Extension

Things are much better. The director of the school, who is also the mayor, suspended the boys who boycotted class and made them bring a parent to talk to him. He also went to see the big imams (religious leaders) in town, to inform them of why I’m here. So now the people know I’m here to teach about pronouns and the simple present instead Jesus, things are better.

What a wild 7 weeks this has been. I’ve tried calling KaKa, Zuella and the family but can’t get through. I often think about what I’d be doing right now if I were in Chad. I would be finished with school and probably looking forward to a vacation someplace. Everything would be routine and comfortable. Things had become so easy there. But here I am in my new not –yet decorated room. I just spent two hours studying Hassaniya – a language in which I can barely communicate. I don’t know my way around. Few people greet me. I just about got run out of town. And there’s none of that exciting, exotic wonder of settling in the first time around. This time it’s taking sheer will power to stick with it.

I’ll be staying here until July of 2007, which will end up being a 6-month extension from my original December 2006 completion of service date. It seems a loooong way off from where I’m sitting. But with patience and a few well-timed vacations it will surely fly by.
Thanks to all for your encouragement and support. I haven’t actually received any of it yet, but I’m assuming that when the mail run pulls up tomorrow, the Land Cruiser will be brimming with abundant encouragement and support.

Hope all is well for you all! Keep those letters coming!

Love,
Kate