No Shaved Legs?

Don't worry, we're still alive! Sorry that it's been so long since our last post. Time is flying here and we quickly became absorbed in teaching and school. A lot has happened since we last wrote so let me begin by informing everyone that Katie and I are loving our classroom... despite the challenges and the language barrier. Last Tuesday, September 15, marked the first day of school. The students spent the entire first day doing nothing but staring and gawking at us. I mean EVERY student, not just the second graders in our room.... the entire school! On the way to lunch when we would pass the little guys, they would stop and touch our skin and pull all our little arm hairs, pick at our freckles, and one went so far as to even lick Katie to see what she tasted like. Our students are slowly settling into the routine that we have made for them but it will take some more time to get them adjusted. They had a slightly inattentive teacher last year so they have to idea how to act in a classroom. So all 20 of our students need a little redirection.

We ended the first week with tears at the end of the day. All we can say is, "Attack of the Ants." The ants had invaded our classroom without us knowing, so at the end of the day, Nicolina's bag was absolutely covered in ants. She cried and cried and would not touch her bag so Katie and I had to clean it for her. This week began with Isaac bringing Katie and I our first teacher apples!!!! It was so cute! We also had a little "wee-wee" problem. One student asked to visit the urinal but I told him no because we had just gone only 45 mins. before that. We are trying to get them on a schedule so that people aren't leaving the classroom every minute to go to the washroom. Well, this students took me very seriously so we a bit of an accident. He had to wear a cloth around him like a dress for the rest of the day, I felt so bad, but trust me, Katie and I had trouble holding in the laughter. We never realized how hard it would be to teach with one another in the same room and not laugh at inappropriate times. We also discovered that one of our students cannot read at all. She does not even know her letters, so.... we'll just have to work on that. We have a lot of work to do, but we've already made tons of progress. Today, there were some younger children visiting our classroom and started fighting... All of the sudden our students started explaining to the younger kids that we don't hit (or no beating as they call it) in our classroom. It was so cute to see them referring to our rules on the wall to teach the younger kids.... so, we are getting through to them. They really love to do the vowel dance that we've taught them and we also love acting out how a seed grows into a big plant with the help of rain and sun and soil! Slowly but surely we're getting there.

On a different note, Katie and I recently informed the girls at the convent that we shave our legs in the U.S.! They were so confused. "Why would you do that? Men love the hair!" ---- Here, the men find leg hair attractive. They don't understand why we would get rid of it, when some of them wish for more. So weird! Anyways, Comfort likes to sneak up behind Katie to feel her shaved legs. They thinks it's so fascinating. They also call razors: blade sticks.

This past weekend Katie and I attended the Jubilee celebration in Cape Coast. There were 4 brothers who celebrated 25, 40, and 50 years as professed religious in the Holy Cross Congregation. AND, exciting, Brother Vincent made his final vows. The whole day was colorful, full of music and dancing, and good food. Sr. Maggie, Sr. Veronica, Katie and I stayed behind in Cape Coast to spend the night with the brothers while everyone else returned to Kasoa. We enjoyed some good conversation and delicious food with the brothers. We met a bunch of the brothers who we will be spending time with in the future while here in Ghana. The following day, on Sunday, we attended mass at the brother's church and then went to Brother Mike's house in Takoradi where his mother was throwing a second celebration party. Brother Michael is only home in Ghana for a short time before he returns to University of Dayton to continue his education. We got try the some true Ghanaian food, including gizzard for the first time. yum yum! On a sad note, there are 8 cute little 2-week old puppies at the brother's house but on Sunday, the mother died so the brothers are going to have to hand raise them on cow's milk. It was so sad, they were crying all night long for their mom!

If all goes as planned, Katie and I will go to Accra this weekend to stay with a friend, Amy who we know through Katie's aunt Mimi (who just had her baby! Girl #3, Siena... Congrats!)

If anyone is interested in donating, some of the kids are having trouble paying for book fees. Let us know. The money can be sent to Sister Madeline in South Bend.

Also, any letters that you wish to send (not packages) can be sent to this address:
Sisters of the Holy Cross
P.O. Box KS437
Kasoa, C/R, Ghana

P.S check out pictures on picasa!

Love to all! - Katie and Meg