Pictures

This week we had our Close of Service Conference in Arusha National Park. This is a time when we get together with all those we arrived in country with who didn't end up leaving early. We started with 37 and have 32 left, which I'm proud to say is a very high retention rate. The first of us to close their service and go back leave next week. They had some extenuating circumstances that allow them to leave early. There will be three more at the end of October, but the rest of us will be leaving in November or December. The purpose of this conference was to get us ready to do all the paperwork and other preparations to leave our sites and get back into life in America. I think though that PC also knows what close bond you have with the people you came into the country and trained with and gives us this one last time to all be together. We come in the country together on the same plane, but we leave at different times and return to different places. A lot, maybe most, of the people there I won't see again until I'm back in America. I have no doubt we'll do a good job keeping in touch. Isaac's wedding in December will be a mini reunion as well.

I also have some pictures here I'd like to post. Here's one of me with several of my Form 2s. From leftto right in the back is Neema, then Dora (one of the kids who cooked grasshoppers for me), me (I know I blend in), Veronica, and Lulu. In the front on the left is Grace and kneeling is Eunice.

They were all out harvesting beans that day and I got some pictures of that as well. When they collect all the bean pods, they put them in a pile and beat the pods with a stick to knock the beans out. This next picture is of another form 2, Janet, beating the beans.
You may notice that the students are required to wear uniforms and that all students, even girls like my students, are required to shave their heads. I'm sure that would go over brilliantly with American girls. The first time you teach here it is a bit disconcerting that you look out to a bunch of kids all wearing the exact same clothes, the same race and gender, and with the same haircut. Not at all like an American classroom. This final picture I'm putting on here I'm doing just because I think it's a really cute shot.


This picture shows Nancy on the left, then a couple behind whose faces I can't see, then Neema and Faith. Naomi is the one really hamming it up, then Clever, and Eunice back in the sun. Unfortunately it takes too long to upload pictures, so when I get back to America in a November I'll put a whole lot of pictures up.

I'll start back in school on Monday, then it's only a few weeks until the graduation, then shortly thereafter exams start. I'm going to be very busy for awhile. It'll probably be best to be working hard and not focusing too much on how little time there is left. It seems like either you're impatiently waiting the day you can go back or wishing it wouldn't come for awhile longer. Very seldom do I feel completely content with the passage of time. Anyway, I think I'll be able to post again next week, but after that it will be awhile. Is this Labor Day weekend? If so, enjoy the holiday.