Hello.
It's Sunday and I don't know what to do with myself so I turned on my computer.
The holidays are nearly over now. It's been almost a month break from school which has been great, although not much of a holiday for me most of the time.
Having failed to sort out my passport in time to go away I've been at the school for the entirety of the holidays except for one night in Dakar for my paperwork at the embassy and one night in a tent in the neighbour's mango fields.
My major achievement this holiday must be a revision of the school's electronic library catalogue. I was working on one of my students' IGCSE Computer Studies coursework projects trying to make it useful and usable in the school library. It's taken quite a few hours in front of the computer and I've learnt a fair bit of VB and SQL in the process (along with their limitations).
Yesterday I presented it to the school librarian and she was very pleased with it so I spent the rest of the morning writing user manuals for her and for the students. I was intending to take the day off but I should've known it wouldn't happen.
Today we had another 'British brunch' like the two we enjoyed last holiday. We figured seeing as the queen had her birthday recently it was a good excuse for another fry-up. Seeing as I was the person most keen to do it I ended up hosting it and spent over an hour this morning cooking sausages, bacon, beans (from the Gambia), eggs and tomatoes. It was champion (as Ruth would say).
After our brunch we went over to Falcon dorm for Aron Baarsen's 2nd birthday party and I ate lots of mango crumble. I shalln't need to eat again until this evening I reckon.
I plan to play volleyball in an hour's time so that should make up for all the unhealthy food so far today.
Tomorrow will be busy. I've a teachers' meeting first thing followed by a dorm staff prayer meeting and lots of jobs I need to get done before the kids arrive on Tuesday afternoon. I think I'll need to start sleeping during siesta again before long.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Back To Work
It's back to work this morning. This week will be pretty busy with lesson planning I expect but hopefully it'll make for a more relaxed start of term.
The girls returned from the Gambia on Saturday afternoon safe and sound bringing with them Cadburys chocolate, golden syrup, Birds custard powder, Dr Pepper and many other goodies not available in Senegal. I can see now God at work in my not going with them. Firstly in terms of the work I need to get done, secondly in some very helpful conversations I've had regarding next year and my potential involvement in the school and thirdly it was good for me emotionally to spend some time away from the girls I would have gone with as I've maybe spent too much time with them recently.
Saturday was Adam's 25th birthday (my housemate) and I spent the morning making his birthday present/card. In the evening we watched the new James Bond film on the big screen (Casino Royale). I really enjoyed it. Quite different from other Bonds but a very good film.
Yesterday I organised an impromptu singsong in the chapel seeing as no-one had volunteered to put together a Sunday service, after which Ruth and Tracey came over to watch some Match of The Day with Adam and I (he gets DVDs sent out by a friend who records it for him). In the afternoon a few of us went down to the beach at Popenguine. I borrowed Dirk-Jan's bike and I'm still saddle sore today. It's been too long since I did any cycling. After we got back Dirk-Jan and Mirjam invited us round for dinner in exchange for some help clearing the furniture out of the dorm for the cockroach spray (happening as I write).
Some of us played volleyball after tea in which the Swiss beat the Anglophones 2 sets to 1. Our final game was interrupted by an emergency prayer meeting for the WEC related church in Dakar who have had some shocking goings on in the past few days which I don't know if I'm allowed to elaborate on so I won't. Please pray for the church members and the missionaries trying to help the situation.
The girls returned from the Gambia on Saturday afternoon safe and sound bringing with them Cadburys chocolate, golden syrup, Birds custard powder, Dr Pepper and many other goodies not available in Senegal. I can see now God at work in my not going with them. Firstly in terms of the work I need to get done, secondly in some very helpful conversations I've had regarding next year and my potential involvement in the school and thirdly it was good for me emotionally to spend some time away from the girls I would have gone with as I've maybe spent too much time with them recently.
Saturday was Adam's 25th birthday (my housemate) and I spent the morning making his birthday present/card. In the evening we watched the new James Bond film on the big screen (Casino Royale). I really enjoyed it. Quite different from other Bonds but a very good film.
Yesterday I organised an impromptu singsong in the chapel seeing as no-one had volunteered to put together a Sunday service, after which Ruth and Tracey came over to watch some Match of The Day with Adam and I (he gets DVDs sent out by a friend who records it for him). In the afternoon a few of us went down to the beach at Popenguine. I borrowed Dirk-Jan's bike and I'm still saddle sore today. It's been too long since I did any cycling. After we got back Dirk-Jan and Mirjam invited us round for dinner in exchange for some help clearing the furniture out of the dorm for the cockroach spray (happening as I write).
