CRS Instalement No 3

Hi - us again, did you miss us?! Right quick update of the last week or so. We have been busy helping the kids with their homework in the evenings, which has proved quite a challenge as their arithmetic formulas are very different from ours. Thank goodness that Jennifer has a mathmatical brain (she says well kind of) otherwise the kids would be going back to school with the wrong answers or a blank page if left to me.

Have been trying to help out at the school - which has been a little frustrating and involved a visit to the Education Officer in Malindi which was eye-opening and has since allowed a few small dwarf size doors to open. Jennifer is now teaching year 8 for an hour or so again. Year 8 which is the final year of Kenyan Primary and I am doing reading with Year 5. Obviously the Head Teacher Madame La Toya (not one of the Jacksons) thought Jennifer was more responsible than me as I have been allocated the younger ones... should I be flattered or insulted I ask? My remit is just to listen to the kids read and help with words they don't understand. However it is quite difficult to do in half an hour when you have at least 40 kids in the classroom.....

The kids are so well behaved when you enter the classroom, we are now called Madam Jennifer and Madam Mary so please don't forget that is our new names. The cane will be used if you do not. Also if your nails are too long the cane will have to come out again. The children get rapped on the hands for long nails.

We play with the kids in the afternoons, that is the little ones from 3.5 upwards, we have developed quite a fan base. Even Michael Jackson would of been jealous of the number of fans we have and such an avid and persistant following. We have to hide under the covers whilst the kids are literally beating down the door shouting for us. Just so difficult having such magnetic personalities. However we are being used regularly as climbing frames, skipping partners, baseball catchers and general ball catchers. Not to forget the drawing and colouring activites which we provide.

I am a little suspicious of one boy who does not live here, think we mentioned him in a previous blog. Jennifer is convinced he has a crush on me and in actual fact I first thought she had had too much sun, but on second thoughts I think the boy has, as she is definitely right. He is 11, now we know I like a younger man but.... Although i am marrying myself off to Kelvin who is not even 2 yet!!!! Jennifer has a slightly older admirer, he is 12!

We have been to Malindi a couple of times and it is growing on us. Although that might be due to the beers we have been consuming there.

We are sorry to disappoint our public but we must warn you that we are currently experiencing technical difficulties uploading photos. We are hoping normal service will be resumed at some point but cannot advise how long this will take.

Off to Lamu tomorrow for a well deserved holiday, so see you when we get back. Wish you were here Mary and Jennifer.