What's In Season - December

Oh yeah, it's pineapple (nanazi) season! I bought this giant pineapple for K300, so less than $1. You know a pineapple is good when you can eat the core too.

I bought this pineapple on Black Friday at the Boma market, along with green mangos, avocados, tomatoes, green beans and bananas.

On Small Business Saturday I supported my local village market by buying onions, eggs and a few sheets of white copy paper. Doing my part, even all the way here in Malawi.

3 Months at Site

Another PC milestone! It feels like it has gone by pretty fast, and yet when I think back to the beginning of the term it seems so long ago. I feel really comfortable in my house, my village and at my school. I've met a ton of people, improved my Chichewa, rode many, many mini-buses and taught over 150 high school students about science. I'm feeling really excited about the next phase of the school year and my journey as a PCV.

My new roommate. He prefers level surfaces, unlike the wall-scaling lizards.

What is the funniest thing that happened to you so far?

Last week I was kneeling down while talking with some of the three-year old girls that live near me. They were asking me things in Chichewa which I only partially understood. They pointed toward my abdomen and said what I took to be "belly", only they said it like "bay-lay". I said, "Yes, belly." Then one of the girls reached forward and grabbed my breast through my tank top! And it dawned on me that she was saying "bere" which is Chichewa for breast. So I laughed and said, "Eee (yes), bere!"

What surprises you about your host country?

One of the biggest surprises has been how much is actually locally available. Yesterday I saw spaghetti noodles in my local village market. There are stationary stores in every trading center that sell chalk, erasers, rulers, notebooks, pens and other school supplies. I can get bread and Coca-Cola, peanut butter and M&Ms. Even Orbit gum and Lay's potato chips are sold in the Boma. And that's not to mention what is available in Lilongwe or Blantyre where they have stores that look like something from  America. Which isn't to say these things are common. I don't think most people can afford these items, and I certainly have to watch my Kwacha and follow a budget to afford some of these on my stipend. But I never expected to see most of these here.

What do you love about your host country?

I love how friendly and helpful everyone is. Pretty much everywhere I go I meet someone that is willing to take a few minutes to show me around, help me find something or just chat for a few minutes. I hear "Takulandirani" (Welcome) all the time here.

And it's not just with me. Malawians are friendly and helpful to each other too. When we have a visitor at the school, everyone that walks by will greet them. And if someone just picked pumpkin leaves, all the ladies will get together and help peel them. It's just a very communal, friendly culture. People really care about each other here.

What cultural customs have been most difficult to adapt to?

Money is very out in the open here, which I am not used to. If I buy something usually the first question will be, "How much did it cost?" And people will ask things like how much I pay in rent, which I consider a bit inappropriate unless I know them pretty well. Also when you tithe at church you are expected to go up and put the money in the basket up front where everyone can see. At weddings and parties it is similar. Sometimes they even write down what you gave and read it out. I'm used to a bit more privacy with regards to finances. I don't usually talk about money or how much things cost myself, but I try to put it in perspective and just go with it here.

What is your favorite word or phrase in the local vernacular?

Right now it is a tie between "ndathokoza, which means "I am thankful" and "kaya" which means "Who knows?"

What did you eat for dinner last night?

I had a fried egg on a piece of toast with sautéed onions and tomatoes. And a delicious mango for a dessert.

What foods do you miss the most?

Salads and smoothies. It's been so hot here and those were my summer go-to meals. I would love a fresh Greek salad with romaine lettuce and a strawberry smoothie made with yogurt. Mmm, strawberries. And ice! Cold ice on a hot day would be wonderful.

What do you wish you brought with you?

A laptop, a portable speaker, more tank tops, a good Biology textbook because sometimes I don't trust the Malawian textbooks I am using, sticky tack, and a whole suitcase of food. Especially Clif bars and stuff I could just grab and eat on the go.

Which do you prefer-- a shower or a toilet?

I don't have either at my site, but if I had to choose I would go with a nice shower. While a cool bucket bath on a hot day is quite refreshing, I never feel like I get 100% clean. I am really starting to appreciate how amazing showers really are. I mean, you just turn a faucet and water comes out at the temperature of your choosing, for as long as you want? Sounds like paradise.

Ndathokoza

translation: I am thankful

Thanksgiving started like any other day in Malawi. I got up, finished up my lesson plan and went to school. I taught my classes, worked in the library and typed a couple exams in preparation for the end of the term next week.

