Week 40 (22 – 28 Apr 2007)
The service was very quiet – comparatively – without Laura, Matt and Lisa. Some students from Vurra Secondary School (a near neighbour) took the service. One of the girls gave the sermon but I’m not sure what it was about! They were a friendly group and two of them are doing science A-levels which is unusual and the first we’ve met since being here. Most opt for humanities subjects. The car had another bathe today – only the second of 2007 but the last before the end of this term.
The exam timetable appeared on Monday evening and the practical exams will start on Wednesday. This means that the S3 and S4 miss their lessons on Thursday, and hence vital revision for the Chemistry exams. I’ll try to use the time to find out how they run the practical exams as I may have to do this next term. I teach S3 Chemistry and have indicated that they cannot do a practical exam this term. Most of the day was spent writing the exam papers. We do this on our laptops so that they can be photocopied but we did need to try to persuade the Director of Studies that this would be preferable to the secretary re-typing them onto stencils. He seems unconvinced. However, the secretary ‘big’ Joselyn, had no doubts. She can’t type matrices or integration symbols and has too much to do anyway!
Finished the exam papers today, Tuesday. Just had to persuade the printer to actually print them. After a few threats, it gave in so we can now begin to relax – or at least think about packing and relaxing a little.
Laura had and interview with Christian Aid on Wednesday and after the interview said that having met one of the other candidates, she would be very unlikely to get the job. However, she was offered it and we are all delighted. It seems such a good opportunity for her to complement her other more administrative role and both jobs are based in Exmouth. Well done Laura!
ANDREA’s visit to Mary’s house to be added here
Thursday was for packing and sorting out the final things we needed to do in the house – after the usual morning’s teaching of course. It’s still hot so hard to concentrate one what’s needed when we don’t know exactly where we’re going, the temperatures and rainfall in Kenya or in Kampala or what facilities we would have. No doubt we’ll get it wrong. We were also very aware that the funeral for Emma Golding was happening this afternoon and that we couldn’t be there.
Another early start on Friday and off to Diguna to leave the car for repairs and servicing. Thomas took us to the airstrip where we had a leisurely wait for the plane. Lawrence collected us at Entebbe and took us to Lyn Cooke’s flat where we chilled out for the rest of the day.
We left Lyn’s flat at 7.15am on Saturday and were taken to our pick-up point before leaving Kampala in a good 4x4, at least it doesn’t rattle and creak like ours! The journey to the east of Uganda was not unusual with the main highlight being the boarder crossing African style. It seemed chaotic and there were lot’s of people around but when we found out where we needed to go the papers were processed surprisingly quickly. The next part of the journey took us into the Kenyan mountains and became cooler. Much of the vegetation seemed to be very like that in the UK with fir trees everywhere. Our rest breaks were in very pleasant places and we had a good chocolate milkshake with our chicken and chips at lunchtime. We arrived at our overnight stop in the rain and mud but did see a double rainbow which almost completed a circle. No crocks of gold though. We stopped at 5.15pm after 9 hours travelling although it took another few hours for us to realise that we weren’t bumping along any more. “Sunrise Acres” is at Eldama Ravine and a brilliant place for a quiet weekend or for families with younger children. It is in on land given to an AIM missionary by a past president of Kenya as a way of thanking him for his work and help.
The exam timetable appeared on Monday evening and the practical exams will start on Wednesday. This means that the S3 and S4 miss their lessons on Thursday, and hence vital revision for the Chemistry exams. I’ll try to use the time to find out how they run the practical exams as I may have to do this next term. I teach S3 Chemistry and have indicated that they cannot do a practical exam this term. Most of the day was spent writing the exam papers. We do this on our laptops so that they can be photocopied but we did need to try to persuade the Director of Studies that this would be preferable to the secretary re-typing them onto stencils. He seems unconvinced. However, the secretary ‘big’ Joselyn, had no doubts. She can’t type matrices or integration symbols and has too much to do anyway!
Finished the exam papers today, Tuesday. Just had to persuade the printer to actually print them. After a few threats, it gave in so we can now begin to relax – or at least think about packing and relaxing a little.
Laura had and interview with Christian Aid on Wednesday and after the interview said that having met one of the other candidates, she would be very unlikely to get the job. However, she was offered it and we are all delighted. It seems such a good opportunity for her to complement her other more administrative role and both jobs are based in Exmouth. Well done Laura!
ANDREA’s visit to Mary’s house to be added here
Thursday was for packing and sorting out the final things we needed to do in the house – after the usual morning’s teaching of course. It’s still hot so hard to concentrate one what’s needed when we don’t know exactly where we’re going, the temperatures and rainfall in Kenya or in Kampala or what facilities we would have. No doubt we’ll get it wrong. We were also very aware that the funeral for Emma Golding was happening this afternoon and that we couldn’t be there.
Another early start on Friday and off to Diguna to leave the car for repairs and servicing. Thomas took us to the airstrip where we had a leisurely wait for the plane. Lawrence collected us at Entebbe and took us to Lyn Cooke’s flat where we chilled out for the rest of the day.
We left Lyn’s flat at 7.15am on Saturday and were taken to our pick-up point before leaving Kampala in a good 4x4, at least it doesn’t rattle and creak like ours! The journey to the east of Uganda was not unusual with the main highlight being the boarder crossing African style. It seemed chaotic and there were lot’s of people around but when we found out where we needed to go the papers were processed surprisingly quickly. The next part of the journey took us into the Kenyan mountains and became cooler. Much of the vegetation seemed to be very like that in the UK with fir trees everywhere. Our rest breaks were in very pleasant places and we had a good chocolate milkshake with our chicken and chips at lunchtime. We arrived at our overnight stop in the rain and mud but did see a double rainbow which almost completed a circle. No crocks of gold though. We stopped at 5.15pm after 9 hours travelling although it took another few hours for us to realise that we weren’t bumping along any more. “Sunrise Acres” is at Eldama Ravine and a brilliant place for a quiet weekend or for families with younger children. It is in on land given to an AIM missionary by a past president of Kenya as a way of thanking him for his work and help.
posted by J & A McAdam at 3:00 PM
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