Though this saying is indeed true and the photo that I have chosen to speak for me is exceptionally notable, I must confess that I simply have not had time to draft a blog entry this week. However, I regard this as a good thing! I am honestly just too busy for computer work at the moment, having begun in earnest The Toa Nafasi Project on the ground at Msaranga Primary School!! Things are going amazingly well and I am very very very VERY happy (if a bit tired) with the progress.
Week One of the observation phase is in the bag and despite some bumps in the road - Monday, two kids throw up by 12:30pm and I joke that this is more toa matapishi (remove vomit) than toa nafasi (provide a chance); Tuesday, I am late for the second day in a row despite waking up at 5:45am, think mascara will be the first thing to go!; Wednesday, my car breaks down and I am forced to make a shameful return to public transportation; Thursday, I enter the "corruption-free zone" of the Department of Immigration to sort out my residence permit and, predictably, become incensed; Friday, I find myself with 37 pages of notes to transcribe!! - I am loving the project and the work is fulfilling.
The village is lovely and the people are remarkable; the school is definitely in need of help but the job will be worthwhile; and Mwalimu Vumi, the former nursery school teacher with whom I am conducting observation, is taking her duties very seriously. The second day, she asked me to bring her a notebook of her own so she could record her observations, and we sit and chat from 7:45am to 2:30pm Monday through Wednesday, talking about what we see, what we think, how we can help, our plans and next steps....everything. Already we have had some very funny moments and real breakthroughs together and working with her is really the best part of the experience thus far. More on that next week, but for now, just know that The Toa Nafasi Project is now FOR REALZ!!
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