Then in the afternoon I grabbed a backpack and headed to the Boma for the Mulanje PCV Thanksgiving. We rented out a guesthouse for the event complete with oven, toilets and beds. They had been cooking all day so when I arrived the turkey was done (freshly killed, plucked and cooked by one of the PCVs), the rolls were on the table and all manner of Thanksgiving goodness was cooking on the stove. With a few things on the mbaula (clay fire burner) outside too.

We all gathered in the dining room and said a Thanksgiving prayer, then tucked in. I took a bit of everything, of course. I especially loved the stuffing, curried potatoes and cranberry sauce. Mmm, cranberry sauce.

The local British volunteers joined us for the occasion to celebrate their first Thanksgiving. They were unfamiliar with our customs for the day, but they filled their plates and ate with gusto just like Americans-- and had seconds too!

Then we had a Thanksgiving trivia game. I now know that the first Thanksgiving parade was at Gimbel's Department Store, and the first parade balloon was Felix the Cat.

The winners got first dibs at the pie. My team didn't win, but there was plenty to go around. Check it out-- homemade pumpkin pie and homemade cranberry pecan pie. So delicious!

The pie did me in though. I had the traditional Thanksgiving over-fullness. I think that is the most I've eaten since I got here to Malawi. But it was so worth it!

As I explained to my Form 1 students, Thanksgiving is a time to say what you are grateful for. I am thankful for this opportunity to live and work in Malawi. I am thankful for supportive family and friends that help remind me I am not alone and help me laugh at all the crazy stuff. I am thankful for my fellow PCVs that help me put all the crazy stuff that happens here in perspective. I'm thankful for my students and fellow teachers and all my kind and helpful neighbors. And I am thankful to all of you that read this blog. Your comments and support mean a lot. And when difficult stuff happens, it helps to think, "Well, at least it will make for a good blog post".

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I LOVE my Jansport rucsac!!!

Since coming to Moldova almost 6 months ago, i continue to be amazed by my wonderful, durable, super strong rucsac (backpack)!! It makes me so happy! There's no way an ordinary, everyday, meant-for-school backpack was made to withstand all of the abuse this one receives almost on a daily basis here in Moldova! Other PCVs have also been amazed at how much stuff it can hold and how much weight in has endured! Sometimes it's so heavy i can hardly lift it to get it on my back! I've said this before (verbally) and i'll say it again in type, if this backpack endures my whole 2 years with me in Moldova, Jansport is gonna receive a frumoasă scrisoare (beautiful letter) from me when i return home about what a wonderful product this backpack has been!

Another thing i love about it are all the ribbons, yarn, string, etc. i started adding to it's handle at the top since Staging in Philadelphia. They all have a different meaning, specific to this PC journey. 

The 1st one i received is one of an identical pair of pink & black friendship bracelets that DeeAnn gave to both Stesi and me reminding us of our journey TOGETHER.

The 2nd i received at Staging. It's an orange piece of yarn that all PC trainees received so that at the various airports and other travel destinations, we would all recognize a PC bag that may have been left behind.

The 3rd one is a red ribbon i got when i landed in Chișinău, which represents the training village i'd be living in, Băcioi, during our 10 weeks of training.

The 4th is a red and black friendship-type bracelet i found on the playground at our training school in Băcioi.

The 5th is a blue ribbon i got during Site Announcement Day (when we learned where our permanent sites would be), which represents the nord (north).

The 6th is from "1st Bell" - the 1st day of school, which is quite the production here in Moldova. All the elevii (students) gave all the teachers red, yellow, & blue striped ribbons (representing the Moldovan flag) to pin on our shirts that day.

And finally the 7th is a bracelet from my friend SaraH who lives near me in Soroca who i visit a lot and stay over at her apt (she gave me my own room :o]), as a token of friendship [o:

...hopefully more to come...

igienă personală poezii (personal hygiene poems)

For homework after my lesson on personal hygiene, i asked my elevii (students) to write a poem to present to the class about personal hygiene. It turned out AWESOME!!!

                      (A băiat (boy) even did it!!)

                     Every day with a toothbrush

                     Clean with toothpaste.
                     The face and hands tell you
                     To wash with soap.
                     Respect hygiene
                     And you will be always clean.

                     Hygiene
                     Washing hands with soap to
                     To be always clean,
                     Toothbrush with paste
                     It gives teeth to rock

                     Hygiene is important
                     For a nominal lifetime
                     To be always clean
                     You should wash.

