Typical Day- Arriving at School

Upon arriving at school we pass the memes (ladies) selling sweets and fat cakes (fried dough balls), and I talk myself out of getting a 50-cent ball of fresh tastiness that surely takes me halfway to my recommended daily caloric intake (kJ here). As we walk across the school yard some of the learners will say, “Good morning, Miss” or smile and wave. Usually the younger kids are running around and chasing one another, and older learners are talking to one another in small groups.

If we can successfully unlock all our doors (sometimes a learner will help), we drop off our belongings at the computer lab, start up the computer server, and I change from my Chacos to dress shoes. Mary and I go to our staff meeting, either with the whole staff or I go with the Science department. There are about 40 teachers at my school, almost an even mix of men and women. The Science department is about 8 teachers, mostly men, and the staff room has tables filled with papers to be graded, notebooks, and a miniature pool table. To begin the meetings we have prayers, then there are announcements and reminders that pertain to the staff, then the first class should start at 7:30. Usually the meetings go right until 7:30, so classes start a little later, but that is always just fine with the learners!