Today is Stressful Thursday. As always. I am at Girls' College fixing for all the concerts that are happening soon soon. In an hour we have music group practice, since we are then playing at the Form 1 orientation day, then more practice, then hopefully three lessons, then a get together with all my students, to get ready for the student concert on Tuesday. We are playing Twinkle Twinkle in three different variations. Exciting. I am so terribly proud of all of them, thay have learnt so much in a year and are all enjoying it, which makes me even happier. Yesterday little Jamie-Lee brought both her mum and gran to the lesson, because she likes it so much. Made me really happy.
So on Monday I came back from three days in Harare. Took the frightfully early bus up on Satur`ay mopnin( `fter @ri``y nhdhpr Rapiapy So`w thph$pur`r%fdh`p%w`lu`d'ano`a d'd`w&`a#bgradas`d!fcifgn`(!Lf`a.`h'ebpr%fobeph!Barepg%pg%repm%d`r)`q.`i.cberile`b!yn`c,oed|`'(ych`f/lloget`e){s all the way in to town, where I was picked up by Frank Rae. He and his wife Elisabeth live in Gran and Grandad's old house on Mount Pleasant Dr. It was fascinating to see the place I slightly remember from last time I was in the country, 13 years ago. In my memories things were a whole lot bigger! I spent the night fighting a pack of mozzies that kept me awake too long, then eventually gave up. Sunday morning we went for brunch with their homegroup, which was interesting and very tasty. I met people who knew both gran and dad. Amongst them were Ingrid and Ron Marks.
After another nap (I saw this trip as a little holiday) Frank and I headed off to see Elisabeth sing in Handel's Messiah in Arundel School Chapel. Very nice. During the wine and cheese afterwards I met Francis Podmore and his wife, who wanted alot of updates on the family. Sunday night I drenched myself in mozziespray (by then I already had around 25 evil bites) and tricked the horrible mozzies into the bathroom, away from my sleep.
Monday I headed off to Emirates to buy a ticket, and then we visited an orphanage that got some help before enjoying a wonderful lunch at The Cottage. A little oasis in town. After all this I jumped on the afternoon bus back and arrived in the dark evening in town to be picked up by Maria.
With us now we have Joe and Maria's son Stephen with girlfriend Line, and Joe's brother Dan. So once again we fill up the house. We are lucky we have borehole water or there would be problems. Apparently the city of Bulawayo now only has water left for 38 days. Then the dams are dry. The rain situation here is absolutely terrible and there are many rain-prayer meetings being held because of it. I really hope we get some soon. The heat has been stupid the last few days and this morning we got a little bit, but we need the big drenching rains, not the little dainty ones. Sigh. Anyhow. I better print out all the music I just arranged, so the girls have something to play. Toodeloo!
Thursday 22 November 2012
Monday 5 November 2012
Ten months into the game
Right. So. After quite an extreme blog pause, I am back. Not back from anywhere special (except a long day at work), but none the less back.
I can hardly think of what to write about what has happened in the time that has elapsed since last time I wrote. You know, it's weird but somehow I've forgotten a lot of it. I think everyday life does that to you. It blends together and makes a mush of lessons, planning, chats, papers, lessons, papers, notes, pens, driving, lunch, frustration and laughter. All in all; not boring, but very busy. And today I found out I am to be even more busy the last week of November and first week of December, due to concerts, that I now for the first time am on the teacher-side of. Phew, so much work to be done. And so much music to be written and arranged. Mostly Christmas carols.
Otherwise, more unusual things I have done are:
Gone to CBC leaver's dance with a fascinator in my hair.
Experienced more lightning than I have ever before.
Danced in the rain til I was soaked through and through.
Spent my last night as a teenager being violently sick.
Turned Twenty!
Had Birthday Dinner and Birthday Lunch. (on different days)
Got lovely presents.
Played with glow sticks for the first time in my life.
Skyped a lot.
Taken care of a choir consisting of 80 teenage girls by myself.
Participated in Girls' College Speech Day (typ skolavslutning fast Mycket mer formellt.), which demanded twelve hours of work.
Built blanket forts.
Etc.
Really, a lot has happened and even more lies ahead. I now definitely understand the necessity of weekends, although some of them make me more tired than the week days.
The weather has been interesting, first stupidly hot, then rain and really cold and cloudy (for being here), and now it's getting hotter again. I now appreciate clouds much more than when I first came here. The midday sun can be so very harsh. Not to say that I long for the dreary yucky autumn I imagine they have in Sweden now. I am very happy to be here right now.
People keep on asking me if I am really leaving, and then why. Sometimes I do wonder, but mostly I know that my time here soon is up, more places need to be found. Right now I can think of one special place that needs deep exploring and that is my pillow. It has been a long day (my statement that I don't work on Mondays is a big fat lie, I have realised). So night night people!
I can hardly think of what to write about what has happened in the time that has elapsed since last time I wrote. You know, it's weird but somehow I've forgotten a lot of it. I think everyday life does that to you. It blends together and makes a mush of lessons, planning, chats, papers, lessons, papers, notes, pens, driving, lunch, frustration and laughter. All in all; not boring, but very busy. And today I found out I am to be even more busy the last week of November and first week of December, due to concerts, that I now for the first time am on the teacher-side of. Phew, so much work to be done. And so much music to be written and arranged. Mostly Christmas carols.
Otherwise, more unusual things I have done are:
Gone to CBC leaver's dance with a fascinator in my hair.
Experienced more lightning than I have ever before.
Danced in the rain til I was soaked through and through.
Spent my last night as a teenager being violently sick.
Turned Twenty!
Had Birthday Dinner and Birthday Lunch. (on different days)
Got lovely presents.
Played with glow sticks for the first time in my life.
Skyped a lot.
Taken care of a choir consisting of 80 teenage girls by myself.
Participated in Girls' College Speech Day (typ skolavslutning fast Mycket mer formellt.), which demanded twelve hours of work.
Built blanket forts.
Etc.
Really, a lot has happened and even more lies ahead. I now definitely understand the necessity of weekends, although some of them make me more tired than the week days.
The weather has been interesting, first stupidly hot, then rain and really cold and cloudy (for being here), and now it's getting hotter again. I now appreciate clouds much more than when I first came here. The midday sun can be so very harsh. Not to say that I long for the dreary yucky autumn I imagine they have in Sweden now. I am very happy to be here right now.
People keep on asking me if I am really leaving, and then why. Sometimes I do wonder, but mostly I know that my time here soon is up, more places need to be found. Right now I can think of one special place that needs deep exploring and that is my pillow. It has been a long day (my statement that I don't work on Mondays is a big fat lie, I have realised). So night night people!
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