Some of us played volleyball after tea in which the Swiss beat the Anglophones 2 sets to 1. Our final game was interrupted by an emergency prayer meeting for the WEC related church in Dakar who have had some shocking goings on in the past few days which I don't know if I'm allowed to elaborate on so I won't. Please pray for the church members and the missionaries trying to help the situation.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Non-Gambian Holiday Adventures
Since I've not been able to go to the Gambia I've been stuck here at BCS all week doing the normal stuff. I realised on Monday after the girls left that I probably wouldn't have had time to get all my jobs done had i gone with them. That's a very bad situation actually as it reveals that I'm generally trying to do too much work during the holidays. I'm allowed to take two weeks of holiday over Easter and so far I've taken maybe 4 days in total. That leaves another ten days I could take but that would take me up to the start of term and I would arrive there with no lessons planned and several jobs still to be completed. That's a lesson to learn for the future!
Several people have taken pity on me and invited me to join them on trips out which has been fun. On Thursday night I went with the Baarsens (Falcon dorm parents) and their two young children to camp in our neighbour's mango plantation. We borrowed two of the school's new tents and went over there about 5pm to have a BBQ and then slept there in the tents. It was really good. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy camping and it was a good opportunity to get to know the Baarsens better.
In the morning we returned back to BCS and after showering and eating I headed down to Eagle dorm to start moving the furniture out of the bedrooms in preparation for the biannual anti-cockroach spray (a government requirement).
On Friday afternoon I was invited to join the Auers (Kingfisher dorm parents) going to a swimming pool in Saly for a bit of relaxation. If that sounds a bit too normal for you I can make it a little more Senegalese; when we set off I was told we'd be carrying two long pieces of metal down to the welder in Sindia on the way. We did this by putting them on the roof and then Jens and I sticking our arms out of the car windows to hold on to them so that they didn't fall off. When we set off from the workshop with the metal on the roof the car wouldn't start so we had to push start it. Then when we got to Saly Jens took a look under the bonnet to find that the battery connection had come loose. Spotting a guy walking along with some pliers he inquired as to his proffession to which the man replied that he was a mechanic. Jens then showed him the problem and he immediately offered to take a taxi to nearby Mbour and find the missing part needed and bring it back and fit it all for the equivalent of £5. Jens decided this was a good deal and so the mechanic went and did as he said. When he returned and fitted the part we tried to start the car again but with no success. The man then offered to take the car to his workshop in Mbour and fix it, bringing it back in two hours time. Being understandably hesitant about letting a stranger take his car away Jens had to think about this one. The man then introduced us to an old French guy staying at the hotel there whose car he had fixed earlier that day. After talking to this guy Jens decided to give the mechanic a chance and so he got the car started again and took it away. Meanwhile we went back to the pool and relaxed for a while and enjoyed a plate of chips on the beach. when the time came for the car to return we went back to the car park to see if it was there. The mechanic phoned to say he'd be there in 15 minutes. half an hour later he arrived and we inspected the work, payed him his money and gave him a lift to the Mbour junction on the way home. It was all a very strange experience that would of course never happen at home.
Jens and Coni's car is now with another mechanic that we know and trust, having failed to start again once we returned to BCS (£20 poorer).
Several people have taken pity on me and invited me to join them on trips out which has been fun. On Thursday night I went with the Baarsens (Falcon dorm parents) and their two young children to camp in our neighbour's mango plantation. We borrowed two of the school's new tents and went over there about 5pm to have a BBQ and then slept there in the tents. It was really good. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy camping and it was a good opportunity to get to know the Baarsens better.
In the morning we returned back to BCS and after showering and eating I headed down to Eagle dorm to start moving the furniture out of the bedrooms in preparation for the biannual anti-cockroach spray (a government requirement).
