Monday June 22, 2009

Well, I don't really update on what I'm doing here out in the bush much, but I thought I'd throw a post of my own in the mix while Charlie is gone:) I have been doing work in the clinic and have seen all sorts of things already, some of them haven't even been at the clinic. There has been malaria, chicken pox, pneumonia, bronchial infections, ring worm, sores, cuts, gashes, impailed objects and the like. The nurse that usually works at the clinic has not been here at all because her brother is very sick and in the hospital. So Karie has been working there more than she thought she would be. Even when she's not at the clinic, people will come and get her to help with an accident or problem. We got called out the other day because a little boy fell down his stairs onto a piece of wood or stick and a piece got stuck in the back of his shoulder. The kids here are extremely tough and he wasn't crying even though he wanted to. Another guy was out in the garden or bush and cut himself with his bush knife (which is like a machete). That seems to happen fairly regularly and usually isn't pretty. Without getting too descriptive, he cut an artery or something and it was buldging out and clotting at the broken end outside the wound. I guess I was kind of like Karie's medical assistant, I got the water and bandages while she cleaned the wound. I wouldn't mind helping with the dirty work but until Karie passes out (she gets sick and sometimes passes out if she looks at bloody wounds and stuff too much) I just help with everything else usually.

I teach in the kindergarten class 3 days a week. We teach English letters and words but most of the kids can't speak it and hardly understand it. This week I will be teaching in the first grade class instead. The first graders are usually 7-10 maybe a few 12 year olds. Mondays and Wednesdays I do craft time with the kids in the 2nd grade class. Even though it's second grade the kids range from age 9-16. On Fridays the 2nd graders have sport time. Usually the teacher just says go out and play but I have been teaching them the rules to games then we go out and play an organized game. The first week I taught the rules of basketball and last week I taught them kickball. they had never even heard of kickball much less played it. Their teacher said that no one has ever taught it before and it was going to give them "big name" in the area because no one else knows that game and it was so great that they know it now and no one else does- haha.

I also work in the gardens with Karie. One day last week I planted a row of watermelons ( and by row I mean rooooooowww :P) then we cut rice with our bush knives. I also cut "kau kau" (like sweet potatoes) on Saturday. We hacked down all the grass and weeds that had grown over top of the area then dug the ground looking for the kau kau and at the same time preparing the ground to replant. It is very hot working in the garden especially when the sun is shining! Its usually 80-85 inside so outside and with sun...well you can imagine haha. Unfortunately I'm still having spider run-ins...last night one scared me because I turned around and there was one about the size of a hand on my backpack :( I really like spending time with the kids. Last night I sat on a porch swing for the longest time with 2 of the little girls. Once kids are past about 3 years old they really don't get any affection from older people, maybe just from an older sibling. The one little girl, Judith, was shy at first but eventually she was all curled up beside me with her head on my shoulder. I know it's going to be hard to leave the kids!!!

~lea~