Malawian Kid Art

I let the kids borrow my crayons so that they can color. They call the crayons "cheken". Today when they were done they gave me these!

So cute! They even tried to spell my name. And that is a pretty good likeness of my clothes. I am wearing a navy blue tank top and a blue and beige paisley chitenje. Because it is November and still really hot!

They learn English as well as Chichewa in school. I think "yes", "hello" and "bye" are the only English words I have ever heard the kids use, but it looks like they are learning more.

Moldovan food art...foarte interesant!

The pictures of people (mostly children) on food in Moldova is foarte interesant (very interesting)! Just see for yourself...

                            (Biscuit, aka cookie)

                          (Box of oatmeal...?)

 

                                  (Cereal box)

Typical Moldovan decor

It's common to rent apartments instead of hotel rooms or hostels in Moldova. This is the bathroom of the apartment we're currently staying at. A little nauseating. Especially up close cuz the flowers aren't quite in focus, which messes with your eyes and brain.

Moldovan bani (money)

Moldovan money: Singularly it's a leu (pronounced LOO), but pluraly they're lei (LAY). They come in increments of 500 (the highest i've seen), 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, and 1. Their hero and logest running king of Moldova, Ștefan Cel Mare, is who's pictured on all of their lei. The current exchange rate between Moldova and The States is 1 dollar = 15 lei. It's a record low for Moldova. When i first arrived in Moldova it was 1 dollar = 14 lei, which was a record low for Moldova at the time. The coins are called bani (BAHN) and are pretty much worthless. The increments are 50, 25, 10, and 5. Most places won't charge bani for things. Like, if something costs 5,50 (they use commas instead of decimal points for money), they'll usually just charge 5 lei and drop the 50 bani. Or if they owe change to you after buying something, like if they owe you 5,50, they'll give you 5 lei and a piece of candy or matches or whatever to make up for the bani they owe you.

Everyone should have a latrine

New Malawi. Everyone should have a latrine.

That was the text message I got from UNICEF on my cell phone this morning. There are a lot of health issues in Malawi and other developing nations, and with the poor infrastructure it is always a challenge to get the public health messages out. NGOs have started working with local cell phone companies to get the word out through text messages. It only costs money to send texts here-- receiving texts is free. Not everyone has a cell phone yet, but even in remote villages you will find many people with them. And those people can share the messages with others.

UNICEF also sent a message a while ago that read, "Washing hands with soap at critical times, helps protect your family from germs that cause diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid and pneumonia."

Both of these messages are important to get out here in Malawi. During PST I attended a ceremony honoring our Village Headman for his work with the Open Defecation Free League. In many areas of Malawi people still defecate out in the open. Also, washing hands after defecation is an issue here due to the lack of running water and people being unable to afford soap. When they do buy soap, the priority is to use it for washing clothes and dishes. So there is still a lot of work to be done.

What's in Season - November

I love going to the bigger markets in the neighboring villages to check out the new produce.

This month I have found lychees, avocados(!), these stone fruits that look like green apricots, okra, bell pepper and green beans. And of course the always available tomatoes, onions and bananas.

The lychees taste very sweet and much less slimy than I remember them. I shared some with the neighbor kids and they immediately spit out the seeds and took them home to keep for planting, so I guess they don't grow around here.

The avocados are delicious. The peel is really thin and you can peel it with your hands. The seed is usually loose inside and rolls around. The flavor is a little bit sweet, so I can see why people might eat them with sugar here. But i'm all about the guacomole. Mmm...

Oh yeah, did I mention the mangos? There are two kinds of mangos available now. There are the small yellow/orange ones and then the large green ones. They are both delicious, but I like the green ones better. They are less stringy and have a milder sweetness.

Here is a photo for comparison:

Rules of the Chim

In honor of World Toilet Day, which was November 19th, I will do a post about the chim. "Chim" is short for chimbudzi, which means toilet or bathroom in Chichewa. Here in Malawi, that will usually be referring to the pit latrine.

I have been using a latrine for almost five months. I haven't talked about it on the blog much, but I've talked to the other PCVs about it. A lot. Including Coalee. One of my PCV  mottos is that nothing is gross in Peace Corps. We can share anything, and often do. It definitely takes a lot more to squick me out now.

