rain=rain bugs

So, from last Tuesday, it has rained: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and again today! Welcome to the rainy season. It is nice and cool when it rains, and you don't know what moisture on you is perspiration and which is rain, so that's kinda nice. BUT- at night, the rain bugs come out to play. uuuugggghhh! they are soooo nasty. Like an ant, maybe an inch or so long, with 4 wings (wingspan 3-4 inches). I don't think they do anything but crowd light, and make a yucky flutter when they fly by your ear. uuugh. i shudder just thinking about walking home tonight.

School!!! well, the math teacher showed up yesterday! he's fabulous! he will sit down with the one student that is struggling and walk him through it, again and again. There are sooo many teachers in the JSS, so i feel just like another body, correcting papers and such. Which is fine for now. The student teachers leave June 11 (which i think is just an excuse to watch the world cup) so then i will be the main go-to in the classroom. But i am helping quite a bit with math and science. But their multiplication tables are still lacking. And one on my lil prep guys didn't know how to multiply at all earlier today. the math teacher jumped right in and fixed it though while i continued with the rest. So i feel like the students get hovered over, and that they only care about right answers, not how they got there. So that's been my focus last/this week. i don't care about the answer, i care about the thought behind it. They think they can copy and cheat their way through class, but then they get to the country test, and fail. eeek. i'm here to prevent that, but they have to have the desire to understand the process of thinking for their own classes first. The ghanain education system is so different. it leaves no room for. . .creativity on the part of the teacher. There is a nationwide syllabus and schedule for all the schools to follow, with lesson plans and homework available. it's. . . different. but i'm starting to find my way through it all.

But. My purpose here is starting to unfold. I've started to find my place in the classroom and in the lives of these children. I'm so excited to get some improvements rolling, and just want some more power! haha. well, ok. just more time with them when they will actually pay attention. but still.

well i continue to sweat and live off peanut butter, tuna, and whatever Ghanain dish Cynthia brings for dinner. sit by the fan a lot and correct a lot of homework.

until next time

holli

on your mark, get set. . .

6 hours on the internet= 5 GH Cedis

Material for clothes= 12 Cedis

Artwork=10 cedis

Blogging to the sound of FuFu being made=Priceless.

We are finally finding our places in the schools. So i pretty much help with math in the JSS school. it's frustrating because they are supposed to have all of these skills. . . and they don't. multiplication tables are neglected, so when we try to simplify fractions. . . well, it doesn't work as you'd imagine. I have now started to implement the after school math room where we have had multiplication table races. i set up three students around the classroom, give them chalk, on your mark, get set, go. . .and they go do their number, x1-10 on the board. hopefully i can get them to memorize them. i'll have to find a way to bribe them though, or they might stop coming.

but teaching in the schools is way fun! i am working closely with some student teachers as well as the science teacher, Margarite. They are fabulous signers so i'm just there for support, or new ways to explain concepts. i get to add my little knowledge in many of their core classes so i get a full ghanain education throughout my day. pretty interesting.

yeah. i get sunburned here. the 30 spf does NOT cut it for my skin :S I'll have to do a little swapping with the girls here. we are already so close it is fabulous. our little family. but i've started to buy things. oh no. they use the Cedi here. . . so i get 1.40 for every dollar. and stuff is cheap. so today was some art and material, oh and more internet time from Kuami. He is ahead of his time investing in a little internet cafe. love it.

my mom wanted to know about my living conditions. sooo! papa ellis is our hotel owner guy. haha. he wants 8 american wives. . . how convenient. but we have running water and power, which means showers and a fan blowing at night. awww how i feel like i am living large.

