One month down, only one more to go!

      I have made the conclusion that weeks here are never going to go by slowly. I have been in South Africa for a whole month now! Despite the play being over, this week was just as busy with school related activities and spending time at the LeBone Center.
      This week I started teaching a mini unit on Christmas around the World. It is extremely odd talking about Christmas when it is ninety degrees out! Looking up how Christmas is celebrated around the world has been very fun and the students love 'traveling' to different countries and choosing our next 'destination.' On Wednesday we travelled to China where we made origami boxes and also learned how Christmas is celebrated Down Under.  Friday we went to Brazil where we picked our amigo secreto, which is similar to Secret Santa, and then tomorrow we go to Ireland! On Thursday night I made a batch of salt dough so that we could paint ornaments sometime this week, and both of my grade three classes are busy decorating their rooms with nativity scenes, paper chains, and Christmas tree ornaments.

The nativity scene in the back of the classroom!

Folding our origami boxes on a civies day (no uniforms)

       On Friday I experienced my first Food Tech with Debbie's third graders. The Food Tech room is located in the basement of the school and has two large islands for the students to sit aound, four sinks for dishes, cupboards for all the dishes and ingredients, a refridgerator, and two stoves/ovens! We made a delicious chocolate cake from scratch and even made the frosting! The students were very self efficient, as soon as they were done with a bowl they headed over to the sink to wash it, and when they mixed ingredients in they counted to ten to make sure they were sharing the responsibility. From the teacher point of view I do not think I have heard "Mrs. Kent, Mrs. Kent" or "Miss L., Miss L." so many times, but I can't blame the students for wanting to make sure their cake turned out the right way!

Carefully stirring!

      After school on Friday we headed out to Port Alfred with Angela, one of the grade four teachers, who had to take her son to an eye appointment there. We spent another beautiful afternoon at the beach and got a quick snack at a restaurant that looked over the ocean. After we got back we quickly got ready for a Braai at the Wyvern. A Braai is like a Barbeque in the United States, but more official. For dinner they had an amazing salad with strawberries and avocados in it, rolls, curried chicken squires, lamb chops, and a potato bake. Interesting fact about a Braai: it is acceptable to use your hands! It was a nice evening spent with a lot of the teachers from Kingswood that have been so welcoming to us! After the Braai we headed out with some of the teachers sons and daughters who are home from school now for the holiday. The Rat and Parrrot was extremely crowded as exams are finally coming to an end. At Rhodes classes ended at the end of October and they 'write exams' for over a month!



         On Saturday, April, Leah, and I headed into Grahamstown to run some errands. We went to a photo printing place to get some pictures of our LeBone kids that we will give them as goodbye gifts. We also went into a bunch of little shops and boutiques and of course our favorite little market shop. The market shop is called 'Under the Arch' because it is under an arch that leads to Rhodes University, similar to if there was a shop under the big Grand Valley arch. A lot of the products they sell there they purchase from people who live in townships that have created some sort of craft or souvenire item, needless to say I love going in there and supporting the people of Grahamstown:) After a fun day of shopping we went over to Angela's house to go swimming. Of course twenty minutes after arriving the clouds rolled in! Saturday night we convinced Aegean to go out to dinner with us, so the four of us went to the Yellow House again and had dinner outside on the roof!

Me with Nikita, Shanelle, Megan, and Clint from the LeBone Center

      Today, Sunday, will be a busy day with lesson plans and getting ready for another week. I have my second and last observation with Jean on Tuesday! We are also going to another Braai that one of April's students parents invited us to. Then tonight we are planning our trip to Cape Town with my friend Maryke!



A view of the cottage/flat from the sliding glass door of the house,
so as you can tell they are very close!



The House on Fitzroy St.

Thanks for reading:)