Drum Roll Please!

It's nearly time to leave! We are all so excited. Today we received our placements and everyone seems really pleased with what they got. Rachel was placed in a hospital which is really great since she wants to pursue a career in medicine. Katherine will be working in an orphanage which is perfect since she is absolutely the most loving and caring creature ever. I was assigned to work as a teaching assistant at the Musama Local Authority Basic School. I've been reading up on it a bit, our advisor sent me some testimonies by previous volunteers at the school. It actually sounds as though it will be rather challenging. Their are problems of violence and cheating at the school. Many of the teachers there, it seems, choose to use the cane if they bother to discipline the children at all. I just hope my patience will last. On a more interesting note, I am encouraged to help the children grow creatively, as most of their lessons involve simple memorization. I'm going to try to spend my time before we leave planning activities. Luckily I have an excellent resource to aid me: my mother, a kindergarten teacher and a Peace Corps alumna.

With this last piece in its place, we're just waiting to set off. A few tidbits left to pick up, we really need to put together a first aid kit, and then we're about ready. I wrote an article in the school newspaper about our trip, which I will try to get a hold of and maybe upload onto here. Lots of people keep asking us about it and I'm eager just to BE THERE.

I'll try to get the others girls to post since its been me this whole time and it might be nice to hear what they're feeling about their placements and this whole process.

Peace out, friends.

- Lesedi