Commencing Cluster

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Most of the instructors, including my counterpart and my line manager, are away from the college at the moment, selecting the new intake of students. The campus is extremely quiet as a result. Classes are due to start (I think) at the beginning of November. Until Kedir (my counterpart) returns, I cannot finalise the annual plan for the Cluster Coordinating Unit and it seems daft to start visiting schools alone, so I have been concentrating on setting up a Model Classroom - something that the College is keen on having. Personally, I am not sure how valuable it will be, especially as I would like to do most of the In-Service Training in the cluster schools. But it has been fun to do!

I have included a book corner - using big books and reading books (Afaan Oromo and English) that I purchased with some of the sponsorship money that friends in the UK kindly donated. In case you were wondering … I have not yet done the Great Ethiopian Run (walk!) as it was postponed until November.

It is so good having another volunteer here - I wonder what I did at this time last year. Hannah lives just a couple of minutes from me; it makes the nightly power cuts (I cannot remember the electricity going off this often before) much more bearable as she often calls in during the evening. The other major benefit is being able to go out for a meal or a drink. Last year, I was limited to such treats when friends came up to visit. Last weekend, we walked to Hora Boka - hard work in the mud!

My main (slight) problem is that it seems that nobody has ridden, or even touched, the horses since I went away, so they have returned to the wild. They look much healthier than when I left, but this also means that they are not hungry … so bribing them with oats is not as easy. Previously, I was able, at least, to catch Daamaa - although I never got close to catching Daallee. Now, they are both impossible to get. I did have a slight breakthrough yesterday, when Daamaa did deign to take one mouthful of oats from the bowl I was holding, before quickly heading off again.

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Photos

Axe men in Hora Boka
These guys wanted their photo taken ... would you have refused?

Daamaa and Daallee
This is about as close as I can get to the (now) wild horses!

College Cleaners
They insisted on washing the clothes I found in the classroom - and pushed me away, despite my best efforts to help!

My new office!
Before I cleaned it out!

Role Play Area
Some shop items are still needed!

Reading Corner
Books bought with sponsorship money.