REJOICE!

I am woken at 11.20 by the sound of a heavy lorry trying to make its way into my tent. I quickly make myself decent and when I get outside Moses and the others are welcoming the seven chaps who have finally arrived with everything. We decide that it’s not going to rain tonight so it’s all unloaded as you see in the first picture. Faith has been as good as her word and everything is on the ground by midnight.

My last job tomorrow will be to put on the labels with the names of all you generous folk back home. Can you see them in the second picture?

Earlier I had indeed been feted with ceremonial dancing and singing, speeches from the Head, Councillor Paul and community leaders, presentation of gifts and a delicious lamb stew for just about the entire adult Sanga population.

What a day!

PS Friday morning: all packed up and ready to go. Happy holiday to all at All Hallows and thank you again for everything YOU have done for these people. We must continue to support them. Who will be next among us to visit?

Holiday time for me too, and then it's back to that Land Rover water pump....

No sign of the desks yet but there is a lot of activity here. The children have been given a half-day and the community plan to mark my departure with a celebration (yes, I know you can read that two ways) so I don’t think I’ll be needing my tin of chicken luncheon meat this evening. There's something cooking over by the builders' area!

The classroom looks brighter now, doesn’t it?

My last morning in the classroom. The day hasn’t started off too well because Jamlick has informed me that his team won’t in fact now be back to start on the new work until Monday. After making little effort to hide my disappointment, he later comes over to say that he and his carpenter will make a token beginning later today or first thing tomorrow. Apparently the “engineer” (building inspector? works manager?) for Lewa is coming over with my lift in the morning to look at the classroom floors…our “phase three” project.

Class Four have a Social Studies paper….all two-and-a-quarter hours of it! A mixture of Geography and RE. I supervise the first hour-and-a- half, by which time the children have finished and are beginning to get restless. Nevertheless, when Patrick comes to invigilate the next 45 minutes, the class remains quiet (and presumably bored) until the time is up.

I am beginning my tidying up…quite a pleasure with no time pressure on me. Every so often I cast my eye up the hill in the hope of seeing the van carrying the promised desks, but nothing so far.

There’ll be another blog as soon as they arrive….

Thank you for your question about wet breaks, Mr Green.

It hasn't rained here until late afternoons or at night, so I can't really answer your question. But the children are allowed to go in and out of their classrooms during the breaks, so I'd guess that's where they'd hang out if there's a downpour.

Next question, please!

Since I arrived at Sanga the school has gained seven new pupils. They are here on All Hallows scholarships and are in fact the first boarders. There could be a job opportunity here for you, Mr Wells?

Class Four have had two exams this morning: maths and English, each one-and-a-half hours with 50 multiple-choice questions. In between the children had a nice long break and Jamlick took this picture for us.

Many thanks for your kind words on the blog, Mr P. and Mrs G. and indeed to others who’ve contacted me directly on my email.

Do enjoy your Lenten Reflection afternoon. And congratulations, Year Seven on what I hear was a fantastic show!

Well, everyone, it WAS fun!! Do you notice that some of the children are using sticks as brushes? They are from the same bush that they use as toothbrushes.

The children are going to be doing exams over the next two or three days, so I did some revision this morning of our maths topics, with a little more practice of division which some of the children are unclear about still. Then I cobbled together a comprehension exercise based on the “Magic Piper” poem we have been learning.

Yesterday I experimented with the tempura water-colours that Mr Somerville kindly put in the Sanga bag. I wasn’t too disappointed by my first effort, but I have a way to go before I reach your level, Isabelle W!

This afternoon we’re going to let the children loose. I’m looking forward to it!

Yesterday Jamlick and his team of builders went home for a well-earned break. When they come back next week they will begin work on completing the unfinished classroom.

(It’s very common to see three people on one motorcycle, and luggage too!)

Only six days before I leave Sanga now, so I have begun treating myself. Ice cream flown in by helicopter? Double squirts of Fairy liquid when I do my washing? Two bananas with my weetabix? No, none of these things.

I’ve been treating myself -and this will only make sense to parents and friends of a certain age…(dear children of All Hallows, you may stop reading now)-and only now because I didn’t want to inflict homesickness upon myself earlier on- I’ve been treating myself to….the 8.00am news on Radio Four Live! Oh, bliss, oh rapture! Oh, the wonders of the internet! How I love my little modem!