On Friday afternoon I was invited to join the Auers (Kingfisher dorm parents) going to a swimming pool in Saly for a bit of relaxation. If that sounds a bit too normal for you I can make it a little more Senegalese; when we set off I was told we'd be carrying two long pieces of metal down to the welder in Sindia on the way. We did this by putting them on the roof and then Jens and I sticking our arms out of the car windows to hold on to them so that they didn't fall off. When we set off from the workshop with the metal on the roof the car wouldn't start so we had to push start it. Then when we got to Saly Jens took a look under the bonnet to find that the battery connection had come loose. Spotting a guy walking along with some pliers he inquired as to his proffession to which the man replied that he was a mechanic. Jens then showed him the problem and he immediately offered to take a taxi to nearby Mbour and find the missing part needed and bring it back and fit it all for the equivalent of £5. Jens decided this was a good deal and so the mechanic went and did as he said. When he returned and fitted the part we tried to start the car again but with no success. The man then offered to take the car to his workshop in Mbour and fix it, bringing it back in two hours time. Being understandably hesitant about letting a stranger take his car away Jens had to think about this one. The man then introduced us to an old French guy staying at the hotel there whose car he had fixed earlier that day. After talking to this guy Jens decided to give the mechanic a chance and so he got the car started again and took it away. Meanwhile we went back to the pool and relaxed for a while and enjoyed a plate of chips on the beach. when the time came for the car to return we went back to the car park to see if it was there. The mechanic phoned to say he'd be there in 15 minutes. half an hour later he arrived and we inspected the work, payed him his money and gave him a lift to the Mbour junction on the way home. It was all a very strange experience that would of course never happen at home.
Jens and Coni's car is now with another mechanic that we know and trust, having failed to start again once we returned to BCS (£20 poorer).
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Easter Sunday
It's twenty past six on Easter Sunday evening and I've just finished clearing up after tea so I thought it seemed like time to share with the rest of the world what Easter's been like for me at BCS.
It' been very relaxed compared to last year. No MEng project and no BBC rehearsals here.
Good Friday was fun. I went to Thies in the morning with some others to do a little shopping. It was great to get off the compound. I found some biscuits which are a bit like custard creams. I'm eating some hazlenut flavoured ones right now, although they're not up to much; not even half as good as Aldi ones.
After lunch I did a little work on my current programming project before going to Bandia reserve for the afternoon. Bandia reserve is a nature reserve just down the road at which we ate for our end of term staff meal. Jacqui's family are here and Christine had some friends visiting so there was a large party of us wanting to go down and see what's there. We saw Rhinos, Giraffes, Gazelles, Impala, Warthogs and more; it was great.
That evening Bob and Dee invited a few of us round for a Senegalese meal at their house. They had invited the girl who cleans their house to come and cook a traditional meal for us and we all ate at a bowl on the floor.
During the day Bob and the kids had made little figurines to play out the passion in miniature. It was like a Christmas nativity scene but for Easter. They set it up outside their house on some of the large rocks and we got to see the taking down and burying of Jesus body.
Today we started with a sunrise service at 6:30 which was lovely followed by a wonderful breakfast together in one of the dorm lounges. I made fried potatoes and others brought eggs, sausages, crepes, waffles, fruit salad, bread, chocolate and more. It was lovely; a great was to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.
After breakfast I came home and fell asleep for two hours on the couch which was also wonderful. When I awoke I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon reading John's gospel; something I'd been meaning to do for a while but not made much progress on. It was really great, especially today, to read through one of the gospel accounts in one sitting. It gives a real flavour of the intensity of Jesus ministry and the tension surrounding it; the constant threat of those who would have rid of him and the effort of a loving and gracious God to reveal himself to a stubborn, proud people unwilling to listen and unable to understand. John in particular gives real insight into the uniqueness of Jesus relationship with his 12 main disciples.
I finished reading just in time to go and join some others for volleyball in the gym which was a good laugh as usual.
My friends leave for the Gambia tomorrow without me. Hopefully I'll get some good rest here and use my time well. I need to sit down and work out what I want to get done and try and work out when to do what whilst leaving time for a break.
I'm looking forward to some Attaya tonight (Senegalese tea, very strong and very (very) sweet), I'll have to bring some home with me in the summer to make it for others.
It' been very relaxed compared to last year. No MEng project and no BBC rehearsals here.
Good Friday was fun. I went to Thies in the morning with some others to do a little shopping. It was great to get off the compound. I found some biscuits which are a bit like custard creams. I'm eating some hazlenut flavoured ones right now, although they're not up to much; not even half as good as Aldi ones.
After lunch I did a little work on my current programming project before going to Bandia reserve for the afternoon. Bandia reserve is a nature reserve just down the road at which we ate for our end of term staff meal. Jacqui's family are here and Christine had some friends visiting so there was a large party of us wanting to go down and see what's there. We saw Rhinos, Giraffes, Gazelles, Impala, Warthogs and more; it was great.
That evening Bob and Dee invited a few of us round for a Senegalese meal at their house. They had invited the girl who cleans their house to come and cook a traditional meal for us and we all ate at a bowl on the floor.
