"How many kilometers do you have to drive to America?"
This is what one of the Tanzanians asked before I left. It was quite funny, they didn't understand how far America was and that you couldn't drive there. At least not all the way.... :)
It was really hard leaving everyone. The last day of school was a great yet, sad day because of this. It was the first day I had gone to school that week because I had been sick with the flu, strap throat, and a few other things. I was just itching to get to the school! I did not want to spend my last week in Africa, sick! I was a little better by Thursday and decided I had to go to the primary school.
I knew this would be my last day so I had brought all my little gifts and trinkets and planned on giving them out to the kids.
Bible class went well as normal. I sang with Standard 3 and told them a story. At the end of the story, we played Bible tick-tack-toe. They didn't have a clue what it was or how to play it when we first got here, but it was a favorite among the children once they learned it. I added a little twist to it this time. Whichever team won, everyone in that team got a marble. They looked at in awe, turning it around and round. One of them tried to put it in their mouth.
"No! Don't eat it! It's a marble. You roll it on the ground, not right now though. After class you can play with it." I quickly told them.
It worked out perfectly, each team won once and I gave them all marbles. At the end, Brianna told them all that this was my last day.
"Oh no! Why does she have to leave?" they wanted to know.
"She has to go back home to America. You should say Thank-you for everything she has done for you." Brianna suggested.
"Thank-you teacher!" they all shouted as they repeated after her.
"Don't forget to say good-bye to her before she leaves, too." added Brianna.
he correct answer, I would give them a prize.
They were so excited to get their prizes and most of them
got the answers right away.
My favorite first grader, Heifsiba was hilarious! When he's
counting and it goes past ten he doesn't have enough fingers! So what does he
do? Well, off comes the shoes and socks and there he is counting his toes on
his desk. The funny things was, when it was his turn to solve the problem on
the board, the answer was above ten. I didn't even think about it when I wrote.
Of course, he couldn't take off his shoes and count his toes up there. He
usually gets ALL his problems correct but he was having the hardest time! He
kept getting the problem wrong - because he couldn't count his toes! I thought
that was so funny!
The last class was English with Standard 7. I would think of
creative ways to ask questions and give them prizes throughout the class.
In some ways it was harder to leave standard seven because
they were more like my friends. Most of them were 13 o 14, but some were my
age, 15 as well. Like at church they called me "Enjoli" instead of
"Teacher."
When I was leaving the classroom, Neema came up to me and
said, "Thank-you teacher for the gifts and everything else. You are a good
teacher." I thought that was so sweet. I was so glad I could make a
difference in at least one girl's life.
My Dad had come with me to the school that morning because I wanted to show him the school, my students, and the classrooms. It was pouring outside so my dad had brought one of the trucks up.
I threw my things in the back seat and then turned to say a hard good-bye to the crowd of African kids gathered around me that I had learned to love so much.
"Teacher." said one girl from Standard 1 despondently, "why you leave?" It just broke my heart to look in those little, sad eyes.
I lifted her head up to me and said, "Abigail, I have to go home. I'm sorry. I'm going to miss you and will never forget you, okay?"
All the children were so depressed and it was hard to keep myself together!
Many hugs later, I hopped in the car and waved cheerfully to them as we left the Primary school. They all smiled and waved as hard as they could until we turned the corner.
Oh how I miss those brown little faces! It has made me even more determined to go back as well as become an elementary teacher as I've always wanted to be. I just thank God every day for leading me to such a wonderful place and to be able to really experience God's love. <3