Here’s inside the greenhouse. The tomatoes have come on tremendously.

Some promising news: Faith has told me that the desks, cupboards and teachers’ desks and chairs will be here before I leave next week. Keep your fingers crossed, everyone!

The children seem to be getting the hang of rounders now. They even chose to play it rather than football this morning! Here's Lali guarding first base (or is it post?).

Many thanks for all your comments, Years Five and 7S! Also, well done, George Thackray, for your comment. (There are about 70 children in the main part of the school but there are also about 25 toddlers.)

The general feeling seems to be in favour of the beard (thank you, but I don’t think I’ll be allowed to keep it) but shock, horror and sympathy for the poor old cobra. It’s a rough old world out here, I can tell you!

It’s been a real Red Letter Day today (admittedly not for the snake, though). The consignment of books and stationery finally arrived and so did the staff chickens; the ladies put up the fencing around what will become the vegetable garden, and Class Four had a lot of fun putting up a display showing their heights. Thank you, All Hallows, for the bluetak!

The only disappointment is that having heard no news from Faith about the desks I finally phoned her. She says that she wants them to be made in Meru at a workshop, but so far nothing has been put in hand. I have told her that I am very anxious to see at least some of the new desks here by the time I leave next week, so Moses will give her all the specifications tomorrow morning and we’ll hope that work on them can get going immediately.

Oh, and yes, the letters were a joke...I hope!

Dear Mr Murphy,

We have been reading Mr Ellery’s blog from Sanga and wish to make a complaint.

Mr Ellery says that he is not working very hard and that he spends a good deal of his time sitting in the sunshine, killing snakes, taking trips to town and fiddling around on his computer. All he seems to have done is refix a door on a toilet and build a chicken house. Really! Mr Ellery should not be having holidays from All Hallows when he should be working!

And don’t you think he’s getting a bit old to be a Boy Scout?

Yours sincerely,

Mr and Mrs D.I.S. Gruntled

Dear Mr and Mrs Gruntled,

Thank you for your letter about Mr Ellery at Sanga.

I too have been reading Mr Ellery’s blog with increasing dismay and concern. Please be assured that I shall be speaking to Mr Ellery in the strongest possible terms when he gets back from Kenya.

I shall also be asking him about the half-eaten apple, two dead mice and 12 dirty coffee cups that were found in his desk when Mrs Barber arrived to take his place.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Murphy

As I was drinking some juice this morning the weaver birds began making a commotion. They were hunting this harmless looking young snake not five feet from where I was sitting. Benedict and the others cam over and the snake was dispatched with a stick and stone. The weavers got their meal.

A very dangerous cobra, I was told. I hope his mum’s not in the tent!

Thank you for your message, 4G. Great to hear from you again!

Very best of luck or tonight...I'm looking forward to hearing all about it soon.

Got it, Ruth! Thank you so much!

A quick query: does anyone out there who uses a MacBook happen to know if and if so, where, the voice record facility is? Assuming that there is such a thing, will I need an external microphone? (in which case I’m stumped).

The ladies have begun work on fencing the growing area. So exciting! Your flashcards are being put to very good use in the Junior classroom, Year Six. A brilliant gift for the children of Sanga.

An English lesson followed by a maths lesson this morning. I decide to introduce Class Four to bubble writing so that when they work out their heights, we’ll be able to make some sort of display. I cut sheets of A4 paper (bought by All Hallows) into strips with my medical kit scissors…a job which at home would have taken 20 seconds takes 5 minutes. The children do not know what “bubbles” are, so I make a mental note to have some fun with washing-up liquid next week. (I might let the children join in too!)

I do my Blue Peter act, illustrating the various stages of the job with lots of English…measure…pencil, choose colours, background, practice, and twenty five minutes later we have individual labels ready. Have a look at the pictures.

Now on to the maths. I have cut some string into metre lengths and I choose Lali, who stands at 1m 80 odd to mark my height on the board with string. I bring in Memusi, knee-high to a grasshopper and worth his weight in gold, to model the measuring process: first use the string, then the pencil-case rulers for the rest of the distance, counting in units of 15 cms and being sure to mark from the lines on the rulers, not the ends. The children pair up and off we go for twenty minutes meaningful learning activity (or pandemonium, depending on your point of view).

