General chit chat!

Tuesday
As not a huge amount has happened since I last wrote, I thought I would take the opportunity to write about those little things that always seem to get eclipsed. But first, the inevitable news update:
Saturday was our fancy dress party. There were some stunning costumes including two banana trees, zebra, lion, amazing pineapple, and I was an elephant!
As we had all been into Arusha to have a meeting about our Zanzibar trip (from Weds 25th Feb for a week) and do the weekly shop, I unfortunately exposed myself to rather too much sun. I've taken a few days off school to get back to my normal, hydrated self. The African grasp of the range of maladies is quite hilarious - either you have malaria, or you are fine, and there seems to be a mythical pill that cures all ailments "you must have pill, Lucie, then you will be better"! Monday was a barrage of teachers trying to get me to go to the hospital for a malaria test, but I REALLY do not have it, as I have none of the symptoms and have the best anti-malarials. (I'm writing this on Thursday from Arusha, and I feel a different person, by the way).
Right, Swahili is such a cheerful, expressive language, that I want to share a few of the top 10 phrases we hear everyday:
1) Mambo - hi, how are you? You reply poa
2) Shikamoo - a respectful greeting you are expected to say to anyone older than you. You reply Marahaba
3) Habari - how are you? Nzuri sana - very well
4) Kwaheri - goodbye
5) Pole sana - I'm sorry to hear that (Habari? Nimechoka (I'm tired), oh, pole sana mama...)
6) Jambo - very informal hi/hey. Reply sijambo
7) Mzungu - white person/traveller. We get this all the time!
8) Walimu - teacher
9) Safi - good/great/fine
10) Piga ma kofe - round of applause/clap (we don't hear it that often, but it is a firm favourite as it sounds like 'Pig in my coffee'!).

Let me run you through a typical lesson. The school day is 8 - 2, but pupils must be there there from at least 7.30 - 2.30 to sweep and dampen the dirt. The 40 minutes betgins with the pupils (in theory) standing and saying a classic school greeting to a teacher, often preceeded by a little saying like "if you play you are fine". I tend to have some pupils hand out the marked books while doing a recap of the last lesson. I then introduce a new topic and write definitions they have to copy. Sometimes I do sentences they need to complete, or read out a passage I have written and they have to answer questions, or get them to correct mistakes on the board. One successful lesson was writing a passage devoid of any punctuation, and pupils had to come up and stick some punctuation cards I had made in the relevant places. I try to end each lesson with a game (Simon Says is popular), song, or story. At the moment I am reading Treasure Island to my 6As in installments. They don't really understand every word, but the melodramatic piratey accent is a big hit! My aim over the next few weeks is to get individuals to read bits to the class, and maybe act out a few scenes. I am really looking forward to starting my singing club as soon as I have got over this little blip.
I hope this little vignette has helped you imagine what I am doing here a bit better. Next time I write, I am sure to have had some more eventful days.
Until then, Kwaher! Siku njema (Bye, have a nice day!) Lxxx