Africa Weekend

The supposed long weekend from Africa Day has come and gone. I was teaching Thursday, Friday and Saturday so it wasn't a long weekend for me. However I did have a fairly social one. I went with a friend to the Convent school production of Chicago on Friday evening. Noise control of the audience was definitely not like it was in our time at Convent. We were pleasantly surprised though by the talent shown, although the choice of musical for a Convent production was slightly questionable. One elderly nun coming out at interval looked slightly traumatised and I noticed she didn't come back for the second half. Apparently the costumes had been lengthened several times at the request of Sr Kudzai, the head.

After teaching on Saturday morning I headed out to Hatfield so see my friend Nina and her family. We went for a 3.2 km walk with Nina's baby. I raced back from Hatfield to go with a friend to Evening of Words at Reps Theatre and from there we went to Borrowdale to watch the Guy Ritchie film King Arthur. The film wasn't that King Arthur-y but was different. It was the first time I'd been to a film in the Prestige cinema. The reclining arm chair seats do put you in danger of falling asleep - it was a long movie.

Today I did lesson prep before heading out to the airport to pick up my friend Xenoula who is out from England to run dance outreach workshops in Epworth with Brian Geza. On the way I saw a man hobbling along the road with his leg in a cast. His thigh was exposed and was all raw and bloody. I felt I should have stopped to help him but didn't know what I would do. I wondered if he had been a victim of political violence. Our car mechanic said last week that there have been a number of bodies found in his area recently and they are thought to be political murders.

Back to the bank and trying to get fit

Well yesterday was Africa Day, but my students (or rather their parents) decided they all still wanted lessons. I had my four year old and grade 2 in the morning, then my Chinese student and form 3 in the afternoon. For my form 3 I have been trying to read more of the book Spies, but it turned out he was back to Macbeth at school, so we worked on questions on Act 3 Scene 1.

At lunch time I had my first ever session with a personal trainer in the garden of the flats where I'm house sitting. The trainer has been and still is trying to put a class together (anyone in Harare interested?) but for yesterday she gave me my own slot for $5! I only got home 5 minutes before she came and was literally pulling on my leggings as she rang the gate intercom. I am a little tender today but it felt good. To my dismay though I discovered I can't hold my foot up to my butt to stretch - that used to be so easy, sigh.

Last night I went to a braai and a farewell for one of the US marines who is base here for the embassy. Originally we were going to go to a Vietnamese dinner at Jam Tree with Gemma Griffiths playing, but unfortunately our booking was lost. The braai was nice and chilled though.

After teaching this morning I ventured once again to Barclays Bank to see if my payment had gone through to South Africa. When I first walked toward the bank I saw a dreaded queue snaking out the door and along the pavement down the street. I decided to ask what it was for and it turned out it was for drawing cash. I don't know how long those people had stood there. I went to the shorter queue. Several elderly white men were in the line behind me and one of them said they should be allowed to go to the front based on age. This happened as I got to the front. I let an 80 year old go ahead but next thing a whole lot of other younger people started pushing forward and saying they should also be allowed to go based on age. I began to feel a bit fed up as I had already waited in line for almost an hour. They eventually let me go ahead but it turns out my transaction hasn't gone through. I've been given a number to phone to enquire about foreign payments. Wish I could simply do this via the internet but I am lucky to not be one of the people who were queueing outside in the hope of elusive cash.

Of banking and Ecocash in Zimbabwe

Like most people in Zim many of my students' parents are struggling to find cash. As a result I am being paid by some by bank transfer and then others by Ecocash. I was happily accepting Ecocash until a few weeks ago when I needed to pay for much needed new glasses lenses and the optician didn't have the facility for Ecocash payments. I tried numerous outlets for Ecocash to try cash out but there is no cash to be had. (Ecocash is a mobile phone banking system where you can make payments on your phone to other people's accounts. Theoretically people deposit cash at an outlet and other people can then draw from this. I was told apparently the army was being paid by Ecocash, hence the severe shortage of cash. Everyday on the way to school we pass people queueing hopefully for cash in Arundel Village). I did finally find a solution to my glasses and now have better vision - I can actually see things clearly!

