"This is a goat!"

Well, we and the kids have one more week of classes then it's exam week and

then we're done. We are really looking forward to a much needed holiday.

The kids are finding it especially hard these days as nothing much is

happening in class but they have to sit still and be quiet. Yesterday, one

of Simon's teachers got really angry because a student said he didn't want

to do the homework. He beat the student badly then kept everyone in for an

hour after school. When he told them they'd have to stay until 4:30 (they

finish at 1:00) they all ran away. Hopefully the teacher has calmed down by

now! We told Simon to come home if he starts hitting. Luckily, the

teachers have been leaving our kids alone! As for Kim and me, our students

are pretty noisy these days. I've got a week of review classes planned, but

will cut them pretty short if the kids are too crazy. They're still pretty

loveable though. Where else do grade 7, 8 and 9 teenage girls hug their

teacher, tell her they love her and carry her bag to the bus after school?

Kim has a big football game next week, the teachers against the grade 11

boys, which should be fun.

It looks like our stay in Eritrea was well timed. After several years of

drought, our short, rainy season is turning out to be very rainy. I got

caught in a downpour yesterday and got fairly drenched. This is excellent

news for the whole country as it will mean drinking water and a good growing

season. Our landlord is going to plant corn and sorghum on our property,

though he's promised to leave us the soccer field.

A funny sight on the way downtown with the kids a few days ago. I looked

over to see two small boys, younger than Simon, holding down a goat whose

throat they had just cut. Ever eager as always to practice their English,

they called out "This is a goat." "Yes, it is a dead goat", I replied.

Boys are often asked to kill chickens and goats because it is not considered

women's work and the dads aren't always around.

We had a special treat last Friday. One of the VSO volunteers leaving the

country for good this week, had some extra Nacfa and convinced Kim to use it

on a special meal for us. So we cycled out to Keren's fancy hotel, the

Serena, and had pizzas. These ones had lots of cheese for once and were

really good. We attracted a lot less attention on our bikes this time too.

I guess the people on that route are getting used to seeing us.

Wednesday was Keren's big Christian Religious festival. Each year, people

from Keren and all over the country, come for the pilgrimage to the big

baobab tree outside of town where supposedly some miracles have happened,

including protecting Eritrean soldiers during World War II. We rode our

bikes out, passing hundreds people walking several kilometers in the heat

and jammed into minibuses. Then we lined up to file onto the grounds and

have a look at the tree and the people. It was a major event, with lots of

people making money selling screams (frozen juice in a bag), water, fruit,

candies, candles and laundry soap (for some reason which I can't figure

out).

Guess that's all the news for this week.

Take care,

Barb