Rough Sketch of Daily Life

     I’ve been in Africa for only a week now, but have already had enough time to feel a sense of community, a sense of routine in my home within Bishop Bismark’s compound.  With all of the busyness in preparing for the West End Pres. visit, people’s days have been varied.  Luckily for me, as a teacher for Gaby and Liana, my days have had some consistency.

A rough sketch of life for me:

My day usually starts around 7:30, so I can be in the schoolroom at 8:30.  Most of the other girls on the team get up at 6:30 so they can squeeze in a P90X workout.  I have yet to join in on the fun, mainly due to laziness, but also due to the fact that I’ve left my capri workout pants back in the states!  I’m hoping that one of my teammates can pick me up some when they go into Kenya in a couple weeks.  If not, I may be running the streets of Mundri in a long, flowing skirt! 

Breakfast usually consists of coffee with granola and yoghurt.  Michael picked up about 90 eggs while in Juba, so we have recently been indulging omelettes!  The market in Mundri has been meager in the past couple of months, so the team rejoices when eggs, peppers, and zucchini are available for consumption.

The energetic Gaby (9 years old) is my first student of the day, and I often find him on the floor of my room, barefooted and content, doing his homework even before class has started!  He is an eager and bright learner and does everything I ask without complaint.  We take turns reading, and both pour out as much character and energy as we can into the characters—anything to turn learning time into playtime.  A lot of laughter echoes through the room during his lessons.  What an encouragement he is! 

After a 30-minute break I teach Liana, his thirteen-year old sister.  She is at my all-time favorite age to teach, when she’s becoming more self-aware and is experimenting with life in the adult world, as opposed to a kid’s world.  More reserved than her younger brother, she takes more coaxing into speaking up and volunteering her answers, but when she finally braves an answer, it is always spot on!  She is a grammatical whiz, and loves looking at the roots of words.  I’m astounded at her vocabulary, which is a result of much Latin study.  She is slightly worried to tackle the dreaded essay next school year, but I know that if I can show her through our time together how brilliant she is, she will be more confident with the pen. 

After school I fix a lunch, which can be anything from leftover stews to wraps or p.b.& j. sandwiches.  I’ve been introduced to the delicious passion fruit, a hard, round shell of a fruit with tart, orange pulp and seeds on the inside.  The tartness of it always makes me break out in a sweat, but it is worth it. 

My days have recently been filled with orientation and time spent with my teammates.  As the new girl, I have a lot to learn about the individuals on the compound and about how the team functions.  Luckily for me, we all see each other so often that the learning curve is quite steep.  A couple of times during the day I have ridden my bike into town to get Arabic lessons.  The beautiful Karen and Wendy can speak superb English and are more than willing to answer any questions I have.  I’m hoping to spend more time with them and develop a friendship, as Karen and I both already have a love of literature and are close in age. 

Food prep takes some time given the amount of people being fed (around 15), so the process of chopping, boiling, thawing, and smashing various food items can begin as early as 3.  Dinner is around 6 and is usually followed by some bootlegged entertainment.  Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and various comedy television shows are the popular ones on the team.  There has been word of some Wes Anderson showings in the near future and I have been rallying for that. 

Bedtime for me is anywhere from 9:30-11.  It just depends on how much I have physically exerted myself earlier that day.  There are ample spots to find shade, so I’ve been lucky to not have to stand directly in the sunlight, as I had worried.  So far, I haven’t even the slightest hint of a burn on me!

I have been blown away by the comfort of my tukul (cement hut).  Not only do I have large, decorative windows and a living room with furniture, but I also have endless bookshelves, working lights, and a fan for those hot nights during the dry season.  The only nuisance I’ve faced thus far is a certain little bird that likes to sing out the same loud, obnoxious tune starting at 6:00 am. 

Sorry for all the nitty gritty details, but I know some people wanted to know the specifics of day-to-day life.  I will write more about interactions in the community and Mundri education later!

Keep me in your prayers!