school, week 2

We’re only in the second week of school?? Our first full week? It seems longer, heh.

Classes are slowly getting into a routine. I’m actually done with my planning for the week, and meant to get started on next week but instead worked on the instrument inventory. Which needed to be done. The fourth graders are signing up to begin an instrument and I’ve got to have those ready to go; I’d love to start next week if I can.

That’s actually the cool thing about being in Africa. I can tell these kids “I’d like to start next week if I can get everything together. If not, we’ll start the week after. I’ll let you know Friday.” And they’re totally cool with it. In the States kids and parents would be freaking out. Good news, 12 out of the 22 fourth graders have signed up for band with the forms due on Friday. The popular instrument this year is the trumpet — I have more trumpets signed up that flutes and clarinets combined.

Advanced Band actually had a normal rehearsal yesterday. I think I’m going to have to split the middle school students and high school students into two bands sooner than I think, maybe next year. It’ll make smaller bands, but will allow the high schoolers to be challenged a bit more. There’s also the issue of an orchestra; there’s definitely interest, but that would make the bands even smaller. I’m not really sure what to do there. Doubling the size of the school (HA!) would solve the problem, honestly.

Today we took an all-school picture: students, faculty, staff. Around 3:00 we all trooped down to the field…

The teachers stood on tables behind the high school, who were standing on benches, who were behind the elementary. It was a little chaotic…

Considering EVERYBODY was at the field, it makes you wonder who was minding the office…the phones…the gate…

This is Africa, though, so anyone needing assistance can wait. It really does make life easier (unless you’re the one outside the gate). After the school-wide photo they did a faculty photo for the NICS home office. Middle and high school went to their lockers but elementary school hung out on the field…

And on my way back to my room I once again saw the skink that lives in the junction box scurry back inside to hide. This time he didn’t make it the whole way in, though…

Someday I’ll get a pic of him!

open house, check

Got to talk to some parents. There were some really good goodies. Low-stress traffic stop on the way home. Remembered to go around the huge hole in Ngong Road that you can’t see in the dark. An okay night all around.

cows!

Cows have appeared in the field behind our building!

This would be the “don’t worry, I’m still alive, just snowed under by the start of school” post. More soon!

weekend

Welcome Picnic, it is done.
Me, I am tired.
How did I *do* this last year?
I am so not ready for school yet.
*Sigh*

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ETA: I got up from posting the above and saw this guy hanging out on the pole in the neighbor’s backyard…

in memory

Ten years ago today, the US Embassy in Nairobi was bombed. 212 people were killed, 200 of whom were Kenyans. Many thousands more were injured and many of those people have ongoing health or disability issues. Photos on The Nation’s site here. BBC story here. A memorial service is planned today at Memorial Park, the site of bombing.

slowly, ever so slowly…

…my classroom is coming together. Have to get the new stage pieces moved out, the piano moved over, the speakers put in place. Then get stuff ready for band sign-ups and start planning classes. Less than a week now!

back on the bus

Today a whole bunch of the staff carpooled on one of the school buses to Westgate, where we had dinner together. Much fun and got to meet everybody! I also did my very first drive to the airport today to pick up the last roomie and another teacher. I did it — go me!

school

We ran out to school today! Got to see a lot of familiar faces, met two of the new teachers, got my keys. Bonus this year? I got a key to the restroom/bathroom/WC/washroom/toilet/loo (One day in second grade a student asked to go to the loo and that became a discussion of all the names for that place. And that’s just in English!). Cool thing? They paved the path to the chapel! No more clumsy me twisting my ankle (well, we hope not).

Uncool thing? The chapel isn’t done yet.

But they *are* cutting the stone for the new back walls.

The good thing (and one must look for the good!) is that the new English and Drama teacher has a lot of practical theatre experience, so it’ll be good to have her input on the final configuration of the building. And at least they aren’t in the middle of it and I can get my room set up and ready to go. All will be well!

Also, the field is done!

Tonight we took advantage of Mzuri Monday Madness to go to the movies and get dinner (hot dog, popcorn, and soda free with your ticket!). We saw The Dark Knight and afterwards had some major discussions on some of the major themes in the movie (starting with good vs. evil and going on from there). I cringe at a lot of the violence but I do love me a movie that makes me *think*.

my new instrument

AKA how to drive a music teacher nuts: give her an instrument she can’t play easily. My roomies brought me back this from Sudan:

the other side

It’s a shaker/percussion type instrument, made of an empty tin can and filled with broken glass (yeah, when I found that out I stopped wandering around the house practicing, in case of bits falling out). When NewRoomie plays it, it’s just amazing the range of rhythms and sounds she can get — very cool. I’m finally getting so I can get it moving in rhythm; you hold it at the short ends, keep one hand still and the other one does the moving. Next thing I’m working on is being able to keep it moving and add pops with my thumb on the beat. It is way trickier than you would think!

This is a great example of the recycling that is done here; nothing is thrown away when it can be reused or repurposed! Speaking of which: did you know that you can recharge regular batteries (the non-rechargeable kind) by putting them out in the sun?

brrrrr…

I’m back in Nairobi! The weather widget on my desktop as well as the one on the blog are insisting it is 63 degrees out. I don’t know what city *they’re* in, but I’m freezing! It feels like October and I’m being all cheap and refusing to turn on the furnace. I am so glad my duvet fit in my suitcase, thanks to my mom and her vaccuum-packing space bags; I actually woke up warm this morning. Although technically it was afternoon when I woke up. I do believe this was the first time I have ever slept for 12 hours!

The plane ride was good — as good as a plane ride that long can be, which really means uneventful. No problems with security (had my little bag o’ liquids handy, laptop in an easy to pull out place, slip off shoes). TSA didn’t open my bags. No problems at customs. And BOTH (BOTH!!!) suitcases arrived when I did. Go BA!

It was great to see two out of my three roomies (the other returns next week). We did some grocery shopping and then tonight went out to dinner at the Prestige food court and I went to Punjabi by Name and got my favorite, butter chicken, mmmm…

There were quite a few yup, I’m back in Nairobi moments, often in traffic…

A Citi Hoppa bus pulling out into traffic and almost into us.

The usual mishmash of traffic at Dagoretti Corner.

A handcart merging into traffic at Dagoretti Corner.

While I was home we talked a lot about the prices of food. A lot of food here is very expensive, especially the imported stuff (e.g. I wanted to make a batch of my mom’s bran muffins, but there was only Kellogs All Bran at the store, which at 479/= (a little over $7) was a bit too expensive. But after seeing produce prices at home, I do have to say the prices here aren’t too bad, especially for local food…

The baby bananas were 67 cents, the garlic (all of it) was 50 cents, the avocados were 45 cents (they’ve gone up), and the pineapple was $1.46. So maybe it all balances out!