is over!
I got all packed and hung out with Elsie this morning for a short bit, and we said our goodbyes. Realizing I may never see some of these people again is strange. Especially when some are coming to the U.S. this year, but it appears I will miss those who are planning to come through FL. :-(
I was glad when we were all packed and ready to go, other than anticipating the missing of people. I was glad I had finished packing (and that everything fit!) and that I could be along for the ride.
We made good time today, for a Saturday and in spite of detours of all kinds. And we are staying at a house called the Peach Palace. It is similar to where we usually stay other than being one big house with many bedrooms. It has 2 kitchens, 2 bathrooms, and I lost count of how many bedrooms. And I get to sleep on a waterbed. Speaking of which, I'm exhausted, in spite of coffee this morning, and naps on the road.
Stay tuned for the adventures to come! You don't want to miss them!

Day 96 - February 17th

Friday - the last day of SCA! I awoke and the day didn't stop...I didn't even think about a nap with any hope of possibility, heat or no heat!
After grading some math (some things follow me wherever I go, apparently... :-) good thing I love anything with math...) I prepped for our back to back music and art lessons, where I would have the whole group.
I ran down to hang up my laundry with 5 minutes to spare before music, and it ended up that all the older kids were at the same place for their class, so they all ended up helping me by hanging one piece of laundry so it was all hung before resource. Funny! But I appreciated their service to me; it was very helpful.
The kids learned about Music Journalists and Costume/Fashion Design.
First we practiced lining up and standing on the stage, and singing up there with words and motions, along with "Uncle Nathan" who was graciously playing the guitar to accompany the kids. Dear former choir directors of mine, thank you for dealing with our craziness. They were funny, but I had to be strict to keep us moving, so we would have enough time to get through everything. Glad I remember how my directors handled us well, so that I kept their attention!
Then we listened to a song called "Procession of the Dwarves," and the kids had to write a review of it. We talked about the details of the song, played and unplayed, and the kids really did a GREAT job considering it was a draft and that they had limited writing time. What a bunch of troopers!
Next we learned about costume and fashion design, and the kids all made their own sketches for costumes or clothes. There were some great designs, some with beautiful, well-thought out details.
Then, after lunch, was the swim party, which I went to! I enjoyed the cold pool, and the kids were shivering! Must be that I am somewhat used to cooler water from going to the beach early in the season. Watching them play games, too, was highly entertaining! However, my (supposedly) waterproof watch, with timer and stopwatch, died the death from being water logged. I feel lost without my watch now...not to mention my watch tan.
We came back and shortly thereafter had family pictures, followed by our closing program, with songs, readings, and recitations/performances from each child, a couple of whom are in pre-K! They all did a wonderful job!
And then it was over. SCA is over until next school year starts. Crazy. Who knows where I will be then! I loved working in the classroom setting again, and everyone (kid and adult alike) was awesome to work with.

And then it was time to pack. Packing after being in a place for two weeks is harrowing! Soooo I crashed early, and packed on Saturday. Good times!

Day 94 - February 15th

What a CRAZY Wednesday!
On Wednesday, the older kids learned about musical actors and opera singers, hearing clips from my favorite opera, Madama Butterfly, and my favorite opera song, O Mio Babbino Caro (which I fell in love with when I heard it in high school, sung by a classmate). They also watched some clips from musicals, including Sound of Music, which led into a lesson about Solfege. After hearing "Do-re-mi" they wanted to know all the solfege symbols, not just those we were covering. LOVE when kids ask for more knowledge than they have to have! Made my day!
The kids heard about being a Physical Therapist as well, from a doctor named Jayme. Jayme will be coming out to visit Bakaland after SCA!
The Schroths were still hanging out, and they are great kids! (As are their parents, but I was more around the kids, who love games like Settlers of Catan. Good times!)
After teaching my lessons, I went and got my teeth cleaned. On my way there, entering the taxi, I slammed my elbow in the door of the very packed taxi! It bruised pretty quickly, though not as badly as I expected.
Getting my teeth cleaned here was a bit strange, with no waiting room, AC, or overhead lights. They had what they needed to do a good job, and the staff is well-trained, but having no familiar background music or something was a bit strange. So it went just fine - no cavaties! :-)
Later in the evening, it rained hard and long almomst like home!
The kids caught termites in the rain and we fried and ate them. Yes you read that right. Pics are on fb.
Later in the evening, while Elsie, Laurel, and I played Settlers of Catan, the power went out and we played settlers by candlelight - my awesome flashlight paid off as it was on my keys at arms' length, available when the power first went out. A bit later, they turned on a generator, and left it on for a few hours, but then they cut it off before I hit send on the blog here, and then, there was no more internet. So here we are!