The lesson appears reasonably successful and I make a note to repeat the procedure next time with new partners, but this time recording the data. (Wow! Doesn’t that sound impressive, Mr Renouf?)

Replies to the latest set of comments, for which thanks:

Abi:

Hi, Abi. Lovely to hear from you. Do you know that your sunny personality comes through in your writing? That’s really great! Still enjoying myself, thank you…very much aware that time is now running out to try to get things done for the children here. Hottest? I’d guess about 35 degrees. No, you certainly aren’t allowed to harm or certainly eat elephants (except the ones that roam Prior Park (see earlier blog…)). Best thing about the trip? Hearing the children sing so wholeheartedy…today they loved a song with the words:

Mr Rabbit, Mr Rabbit, your ears are mighty long!

Yes, my Lord they’re put on wrong!

Every little soul must shine, shine shine!

Every little soul must shine….(clap)…shine shine!

Remember you may only call me Mr David during August, as may your friends.

Mr G:

Yes, Mrs G., I’m afraid a lot of them are going to the opposition! Now that spring is here they’re laying like billyo’! If you need any, call J and combine it with a trip to Clark’s Village.

Arthur:

Good to hear from you Arthur. We’ve just started a topic on Measurement. Tomorrow I’m going to let the children find out how tall they are!

Henry!

Sorry to hear about your finger. I hope it’ll soon mend. 4-0 against PR is a great result…well done!

Owen:

Thanks for your message Owen. It nearly always starts bright and very warm here but it clouds over during the afternoon. No rain in the last few days but we’re on the edge of the rainy season when I ‘m told it’ll rain buckets every day for two or three months!

Harry H:

You’re very good correspondent, Harry. It’s good to hear from you again. Some of the girls’ names are traditional English, like Mary, Diana and Alice, but there’s also a Lali, Saipanai, Tajeuwa (the bell ringer I photographed). Boys’ names also mix English and Maasai: James, Tony, Memusi, Leina, Kauredi, Sheunye…Penfriending sounds great but their English is very limited and there’s no post here! But I hope to bring back some Thank-you letters at least from Class Four.

Harry G!

Weather’s still very hot during the middle of the day, but cooler later. I’m varying up my rice and pasta recipes, Harry. Tonight I’ve just had pasta with frankfurters in a spicy pasta sauce! Delish! Now for some cheese…I’ll have to eat it before it goes off!

Thank you 4G, for your lovely message a few days ago, and my apologies for forgetting to reply to you.

Now, come on Year Eight. I have not heard a word from any of you since I arrived. Year Eight tutors, will you stir your tutees, please!

(Also, thank you to the many parents who are reading my reports from Sanga. Do post a comment..I’d be delighted to hear from you too before I leave at the end of next week.)

More news from me tomorrow.

An open message for Mr and Mrs Green

Hallo, Mr and Mrs G and family, and thank your for your message at the weekend.

I’m so glad that spring is in the air for you…J tells me that the new fruit trees are blossoming and the daffodils I planted are in flower. She’s taken pictures.

We have just organized my departure date from Sanga…Friday week, April 1^st….a day or two earlier than I’d have preferred but a good time nevertheless, because the children will be able to wave me off (if they want to!). I’ll have three days to wind down in Nairobi before J arrives on Tuesday.

Now that my departure is getting closer, yes, it seems that the time has just disappeared.

As for my first home meal? Well, if you can keep a secret….we had Maasai roast meat yesterday in Nanyuki….rib of beef steaks cut into pieces by the waiter and served with chapatis, all eaten with fingers. Yum yum! And I treated myself to some cheese at the supermarket , so I’m not doing too badly really. I am looking forward to a nice lasagne with some garlic bread and salad, though!

Being home? Easy:

· Seeing all of you again

· Some nice pillows

· Getting up to my workshop for some turning on the lathe

Skyping seems to be up and running again, so we’ll arrange some viewings soon, I hope!

