Today began with a staff meeting: the meeting about the big things for the whole year. Most of it was in Swahili: it was two hours long. Just like a staff meeting in a UK school.
The air is dry, but there are storms each day - a bit of rain, some humungous clouds, a bit of thunder and lightning. Most of the day there is a breeze.
This evening we may watch one of the DVD's left by Brian and Aleen who were the Bursar's Department before arrived. There is a complete set of Harry Potter, whole sets of Foyle's War and Lewis (Alison likes these)(yes, I do too), and lots of films.
The sitting room is very comfortable: the windows are always open, with mosquito screens and burglar bars. It doesn't stop them getting in, but the mosquito nets over the beds are the protection at night, along with whatever malaria drug you might be taking. The mosquitoes, I mean. Don't know about the burglars.
The ground outside is flat and sandy. There are lizards and space age wasps, sparrows and short sharp birds, ones that argue and ones that shout. There are bananas, pawpaws, capsicums, and even grapes in the garden, at the front a bougainvillea and cactus.There is no hot water except from the kettle. Showers are cold, not icy. The loos need flushing with a good bucketful because the cisterns can't deliver. There isn't a water shortage, but the borehole pump stops working when there is a power outage.
The floor is smooth cement, and cool. The curtains dance up and down at night as the breeze comes and goes.
Sunset happens in about 25 minutes. The shadows begin to stretch out, and before you know it it is dark. The sky is black and stars are brilliant.
At night there is noise from the town square, people mixing, taken in by the music and the food, and later the Muezzin calling to prayer. And again at 5am.
At lunch today we had rice and beans with a topping of onion. Very tasty. We had tea with it.
I had a lesson in Kiswahili.
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