Day 95 - February 16th

By Thursday, things were picking up speed as we prepared to close our two week school session! I taught a lesson on tessellating in art, and the kids had great ideas for their designs. Check out to see pics of their work, even if you aren't on fb!
The kids' trip to the electronics store in town was canceled because of the power still being out! But Aunt Elsie took advantage of the situation, and had more time to work with the kiddos on writing and finishing up some note taking about the various occupations.
As a result, I had to hurry to be ready for art on time (I was going to have all the kids at one time, and later, until the schedule change.) But we made it happen, and they did a great job!
After swimming, most of the kids got a chance to finish their art projects. To better show the tessellating, I gave them bigger paper, which took some time to fill up.
Later Thursday evening, I assessed student work, and worked on student evaluations. Good times!
:-)

Day 93 - February 14th - Valentine's Day!

The kiddos were all sooooo excited for today. I made valentines for the my students, which was fun, though I waited until the last possible time to do it... oops! And some of them made me valentines, too!

So we did not have art or music today because... we went to the helipad here in town where a missionary pilot, Eric, shared about all that he does, and then gave the kids a tour of the helicopter, telling them about the ins and outs of it in detail! They were able to sit in it, and check out how it works. I was along for this field trip, and it was a blast! Very informative, and super interesting!

Eric serves in several ways with the helicopter. He transports missionaries working in remote areas to their homes, and can carry some cargo. He functions as a medivac for emergencies like snake bites and anything else critical like that. And he can bring larger, light cargo to remote missionaries, like a water tank, carried in a net under the helicopter, hooked to the cargo hook underneath the helicopter.

From the helipad area, we had a GREAT view, even with the haze of the Harmattan (dust from the Sahara which sits over everything heavily in dry season).

Later, a family I met at CMF when here in Bamenda last month arrived here to stay at the guest house for a few days. I got a chance to reconnect with the teens which I worked with at CMF.
Then the Hohns and Conrods went out for Valentines dinner, and the kiddos hung out here. All the kids were playing happily, as they do here, where they have a great deal of freedom within the Baptist Center. The older kids of the family who arrived today wanted to play Rummikub (which I just learned last night, incidentally, but mastered quickly since it is just like Rummy, the card game), so Elsie and I played that while the other kiddos played Murder in the Dark. (Not sure how that game works.) As we played a great game, the breeze which had been blowing all evening picked up, and suddenly, we realized that it was RAINING! Just sprinkling, by Florida torrential rain standards, but it was wonderful, and I went out and stood in it. It was only the third time I've experienced rain since I've been in Cameroon (and one of those was the second night I was in the country, so I don't really count that, since it was the end of rainy season). And the time it rained out in the bush was barely sprinkling for like twenty minutes. So this was the first real rain, then. :-)
Well, tomorrow, the kids will interview a Physical Therapist, and we will talk about Music Educators (Mr. Holland's Opus, anyone?)
One other happy, I have caught up on uploading video footage! So hopefully VERY soon, we will have a Youtube channel up and running! Yay exciting!

Day 92 - February 13th

Today was super fun!
The kids visited the radio station here, and apparently were on the air and sang a song! Cool, huh?
In music, we talked about the Professional Musician career of Percussionist! We talked about all the different percussion instruments you might see in an orchestra, and then we played some of them, and some percussion that is indigenous to Africa.


Later in the afternoon, I checked out some of the wares of some vendors who set up here where we are staying, and I purchased some fun African instruments! I also bought some porcupine quills to make into beads. I am very excited about that, and the man, Joseph, explained the steps to make it happen!
After dinner, some of the ladies went for a walk, and I had to exert much effort to keep up! I must be tired, because I definitely walked and ran more with less effort last week!
Then I played Rummikub with Elsie (the school coordinator), Suzanne (one of the moms), and Kate (a guest of Elsie, who has been in Cameroon researching for her doctorate). I haven't played before that I remember, but it is just like the card game rummy, so I caught on and did well. It was fun, though I have to watch my competitive streak!
And later on, I got to talk to dear friends at home in the States. It was so good to hear voices and read encouraging words.
I also got to chat with one of my friends who is in East Africa! I'm looking forward to visiting them soon.

