Farewell Party

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The host family, teachers, and kids from the Secondary School and After School Program threw a farewell party for the 3 volunteers leaving this week and 3 of the engineers who are leaving (don’t know if I said before but there has been a group of engineers here for a few weeks building water tanks).

Some of the women who are involved in our women’s groups and have children at our school came to party with us as well. We brought chairs and desks from the school into the chicken house that the Secondary School kids are building (thankfully not being used by chickens yet). The teachers also ordered a DJ and some speakers so we had quite a good time =)

The new headboy of Hope Academy (recently elected by the kids and Electoral Commission - i.e. Me) gave a speech as well as some of the teachers and all the volunteers. In between speeches, we would have entertainment which included the school choir singing songs and “mimes” which is their version of karaoke. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing our Secondary School kids dancing and “enjoying life” as they said because they seem so innocent and young when we teach them or talk to them at school, but seeing them dancing and singing made us realize that they are normal teenagers like at home (except 10 times more amazing and hard working).

After the entertainment and speeches, we had a “dance party” so we moved all the furniture out and everyone danced the night away. The women danced with the mzungus for awhile which was really entertaining for them (and us). I danced with a bunch of the little kids who are just too cute for words =)

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Photos

Jackie
She lives next door to us so I get to play with her a lot. Sweet sweet baby!

Hope Choir
Secondary School students singing for us

New Leaders
Swearing in of the New Prefects

Deo and Betty
Two of my favorite students :)

Primary School Kids
The little boys dancing with the skirts. Ronald is on the right, he's quite the character.

Reagan
Also one of my favorites. He goes to another secondary school but attends the ASP. Probably the brightest student around.

Comments

[Rhonda]

Monica- Tom and I are at your parent's house getting ready to head up to Grandma Read's memorial and I was just reading your blogs. You are an amazing young woman and an inspiration to everyone. I am so proud of you and the work you are doing in such a depressed area. Keep up the good work - and enjoy! Love, Rhonda

[waldo]

eltit tnemmoc
You are saying that you danced with everyone in a public party, and you didnt even wanted to dance with me in front of just 3 cc friends or some band people at ur place... :( I though... well, i didnt though in anything, but now that you have learned the origins of dancing, the basic movements from the pro's of Africa, U HAVE to teach me!!! I will tell Amanda and MAria to set up aboriginal dancing lessons for next semester!