During the day Bob and the kids had made little figurines to play out the passion in miniature. It was like a Christmas nativity scene but for Easter. They set it up outside their house on some of the large rocks and we got to see the taking down and burying of Jesus body.
Today we started with a sunrise service at 6:30 which was lovely followed by a wonderful breakfast together in one of the dorm lounges. I made fried potatoes and others brought eggs, sausages, crepes, waffles, fruit salad, bread, chocolate and more. It was lovely; a great was to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.
After breakfast I came home and fell asleep for two hours on the couch which was also wonderful. When I awoke I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon reading John's gospel; something I'd been meaning to do for a while but not made much progress on. It was really great, especially today, to read through one of the gospel accounts in one sitting. It gives a real flavour of the intensity of Jesus ministry and the tension surrounding it; the constant threat of those who would have rid of him and the effort of a loving and gracious God to reveal himself to a stubborn, proud people unwilling to listen and unable to understand. John in particular gives real insight into the uniqueness of Jesus relationship with his 12 main disciples.
I finished reading just in time to go and join some others for volleyball in the gym which was a good laugh as usual.
My friends leave for the Gambia tomorrow without me. Hopefully I'll get some good rest here and use my time well. I need to sit down and work out what I want to get done and try and work out when to do what whilst leaving time for a break.
I'm looking forward to some Attaya tonight (Senegalese tea, very strong and very (very) sweet), I'll have to bring some home with me in the summer to make it for others.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Holidays continue
Having been in Dakar on Monday I'd thought I might have posted something sooner but I didn't get round to it what with writing my latest monthly update and hanging out with others at the guesthouse.
The passport thing was a bit annoying. The embassy were quite good and fairly quick but I found when I got there that a temporary passport (my hoped for solution) was useless to me as it would only get me out of Senegal but not back in, or anywhwere else for that matter. Had I got a temporary passport for our Gambia trip I would have needed to apply for a full passport whilst in the Gambia from the embassy there. In the end I've applied for a full passport through the Dakar embassy but it won't come through in time to go to the Gambia so I'll miss out on my travel plans for this Easter.
I need to find something else to do because I know that if I stay here I won't rest properly.
I started on a programming project this week. I've been adapting one of my student's IGCSE projects so that it can be implemented at the school. It's an electronic library catalogue and borrowing system. I've made some good progress today although I've had some rather odd working hours (always the way with me and programming, hopefully not if I go professional).
We've also started filming our staff version of The Lord of The Rings. That's been great fun although it'll require some serious effort if we're to finish filming all three parts by the time school starts again. Our costumes are the best part, we wore them to staff coffee this morning and got some interesting comments.
Don't know what I'll do this evening; maybe see if anyone's interested in playing some cards. We played volleyball and watched a film last night so cards will be a welcome change.
There are quite a few people away at the moment. Fran, Jacqui and Tracey all have family visiting and have gone off to various parts of the country with them. Some are in Dakar and a large number leave for the Gambia and Mauritania on Monday.
It's going to get very quiet next week. Time to edit our film maybe :o)
The passport thing was a bit annoying. The embassy were quite good and fairly quick but I found when I got there that a temporary passport (my hoped for solution) was useless to me as it would only get me out of Senegal but not back in, or anywhwere else for that matter. Had I got a temporary passport for our Gambia trip I would have needed to apply for a full passport whilst in the Gambia from the embassy there. In the end I've applied for a full passport through the Dakar embassy but it won't come through in time to go to the Gambia so I'll miss out on my travel plans for this Easter.
I need to find something else to do because I know that if I stay here I won't rest properly.
I started on a programming project this week. I've been adapting one of my student's IGCSE projects so that it can be implemented at the school. It's an electronic library catalogue and borrowing system. I've made some good progress today although I've had some rather odd working hours (always the way with me and programming, hopefully not if I go professional).
We've also started filming our staff version of The Lord of The Rings. That's been great fun although it'll require some serious effort if we're to finish filming all three parts by the time school starts again. Our costumes are the best part, we wore them to staff coffee this morning and got some interesting comments.
Don't know what I'll do this evening; maybe see if anyone's interested in playing some cards. We played volleyball and watched a film last night so cards will be a welcome change.
There are quite a few people away at the moment. Fran, Jacqui and Tracey all have family visiting and have gone off to various parts of the country with them. Some are in Dakar and a large number leave for the Gambia and Mauritania on Monday.
It's going to get very quiet next week. Time to edit our film maybe :o)
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