Day 91 - February 12th

Wow, today was packed full! And there are lots of pictures from today here, even if you are not on facebook.
First, I visited Nkwen Baptist Church, which is walking distance, on the edge of the area where we are staying and doing school. It was a good service, and I got some video of the music. All the choirs were good, but one in particular was phenomenal - clear, bright soprano voices, tight alto harmonies, and rich tenor and bass voices. That particular choir was led by the wife, Florence, of one of the missionaries here in Bamenda, Walter. She is also a dental hygienist for her during the week job.
The message was good, too - talking about the importance of God's word in our lives and the different roles it plays in growing us in our faith and relationship with God.
After snapping a few pictures, and taking a quick nap (I was up at like six something after going to bed late...), we headed to lunch at the restaurant of the International Hotel downtown. If you look at the pics in the album link, you'll see how unassuming the outside of this place is. But it could fool you! Inside it was nice, and had a cool tortoise shell on the wall! And the food was phenomenal. I had shrimp in a bruschetta-like sauce, fried plantains, and green beans. I ate it ALL, and it was soooooooooo good.
Then we took the scenic route back to the resthouse, with Elsie driving, and I got some good pictures of the Nkwen Church and other places (like the hotel where the kids swim for PE each day).
After the Conrods and Sparks got back from Mbingo, the Conrods and I headed over to the home of the Schilinskis, another family involved in our school program. They have lots of flowers, even in dry season, 2 horses, 3 dogs, 2 cats, and 4 kittens just born 2 weeks ago! Love love!
We had a lovely chili and corn bread dinner, and fruit salad with freshly whipped cream.
Then we had some worship time, kind of impromptu, and it was nice to sing some familiar and especially meaningful songs, like Hosanna (Christy Nokels) and others.
Next the kids watched Cars 2, and the adults played or watched Settlers of Katan! For those of you who know that game, we played with an expansion pack where we had boats and islands. I totally lost BADLY. Still learning strategy on that one! The family had borrowed the game from a friend of theirs, and it was very well organized. They mentioned the owner having been described as a joke as "CDO" which is OCD, only all the letters have to be in alphabetical order! I started laughing before they even finished talking about it, as soon as they were trying to remember the "CDO" part, because my friend Vicky and I used to joke at my old job, Kumon, about being "CDO" about some of our organizational work tasks. That memory made me smile. I miss my Kumon coworkers and my kiddos. I keep hearing good news of them passing levels and finishing Kumon, which is great, but that also reminds me of the possibility of not seeing them again, which makes me very sad. But life moves on, and I tried to be aware of my time there, knowing it was limited. And I know great things will come of those Kumon kids. I pray that I have a similar burden in this time, for God to do great things, far beyond what I even have an awareness of.
We had a bit of an adventure at the end of the night. We returned to the resthouse, and as we got out of the truck, I realized with great chagrin that I had left my bag, with my room key, at the Schilinskis' house. Soooooo Nathan and I had to drive back, which thankfully did not take too long, since there isn't much nighttime traffic, even though we saw quite a bit of nightlife! And the taxis park in the lot and under the cover of a local gas station! I never would have guessed! (Gas stations are not apparently 24-hours here.) We drove by some guy with a bugle/trumpet type of horn he was blowing. We could still hear him when we got back to the resthouse. Too funny.
Well, tomorrow we are on for week two of school! The kids will be visiting the radio station here, and we will be talking about the Professional Musician career of Percussionist, and then we will play some percussion instruments! Woo I'm excited! So, as we told Jude, one of the kids, you have to go to sleep so tomorrow can get here (his 3rd birthday is tomorrow). So I am going to go to sleep, too! :-)