Today I needed to make a payment to South Africa and ventured into the bank for the first time in months. I was surprised that the queue was much shorter than what I have seen previously - where it is often snaking out the door. I joined what I thought was the right queue and got behind a man making a deposit of gazillions of dirty tattered one US dollar bills. This was going to take a while as he peeled the grubby notes apart. It turned out this was the queue if you were going to make a cash deposit. I went and joined a different line of people and had to try squish my irritation when people jumped ahead. Long story short I eventually submitted everything but have to check on Friday if it has gone through. Apparently online transfers invariably fail and it is better to go into the bank in person.

Am pretty busy with teaching as I take my four year old and his sister in grade 2 in the mornings and then have various students in the afternoon. Preparing my Chinese pupil for his grade 1 entrance test and trying to get him to remember nursery rhymes as this is one of the requirements. Realizing how random so many of them are, but he is picking up a few. We have been looking at power points of Barnaby Bear visiting different countries. In a huge oversight I forgot to get Barnaby Bear visiting China. I have rectified this, and we have also been to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Back to biochemistry & using kinaesthetic learning

Ran an art class everyday last week for 2.5 to 6 year olds, with an appearance of Philippe, a 1.5 year old. We had two students for the whole week and then two who came for one day. It was exhausting I won't lie but got me thinking creatively and researching up ideas of things to do - had to have extra projects in mind in case we got through everything ahead of time. I was also teaching a new grade 7 boy from Hellenic who lives on a farm but comes into town, my form 3 (we mostly looked at the book Spies but did some maths and bio) and then had my Chinese favourite (who had also been coming to the art - so double whammy).

Tomorrow I do an intensive study revision with a lower six from Peterhouse, who needs to go over biochemistry but is apparently a highly kinaesthetic learner. This is a challenge I won't lie. It is also hard to know where he is at with understanding and how to plan my lesson for the first one. Going to build models of molecules out of mini marshmallows and dry spagetthi (your idea, thanks Sheree) and also make colour coded cutouts to build up DNA. Still looking for more ideas and suggestions online. Am regretting giving a discount as the amount of prep this involves is possibly not worth what I'm charging, sigh, but it is good to get back to some biology.

This coming week will also be the Harare International Festival of the Arts. Will mostly be going to the music. There's a Korean pianist who is supposed to be in the top 20 in the world, there's a Greek group that will play Greek music as well as samba sort of music. Um, a Canadian that does a mixture of Josh Groban, Sarah McLaughlin and The Barenaked Ladies genre, a Serbian violinist and a German cellist, a South African chamber group that are twinning with a British guitarist, an Azerbaijan, Serbian and Austrian who will play classical music and then an Irish band. We're also going to a tenor and pianist from Portugal I think. Will have to be careful though travelling at night as a friend had a smash and grab near us last night.

For next term I suddenly may have a job homeschooling a 4 year old and a grade 2. Means I will be pretty busy as will still be tutoring in the afternoons. Have had someone offer me a classroom to teach from but it won't be worth it as paying rent will make what I earn much less. It's more lucrative to drive to people's houses, although it makes it tiring and is wear and tear of the car.

Easter house sitting

Have been able to chill a bit this week and last as I am down to one student - my four year old. His dad suddenly has been keen to have my mum teach him for some of the lessons. Was a little put out as I have a CELTA qualification but it turns out there is a grade one entrance exam at Sharon School in June. I therefore having to push the vocab, getting him to speak more fluently and go over things like nursery rhymes. My four year old does miss playing so I stay on a bit after tea and play with he and Bado the puppy. The current favourite game is he being a policeman and I'm the robber but I get given directions of where to run to in the garden with Bado bounding after me. He's getting good practice at giving directions - trying to get him to say left or right. My student's dad is keen for him to come to art classes I will be running with a friend the week after next.

Through friends I suddenly have some potential grade 7 students who all need help for the entrance exams. My form 3 and grade 6 may also start again after next week. I should enjoy the slower pace while it lasts. I have had a bit of dip mood wise though with not being as busy and having less structure to my day. I need to start my next sewing project - a giraffe and elephant mobile for a friend's baby. Hope to go get some felt and fleece tomorrow from Mount Pleasant Fashions.

