November 26th

I had a really good day today. I made it to chapel this morning for the first
time this week. The chaplain starts it early and so when I’m even a little late
getting down there because I had to finish up something at the house I’ve missed
it. I tried twice this week before and always missed it. The other days I just
didn’t get done soon enough. After chapel I came up to the house and spent a
little too long sorting out some stuff on the computer. I’m trying not to be too
attached to my computer; after all I did pretty well not having the internet for
almost a week when Karen was gone. When I finally finished that stuff up, well I
can’t really remember what I did. After lunch I had an hour to kill before class
but I can’t remember what I did then either… my memory seems a little cloudy
this evening. Class went well, I taught biology to the SS1 students and unveiled
my recently decided grading scale; they were rather dismayed when I told them
that 63% and less was a failing grade and that they would not pass my class. I
guess even as low as 50% is passing normally here, but I told them as science
students who wanted to become doctors and the like that I expected better from
them and if they couldn’t do it then perhaps it would be better if they switched
to Commercial or Arts now before they waste too much time in the sciences. I
don’t want to be mean, but I would rather they not try to do something they
can’t when there are easier paths. Science is definitely the hardest path to
follow. I gave the SS2 kids their chemistry test and gave them the grading
scale, they were equally disturbed at the “high standards” that I have for them
but Tom told me they have a tendency to settle for a passing grade and if they
are going to do that I’d rather have a passing grade be a higher grade than 50%.
We had a candlelight dinner this evening, we didn’t get any power this afternoon
and I didn’t run the generator so the lights died out before the power came on
(since it gets too dark to see very well by 6 and the power doesn’t come on till
7). After dinner we went downtown at night to pick up some drinks to take along
tomorrow. We are going to the animal park tomorrow, I’m pretty excited about
that. We will get to see hippos for sure Tom says. There are also monkeys that
we might see and Emma says that her Sierra Leone travel guide says that this
place is home to leopards. That would just be AMAZING to see one since
unfortunately there are no lions in West Africa, or at least this part of it,
which pretty much shoots my whole plan of riding one, darn… haha. Oh, there are
also supposedly elephants too. That would just be pretty sweet to see a wild
elephant. Anyway, we have to ride Hondas to the park which should be exciting,
it’s about a 45 minute ride to the park and I’m a bit nervous about riding that
long on a Honda but Tom swears that these drivers we are getting are very safe,
and he’s done it before so I am willing to trust him. Anyway, I’m pretty excited
about tomorrow to say the least. But for now I’m going to get ready for bed and
hit the hay. G’night all!

Blessings from Kamakwie,
Ryan Brooks