After a very quiet weekend (almost too quiet, since the inverter wouldn’t charge my laptop) yesterday’s trip to Nanyuki passed in a total whirl of busy-ness. I have decide to save most of the details of our adventures for my forthcoming world lecture tour entitled “Blogging with the Maasai” so I’ll just talk to you about the photograph.

With yet more funds heading towards Sanga, Moses and I made a list of projects large and small. Mrs C very kindly allowed me to spend some of the money directly:

· Chicken wire to enclose the vegetable plot to improve children’s diet

· An axe for making the posts

· A screwdriver for fixing the doors on the children’s toilets

· A larger pot and some more plastic cups for the kitchen

· Guttering to harness the rainwater into the tanks (not shown)

Moses obtained prices for two more major spends:

1. Water tanks

2. Solar energy system for the new classroom block (so that staff can work during the evenings)

I hope that both of these will be in hand and accomplished by the start of the new term. We’ll pass the prices to Faith soon.

In addition we hope to be able to repair some of the classroom floors.

I haven’t quite given up on the idea of providing shoes for the children, but it would be completely impractical to do that through Lewa, and I shall not be able to get to the bank again now before I leave. Please don’t worry about the children in bare feet, they seem just as happy to run around like that and I seldom hear crying, even amongst the very young ones.

More news from me soon.

Replies to recent comments:

Hallo, Ed. The porridge takes a little getting used to, but if you read my poem, you’ll see that I’m not starving! I do miss fresh vegetables, though.

Everything’s going very well thanks to your terrific fund-raising, thanks Dan.

Jasper! I’ve got a really good picture of about 20 elephants all together at the water hole. When we’re driving we usually only see groups of four or five, but they’re big!

Martin said...

I was wondering what kind of tinned fish you will be having.
Kippers for breakfast, Tuna for lunch, Salmon for high tea?

Not to mention sardines (Yuck!).

My favourite is tinned kippers; they don't have the tiny bones that other sorts have.

Maybe you can make kedgeree with your rice and fish if you can get some eggs.

Good idea! I’ll look out for tinned kippers when I’m shopping on Monday. I did try some corned beef, but the texture wasn’t very nice and the tins are as infuriatingly difficult to open as they always were! Sorry you’re not a sardine fan, Mr G., especially since you spend holidays in Portugal. The sardines are delicious there!

Thanks for your lovely long message Sarah. It has been up to about 35 degrees here, but now that the rainy season is getting going it tends to be cooler. I’m sitting by my tent quite comfortably in just a shirt (and some other things, of course!). you’re very kind to suggest that I’ve been generous, but I wonder if I’ve just been more curious than anyone else to find out what Sanga is like? Either way, we all feel a lot closer to our friends here, I hope. I have thousands of pictures for us to look at when I’m home!

Hi, Jude, Vlad and George P. Good to hear from you. Yes, all’s well, thank you. Are you keeping the classroom TIDY, George P? And Vlad, are you being good? No more mischief? I hope not!!

Adriana! Hola! The children speak a language called Swahili here. It’s not too difficult to pronounce although I have to admit that I haven’t really tried to learn it.

Yes, it’s quite a good picture from an amateur, Dan. I wish I had a Mr Lucas zoom, though, or a Mr Green one!

Yes, and I didn’t need any help! Don’t forget that I’m only sending you my best pictures, though. Lots of them aren’t so good….

Good to hear from you again Joe. Gabriel’s birthday just after the end of term, eh? Maybe you can plan a surprise for him before he flies back to Spain?

Hallo, Lara! Yes, I was thinking of you and Georgia when I wrote my poem. How’s your piano practice going? I’m looking forward to hearing you play next term. Don’t know why there weren’t any Downhead shirts. Now, Georgia, are you being better at remembering all your clubs and activities? I hope so!

Martin said...

The picture of the cheetahs looks really good blown up to full size on the computer screen. Some of the boys have saved copies and put them into Textease to print out.

I thought you’d be able to use your magic on it, Mr G.!

Very sorry to hear about Allan, 5G I hope the injury wasn’t too serious.

The washing area is fine really, Mrs Green, but I agree with you, a nice warm radiator would improve it. Shall we start another fund-raising campaign?

More rain last night. See how quickly the grass is beginning to grow?

