Easy as 1, 2, 3

Today was wow. Great day, packed with juicy stuff. I want to write it all but I am exhausted and need to be up early tomorrow so I’ll offer the sparknotes version.

Notable event #1: I made friends my age(ish)! As I think I mentioned in previous posts, the people with whom I work, though I am coming to love them dearly, are a far cry from 18 years old. I’d say the median age is 42. However Baba preaches at a church called ICC (International Christian Center) on Sundays. The second mass is in English and therefore attracts many missionaries and international folk. Long story short, I found this group of missionaries, all young women in their early and mid twenties. We went out to lunch together after church. It was so great to talk to young people again. We are still in the formalities phase a little bit, but we exchanged numbers and I think hanging out with them every now and then will be an oasis

Notable event #2: Why do I have to get up early tomorrow? BECAUSE I HAVE MY FIRST FULL DAY OF TEACHING!! I know, all caps can be a little in your face, but it’s exciting news!!!! I am teaching English to six teen mothers. They speak no English whatsoever.

I found out that I begin tomorrow at four o’clock this afternoon, so I spent the late afternoon and whole evening preparing a lesson plan. I teach from 9 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon (wowzers) so there was a lot of planning to do. Not wanting to burn the girls out, I incorporated a mixture of English vocabulary, grammar, and songs that can be learned in a series of interactive activities. I hope and truly believe it will be enjoyable for them but stay tuned to find out.

Notable event #3: Josephine popped into my room tonight and picked up the only hard copy book I brought with me, The Vagina Monologues. She asked me what it is really about, so I read a few passages and she was moved. She asked me what I felt called to do after reading the book, and in a zig-zag way, I answered saying that I want to help tell the stories of women who need their stories to be told. We continued to talk about the subject for a short time, but Josephine had a long day and was very tired and went to bed quite quickly. Still, I know that she, given her occupation and reputation, will be extremely helpful with Operation Di*rt. The project has been on hold for a week or so, which is for the best because I need time to focus on Uzima and New Life. Still, my heart is in Operation Di*rt, and having the opportunity to talk about it truly made my night. I cannot wait to get started with it.