January 22, 2009

Today was day four of the Namitembo Nursery School Montessori teacher training program. The students are learning how to conduct a good preschool program. They are also learning public relations by practicing giving tours to volunteers posing as visitors and donors. Chet came in yesterday pretending to be a wealthy potential donor. He offered to donate 10 goats to the school. That stopped the show for a while. The student was able to explain to him that they could let the goats eat the grass outside and eventually the goats would have babies that could be sold to make money for the school. It was a good catch on her part! (There won't really be any goats, at least not at this point.) Today, Chet appeared wearing a necktie and announced that he was a government official come to inspect the school.

There were also some real visitors to the nursery today. Two Irish physicians, who come to teach and work in Malawi for month-long stays three times a year, came to see the progress of the building and the training class. When we were introduced, I learned that one of them is Dr. O'Sullivan. A long lost cousin perhaps?

I've been noticing birds,bugs and other critters a bit more in the last few days. I need to find a bird book to identify some of them. The cockroach and spiders in the bathroom, the wiggling worms on the floor of our house this morning and the red centipede that emerged from the kitchen sink drain are all making sure I remember we aren't in Seattle right now. I'm also enjoying the plants and flowers, some which remind me a lot of home. The time that it takes for things to grow is much less here, where they can get in three crops a year if they choose.

Today I found a baby the same age as Wyatt. Chet and I each got to hold him for awhile. He feels just like our grandson! His name is Gregory and he is cuddly and adorable. I'll visit him often to keep abreast of what Wyatt might be doing while we're here.

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