Thank you, all, for you many comments. I’ll reply later today.

Thanks for recent comments, 5e and Reception, and well done for taking the hint, Matthew and Lily! Here are some specific responses:

Yes, Mr Somerville mentioned to me that you’d be going over to Leweston. Have a great time! And good luck, Finn. I’m sue you’ll do well. 8-0 eh! Terrific!

: 


Elphine – what are you teaching the children?

I’m teaching them to speak English, and numeracy.Tatiana – What is it like inside the rooms at Sanga School?

They are very dull and bare, Tatiana, and not colourful like ours at All Hallows.

Isabelle – We see that lots of the children do not have any hair, why is this? 
I think it’s so they don’t get lice or nits.
Toby – what does the Major do? 
he listens to the views and wishes of the people who live here and helps to get things done.
Bea- How do you get water if the tank has run out? Good question! Someone came and fixed a plumbing problem. I don’t know the exact details but we’re fine now!

Honey- Do bugs climb in your tent? Yes! Well done, you’re the first person who’s asked me! Fortunately most of them are just harmless creepy crawlies, and we’re so high here that there is a very low risk of mosquitos, so I don’t use my mosquito net any more. 

Freddie- what is it like for the children at playtime? They’re just like you…some of them prefer to be quiet and chat, and others run around even in the hot sun! But they don’t have any play equipment.

Hugo – What is it like inside your tent? It’s really very cosy, thank you, Hugo,, and even at night it’s not cold. Is it hot? Yes!!

Honey – Where do you wash? There’s a private cubicle at the side of the teachers’ building. I‘ll photograph it. Moses very kindly puts a bowl of hot water there each morning so I have what's known as a "stripwash".Or go to the toilet? 
Have a look at an earlier picture…
Angus- What is it like in the hotel? In Nairobi? Oh, that was lovely!

Mrs Stanton – I hope the accommodation is better when Jane arrives! 
Yes, we’re going to be spoiled, Mrs Stanton (but I miss my hens!)
Mrs Ball / Rebecca –What things do you hear when you are lying in your tent at night? The cattle, sheep and goats grazing safely in their enclosures, and the snoring of the builders!
Miss Hunter – do you get involved in much of the cooking alongside of the women or the other cooks?
 No, I leave that to them. This is still quite a chauvinistic society…the men look ater the animals and the women fetch and carry.
When your not at the school, what are you missing the most? Apart from my girls (see above) I miss all of you enormously, and of course my own bosswoman! Oh, and I iss my workshop. (I might write about that in a blog.) Yes, I miss my cello too and Ill make up for lost time with pancakes when I get home

My heart simply aches with the generosity which you and our community are showing these people•

• 

Tatiana was concerned that you miss baked beans and pancakes. Hope you found our questions interesting, can't wait to hear your responses! see you soon :) 

Lots of love from Reception x x x

18 March 2011 06:41

My apologies for the doggerel, Mr Bird! I know you'll say I clearly have too much time on my hands...

I quite enjoy this Sanga lark,

I teach a bit and then I’ll park

Myself outside the tent and mark

Or watch the sky as it gets dark.

The people here are really sweet,

They love their porridge and I eat

(Or drink) it sometimes, neat,

Or with some sugar for a treat.

My cooking is of course divine,

No tummy probs, and that’s a sign

That rice and tinned fish feed me fine,

But yes, I miss a glass of wine!

When I go to bed at night

I’ll read a bit or then I might

Spend company with some website

BUT…

…Before off goes the light..

There’s always one thing I must do

(And you do, too, if you, like me

Can’t see a thing unless it’s through

Your glasses)-this I promise you is true:

YOU MUST KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM WHEN

YOU NEED TO PUT THEM ON AGAIN!

Mine go inside the Kleenex box

Away from shirts and jeans and socks.

So let that be today’s advice,

It’s time for tea, now, where’s the rice?

The poetry comp. is drawing near,

Do have a go, you need not fear!

We can’t all be Shelley, Keats or Lear

Just keep it short, precise and clear.

I hear that Mr D’s the judge,

I’d love to win, wink wink, nudge, nudge,

But he probably won’t budge,

Oh fiddlesticks, oh flip, oh fudge!