it's true what they say...

I know I haven't posted in awhile, training is a lot of the same with not too many landmark events. Its crazy to believe that in just 9 days I will be swearing in as a Peace Corps volunteer! The last three weeks we have been doing something called model school where we have been teaching around 700 students each morning. It has been really fun and a lot of work to plan lessons and teach in the middle of also attending tech sessions, language class, and sessions on health, cross cultural, safety and security. The days have been long and sometimes mundane but there have been a few highlights that I would like to share.
For one thing, it was wonderful to teach the kids in our classes. The sheer fact that PC administration was able to find 700 students who wanted to just for fun come to school on their holiday break is pretty amazing. The kids are so motivated and eager and there was more than one moment when I teared up at the overwhelming preciousness of them! There is no way you could get kids in the states to come to three weeks of school on break. I realized just how different it is to teach English as a second language as opposed to teaching an English class in the states. I guess teaching wasn't really something I was worried about in coming here but I now realize that it is going to be incredibly difficult to learn to teach kids english who literally speak no English. struggle. and challenge. I am definitely open to good ESL resources that anyone might know of.
Another highlight was last weekend we look a trip on Sunday to a national park. We drove in a bus for three hours through the AMAZING countryside of Rwanda, waited for an hour and a half to pay and be admitted, went for an hour long hike, got caught in a torrential thunderstorm that included hail in the middle of the rainforest, waited for another hour and a half for the second group to finish and then drove three hours back. All in all, a lot fo travel time for a fairly short hike but worth it. It's apparently true what they say, it does rain in the rainforest...a lot. It also hails in tropical rainforests, lesser known fact....I guess hailforest didn't have the same ring to it. In short, this country is amazingly beautiful and its very exciting to slowly by slowly start to feel at home here.
A few other highlights have been our weekend dinners. There is a guys house just near to ours in our little village of Muganda Mure and every weekend we think up creative things to cook. We have made some amazing stirfrys, veggie fajitas, bean burgers, PUMKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD (shout out to Annie for rocking that! on a charcoal stove no less), french toast, pumpkin soup and grilled cheese! Basically we eat the same thing every day at the center and so when we get the freedom to cook ourselves we take advantage and go big!
The other major major highlight as of late is, of course, today! Well, and yesterday. Yesterday (Christmas Eve) we had a big white elephant gift exchange which was great because Rwandans have a love of all that is cheesy and flashy so finding entertaining gifts was not a problem. Especially popular this season was the Obama swag-beanies, bags and belt buckles. There were also a lot of ridiculous children's toys and a few american candy bars that people had gotten in packages from the states (those went quickly). Then we had a talent show and the people from my Muganda Mure (farside as we call ourselves) clique performed Crayola Doesn't Make a Color. It was fun, and I was thoroughly impressed with the talent in our training group! There were dances, karate, songs, spoken word and even a re-inactment of the Hiphopapotamous! then we had a big dance party and ate fries! haha This morning I went to a very long, very warm but very enjoyable Christmas church service and now I am about to go eat christmas chili at the center! Tonight I get the best present of all because my very own Joelee is coming to visit and its going to be such a blessing to have him here!
I definitely am feeling some homesickness loud and clear today but I know that this day is just as special no matter where in the world I am and I am so grateful to celebrate Jesus' birth in another culture and language!!
I wanted to send you all my love today and know that I am thinking of you and missing you!! Merry Christmas to you and may your day be filled with Christ centered love!