It is African Union today so there was no school. we went and saw the gardens in aburi. it is sooo green here. oh my. and the humidity, i'm about to say that i'm used to being sticky. it doesn't feel so bad. and i'm wearing a sweater today! who knew? haha. ok it is hot. but i won't get sunburned. (although the farmers tan i am sporting really suits me, don't ya think?)

well, any math/multiplication table suggestions are welcome at sohi.holli@gmail.com

but, i will get them up to speed :)

Love from Ghana,

Holli

BUG KILLER!

so yesterday, i met the students. so exciting! they are so ready to learn in the JSS school so it is exciting to get to teach there. we just observed yesterday and met the faculty.

today on the other hand, i felt like i dove right in! there are the faculty, then student teachers, then us. i was observing a math class for the JSS prep class and. . .well we know me and math. i have my way of doing things. so, after the student teacher (because the real teacher doesn't think it is important to come to school) deemed my answers correct, i got to stand up and teach. and teach. and teach. for quite a long time! but i think they understand percentages now! woo woo! he told me i will be teaching science for him tomorrow and math again on monday. i guess my foot is in the door.

i love it here. it is hot. the children make it all worth it. especially those really bright ones who try not to pay attention. it's them i'm after. they have to fight to get into high school, so i want to make it possible for them.

so there is this store across the street from the school. i broke down today and finally bought some bug killer. that ate THROUGH my baggies and into my food. yes, they got my cookies from home. i ALMOST started to cry. . . but. i guess that's more of the african diet for me. ugh. but they were my favorite (oatmeal choc chip). *sigh* i'm over it. they have bofut here. . DELICIOUS. take a donut hole but add the taste of a scone. yummy.

till next time

holli

ete sen

ok all of you.

im here safe! we are staying in a hotel actually. and when i mean hotel, i mean there was a HUGE cockroach and spider welcoming us into our room. yuuuuck.

yeah so our flights were interesting.slc to jfk was smooth. . . except my bags were too heavy and it cost $150 to let them fly, so i left out some jelly, and carried my pillow. whatever. but jfk to accra (uh- KRAW`) we got on. . .flew. . . sat. . .flew about 500 miles, 1.5 hours then turned around. fun i know. apparently something was wrong with the engine but they left that out till we were landed and greeted by ohh, 50 firetrucks, cops, airport security, etc etc. lights flashing and all. but we got here sunday afternoon. got through customs and to our new home in mampong. papa ellis runs the hotel. he is sooo funny and thinks that we are all going to marry him so he can have his 8 american wives. excited for me? i guess i can say i'm engaged. . . to some old man. anyways. that is a tip here. tell everyone your are either married or engaged, then no questions asked, they leave you alone. well, at least stop asking for money.

so after not sleeping last night, it's finally catching up with me. i'm tired and i don't know when i'm hungry. but i'm thirsty ALLLLLL the time. it's soooo hot and humid. my hair never dries. so i may be getting braided this weekend after all. we will see.

we haven't met the students yet. we just got permission to enter the schools about an hour ago today. so that means we go tomorrow, meet the headmistress, the faculty, then to be attacked by children! i'm so excited for that. sitting around playing cards gives me too much time to miss home. . . and well. you all. . . *cough cough* but MOM. the cookies in my bag were a real tear jerker. and brandt. ahh that first song. . . grrrrrrr. but last night, during some free time, a few of us started to memorize the articles of faith in asl. fun experience. i hope i can share a few when i get back in primary. awww. primary. OH OH! how was aubrey's baptism??? hope is was fabulous. i'm sure she did great on the piano too. such a cutie. i can't wait to meet the students though cause i'm missing my own. i just love teaching! so this will be different. from being soothed by teaching music lessons to teaching in silence. this will be weird for me.

but in the few days i've been here, my sign is already sooo much better. thanks mel for all the support. i do feel confident in my skill. but now. communication is getting easier. i'm excited to see where i will be even next week with a few days with the children.

well. i hope home is wonderful. this is going to be a long 2 months.

oh i forgot the best part. we have power and running water... well HAD. the power went out at the hotel on monday morning. and the water shut off this morning. but i never knew how much i would appreciate a cold shower and a skirt. *sigh* wonderful. hopefully they will start working again, before i smell TOO much worse.

well i love and miss you all already.

talk to you soon!

holli

sohi.holli@gmail.com

LA day .5

so. i'm in LA. with mirm. It is awesome.

let me take you through what we do.

