Day 7: Getting lost and finding my way

I just returned from the first day of HIV/AIDS home visits. Very surreal. I don't really know what else to say about it. It was much sadder than working at the school. It was sad to see people in such dire situations that were in such extremely poverty (one woman's home literally looked as if a bit of rain could bring it down in seconds, and another woman did not have transportation or money to get to a doctor and was too weak to walk that far, and she was getting worse) but they couldn't do anything about it and no one could help them because everyone else is poor too and organizations that can help are not receiving enough funds.

I got lost on the way back, but two men digging helped me find my way back. All I had to do was ask if they had seen a muzungu man pass by. I'm so glad Kelly was with us too. They pointed me in the direction and I found my way back from there. When I got back I crawled back into bed to write, thinking we were done until lunch time. Then Sam came in and asked if I wanted to come to Life Skills Training. I said I thought that was on Wednesday but I don't think he understood me because he said, "Okay, see you later." I jumped out of my mosquito net off of the top bunk and went to put my shoes on. By the time I got outside, Sam and Kelly were both gone. So I hung out for the afternoon and waited for Mijeung to come home so we could eat lunch and then her, Kelly, and I could head off to school for the afternoon.

I finally know my way to the school and back, which is good because tomorrow the other volunteers leave for Murchison Falls and I have to walk home alone.

School was fun today. The teacher I didn't think liked me said hello and we talked beore I started teaching. It is so hard because some of the kids can sound out letters and some do not understand at all. I only taught English today and apparently the teachers thought I was coming this morning. They did not seem too upset that according to them I was about 6 hours late. Everyone is sooooo laid back here.

After school I played ball with some of the kids and gave Peace, the headmaster's adorable daughter (what kid here isn't adorable? Apparently God gave all the REALLY cute kids to Africa), about 30 high fives. She's about 3 and she's going to break my hand!

There is one boy in my class who is older than the rest and he has no idea what is going on. He knows his numbers but even math is hard for him. Counting by tens is just not coming to him and I know that the kids have gone over it before because they were already receiting it when I got there the first day. The teachers say that he has only been there a month though. Maybe he needs more time, but I think what he really needs is extrahelp. I don't know how to try and get him extra help. I doubt tutoring is a popular thing here and it costs money. There is no point in me giving him extra help for 2 weeks and then leaving. Maybe it's motivating, but it seems like it would be more frustrating than anything because he would soon go back to being behind because he just needs extra help. The teacher described him as "weak." The lingo difference is interesting.

I put stars on the kids papers today and soon I had to do it for each box (I had them draw pictures of certain verbs, there were 12) on each kids paper.

Teacher Susan and the other teacher thought it was hilarious that I was going to do all of my laundry by hand. I told them I live in the same gate as Derrik and they said they would come on Sunday and help me. I told them I could manage but they insisted. We'll see what happens.

Names I learned in P1:
Kaazi