Preparation day today. I create a giant map of Africa to put on the wall of the one of the older children's classrooms, and hopefully role out a few lessons using it. A lot of kids don't seem to know much about their continent, other than the "colonial masters". I think this is missing the point somewhat. Think Okavango, Pyramids, Lake Victoria, Sahara and trading kingdoms of Southern Africa. Awesome.
I ponder all such things as I take haircut at my local barber "Frankies". I ask him if he finds it difficult to cut white people's hair. He contemplates. "Yes..... but not impossible." He then proceeds to make a very fine job if i say so myself. Its great to see someone give you really good service and just take a pride in what they do. Can't help laughing at his "Time For Viagra" clock nestling on the wall next to Ronaldo's poster. Did he collect vouchers to get it, and if so, would you advertise the fact?
Finally get some western batteries as the local ones are pretty hopeless- You know they're not up to much when you can crush them with you fingers. Now i will be able to "snap people", as Catherine puts it. I love the expression. "Beep" is my current second favourite and means to call someone e.g "I beeped you earlier, but you didn't even notice" Ha Ha.
No sooner are the Duracells in place than C informs me that the Ju Ju Man is coming! The Ju Ju man is a sort of spiritual character who appears at funerals in the form of a man replete with grass attire, some paint and a great big wooden African mask (sorry sis, don't think I could fit it in my bag). He heads up the funeral cortege and it just so happens one is going past now (C's uncle). She insists on hiding out and papping Ju Ju without getting caught- "if you do, it will be big money". We choose the small store in front of the house and I manage to get a good shot of him through the lollipop stands on the counter. Suitably impressed, C rattles off a few efforts of her own. She loves her camera.
Later on at the viewing, she snaps the corpse and then the very unmerry widow. "Why are you crying?" she asks her with incredulity. "Your husband is already dead". "Everybody was laughing" she tells me.
No SOW on wheels today due to the annual PTA meeting at the school. I attend the first half but leave before it gets really juicy with the parents question session. I'm informed they always have lots to complain about. As I walk out the door, the minutes from last years meeting are read out and detail the "One chicken, one child" scheme from last year, where children took home a chicken and took care of it: "Unfortunately, last year some parents made their children lie about the fate of the chicken....". The meeting is serious and it's good to see so many parents taking an interest in their kids education.
Walk down to the "Banana pitch" (no, it isn't banana shaped) in a nearby village and take in the latest installment of the competition. The half time talk centres on abortion. The game ends in a 0-0 stalemate, as the sun sets over the plantation, and we all merrily trot back into town.
I ponder all such things as I take haircut at my local barber "Frankies". I ask him if he finds it difficult to cut white people's hair. He contemplates. "Yes..... but not impossible." He then proceeds to make a very fine job if i say so myself. Its great to see someone give you really good service and just take a pride in what they do. Can't help laughing at his "Time For Viagra" clock nestling on the wall next to Ronaldo's poster. Did he collect vouchers to get it, and if so, would you advertise the fact?
Finally get some western batteries as the local ones are pretty hopeless- You know they're not up to much when you can crush them with you fingers. Now i will be able to "snap people", as Catherine puts it. I love the expression. "Beep" is my current second favourite and means to call someone e.g "I beeped you earlier, but you didn't even notice" Ha Ha.
No sooner are the Duracells in place than C informs me that the Ju Ju Man is coming! The Ju Ju man is a sort of spiritual character who appears at funerals in the form of a man replete with grass attire, some paint and a great big wooden African mask (sorry sis, don't think I could fit it in my bag). He heads up the funeral cortege and it just so happens one is going past now (C's uncle). She insists on hiding out and papping Ju Ju without getting caught- "if you do, it will be big money". We choose the small store in front of the house and I manage to get a good shot of him through the lollipop stands on the counter. Suitably impressed, C rattles off a few efforts of her own. She loves her camera.
Later on at the viewing, she snaps the corpse and then the very unmerry widow. "Why are you crying?" she asks her with incredulity. "Your husband is already dead". "Everybody was laughing" she tells me.
No SOW on wheels today due to the annual PTA meeting at the school. I attend the first half but leave before it gets really juicy with the parents question session. I'm informed they always have lots to complain about. As I walk out the door, the minutes from last years meeting are read out and detail the "One chicken, one child" scheme from last year, where children took home a chicken and took care of it: "Unfortunately, last year some parents made their children lie about the fate of the chicken....". The meeting is serious and it's good to see so many parents taking an interest in their kids education.
Walk down to the "Banana pitch" (no, it isn't banana shaped) in a nearby village and take in the latest installment of the competition. The half time talk centres on abortion. The game ends in a 0-0 stalemate, as the sun sets over the plantation, and we all merrily trot back into town.
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