So. we get to the airport (thanks for the ride mom) and THEN find out our plane was delayed a little over an hour. So, it just seemed natural to go grab cpk. Oh our CHEESE-piled pizzas were delicious. . . huh mirm*cough cough*

Well, after finding a way to spill pepperoni into a shoe, we decided to get back to terminal B to catch our flight to LAX.

Once safe in LAX (is that an oxymoron?), we called the hotel from my oh-so-reliable iPhone to catch a shuttle to our hotel, Four Points. So, if we didn't already grab a steal by booking our room for $68 a night, we definitely felt the repercussions of that by being put next to the ONE room in the WHOLE hotel that was under renovation by drills, sanding, throwing, bulldozers, cranes. . . well it was just loud, ok? so we had to get out. so, with our crazy adventure skills, Mirm and I went to catch the trolley. oh yeah. a trolley.

We went to manhattan beach. and got yummy dinner from wahoo fish tacos. delish. we wandered down to the pier and just took in the ocean, the waves, the sunset, the hot surfer dude, the homeless pigeon man, the hoodlums causing mayhem, you know. the usual. but it was a nice time of reflection. and it was about this point on my first day away, that i got homesick.

Finally. FINALS!

neeeeed. . . a. . . study. . .break. . . hmmm. red mango.

MY BRAIN!!!!

so. Mid-final update:

Finals Down: Guitar (cake), biodiversity (eeeek), Genomics. . . (100% you better believe it)

Finals to go: Cell Biology, Genetics

So with three days left, i'm strategizing about how i should take the last two. and apparently, i'm not taking one today because i want to blog instead. oh, and i'm too distracted planning my trip to LA, then to DC to meet up with my dad and brother and spend some time at my roomie's home home. yess. good end to this junior year of college.

SO there's LA/DC trip.

come home for a few weeks, get a piano recital goin, say bye to my students, get acc 200 out of the way online, pack, then leave May 15th for GHANA! oh how excited i am. Think i can get it all done in that time frame? ha. we will see.

But i honestly can't wait to disappear from the social networking scene. . . no maybe just the whole "social" scene in general. I can't believe how much i have let it influence me this year. There is drama everywhere, coming at me from every direction. With my iPhone giving me constant FB updates, to the whole texts ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, to boys showing up on my porch, Red mango outings that always seem to end dramatically, to trying to motivate people, while keeping myself motivated. YIKES! I thank the Lord for those listening ears in my life that listen to my college-aged stories and offer words of advice. I'm pretty sure i spew a few little details everywhere i go anyways. Yet, I'd be a complete mess if i wasn't able to talk about it all.

But once void of my internet connection, i'm so excited to teach the children in Ghana, in the JSS. Yes all. I'm going to teach in deaf schools. yes i sign (Mel said i could at least). no it's not through byu. yes, i feel like i'll be safe. and yes, i'm nervous. I've never been out of the country and here i go just diving head-first into no running water, and big big bugs. should be a great experience though. more to come.

Note to self: make your blog private! haha. after what's his face reads this. mkay. the end.

leave me alone=i'm lonely

oh. my. gosh.

school is crazy! i am only taking 15 credits but it's kicking my butt with teaching piano M/T/Sat and still keeping a shift or 2 here and there at famous.

i am LOVING teaching voice and piano. we had the cutest little mini-recital at south towne ranch last night. the sweet grandmas and grandpas, and especially Mr. Jones came to watch us and it was fun just to have a different audience to put a smile on their face. :D i think i'm up in the 20's with students now.

it's a little crazy trying to stay organized.

but it helps when you have a new MacBook PRO!!! woo woo woo!!!! my mommy loves me. and brandty helped get it for me. yippee.

so i'm saving my money. just so everyone knows and doesn't tempt me. k got that? except for the MJ this is it showing and a few other worthwhile movies to help me keep my sanity.

byu women's choir is crazy! we are performing in homecoming spectacular next week so i have rehearsal everyday to prepare for it. i'm going to go crazy.

well. till another 6 months when i decide to blog.

oh. and don't ever ever ever ever ever think about dating recently returned missionaries. it's a really bad idea. note to self for future reference. you made that mistake once. it still won't work.

k that's all self.