Solo Trip to Town, Karate, Mild Illness, Rock Garden, and Pizza

What a strange mix of things ^^. Haha!!!

So, it's been a little while since I have last posted and so much has happened, so I'm going to try and quickly update everyone now!! Haha!!

Well, For the most part Wednesday was completely uneventful and I just taught school and read mostly. Thursday, school was fine, but the exciting thing was that I made my first solo trip to the market. I was so nervous, but I tried really hard to make sure no one else would notice. I got to the bus stop and hopped on the first bus that came by. My immediate fear was, "oh no!! What if I got on the wrong bus!!??" and my second thought was "Well, surely all buses must pass through town..." and my third thought was "Well, even if it doesn't go to town, the minute it diverts from the path to town, I will get off and I will walk until I either reach town on foot or am able to catch a bus that actually goes to town." Thus, I was prepared for anything. After arriving in town, I had to walk around a little bit before I found the supermarket that Matt had recommended to me so that I could buy items for the pizza that we were going to be making and also I wanted to check about buying granola bars (because I only have 2 left...Sad Day!!!) Well, I found it, and although it's larger than most supermarkets here, it is still tiny compared to US supermarkets and didn't have all that much in the way of foods I recognized. However, I was able to discover that they sell chips and chocolate. Thus, whenever I want, I can have a few reminders of home. However, I was very disappointed to find that they don't sell granola bars. I even went to a few other supermarkets, but they don't sell granola bars either. *sigh* Well, I got my purchases (just mozzarella cheese which turned out to be processed, sad day, but it was SOOO much cheaper than the real mozzarella. And oregano spices to put in the sauce). I got on the Kihonda bus for the return trip (I checked and double checked) and then I rather unintentionally made a big deal out of where I needed to get off by pulling out my Swahili phrasebook and reading off the Swahili for “I’d like to get off at ____”. I noticed that while I did this, the whole bus went silent, but I really didn’t care because I knew that the bus would stop where I needed it to and I wouldn’t have to worry about getting lost. Also, on Thursday while I was running at the International School, I ran into the man who in charge of the sports at the school. I asked about karate because I had seen on the school’s website that they offered karate, but he said they don’t have it anymore. Then he asked if I would like to teach it!! I was ecstatic!!! Hopefully, there will be enough students who are interested!! :D

Friday, school was fine. Classes 6 and 7 had tests and Class 5 worked on catching up on their work since we got behind. With them, some days are good and some days are bad. I’ve realized that I can’t trust them to work in pairs because they talk and don’t work and I can’t trust them to even work alone because they don’t think they understand my directions. Thus, I’m having to do lots of teacher led work with the hope that the students are catching on to what my expectations are. I don’t mind doing this most of the time, but it is frustrating when I give them the right answers on the board and they still get it wrong. I just don’t understand! All they have to do is copy! Oh well…

Friday, things took a nasty turn and I started feeling unwell. I had noticed the few days before that every time I touched my face or my arms or whatever, my skin was on fire, but I figured it must because I was hot. Also, I was so tired that it was hard to do anything, and I figured that it was just because I was still suffering for jet lag and catching up on sleep. But, now I really think it’s because my body was fighting off an illness hardcore and I’m pretty sure that I had a fever. Friday afternoon I was exhausted and didn’t want to move and I was experiencing some mild tummy problems (yes, I will put it that way to save you from the TMI moment). I’m not sure if it was something that I ate, but I really didn’t feel too well. Friday night, I felt like I walked through fire. I was sweating bullets and waking up about every one or two hours because I was so uncomfortable and my skin was on fire. By morning, I was exhausted. But, after relaxing for the morning, I was feeling much better and crazy enough, I really just wanted to run, so I went to the International School and ran. Yesterday afternoon, the family arranged for me to be able to go to the Rock Garden with my Swahili tutor. We took a taxi there and then we walked back to town and caught a taxi from there. It was nice, and very small, but I’ve included some pictures below so that you can see:

When I returned, I immediately got to work on making the pizza that we were supposed to make on Friday, but it got to be too late. It was quite the adventure and I was SOOO proud of myself when we finished. The dough actually rose the way it was supposed to and we were able to cut up mini sausages and pineapple to put on top. I was able to get the sauce just right with all the correct ingredients. And, in spite of not having an oven, we were able to cook the pizza quite well by sticking the uncooked pizza in a small pan and then covering it with a lid that had coals on top of it (thus creating a mini-oven). The only problem was that we had to make 3 small pizzas instead of one big one, so it took FOREVER to cook them all, but the result was FANTASTIC!! It was so great to have that as an American treat!! Pizza and a Coke, such an American dinner in a third world country. Haha!!! :D

The pizza in the frying pan and topped with a lid full of coals to create an "oven". Haha.

Pictures of one of the pizzas we made.

Two of the pizzas we made all cut up and ready to eat!! :D

Well, I guess I shall leave things off there for now. This morning was just church and I stayed again afterwards for the youth service. This afternoon, I ate lunch, journalled, did homework for my Kiswahili lessons, and took a quick nap. Now I’m posting this blog (because the electricity finally came back on) and I still need to grade the tests for Class 6 sometime before or after my lesson. Tonight I also plan on practicing karate. :D

“ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

    “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:1-8

Blessings, Love, and Peace,

~Christine