Hora das Crianças:
This was easier to start than I thought! I just bring a chair out to sit along with coloring books and crayons and then asked the kids hanging out nearby my house to come over and color in front of my house. Once they started, other kids saw and came to join in. I end up having 25-30 kids each time!! =) I found a website with cursive writing worksheet for the alphabets so I started having them practice writing a letter before they can color. I also started tracing easy picture from the coloring books making 20 copies for them to color since I only have 2 coloring books. I realized I can just bring it to work to make photocopies but I have a lot of free time so this gives me something to do.
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| 07/02/14 Coloring pictures |
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| 14/02/14 Practing letter 'A' and drawing/coloring hearts |
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| Tracing from my limited coloring books |
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| 22/02/14 Practicing letter 'B' & coloring Donald Duck |
REDES group:
My language tutor [who is also a professor at the high school] helped set up a meeting with the school's director for me. I met with the director to talk about wanting to start a REDES group and explain to him what it is and he LOVED IT! He was very excited and thought it was a very good project. He told me I can start having my first meeting the following Monday [I talked to him on a Wednesday] and even showed me the computer room and said I can use it for my meetings. He also helped gathered some girls that would be interested in joining for me too so I didn't have to do it myself! He asked me how many girls I need so I told him ~15 girls between 12-18 years old. He told me he will get a list of names for me and that's exactly what he did. The following Saturday I took the chapa to Pemba to buy supplies [giant poster papers, markers, scissors, etc] to prepare for the REDES meeting. The director happened to be on the same chapa as me and informed me that he already have a list of names and how excited he is about the project again haha I still need to find a counterpart to run the REDES meetings with me so hopefully I can find someone soon within the next few weeks.
1st meeting 17/02/14: 9 girls came! Yay! I was nervous and worried that they might not show up. I started the meeting with a zip, zap, zop game [i changed it to um dois tres to make it easier] and then paired them up to in 2 so they can introduce themselves to their partner and then one by one each person stand up to introduce their partner to the entire group. After that, I went over what is REDES, what's the mission, what are we going to do, logistics [we agreed to have meetings every Tuesday morning at 8am since they have school in the afternoon] and established some ground rules for the group. I ended the meeting with a making bracelets activity. I had each girl pick out 3 strings color and braided them into a bracelet. Then we stood in a circle and I had them tie the bracelet they made onto someone else. 'Rede da amizada' net of friendship :)
2nd meeting 25/02/14: I only saw 2 girls when I got there at 8am and started to feel disappointed thinking that the others weren't coming back but I forgot about Mozambican time.. all 9 girls came back! They were just late :) Plus I have a new girl so there are 10 girls in my group now yay! I taught them how to sew a tote bag so they can use either for school or sell in the market. We only had time to sew the bag and will finish up with the straps in the next meeting. I think they are starting to warm up to me since they didn't seem as shy and quiet as the 1st meeting. They even asked if they can come over on Saturday to know my house and where I live! :)
English classes:
I'm doing one on one lessons for a few coworkers and neighbors after work each week..I haven't figure out a consistent schedule yet since my schedule varies with work. I found the Rosetta Stone English level 1-5 workbooks online so I'm using that to help me teach them. Belinda also have an English book from school so I'm helping her also. I also still have to work on getting a community English class started.. aiming for next month!
-Zambie was pregnant with 3 kittens!! At first I thought she was just getting really fat but then her side started to stick out. She ate a lot more and slept most of the day. Night of 24/2/14 I opened the door to let her back in to sleep with me since it was raining outside [she normally stay outside at night since she's wide awake when I go to sleep] and that night happened to be the night she gave birth.. on my blanket! while sleeping next to me! hahah I woke up at 3am ish because I heard a squeaky noise. I sat up and looked around my room with my phone's flashlight thinking there's a rat. I thought it was weird that Zambie hasn't woken up to chase after it. I finally shined the light down at Zambie and saw her 3 kittens!! and then realized she had them while sleeping next to me.. in my BLANKET ): but ahh! they're SO CUTE AND TINY!! I can't stop taking pictures of them! side note: I need to wash my blanket really really well...
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| The night they were born |
-My garden is getting bigger! The corns, pumpkins, and beans started growing already. I also have tomato plants and a guava tree but nothing yet.
-I BOOKED MY FLIGHT HOME!! I'm flying out a day after my mid-service conference so I'll be back 31/08- 19/09!!
-Work is starting to pick up again! I have things to do and I get to go out in the field again instead of just sitting around waiting for things to happen.
-I visited Tio's machamba twice this month for the first time and got to explore a bit of the mato in Ntele. I found out there's a waterfall there! He has a bigger machamba but it's a lot further.. planning to visit it later when I have a free weekend.
-Sophia can finally ride a bike now on her own now :)