So the chim. It's not so bad, once you learn the ropes. In case you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to use a latrine in rural Africa, I will share the rules of the chim with you as I have learned them here in Malawi:

1) BYOTP - Bring your own toilet paper

2) Always clean up after yourself

3) For a shared chim, you should clap, stomp loudly or make some noise on your way in to ensure you don't walk in on anyone. That would be super awkward.

4) Always replace the cover on the chim when you are finished.

5) NEVER bring anything valuable in the chim

6) Don't look down

That last one is my own personal rule. Some things cannot be unseen, you know? I mean, you can look down at the dark hole and make sure there isn't a bat about to fly out at you. But don't go shining a flashlight into the depths.

Raining amphaka ndi agalu

Raining cats and dogs

The rainy season (nyengo ya mvula) usually starts in November here in Malawi. However, it's a bit late this year. Lately it has been unbelievably hot and humid. It'll be like that for about 3-5 days, then just when I think I can't take it anymore, it gets overcast and maybe we get a few drops or a quick shower in the evening. Then the heat and humidity returns.

Friday was one of those hot and humid days. I was dripping with sweat when I got home from school. Then a couple hours later the temperature dropped a bit and it became cloudy. I decided to take a trip to the market to buy some mbatatesi (Irish potatoes, as they call them here) and enjoy the cooler weather. While I was out, potatoes in hand, I heard the rumbles of thunder, and then the first drops started. No big deal. Until... it started pouring! All of a sudden the market seemed empty, as everyone ran for shelter. I headed home, delighted that we were actually getting some real rain. After a few minutes I was completely soaked, and my feet were slipping around in my plastic shoes. I started to worry about the contents of my bag getting wet so I tried to walk a bit faster. Mud was getting in my shoes. Finally, with a cheery wave to my neighbors, who were taking shelter from the downpour on their porch, I was home.

After an hour the rain slowed down to a drizzle, and by sunset everybody was out again, doing their typical evening things. And then the heat returned, and it was one of the hottest nights yet. Sigh. It was nice while it lasted, but it's still Hot Season for now.

3 months at site and counting...

Stacy and i decided to do a 3 month update since we've each been at our permanent sites answering the same questions. Today is my 3-month-aversary at site, so here it is:

What is the funniest thing that happened to you so far?

When the "must" (pronounced "moost") exploded ALL OVER THE KITCHEN! 

Mama-G makes wine (as do most Moldovans). The beginning stage when the juice starts becoming wine is called "must" and is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Mama-G realized how much i love must (as does she) that she decided to bottle it up in 3 2-liter bottles and refrigerate them because the must stage is no longer than a week long, so she was trying to freeze it in that stage so we could enjoy it a little while longer.

I noticed that a cup of must that was left on the counter had starting foaming and expanding. I wondered if that would also happen to the must in the 2-liter bottles in the fridge, but thought that Mama-G has been doing this her whole life, so she must (no pun intended) know what she's doing...

A couple days later Mama-G and i were preparing a lot of food for her birthday dinner the next day. We stayed up pretty late with all the preparations. About 10 minutes after i went to bed i heard a loud BOOM! in the kitchen. Since i didn't hear any screaming or more loud noises, i ignored it...

About 10 minutes after the BOOM! Mama-G came to my closet and asked me if i heard the loud BOOM! and asked me to follow her to the kitchen. As we were walking i noticed her hair looked like she'd been through a tornado or wind tunnel and she had blood all over her arm and dress! So, the nurse in me started thinking a million things a second about where she was bleeding from, that i needed to stop the bleeding, how i was going to get her to a hospital (as a PCV we're not allowed to drive...it's one of the things that will get you kicked out of PC...plus, i don't even know where a hospital is anyway), etc...but i noticed she was smiling (and walking, obviously), so i realized the bleeding mus'nt be too serious...

Then we came to the kitchen...and what a disaster it was! One of the bottles of must became a bomb and literally exploded in the fridge! The explosion was so strong that it made Mama-G's hair look like she'd been in a tornado, knocked magnets off the fridge, broke a ceramic bowl in the fridge and the fridge light, blew things out of the fridge and ALL OVER the kitchen...and must was EVERYWHERE!...in every crevice of the fridge (the whole inside was purple), inside drawers in the kitchen, soaked in the entire kitchen rug...and yes, all over Mama-G's dress (the "blood")! 

Mama-G and i just stood there staring and then just started laughing...we ended up laughing and cleaning for the next 1 1/2 hours! 

We took the other 2 bottles outside and she opened them slowly as i was watching...and then she yelled, "BOOM!" to try to scare me! It was pretty funny! 

