Blog Number 8
January 31, 2008


This has been a real rollercoaster of a week! It started off on not a good note (see my last blog) and has ended really well.

On Tuesday during the poetry class the students did an outstanding job! We are working on writing poems that rhyme and keeping to a rhyme scheme. This was the second week of working on it and some of the poems that the students had were really good.

Just before Poetry on Tuesday, one of the students in my language art class asked me if I could do extra classes with him. I was not sure what this meant so after 10 minutes of questions I finally realized that he meant some extra tutoring. I talked to my teacher about this and he said that many of the teachers at the school go out to the students’ homes to do extra classes and provide extra help to the students in specific subjects. He said that generally the family would pay, or give the teacher something for doing this. I was really honored that the student asked so of course I said yes. We set it up and the student Derrick and I will meet after school for a half an hour 2-3 times a week. The help is in Spelling, so good thing I have all kinds of games to play for spelling that the extra classes should be really fun!

Today marks 51 years of the schools existence. Since it was founder’s day, rather then having class all day, the students had a planned program. All of the students were told that they did not need to wear their normal uniforms but were rather instructed to wear traditional cloth. I didn’t have any so I dressed as normal, however once I got to school all of the students and teachers asked where my traditional cloth was. In fact, when one teacher say that I didn’t have any she quickly went away and came back five minutes later to tell me that she had just sent out for some Kinte ( the cloth- not sure on the spelling) for me. 20 minutes later the teacher found me and draped it over my shoulder so that I would feel festive as well.

So the students’ day started off with a 2 hour mass and then everyone moved to the gathering all for the program. Some of the different things that took place were cultural dancing, class competitions on facts and spelling, a Kindergarten modeling show, impersonations (many were of their teachers) and more dancing.

That morning I had casually thrown my camera into my bag and I am so glad that I did. Seeing all of the children in their traditional clothing and seeing them do cultural dance was absolutely cool! At just about the beginning of the show my camera ended up running out of batteries, but this day was just too cool to miss so I ended up getting a taxi and running home to get my charger so I could come back and do it at school. I got some pretty awesome pictures from the day, but it really was cool just to be there and see all of the students’ and teachers all dressed up!

This weekend should be another pretty low-key weekend. I am hoping to go to the market just to look around. Also Ghana plays Nigeria in the African Cup this weekend on Sunday and I am currently trying to get tickets so I can go and watch it at the stadium, which would be SO cool!!

Love you all!
☺Chelsea☺