Day 90 - February 11th

So on this lovely Saturday, I hung out with my Bamenda friends, while the Conrods (minus Nandry, who is having a slumber party weekend with her BFF Ysabelle who lives here) went to visit one of the other SCA families in nearby Mbingo (not sure on that spelling). I slept in, and didn't really do much of anything until after lunch. I am a little disappointed I didn't get up and moving early, because today was Youth Day, and kids from schools all over marched and sang in their best school uniforms at the city center. Similar celebrations happened all over Cameroon today.
After lunch, I hung out with Elsie, and we later went shopping down near the grandstand where the program had taken place. We took a taxi, and I even paid him, rather than someone else paying for me! That may seem small, but it is another step in feeling and acting more independent in this culture so vastly different from my own. We were more checking out the area than anything, and there were people EVERYWHERE! We passed two men, who were like, "Hey, white people, hello! Are you English?" which started a nice little conversation, where we learned that they were a Brit and a Hollander, and the Englishman is traveling around the world (cool!) and the Hollander around Africa. They are riding motorcycles, too, through Africa. That must be really cool, but I don't know if I'd ever have the guts to do it (travel around the world, even to the questionable countries like Democratic Republic of Congo, not the riding a motorcycle part).
Also, it was cool to see the kids all bedecked in their spotless uniforms, and to see all the food vendors and the like. There were street vendors who had soft serve ice cream machines right on the street corner! So strange. :-) But people were enjoying their cold treats, though it wasn't too brutally hot today, here in Bamenda. We had a wonderful breeze, though the sun is always intense once it breaks through the clouds.
But it has been unseasonably warm while we have been staying here, which is fine with me! I've barely needed long sleeves or my hoodie, even in the morning!
All the same, it has been cool enough to not need my windows open, either. Or maybe I'm just not in my room at the warmest part of the day.
Tonight, the remaining ladies (we are four) worked on a jigsaw puzzle together. I LOVE that, with the lack of places to go in the evening, this is a fun pastime that we can enjoy in a group! Other nights we have played games or watched movies, but I enjoyed doing an activity where we could talk and hang out, but also use our brains analytically.
So, now, it's off to bed I go! I have to be at breakfast at 7, ready for church! It will be my first time in a Cameroonian church, and in a church building, for the first time since I got here!

Day 89 - February 10th

IT'S FRIDAY! WOOOO WE MADE IT THROUGH WEEK 1!
Friday, the kids heard from a lady named Sharon, who was a property manager in Chicago, and also managed all of the parks! What a big responsibility! I asked her how she did it all (I wasn't in the kids' time, but I asked her on my own, cause that is a BIG job!) and she laughed and said she hired people! I would guess delegation would be the name of the game in Chi-town!
For our music career, we talked about Conductors. The older kids first finished their compositions from our "Composer" day, but then we talked about what a Conductor wears in concerts, and about their use of batons (and which types of conductors would and wouldn't likely use them).
Then we talked about conducting duple and four patterns, and all the kids practiced with us until they got it right! Then we conducted Vivaldi: The 4 Seasons, Op. 8/1, RV 269, "Spring" - Allegro and Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and the kids did a GREAT job, tired and sore arms and all!
Later in the afternoon, I walked to the nearby market with Debbie, one of the moms, and a fellow musician. We had a great time and no agenda, and found that we are much alike in our tastes in clothes and such. I was able to get a better feel for how to speak and act in market seeing her in action, too, since there are many idiomatic phrases in the pidgin English here that I need to learn better to make myself well understood. I have realized in these experiences how "southern" I speak sometimes! LOL
With our week closing, I was pretty tired, so I crashed at like 8, but woke back up at 2am! But I eventually managed to get back to sleep.

WE ARE HALFWAY!

Well, my dear readers, we have hit the halfway mark of my time here in Africa! Can you believe it is true! It seems like I've been here forever in some ways, and like I just got here in others. I feel that parts of me have come alive here, and it is good and right. I can be more myself, without the "tyranny of the shoulds" and crazy busyness which characterized my life at home. I am more creative here, simply because I have unstructured time to be creative. And I love what I do. Obviously that is the best part of waking up everyday. :-)
But I do miss home - and all of my relationships there. I have so many long-time friendships, having lived in Jacksonville my whole life, and I acutely feel the absence of those relationships here. Even when we stay in touch using technology, that is only a small, temporary fix for missing my dear friends at home. I love my new friends I have made, and kindred spirits found, and I rejoice for them being in my life. I am reminded of an old song I learned in girl scouts, "Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold."
But I look forward from here - learning from what I have experienced so far, and growing more comfortable in my "new" surroundings and life as it is lived here. Even walking around Bamenda, which is no where near my home here, I feel more and more confident as I learn how to conduct myself in this culture. And I find many moments where I feel "home" and "peace." But I do look forward to whatever God is leading me toward next. As far as He has indicated at this point, I am still working toward teaching in Haiti, but my time here has opened my eyes to the great educational reform needs worldwide, and how a lack of access to educational materials, especially in one's native tongue, is used as a tool to keep those who are disadvantaged and preyed upon discouraged. I do think that these pieces can play together, so we will see where God takes all of this. I am excited to see how he works all of this together for His glory and fame. I just want to be a part of His grand masterpiece of a plan!

Day 88 - February 9th

On Thursday, the kids visited a local bakery, or boulangerie. They saw mixing and kneading machines, and talked with one baker who was passionate about his bread making. They thought it was pretty cool, and they brought back some samples, too, including a sweet bread shaped like a lizard!

