November 29th
I saw my first scorpion today! But I’m getting ahead of myself. This
morning I walked with Meghan down to the market around 8:30
because she wanted to find some fabric to have some more bag-
like purses made at the tailors. She leaves on Wednesday so
there’s a pretty strict time limit which is why we went early. The
place we wanted to go was not yet set up so we wandered around
the market a bit until she found some that she liked. I also found a
pretty fun colored piece of cloth I thought would make a good
shirt and got it. Then we walked over to Kamakwie 2 where there
is a really good tailor that the Asher’s use for their tailoring that
they get done. However, we got there to find that he wasn’t
open… so not a terribly successful trip. We walked all the way back
to the hospital where Meghan stayed to help out while I continued
up to the house to work on stuff for classes. I had quizzes to
prepare, oh joy. Anyway, I got that all done at around 11 so I
walked down to the hospital to see if Meghan wanted to try again.
She did so we walked over again, it’s about a 30 min walk at least
round trip and upon arriving there we found that he still wasn’t
open. We saw some older ladies and they told us he’d be back at
two. I had class at 1:50 so I asked Meghan to take my fabric and
example shirt with her when she went back. I got to the school
thinking I was running late only to find out that they were having
the first Monday of the month chapel. Except… today is the 29th of
November… you’re guess is as good as mine as for what goes
through their heads. Anyway, they finally got out of the chapel
thing in time for me to have 15 minutes of my first class. I gave
them their quiz and they ended up leaving late because they had
to finish it before leaving. Then my SS3s took forever to come to
my class, I lost probably 20 minutes there or so. I gave them their
test and then taught them some more about the skeletal system.
I’m learning about as much as they are as I never really did much
with human anatomy. Anyway, after my two periods with them
my SS1s came, and had a fit when I started handing out their
quizzes. I told them we would have one every week and they told
me they thought I was kidding and so didn’t bother to study. They
did abysmally, which is the reason for having the weekly quizzes,
to make them study. I finished teaching them and headed home. I
found out today that next week is exams and I have to write tests
for my classes that have to take them at least an hour and a half,
fun fun. After dinner I didn’t do a whole lot, I was waiting for
Foday to come because I needed to talk with him. While I waited I
talked with Tom about one of my SS3 students who got sent out
of school for the rest of the term (two weeks) which means he
won’t get to take exams or anything. Such a wonderful scenario
and I can’t do anything about it because it’s their discipline system
and I can’t make them change it for me as they have enough
trouble keeping the kids in line. I wouldn’t want to make it any
worse. Foday came by and while Tom and I were talking with him
on the front porch the scorpion just came wandering onto the porch
where we were sitting. My first reaction was to jump up off the
bench and back away, Tom’s was to crush it. They get pretty active
around here when the dry season really comes. Tom said don’t ever
pick up a box on the ground without kicking it because they like to
hide around the bottoms of boxes. They aren’t poisonous; they just
induce immense pain from what I’m told. I’m hoping I don’t get
stung by one because it just doesn’t sound fun. Anyway, that’s
about it for today. Good night.

Blessings from Kamakwie
Ryan Brooks