She told me that her boyfriend is the one who told her it'd be OK to bottle the must and put it in the fridge...too bad he wasn't there to help clean up the mess! 

What surprises you about your host country?

Although i'm used to it now, when i 1st got here, i was surprised by all the stray dogs. And even though i'm used to seeing it, i still hate it just as much as i did when i 1st saw it. I want to take them home...i've actually been dangerously close to doing that twice now...it's only a matter of time, i think.

What do you love about your host country?

I love the uniform of a bunica (grandma): house dress (aka robe), house shoes (aka slippers), and head scarf. They wear them everywhere. I dressed up as a bunica for Halloween (including the gold tooth, which totally made the costume authentic) and it was definitely the best costume at the party! 

What cultural customs have been most difficult to adapt to?

"The current". Moldovans strongly believe in a superstition they call "The current". The current happens when there is a cross breeze between 2 or more open windows, doors, or whatever, and they believe it causes illness - cold, flu, TB, whatever. They will endure 95' summer days packed into a 16 person rutiera with 37 people and not open a window! It's actually quite nauseating. 

What is your favorite word or phrase in the local vernacular?

"Poftim." It means, "here you go", or "have at it", or "go ahead", or "come again?"

What did you eat for dinner last night?

Pește prăjit, pîine (de sigur), și brînză cu sirop de curmal japonez de casă.
(Fried fish, bread (of course), and house cheese with homemade persimmon syrup.)

What food do you miss the most?

Just good ol' fresh healthy food without massive amounts of added sugar, salt, butter, and/or oil.

What do you wish you brought with you?

A mini portable speaker to hook-up my iPhone to.

Which do you prefer-- a shower or a toilet?

SHOWER...i shower, on average, about once a week...the longest i've gone so far has been 2 weeks. I really miss hot, private, reliable, stand-up showers....a lot...a really really lot. And unfortunately that's not something a care package will be able to provide :o[

CARE PACKAGES!!! :-D

YAY care packages!!! When i went to Chișinău this past weekend, i had 3 care packages waiting for me!!! The best part about care packages to me isn't the stuff itself (even though it's super dooper appreciated!!), it's knowing that i'm loved and thought of back home!! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!! I LOVE YOU TOOOOOOO!!!

The above picture is all 3 care packages together...it made for an interesting, foarte greu (very heavy) journey home...but weeeeelllll worth it!!! :oD

Thank you Cin!!! All this stuff will get much use - beanie will be worn throughout toamnă și iarnă (fall and winter); as you can see on previous blog posts, i use A LOT of markers for my class activității (activities), so they are ALWAYS appreciated; I LOVE LARA BARS, and you just can't go wrong with peanut butter chocolate chip anything, so these will probably be eaten within the week!; the roasted almond snacks will get me thru my school days inbetween classes; and the card is my fave and is already hanging on my door so i can see it everyday!!! THANK YOU!!! MISSULUVU!!!

What can i say??...other than i have the best mom (& dad, of course ;op) EVER! In this package i received a super soft velvety blanket, a cute lamb hot water bottle, 2 pairs of adorable socks (especially the ones with the cute little fox!), a rather sophisticated boot shoe horn that kinda scares me and intrigues me at the same time, a Tide-to-go stick, gallon-sized ziplock bags (very useful!), a really great eraser that i wanted (i know, sounds weird, but i erase a lot while working on my school activities, and it's good to have a high quality eraser!), a lot of art supplies - paints, paintbrushes, paper, Prismacolors, and even a color wheel, and possibly the best thing of all...Halloween Oreos! Thank you mom & dad!!! I LOVE and MISS YOU!!!!!!!!

And finally woggy's (Paul's) care package...the biggest & heaviest of them all!! ;o]

He got me super soft, warm, comfy pj pants, a really nice Dickie's hoodie, thermals - tops and bottoms...tons of super yummy, healthy food - steel cut oats, wild rice, black rice, lentils, quinoa, spaghetti, hemp seeds, raisins, a replenishment of various granola bars (another ALWAYS needed item), chocolate chips, Werther's Originals, brown sugar (o how i missed you), Easter candy (probably from 1 of his customers ;op), zinc tablets (good for the onset of colds), toothpaste (toiletries are pretty pricey here), gallon ziplocks (like i said before...VERY useful!), packing tape (to hang things on the walls in my classroom), other tape, stapler & staples (the 1 i bought here is a waste of a product...i have to literally manually staple with my fingers), markers (YAY!), cool foam stickers (i haven't been able to find any stickers here, and i've been told from other PCVs that they love them), plastic glittery spiders (that'll probably get used next Halloween), a soccer ball (to use in the class as a game i'm gonna try), & dog toys - a rope and a tennis ball - for my puppy, Nicolae! THANKS BABZ!!! LUVUMISSU!!!!!!!!!

