Saturday, June 7, 2008

YWAM Morogoro: Smashing stereotypes with reckless abandon...

Sometimes I am literally awestruck by the utter badness of our singing.  I mean, we’ve been singing in class everyday for the last three months and I’ll just say it hasn’t gotten any better than the first day.  The next time someone tries to tell you that all black people have rhythm, just send em my way....Now, I am fully aware that when you’re stuck with ME as a music teacher, you have some challenges to overcome.  But the chances of me being the best singer in a group of six people are like one in a kadrillion.  We’ve got one or two songs that we’re pretty good at (the one in that video is probably our number one hit) BUT we’ve learned thirty so....anyway,this is all at the front of my mind because the students are leading the praise and worship meeting on monday and well...I’m a little nervous about it!


I guess there’s a lot to say since the last post...there was no connection last weekend so I couldn’t update.  I lost a student!  Anethi had an interview for nursing school a few weeks ago and then didn’t come back one weekend.  Her nursing school began and she left without really saying anything.  It was a bit of a shock for everyone but it is a great opportunity for her so we miss her but we are happy she is doing well.  She came by the school this morning topick up some things she left behind and it seemed like this was a good choice for her so.... 


We are getting all ready for graduation around here... only one week of teaching left and then one week for exams and practicing for graduation.  It’s really exciting and I’m so proud of all the students.  In these past few weeks even those who are a little behind are making great improvment.  It makes me wixh we had another month together to really work on it!  But everyone is hoping to come back for the second level school that will happen in July.  They are still looking for a teacher so there’s something that could use a LOT of prayer.   YWAM Tanzania is really good about equipping Tanzanians to do the work we do here but in this case, Unlike most of the schools we run on the base the English school really is better if it is taught by someone who speaks English as their mother tongue.


My good news last week was that I have a job when I get home!  I will work on a show with the same theatre company I was working with when I left last summer.  They are awesome people and I am so excited to be hanging out there for another

 couple of months.  The bad news?  I arrive in NY on the 9th and the job starts ON THE 9TH!  so I’ll be a bit shattered but hey there’s a Starbucks downstairs right? 


SOME PHOTOS!


Yesterday I took the class out to lunch at my favorite cafe.  The owners speak English so it was a bit of a field trip really and they all got to practice ordering their food in English.  We had a great time!

...Here is  Bilha enjoying her first can of soda ever!  We usually

 get soda in glass bottles here...  And I got a package from my mom  couple of weeks ago and turns out? Bubble wrap is fun in ANY language!


AND the grossest story of my week?????  I walked out of the dining room the other day with my coffee (a rather valuable possession around here) and as I was walking to the "dishwasher" (a table with three basins full of water)  something fell in my cup!  now most of the time I'd just fish it out and go on drinking (like i said... valuable) but this something looked a little strange.... "what is that???" I said and Pauline came over to look...."Oh," she says matter-of-factly, "Looks like an insect gave birth."  And yes, there floating on the top of my beloved morning coffee were 10-15 newborn praying mantis... pretty interesting in any other situation but floating on top of my only caffeine for the day....not so much.  I fished em out but I couldn't bear to take a drink..... there are some things about home I am REALLY looking forward to.....