Then we had our second art lesson and occupation - Stained glass artists, and the kids made a stained glass design on a transparency. (Thanks to subbing at James Weldon Johnson for the idea, which was up on a bulletin board there, and Connie Brian for a WEALTH of stained glass information, which was super helpful!)
I had all 15 kids at once, so I really felt in my element (in teacher mode) and they listened well to the lesson. We were able to get them on task pretty quickly making their "windows." I would have been a bit harried during the work period without my mom helpers - they were AWESOME! We are still matting the kids' work, but here are pics of the process:

First they used geometric shapes to make a design of their choice. They drew/traced them with a pencil onto a piece of paper.

Then they laid a transparency over top of the paper, taped it all down, and then transferred the design to the transparency with a permanent marker. Steady!

Next they flipped it over, and colored in the shapes on the other side, to prevent smudging.

Finally, we took the transparency, and mounted it on aluminum foil to make it sparkle.

Later we mounted them with a frame, also, but that is not finished yet to show the finished product!
After art, we had lunch, which was mercifully ready 10 minutes late, so that most had time to finish their art projects.
And later in the day, I hung out with Elsie, working on more materials for next week!
For Friday - We will talk about the occupation of Music Conductor, and the kids will get a chance to conduct, too!

Day 87 - February 8th

Today we continued composers for our older kids, and they first listened to some famous music from well known composers from Baroque to Modern music. Then we reviewed our staff, so that they were ready to compose for themselves! Some were able to compose their melodies, and some their rhythms. We will have to finish up our compositions next music class.
The younger folk also heard some of the famous composers, and then we moved to our next musical career, Professional Musician - Singing Actor/Opera Singer. They listened to some opera (La Boeme), and an art song called The Laughing Song. Then we watched the scene in The Sound of Music where they sing "Do-Re-Mi." Then the kids practiced singing do, re, mi, so, and la with the hand signals. Aunt Debbie (assisting with music, but skilled enough that she could teach the whole thing, and actually has in the past) taught this portion, and each child had to echo back a short melody using what they had learned as their exit exercise at lunchtime. They did well, even our brand new kindergartner - he caught on fast!
Here is our class:

Well, it is time for a run before dinner! Woohoo! #2 since we hit Bamenda...and it was time. Glad to be back running, even if the people around here look at me like I am crazy. :-)

Day 86 - February 7th

Our Tuesday music lesson went well, but we ran out of time with our older group, because their field trip to the Printing Press ran long.
The younger kids worked on learning a song for the final program, and then we talked about the musical staff (our tools to compose) and then we split up into two groups, and one played Musical Composers Bingo while the other composed their own musical phrase (I wrote a "question" phrase, which ends with a high note (la or 6 on the scale), and they wrote an "answer" phrase that ends on the low, first note (do or 1). Then the groups switched.
The older kids didn't have enough time to compose, so they composed on Wednesday and we kept them together for bingo.
So for Wednesday, The younger kids will talk about Professional Musicians - Singing Actors and Opera Singers! They will, among other things, watch the song "Do, Re, Mi" from the Sound of Music so that we can then work on their solfege. Fun stuff!
After swimming, all the ladies met for tea. It was a great time to get to know the moms and Elsie (the school coordinator) better, and to pray with and for all of them.
Later in the evening, we adults watched a movie called Babies. It was cute, and an interesting study of the first year of life in Mongolia, San Francisco, Tokyo, and Namibia (here in Africa). It was cool to see what things are so different, and yet, what remains the same across cultures.
And then I got to talk to one of my good friends on skype. Loving our great internet here for that!

Day 85 - February 6th

Well the Caricature cartoon drawing and flip book making was a success! You can see their pictures and flip books here, even if you are not on facebook. I chuckled at their funny creations - wild imaginations at work!
The flip books I won't be able to do justice to, but I had lots of varied ideas, from the swimmer eaten by a shark which is then run over by a ship that sinks, to the arrow flying to and through a heart (it is almost Valentine's Day...) to Nandry's idea for a flower that goes from bud to bloom to end. One kid had a sun setting and moon rising...what a great and simple idea for a flip book! There were many great ideas! They are a fun group to work with, all the way from my precious kindergartner who is all eagerness and eager to please and fit in with the big kids, all the way to my super intelligent and quick sixth grader (the inventor of that man to shark to boat business mentioned above).
Later in the day, I went on my first jog in a while, and had some downtime (and took a nap!) and later in the evening, four of us ladies played Settlers of Catan, a fun game of strategy that I interestingly learned just barely the week before I came. Several of the people on the Baka team LOVE it, so I am getting opportunities to play, and several more of the folks here at SCA also enjoy it, so I will be playing again, I'm sure, before I go home. I like playing here, with Elsie, the school coordinator, too, because she helps me when I am still a newbie and unsure of what to do. I did pretty well tonight, and was beginning to get the hang of strategizing.

