Hello from Mokema!

Good Morning! It is 8:10 here and I just got up! Sleeping until 8 is such a nice change from 5:45. Yesterday, we went food shopping and are going to start cooking for ourselves. I already got lazy and didn’t cook dinner last night! I was exhausted from the week and decided to call it a night around 8:00. This morning, I made oatmeal with cinnamon, raisons, and brown sugar. It turned out really good! In about an hour, I am meeting a few friends to hike Mt. Thaba. I am going to try for a second time to put pictures and my blogs on my flash drive and just put them in my blog. I had some technical difficulties yesterday. Sitting on the top of the mountain is really cool. I can see for miles and I think I can see the villages where the other volunteers are staying. After our hike, we are meeting at the school to plan for the workshops that we are having for the local teachers. 60 teachers signed up, so we think about 30 will really show up. As of now, our workshop is going to have about 5 stations and will teach teachers how to make their lessons more creative and learner-centered. Many of the teachers simply write things on the board and expect the students to memorize the information. Some subjects, like science, are not taught because the teachers do not really understand the content. We are planning on getting the teachers in small groups and modeling creative teaching while teaching them the content. They have access to amazing science kits, but do not know how to use them. I think my station will focus on using the science kits. My other station is going to be an independent station and will require the teachers to create a book. On one day they will create the story and the other, they will create the pictures. I made a book for a lesson I taught last week and used a book to help the students to understand the seasons. I am hoping that this station will encourage the students to make visual aids and also to have their students create books.
**Any PDS friends reading this, I am so happy that I did PDS before I came here! There are 7 of us working as resource teachers, and most of us have just graduated from college. All of the workshops that we had and the work that we did last year has given me so many ideas as I work with the teachers here!!

To quickly jump back to yesterday, we went food shopping in town and I got so much food! I am guessing that I spent a little under $100 and was able to buy a $10 phone card, lunch, plates, knives, utensils, a 5 pack of cooking spoons, and food that will last a few weeks. Some of the more exciting food times were a pineapple, apples, something similar to ramen noodles, beef and chicken base, soup mix, whole-wheat pasta and rice, and many other fresh vegetables and fruits! I am so excited to cook for myself!! I have a 2 burner gas stove and 5 pots that vary in size. My largest pot will double as a Dutch oven. My ‘M’e (mother) has taught me how to make bread in the Dutch oven, but I am going to try to roast vegetables and eventually make an apple pie! Volunteers are encouraged to stay inside at night, so we have lots of time, especially during the winter when it gets dark around 5, to cook.
Well I hope everyone is doing well! By the time I post this, I should know where my permanent site will be!! I am really excited to find out!