Christmas Around the World

I was just talking with a friend about our Christmases. I told her about the three-way Skype I had with my family: my older brother & his girlfriend in Seattle (top left), my parents and younger brother & his girlfriend in Portland (bottom right). I told her how it felt all warm and cozy to "all be in the same room together." Then I laughed because I don't think that's exactly how my mom felt about it; somehow over the years of being away, with loved ones all around the globe, now a Skype does feel like being together. Lovely friends in Australia & the USA emailed me, I WhatsApped with a dear ones in N. Ireland & the USA (bottom left). God's given me love around the world. And I was with one of my favorite families here in Musoma... but I guess we were having too much fun to take photos of anything but the cookies we made (top right)!

Literacy Impact

 Awhile back my friend who works in literacy asked me for ideas for the literacy workshops her team leads. (They teach people to read in their mother tongue, which is uncommon even if they're literate in Swahili. This paves the way for reading scripture.) I shared an idea that I saw and used when I helped at an English learning group years ago, during my teaching program.

The technique is to pick an area of high cultural relevance, like farming, weddings, family, etc. It depends on the culture. Then have groups draw detailed pictures, talking about the topic. Of course I would like techniques with drawing!

I recently learned that the literacy team has really enjoyed the technique, because it stimulates lots of use of the mother tongue. After the drawing, groups label the images. Later in the workshop they use those words to write sentences, then short stories, as their comfort writing in their mother tongue increases.

I Feel

Today we finished the semester. We invited friends and family. The kids read aloud writing projects, showed art, acted out a play about Archimedes, sang Australian Jingle Bells, etc. It was a good time. It's been a good semester.

Before the presentation one of my students said, "Are we going to toss around that ball with the sentences?" It's a beach ball I have. It has sentence starters like, "I feel," "I liked," "I learned," and "I wonder" It's a great way to sum up a time period with students. It's fun, and everyone can put their thoughts/ feelings to words.

I hadn't remembered the ball; it's been in a drawer all semester. I love it when students do the leading!

I said, "I feel happy that it's been a good semester, with the G family back, and I'm a bit sad that the N family will be gone next semester."

Are you going to set the sun?

"Unaenda kuzamisha jua?"
"Ndio."

"Are you going to set the sun?"
"Yes."

This is a common exchange between the guard here and me, as I leave the house to climb a giant boulder next door to watch the sun set. It's a favorite activity at this new location, a time to just be, to watch the birds fly in for the night, to pray, to lay on warm rock...

I love that he says it this way, instead of "Are you going to watch the sun set?"; no one else I've spoken to does.

If you want to see what I look like setting the sun, check out my Facebook timeline.

A Blog in a Blog

Have I shared our LVLC website here before? Not only is it a website about our learning center, but it includes a blog too! So click for stories of teaching.

Also, please share this link with anyone who might be interested in teaching here. The future, as far as staffing, is still rather unclear... Though I'm sure God has a plan.

Snowflake Gang

Thursday was Thanksgiving #1, today is Thanksgiving #2. (Our team has two celebrations, to accommodate numbers and date preferences, and I traditionally attend both!)

Yesterday was Snowflake Day. My friend Jeannette came over with her four lovely kids (and my students). We cut snowflake after snowflake until the house had the right amount.

If you look closely, the middle snowflake in this photo has MERMAIDS! That's thanks to the guy in plaid, who kindly honors my mermaid interests in his art and writing from time to time.

I'm thankful for two Thanksgivings with good friends, for fun things like snowflakes, and for this long weekend of rest.

My Canoe Almost Sank, and All I Have to Show for It Is This Kanga

The other Sunday my friend Karen and I went canoeing on Lake Victoria, as I've done many times. I like to canoe out away from shore and swim, because there is less risk of bilharzia, a parasite in the lake.

It was my first time steering, because my friend Ronit used to steer while I paddled. We had a wobbly ride, but it was OK. After swimming, I got back in the canoe first as Karen held it steady. Then she hoisted herself in the boat... Only as she got in, I flew out! (In retrospect I realize that I have always gotten in the boat first, but sat in the middle where I could balance the boat for the second person. Since I was steering this day, I was in the back and therefore not the right place to keep the balance.)

The canoe filled with water. We flipped it over. It scooped the water right back up as it turned. I wasn't sure what to do and started to think of swimming (a long ways) to shore with a water-logged canoe.

However, a small ferry full came by. They saw us and went off course to save us. They pulled up alongside and quickly hoisted us into their boat. Many Tanzanians can't swim, so they thought we were in more danger than actuality. The ladies covered us with kangas (traditional wrap-around cloth used over skirts, with a proverb written across the bottom), and some men pulled our canoe onto the ferry.

I thanked them, explained what had happened, and assured them that we'd be fine if they'd put our canoe (now empty of water) back and help us in. The man I was talking to found this reasonable and told the rest of the forty-some people on the ferry. They disagreed. Strongly. The whole ferry was yelling back in forth in debate over our safety. Most were sure we'd drown if we were allowed back in the canoe. It soon became clear that we were going with them... soggy and without money (nor Karen's trousers, which had been lost in the spill!)... to an island an hour and a half out into the lake!!

We weren't too upset at the change of plans. We were curious to see the island. It was such a fun day! The man who I spoke with on the boat showed Karen and me around the island, as he managed his fishing business. He also bought us tea and bread... and a kanga for Karen so she'd have something to wear when she returned the one she was borrowing! Kanga's come in pairs, so I got the other half for sun cover. He wouldn't accept us paying him back (and his family is having us over for lunch Sunday). We got to see life on the island and ride the ferry twice, on top of our lovely swim! Plus, we didn't drown, only lost one pair of trousers, gained a friend, and each have a new purple kanga with an esoteric proverb. I couldn't have dreamed up such a day. Only God has that good of an imagination:).

My only regret is that I didn't get to take pictures of it all.