You would think after months of talking about teaching it would be less of a "Bang-Whap-What?" moment. Alas getting to Swaziland, with all the fun that it was (lets just say JoBurg Station is not for everyone) didn't actually make this more real. I don't know what I was thinking was going to happen ... but getting off a bus, into cabs, combies (utility vans used as local buses), large old 1970s school buses and dropped in the middle of no where ... things started to feel a little more real. We walked with our backpacs into a school in a field, put them down, picked up our teaching material and walked into classes of 100 high school students to teach them about the bible. I don't think I could have ever prepared for that moment, my first complete "Okay well there is nothing I can do but teach so I suppose I better" feeling. You have to laugh ... or else you will run ... and there is only more fields and maze crops so better to save the energy and put it into these kids who are all looking at me like they are waiting for me to speak in Martian, fly around the room then bore them. Alas neither of us were ready for actually learning from each other and after 4 hours of pulling teeth, singing songs, laughing, reading and many questions my first class was done. Now there is the other 300 students ...
This country is incredible, their culture, quiet spirits, totally acceptance of a king who picks a new wife from a stadium of dancing young woman (though my roomie tells me that he already knows the girl before the topless stadium of dancing), and the scenery ... I have taught A LOT but I have learned more. This teaching gig is challenging, and I am never as smart as I want to be alas this is my life and it is such a blessing to be here. Thanks for being here with me friends!
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