Experiencing school life in Kenya

 

We don't love the bus but it's the way we have to travel

On February 12th we surprised Evan and Josh and showed up unannounced at their school in Kenya! We didn't get a chance to see them over their midterm break because Eli was traveling so we went the week after. My favorite thing about last week was that we got to experience every day school life with both of them. We watched basketball practices, spied on Josh in the weight room, participated in class night, hung out with their friends, even got to take them and a big group of friends an hour away on Saturday to swim in a nice pool and eat a good lunch.

Judah LOVED the playgrounds! His face says it all, "Am I in heaven?"

We tried to see the boys every chance we got. The photo above was during their "Chai/Tea Break" that they have half way through the school morning.

We hiked all over campus

Josh in the weight room

Josh and his friend Silas are already getting ready for rugby season next term!

Evan at basketball practice

Sweet little spectator

Relaxing at the house where we stayed

This picture says it all. It just felt soooo good to be together!

One of the special events we got to participate in at school was Sophomore Restaurant. Joshua and his whole class hosted a restaurant for staff members and upper classmen to have a good meal and and an evening "out". The theme was Kung Fu Panda and the food was so good: potstickers, salad, sweet n sour chicken, and delicious chocolate cake for dessert. The night before restaurant, I got to help Joshua and the rest of his class with prep work in the kitchen. It was so good to hang out with his friends.

Josh and Silas doing dishes

10th grade dudes

So excited to have a date night!

Our fun table for the night

Our niece Abbie (on right) and Esme (Josh's girlfriend) offered to babysit Carson and Judah so we could have a date night.

Saturday was Pool Day

Evan's basketball game was cancelled on Saturday so we took our kids and a bunch of other friends to a pool an hour away for the day.

Evan & the Senior boys

Josh helps coach rugby for the titchies (elementary kids) so he invited Carson to join in. See Carson in the background?

Practicing tackles

One of Carson's favorite things to do on campus was challenge Eli to a chess game on this lifesize chess mat. Judah liked to add his own moves too.

In the end we had one full week at Rift Valley Academy. We enjoyed weather 30 degrees cooler, staying with good friends, chats with Evan and Josh's dorm parents, teachers, and coaches, and most of all, observing their life, their friends, and being assured yet again that this place truly is the best thing for them even though this mama was sure sad to come home without them.

Literacy Training

Last week I branched out from homeschooling my kindergartener to train early childhood teachers. Teaching children how to read and write phonetically is not a well known concept in Uganda and teachers aren't trained to use that method. It was so exciting to share the methods I've used to teach not only my own children, but students in South Sudan and Uganda too.

4 moms with babies attended and I was so impressed that they didn't even cause a distraction!

On the 2nd day I did a demonstration with Carson and his buddy Jonah, teaching a full lesson to them while the teachers watched. Carson and Jonah modeled it perfectly!

On the last day, every participant was required to teach their own lesson and it was so much fun to see their creativity and own ideas and training come together. How wonderful it could be if children in Uganda could begin learning how to read this way!

The icing on the cake for me was that after the workshop, several teachers who are teaching in preschools here in Adjumani told me they are going to incorporate phonetics into their curriculum and they even asked if I'd come observe them in their classroom so I can offer more feedback and advice. Isn't that awesome?!