Swazi Schooling.....

We are nearing 4 months living here in Swaziland.  We’ve learned so much, yet I know we still have so much to learn.  Bailey and Cameron have both started school now, and Mark is ever busy with projects on Canaan. 

Bailey’s school is situated a top a mountain in the capital city of Mbabane.  The temperature difference between her school and our home is substantial.  We are around 45 minutes South and not in the mountains.  I haven’t actually checked the numbers but it feels around 10 F cooler at her school.  Bailey’s 3^rd day of school was actually a field trip to a Nature Preserve near Piggs Peak (still in Swaziland).  The field trip was a sort of “Survivor Camp” for 2 days, 1 night.  They could only bring a sleeping bag and what would fit in their backpacks.  They did a lot of hiking and rock climbing, but they also had to build a sun proof, waterproof shelter, find clean, strike clean, I meant to say safe drinking water, blaze a new trail, cook their own dinner using a fire (they had to build, unless they had chosen to bring a camp stove which 1 group did bring) and a cooking pot.  They were provided a couple of potatoes, part of an onion, and a slice of meat.  And that was the first day.  As always seems to happen when camping…it started to rain on them around 2am.  So that should have made that 5:30am wake up not so bad right?  They had several stations set up to teach various elements of survival.  Bailey’s first station was swimming across the dam to get grass from the other side.  Mind you there were no towels and no swim suits…so they had to pare down so they wouldn’t freeze when they got out!  Thank goodness Bailey wore shorts under her sweats!  There were various other activities, but when the lightning started, they packed up and made it back to the school early!  Let’s just say Bailey and Chloe were an absolute mess when I finally picked them up!  But, yes, they had a blast!

Bailey after the long hike to the waterfall!

Of course Momma Worry Wart had to dress their many scratches with first aid, antibiotic cream, just in case…

Cameron’s schooling is not nearly so exciting, (I have absolutely no desire to sleep outside) but we are getting in the swing of it – and I’m learning so much!  We typically do school from around 9am to 2:30 or 3pm.  Cam’s least favorite subject?  History.  My favorite subject?  History.  Go figure!   We are studying ancient history from Creation to the Resurrection, Math, Science (Zoology), Vocabulary, Grammar, Creative Writing and Culinary.  My sweet mother, with all her many years teaching Home Economics at Mississippi State University, actually put together a curriculum for us!  Here is a picture of Cameron baking a Sour Cream Pound Cake from scratch - all on her own.  Yum!

We appear to be in the beginning of our rainy season already.  It rains for days and days and days.  It does hinder getting clothes dry, but then there is less laundry to do also.  The rains bring the frogs which we can hear over our television oftentimes.  The frogs of course bring the snakes, which we are so excited about!  We haven’t seen any since Bailey met with a black mamba in our back yard.  It wasn’t more than 4 feet from her!  But it got spooked and slithered away…as we all stood staring at it wondering what in the world we were going to do!  You know, now that I think of it, I don’t think Bailey has stepped a foot in our back yard since then!

We all continue to spend time at the Baby Home when we can, though our opportunities are much more limited in the rainy season.  There is the issue of crossing the bridge on the way to Canaan and of course there is always school to finish!

Speaking of finishing...Cam just finished up math (pronounced mats here), so I'd better go check on her…

Blessings to you all!

J