Today's my first day house sitting but nearly had heart failure when I got here as the house keeper had already gone and locked the keys inside the flat - aaaargh. Was going to have to call a locksmith but luckily a couple from another flat nearby came to help and under my mum's suggestion the husband went and got his fishing rod and we got the keys that way - phew! Took Charlie for a walk and now settled in for the weekend. It is a lovely complex with a river flowing through and lots of pretty gardens.

The Avondale Stream flowing through.

Charlie

A bit of drama and the end of term

Last weekend I had a nice break up in Nyanga with some other friends. We stayed at the Blue Swallow time shares at Troutbeck. Whilst two of the guys fished - the reason for the trip, the rest of us chilled, played badminton, walked around the dams and visited the local Nyamoro Dairy. It turns out I snore rather loudly as my room mate couldn't take it and went and spent one night at the hotel. On the way home we stopped at World's View, which was surprisingly windy.

My drama was that before we left for Nyanga I'd gone to dinner with friends and on the way home we saw a house on fire. We went to see if we could help in any way and saw it was an elderly man standing in his garden with the domestic workers. It looked like he'd lost everything so I contacted Bambazonke to see if people could chip in to help him out. Well this well intended gesture seriously backfired as i first got an angry call from his daughter demanding to know who exactly I was and what organisation before saying they didn't need any help. I therefore told everyone who responded to my petition there was no longer a need. This week I got a really rude text message from the son saying how dare I infringe on their privacy and he was reporting me to the police for fraud for my request on Bambazonke. I am a bit affronted as it was meant with the best intent and I didn't get a thank you, instead just verbal abuse.

I had my last day of term with my grade one and my 9 year old yesterday. For the grade one I had a meeting with his parents. I told them about a particularly hard lesson on Tuesday when my student was aggressive and kept screaming and getting very worked up. The parents just said he gets like that and then tried to say they think he's being lazy. This along with not being allowed sick leave have made me decide to give my notice. I feel reluctant to give up on my student and my stubborn side doesn't want to let go but it is not a healthy situation for me.

My exciting news is that I will be visiting England again in August. I have one of my best friend's wedding just outside Paris and will then try see people in England. Now just have to see how to have spending money with the whole bond note situation here but will make a plan.

Went to Lin Barrie's exhibition at The Studio last night which was an enjoyable evening. She had also  painted on ceramics at The Studio. I got my bowl back that I painted at the depression support group meeting. It still didn't come out exactly like it was supposed to but was better than last time. Tonight I'm going to the Dance Trust of Zim show at Twin Rivers School. I spent this afternoon helping my form 3 with questions on the book Spies. He hadn't read the chapter we were doing so I gave him a bit of talk that he can't do literature if he doesn't read the material. Tomorrow there's a Chamber Orchestra concert at Arundel.

Lin Barrie's art and ceramics for wild dogs conservation.

My second attempt of pottery painting at The Studio.

Fighter planes and Macbeth

The last few days have been pretty busy as my form 3 needed extra sessions due to being off school with chicken pox (I think I've managed to not catch it - I haven't actually had it, eeek). Yesterday my Chinese four year old had me running up and down his front garden, racing against his puppy Badoo. As he can't whistle he used a metal one and was getting very excited when his puppy won, in between giving directions for where we should go and looking like an air traffic marshaller in the process.

Today I was tasked by him to draw fighter planes. I did a basic outline of a fighter jet and was told by my student he didn't like it. Oh dear. I tried to rectify the situation by doing an old fashioned aircraft with a propeller and double parallel wings. Fighter planes seem to have eclipsed dinosaurs at present. I think my plane drawing is going to have to improve. My student then drew some tanks which were actually pretty good. To one he had added a solar panel so it "moved with the sun" - I was very impressed with that.

For my grade one I have been told I need to be willing to give full commitment i.e. not have any sick days, if I am to continue next term. I can't guarantee I'm not going to be sick and as much as I'm making headway now it just isn't a totally viable situation. I have got a few more afternoon students. Will mean I could go to a morning art class next term.

Had a massage this morning by a friend who is studying it and wants bodies to practice on. Nearly fell asleep on the table which is a good sign. Tomorrow I have to help my form 3 with an essay on Macbeth writing from Banquo's perspective on Macbeth's behaviour after having seen the witches. I will be fairly familiar with Macbeth by the end of this. After that I will be joining up with others from the depression support group to paint pottery at The Studio.