Sunday 22 July 2007

Day Five: Wednesday 5th - Finish first school, start second



So today was our final day with our first class in St. Peter's. it's been a fantastic introduction to our teaching and I think we'll be very fortunate if every class we get over the month is as motivated and as friendly as they have been. We covered a little bit of computer maintenence in the morning and then answered any questions that they might have had. While everyone else was busy teaching Dallan and Joe went off and met some locals and got a tour of a traditional Basotho hut which sound amazing. It's a small round hut with just one room and a kind of thatch roof and I definitely want to see one properly. After everything was done we had some tea and got ready for our presentation of certificates. The presentation was pretty amazing, everyone in our class passed and got a certificate which we are all pretty proud of considering the disparity between some peoples abilities. On one hand we had Tolo who pretty much flew through everything we taught him and was just a real inspiration and a massive indicator of how intelligent and bright the future of this country can be and then there was the people who were maybe slightly more advanced in years who struggled a little bit but still pulled through. We presented the certs and an Irish flag to cheers and some Xena Warrior Princess style screeching from Lucy the principal and my co-chief Anastacia. It was a sad farewell and there were a few people who we want to keep in touch with but we have to move onto more classes.
So we went straight from St. Peter's to our next school, Pitseng High School. Pitseng is slightly south of Butha-Buthe and we're staying near a little town called London. Unfortunately our bags are still in a different London. The new school is less rural than St. Peter's and better equipped. In the mornings in St. Peter it could take up to half an hour for computers to warm up but this lab is better insulated so we don't have to worry bout that. My initial impression of the new student is that they are slightly less impressed with us than St Peter's. They seem to have a done it all before attitude but hopefully we'll connect with them over the next two days. Our new accomodation is lovely with warm showers which is a massive bonus over here, particularly when theres no fresh clothes to change into. After dinner everyone is way too wrecked to get up to much after the pretty hectic day of goodbyes and hellos so it was off to bed for an early start in the morning.

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