On the docket for tomorrow is our first music lesson!
The music career for tomorrow is Composers!
We will be talking about famous composers (we have Composer bingo, sooo cool) AND the kids will get a chance to do some improvisation and composing, too, once we review the letter names of the staff. Thanks to my music teacher friend, Melissa, for showing me great resources like the powerpoint story I have to help teach this concept!
And we will do some singing, and listening to some of the works of the famous composers from our game. It will be a fast paced lesson, but I think it will be a blast! And my music helper, one of the moms, Debbie, knows her music stuff, so she has been SUPER helpful already in the planning process, and I know we will make a good team.
Anyway, it is past my bedtime, but stay tuned for pictures and more about our fun two weeks ahead! (The kids REALLY get to have a blast; they get to go on field trips to a radio station, a bakery, a helipad to see the helicopter and talk to the pilot, and more, and they get to talk to a Veterinarian, Physical Therapist, a lady who was the property manager for a bunch of buildings and all the parks in Chicago (!), and other cool people!)

Day 84 - February 5th

Looooong but goooooood day. :-)
We made the can-be-7-hours-long trip from Younde to Bamenda in just under 5 1/2 hours. What a difference traveling on Sunday and stopping minimally makes!
After lots of good and productive conversations and questions, I feel ready for my teaching responsibilities over the next two weeks, and I no longer feel overwhelmed. This is going to be fun!
First on the docket tomorrow: Art!
First Art Career: Animator!
Older project: Flip books
Younger project: Draw a caricature/animated figure
I'll report back tomorrow with how it goes!
Later in the evening, I was able to "meet" with three members of my accountability team via skype (well I could see them). It was sooooo goooood for my soul to just talk with them and share where I am, to talk about our lives, and pray together! So so so so so good and worth staying up for. And now, bedtime!

Day 83 - February 4th

What a productive day!
I worked on my lesson plans, got to read a little, worked on work related stuff, got logistics laid out for after SCA (where I’ll be teaching during the next two weeks). I even got to debrief with the coordinator, which was nice. I feel more in sync with all of that coming up now.
I found beautiful images to use as examples of artwork as well – and all of this got me super excited, which is great, because I have been experiencing some apprehension because it has been a while since I have taught in a classroom setting. (I teach everyday, but 3 kids vs 15 means an entirely different teaching technique, besides having a larger age range for this, and I don’t teach art and music everyday)
We are going to have a blast – and I get to teach the super fun stuff!
I’ll have to tell you about the different lessons as I teach them – they all center around an art or music occupation! Our theme for the two weeks is: When I Grow Up, I Can Do Anything for Jesus!
So stay tuned…I thought of some jobs that aren’t so obvious, but some that are, given my background. And one day, everyone is to dress up like an occupation. I’m not telling what I picked, though I strongly considered borrowing Boaz’s geometry toolkit and being an engineer. But I decided to be something that will probably not be a stretch to anyone’s imagination if they have known me more than a few years. And that is the only hint I’m giving!
Parting shot, unrelated to anything above…
When you order pork here, you don’t have to question if it is really pork! You can tell! Or at least we could in dinner last night…

Day 82 - February 3rd

We are back in Younde!
It was a quick and uneventful drive.
Hey Younde young ladies! The 80s called! They want their fashion disasters back!
Oy vey....
:-)
And I finally watched some of The Karate Kid (the first one) tonight. We will finish it tomorrow, so don't spoil it for me! :-)

Day 81 - February 2nd

Breakfast, school, lunch, school, plan, pack, work on stuff, pack, plan, work on stuff, pack, plan.
Yup, that's today in a nutshell! We hit the road at noon tomorrow!

Day 80 - February 1st

Well, it was back to school today, and it felt like a Monday here in Bakaland. At least it will be a short week! :-)

It was a good day, somewhat full of packing after school, and some planning for school, and some reading of A Beautiful Mind. It is shaping up to be a pretty interesting read!

We'll be hitting the road on Friday, and still lots to do to get ready!