1 May....The First of another month....Serengeti and more....!

I can't believe that it is the first day of a new month....again! It only seems the other day that I was sharing with the Form 1 girls: "Pinch and a Punch ...it's the first of the month....Slip and a Slap you can't get me back!!!" We had fun last month when I explained that it was just some fun to recognise the start of a new month! This weekend I slept over at SEGA because Matron was not well. We always have fun...especially on a weekend when I stay. Some of the girls greeted me this morning with a .....pinch and a punch!! We laughed as I didn't think they really understood it's significance!
Life has been very busy and too hectic trying to do all the tasks in my job description. After six months, finally the realisation that the four areas identified for me are full time positions! For each one to be done properly and effectively they require a lot of attention so, in my 6 month review with Polly, we have made some adjustments. Hopefully these will take place soon, ease the pressure I have been experiencing and consequently allow me the time and energy to address the major focus of my placement in Learning Support and curriculum development.

During the past month I have:

*.....Hosted Philo from Iringa who brought Melina to SEGA to sit the exam and try for a position in Form 2 Melina's schooling had been interrupted by circumstances outside her ability to control. Unfortunately she wasn't ready for Form 2 and hopefully will resit the exam at the end of 2011.

L-R: Philo, Pauline, Melina.

 Philomena: My African Mama.

*.....Lived with Pauline, our Counsellor, who couldn't find a home to rent. She is an amazingly supportive and passionate woman who is supporting our girls in coping with their lives. Happily she now has accomodation and will move out and into her new home later this week.

 Pauline and I working on the Leadership/Life skills Curriculum.

*.....Edited and processed over 100 letters from the Form 1 and 2's to their sponsors as well as coordinated the production of a book "All About Me" and personal letters from the Form 1's to their buddys in Lawrencville Middle School Colorado. Next time I will stagger the timing of each of these tasks!
*.....During Easter 16 VSO Vols experienced a SENSATIONAL adventure to the Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater in northern Tanzania! Thanks to Wendy....VSO Vol and ex-tour guide extraordinaire, for her time and energy and for enduring and overcoming the many frustrations of coordinating such an adventure here in Tz!!! We all love you for your generosity and expertise. 
Our wildlife adventure began with the arrival of the gang from down south at Ndanda and Nyangao making an epic 30 hour trip via the slushy, slippery "road" to Dar then out to stay here in Moro to share the night with Wendy, Hermedy, (Zanzibar Vols) Liesbeth and Fredrique (Dodo Vols) and I before travelling together to Arusha. As we ate pancakes and drank real coffee I discovered a snake curled up inside my warm kitchen! At the time we thought it was a black mamba, very dangerous! Courageously, Hermedy and I immobilised it and chopped its head off!! Quite a scarey start to our day! (We now believe that it was a not so dangerous snake...!!) The skies had opened during the previous few days and the track was VERY muddy. We couldn't get a taxi out to my place so were forced to walk the track in the rain in order to get to a daladala and consequently to our bus. Fortunately I had thought to book tickets ahead of time because MANY people were trying to travel during the Easter break! Not more than about 50 steps from my red gates, Hazel slipped and landed on her butt in the dirty mud! We quickly helped her clean off the worst and as I walked away from her.......
I slipped... in almost slow motion ......face first into the dirty track and a muddy pool of shallow water!!! I was lucky that I had  my rucksack on my back and my day pack on my front which took most of the mud! I was filthy, muddy and dripping wet, so by the time I got to my seat on the bus, I could only laugh and believe that things could only get better!!............WHICH OF COURSE....THEY DID!!

Highlights: many, many, many of all of the regular, fascinating and beautiful African animals (elephants, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, monkeys, hyenas, beautiful birdlife.....etc..) but we were treated to: 4 sightings of leopards lazing in trees...many Lions....some also lazing in the trees and lying around lapping up the sunshine; sighting 1 of the 20 black rhinos remaining in the Crater; the migration of 1000's and 1000's of Wilderbeast moving through the Serengeti;  'pink flamingos' in the crater;  camping in the wild with zebras and other wildlife stomping around our tents in the dark of the night in search of food..( then realising that one or other of us had to get up and go out there to the toilet....!! ) ...and wonderful company!!!

UNFORGETABLE MEMORIES!