It's Fall you say?

It is hot today. The air seems still and I cannot find a breeze. There is no power today so a fan is futile. I have fast (by Moz standards) internet now but that won’t work either. Tomorrow marks my one month anniversary. We will have class today at 2, English and then Business. I look forward to their arrival. A mission school student is going to speak on Hospitality and Tourism. We met yesterday with the ministry director and walked over the school property. They are hoping to build on to the current building. We would like an additional classroom, office/meeting room and maybe bathroom but at the moment the property has no sceptic tank so that may not be a possibility. The offices are almost finished and I even have a key now. My neighbor gave me her desk! There is a large veranda off the back of the building and it backs up to the front gate of the property. We would like to put a bamboo gate on both sides and close off the veranda, plant bougainvillea, and grass, put chairs and rope beds to use as lounge chairs and sofas and make a garden space. We could even have a classroom there. A church in California donated cans of chalkboard and dry erase board paint. Now I am on the search for plants, pots, planters, a gardener, bamboo, doors, locks and back to the market where I got the big bruise for rope beds and mats. I left that part out I think. It was not a highlight but Mom wrote last week concerned about me. Evidently in the photo of Robin and me you can see a bruise on my arm. It was kinda big. A result of riding to the market in the bed of the truck. A drunk guy tried to get in the back with me and the driver slammed on brakes. It only thrust him into the back and me against the cab. But now I know how to get there and can get rope beds and mats and fabric and door locks. 

I am scootering around like I have been doing it all my life. Not that I would ever want to have one under any other circumstances but for here, it works. I scootered out to a friends house last night and played cards. I actually need to scooter up to the gas station as I have almost gone through a tank of gas now. 

I am elated to have fast-ish internet and even got to ichat for a few minutes with Laura. Words cannot describe getting to see her face. She was all bundled up in a sweatshirt. Fall? I got an email for Black Friday Ads and thought how silly, only to realize that Thanksgiving is this month! There is a large company, Texas based, working here in Pemba. They have discovered us. They’ve made friends with some of the staff and see the work that we do. They are going to throw us a proper Thanksgiving feast. I have heard they purchased something like 50 hams, 70 turkeys, 150 pies. They lost me at pie and I can hardly wait!

As I write this, I have three visitors. I wish I had a camera. They have come to play the one game on my cheap cell phone. Something like Bedazzled, something about gems in rows. They are patiently watching the ring leader play on the tiny screen. One boy has very long eyelashes. They are all about 8 or 9. I wish Carson were here to play with them. They construct handmade sling shots and are all soccer stars. 

Steve dropped by and we are making plans. He is working to coordinate letting all the students know about class today. I am to meet with them today and schedule appointments with the Business students. We have some ideas for small businesses and want to see what their interests are and ways we could merge the two.