Easter unicorns and April Fools

Happy Easter to those who celebrate and chag kasher v'same'ach" (חַג כָּשֵׁר וְשָׂמֵחַ) for those who had Passover. I still believe in a God but I feel reluctant to be tied to religion and having to commit to church and going every Sunday. I may not be as spiritual as I once was. I don't know if it's from being on lithium or if I have just changed. Therefore didn't go to church this morning but did still reflect on things a bit. Instead I went to a three year old birthday party for a friend's little girl. It was a gloriously sunny morning and we sat out under the trees. I dashed out the house and sadly left my proper camera behind but made do with my phone (but it seems to corrupt my photos soon after I take them so I have to back them up with screen shots - irritating. I think I need a new memory card, I don't think it's the phone). It was a unicorn themed party and the little girl turning three had a shiny horn and ears replete with rainbow hair on an alice band which was very cute. I think she had a ball and despite the large amounts of sugar on hand none of the littlies had a melt down.

Dashed back just in time for my Easter Sunday Zoom lesson with my Chinese five year old. I did another bit on Easter and it's meaning and told him about hot cross buns - pity couldn't offer him some over the internet to try. He did draw me some. I have been drawing him stars when he does well on his reading but today he took it upon himself to award himself some before he had finished reading. Cheeky monkey. When I said goodbye I gave him the rhymes See you later alligator, in a while crocodile and some others. He thought this was really funny but as a reply simply said bye bye. I will have another session online with him on Tuesday after he finishes nursery school. Apparently the thing that made him the most apprehensive at his new school was the enforced afternoon nap time.

Off just now for drinks with friends. There was a beautiful sunset and moonrise last night. Wishing you all a restful rest of your Easter Sunday.

Curiosity

Started the day with an 8 am Zoom lesson with my five year old in China. He is a lot chattier and was chortling away when he drew me squashed Easter eggs on the screen that he said the Easter Bunny had sat on. We looked at all things to do with Spring and practised some reading and writing in between Easter egg drawings. After I finished the lesson, a friend picked me up and we drove out to Ruwa to take mealie meal and some other basic groceries to the Tirivanhu psychiatric rehabilitation centre. Talked to some of the patients and handed the supplies over to the person in charge. There were a few more women patients there compared to the last time I went out. The one lady kept repeating that she really isn't well.

Did some work and then picked up a friend for tea and hot cross buns before driving to Chisi to go along to a JW memorial of Christ's death. I went partly out of curiosity and partly out of respect to the friend who invited me. Everyone was dressed very smartly and the service was similar to other Christian gatherings. Luckily was told that you don't actually eat the bread or drink the wine at communion - I think I would have done so otherwise - you simply look at them and pass them on. The concept of heaven and how many people go in is also
different. It was an interesting evening.

Tomorrow I've got a friend's three year old's birthday and then have another Zoom lesson. Managed to fit in a swim today before it turned chilly again. I think it may be one of my last swims as winter is fast encroaching, but it is still raining lots.

Good Friday

Yesterday only ended up teaching one student. We started going over the major themes and character development in Macbeth. Finally thanks to my friend Nina located a study guide for the book Spies. Need to go through it and see what we can work on from that these holidays. After teaching I went and had a cup of coffee at Alo Alo and it was nice to chill in their garden. Arundel suddenly became bustling at around 12 when schools ended and people started stockpiling for the holiday. Pick'N'Pay actually ran out of Easter eggs! Had personal training with a new instructor as my normal lady is busy preparing for her wedding next weekend. The new person pushed me to new levels. Had to balance doing a plank on weights and lift up my arms into rowing from that - goodness gracious me! Surprised myself in managing though. Bit sore today.

From there I went to my second attempt at seeing my psychiatrist for a check up (last time I gave up after waiting for an hour and a half and rescheduled). Well yesterday I walked in and there were only four people waiting compared to over ten last time. I thought I should be out fairly soon. Um no! Waited over two hours for what ended up being only a twenty minute consultation. It is times like this when I miss my previous doctor where I waited a maximum of ten minutes, sigh. Am reducing my lithium levels as I have developed hand tremors. Need to still up it though when I have PMT. I forgot to up it this last month and hit a low but apparently in future I can up the lithium if I hit a low. Spoke to my psych about helping people who are not on medical aid but need to see a psychiatrist to be prescribed medication. He had an idea of getting a psychiatric nurse at a clinic who can dispense medication and be overseen by psychiatrists. This sounds like a viable option. I need to contact ZIMNAMH (Zimbabwe National Association for Mental Health) and find a clinic that might be willing to come onboard with this. We could fundraise to help provide medication. So it's sounding promising and hopefully can help those who desperately need help and medication but just can't afford it.

Had a farewell braai for the two friends who got married recently last night, as they head back to Deutschland today. Laughed a lot and we sat round the fire afterwards and two other friends played the guitar and we sang (or tried to) along. At one point the almost full moon had a rainbow halo round it which was really cool.

My Chinese student in Xi'an doesn't obviously observe Easter so we soldier on with lessons this weekend, today and Easter Sunday. I have put together a lesson today though on Easter and Pesach (he should know a bit about Passover from going to Sharon, the Jewish school here in Harare). On Tuesday at my school one of the grade 7's dressed up as the Easter Bunny and went and hid Easter Eggs for the grade 1's and 2's. One little boy looked out the window and saw this and went and tapped his friend on the shoulder and said "You see I told you the Easter Bunny's real!"