Thank you ALL for your love and support! Only (almost) 21 more months!!! :oD

Preparing for iarnă (winter)

PC $ hard at work...thanks American taxpayers for not letting me freeze this winter! ;op

I walked out of the house this evening and there was an old Soviet-style truck backing into the driveway hauling all this wood for winter! That's Mama-G looking out from it.

Mama-G taught me how to prepare my sobă (a furnace type of thingy which heats the house)!

Step 1: Empty sobă from previous use (charcoalized wood).

Step 2: Gather logs and corn cobs and place in newly cleaned-out sobă.

Step 3: Do not be deceived by Herbalife container...

Step 4: Open Herbalife container while holding breath and take out awful smelling fuel-cube-thingy (1 to start with) and place under log and close Herbalife container so breathing can continue.

Step 5: Obtain lighting source, in this case, matches.

Step 6: Light fuel-cube-thingy with lit match and close sobă door.

Step 7: Get warm. (I don't know what the little door is for) The sobă heats very well...too well actually...every night since we've been using it i wake up sweating and hafta open my window.

Moldovan Moonshine??

When i got home from school yesterday, Mama-G told me to get a ”vodka glass” and meet her in the chicken coop...

...this is what i found...

...and drank 3 shots of to „la mulți ani” and „sănătate” ("many years” and "health”)

igienă personală

The next chapter i'm teaching about in my health class is about personal hygiene - hand washing, teeth brushing, bathing, clothes washing, room cleaning, etc. So to kick it off i created an introduction lesson which gave a brief overview of all the above mentioned stuff. Then i presented Ștefan. 

(Quick back story: Ștefan Cel Mare, aka, ”Ștefan the Great” was prince of Moldova for 47 years between 1457 and 1504. During his reign he fought against the Ottoman Empire, Poland, and Hungary. Because of his dedication to protecting his country, he is considered a hero in Moldova and his statues, face, and name are EVERYWHERE.)

So, back to the story...Ștefan is a little boy who admires Ștefan Cel Mare and wants to grow up to be just like him. But 1st he needs help with his personal hygiene...

From there the students removed the dirty parts accompanied by the items needed to clean those dirty parts and placed them on a table i drew next to the poster that was separated into columns for how often those dirty parts need to be cleaned - several times a day, daily, several times a week, weekly, several times a month, or monthly. 

All the classes really enjoyed this activity. My 5th and 6th grade classes were even good and cooperative! Which was kinda funny and cute ;op

Here's Ștefan after he was all cleaned up!

To wrap up the lesson i did a word search, which they also LOVED! 

They took turns coming to the front of the class where i gave them a sentence to read with a missing word that they had to find in the puzzle. It ended up being another great activity! 

YAY for awesome FUN lessons!!! ...Now if i can just keep em coming... ;op

Elevii teach class!

Vacanță de toamnă is from Monday - Wednesday, so since I only had half of my classes that week, my clasa 9 homework assignment for that short week was that they were to teach the class. I was just hoping that at least 1 student prepared something, but they were actually pretty excited about it and i was impressed by the work they put into it (especially on their school break!)!

Above is Victor. He definitely put the most time and effort into his teaching. He drew and color-coded a skull and labeled all the parts. He even included classroom participation by handing out the labels and their functions separately so that the class had to guess where they belonged on the skull. I was flattered that he did that cuz that's exactly what i did for their digestive system class! It made me feel like they hopefully enjoy my classes and have fun with the activities and learn at least something :o] Thanks Victor! It was awesome!!!

I hung his cool diagram on the wall next to the digestive system diagram.

Next up was Victoria. She taught a lesson on ochii (eyes). She came prepared with detailed print outs of eye diagrams, which was also pretty cool...sorry, no pictures of that though. Thanks Victoria!

Tatiana was next. She taught about the nutrition of "favorite foods". Thanks Tatiana!

Finally Adriana and Mihaela taught about exerciții fizice (exercise). Thanks!

Overall, it ended up being a better idea than i originally thought to have them teach the class! I'm glad it worked out so great!