Day 35

What a day. Today Jay and I started teaching. We had a great time. Our two adult classes went very well. We taught basic mouse skills using Microsoft Paint. I was surprised how quickly these adults who were using a computer for the first time in their lives picked up the skills. We had a fun group activity where they drew a picture on a computer, then switched computers every minute and continued drawing. We ended the session with a group game of Pictionary using Paint. It all went great.
The kids were much better than I was expected. They contributed when asked and were very respectful. We spent a bit more time on rules then with the adults, but they really didn't need it. We succeeded in getting all the classes to laugh and participate in games, which did a lot for setting the mood and making the class feel less like school and more fun and games. It was a pretty unique experience watching these people use a computer for the first time in their lives. Perhaps like watching a toddler making his first steps, or child getting on the bus the first time. It was a proud moment, I finally feel like I've done something here.
The activity we chose was perfect for what we wanted to accomplish, basic mouse skills and some vocabulary. Everyone picked it up quicker than I anticipated, and we had plenty of time in the classes to play the games. Tomorrow we've got another great game planned that will teach basic keyboarding, then formatting in Word.
Language is going pretty good. The long days make it very difficult. With two hours of driving, at least an hour of walking, 4.5 hours of teaching, and two hours of language every day, there's not much time for eating and writing. It's 20h00 and I'm just now sitting down to relax. Regardless, words are sticking in my head with regularity and I feel like I have made progress. I'm not worried at all about our language test this Sunday- I figure that the PeaceCorps won't send me home for failing as long as I have a positive attitude and try. There's just so little time, and the end of the day is not when I want to sit around and play "guess that word" in Afrikaans with my host family. I want to sleep.
Okay, so this is the fourth time I've written this blog. Each time I get a bit further before the computer quits. If I wasn't so tired, it'd probably really bother me, but as it is now, I don't really care. As long as it [computer quit here and I am typing now 1/2 hour later] stays on long enough to write entries and post, I'll make due. It's powerless feeling though, almost like I don't have a computer at all, I just borrow it from some ghost who likes to take it back at random times while I use it.