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Back to Synapses

It's back to A2 bio on Thursday with my Iranian student. Have been putting together a revision lesson on the rest of biodiversity and then coordination in the endocrine and nervous systems. Just found some audio book options for Spies for my form four student and was sent a video of my Chinese five year old's little brother starting to walk in China - very cute.

Sports day went well at the school this morning. All the kids gave it their best and some of them were really chuffed to have their mums and dads there cheering them on. At one point though one of the students from the group I was in charge of decided to put the bucket on his head instead of holding it to catch a ball. At least he wasn't pinching the little boy in front of him today. The little ones were thrilled with their Easter egg hunt and the older students who didn't believe in the Easter bunny were pleased to get an egg at the end of the morning. Now the fun starts with preparing for next term. I am going in again tomorrow morning to sit down with the head and need to get cracking.

Think I didn't explain what the fundraising for mental illness is for very clearly. It would be to try help those who need to specifically get medical assistance and be prescribed medication but who can't afford to as they are not on medical aid and can't afford consultation fees. For things like bipolar you need to see a psychiatrist as you have to get medication prescribed by them. A social worker can't help with this and in some cases a GP can't either. Watched the video below and thought it did a very good job of describing depression and bipolar.

Going to a piano recital celebrating the centenary of Debussy's death at Alliance Française tomorrow evening. 

J'ai laissé mon stylo rouge

Got a bit more direction from going in to school today and going through more stuff with the teacher that's leaving. Do feel the weight of having five grade sevens I have to get into high school next term though. They are at different levels. Some are going to try for St Christopher's that caters for children with learning difficulties. There aren't really enough high schools that accommodate these children sadly. Tomorrow's the sports day and I officially take over. Will probably have to go in again on Wednesday to discuss things with the head. Two of the little boys keep bursting out with "Don't stop believing ...". I think it's rather sweet.

Feeling a bit flat and low. I should have upped my lithium last week with PMT, which could explain it. Also just tired.

Misplaced my red marking pen - had left it at my Chinese French student's. It's now the most important pen I have. Am a sucker for punishment as I volunteered to mark the last two mental tests for the other teacher. It's done now. My French student is going to be doing his DELF level one exam. We need to up the grammar.

Looking forward to friends from Australia and England arriving next week. Trying to see if we can go to Imire. The other exciting thing today was hearing I am now an aunt and have a newborn nephew.

Every move I make

I can feel every muscle I used yesterday - definitely did a thorough workout. Ever so slightly owee. Think the wood chops with the kilo ball in particular are letting me know all about it today. I stayed home this morning and worked on the last wetland report. Got up later than usual - first lie in for a while. Teaching-wise I only had my Chinese ten year old for French this afternoon. Monkey, he tried to tell me he hadn't learnt the future tense after all but he had told me he had last lesson. After we did a bit he admitted he had learnt it at school. We did a bit more on the French Revolution and he enjoyed the meme below, although he tried to tell me that Louis XVI's real name was Ronaldo.

Have a Zoom lesson with my five year old in China tomorrow morning bright and early. His mum asked to keep the lesson simple, so we will look at Peppa Pig and some of the Oxford Reading Tree. Am supposed to go out to the Tirivanhu mental health rehabilitation centre in Ruwa tomorrow afternoon with a friend. They need mealie meal so will get some with money raised from raffles at the Tuesday quiz. Was supposed to see my psychiatrist on Tuesday this week for a check up but I waited an hour and a half and there were still three people he had to see before me. I couldn't wait any longer so have to go back next week. Will ask him about what he suggests for helping people who need to see a psychiatrist but aren't on medical aid and can't afford it. There are a lot of people in this situation. Can see if a fund can be set up that psychiatrist's can draw upon maybe - still thinking about it. The other thing was the need for more social workers.

Tomorrow evening is the Eisteddfod Honours Concert at the International School. Sunday I teach again in the morning online and then have a braai, followed by a bible study where I am house sitting. 

Almost Friday and End of Term

Today was my last teaching day at school for this term. I will go in again on Monday to get handover notes and then go help with the sports day on Tuesday. Am going to have to keep up to date with current affairs. One of my students asked me about the northern white rhino that died yesterday today.     Luckily did know about it. Also will need to know a bit on pop culture it seems. Quite a few of the boys like drawing superheroes. I do at least know what Wakanda is but was told about Max #10. My students absolutely love swimming. I get asked at break time by at least five of them if there will be a swimming lesson at the end of the morning. Even the students that aren't strong swimmers are eager. I think it helps them release energy and I have a hard time getting them all to get out of the pool at the end.

Tackling the last wetland report this evening for Tafara. It is quite different from the other sites I've visited and there is a lot of spiritual significance to parts of it. Need to get it written up.

Had my last training session with my fitness instructor today before she gets married. Will have someone else take me for the two weeks and will then start again with her after that. She punished me with quite a cardio routine with EMOMs (every minute on the minute) and then repeats. Definitely pushed my endurance.

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