we have a charger!

I am writing this post on my beautiful mac. That’s right…we have a computer charger again! I am so glad to be able to use my computer again, especially since my grades are on here, and report cards are due next Monday.

We just had our fall break for school. We went to Nkhotakota with the Ketchums. It is a little town on the lake. We stayed at the pottery lodge, and Bech got to throw on the wheel one morning…he really enjoyed it. When he graduated last spring, he was unsure of whether or not he wanted to do ceramics full time someday, but he says that so far being in Malawi has made him more certain that he does want to do ceramics. I will put some pictures up soon. The lake was gorgeous!

My students are doing well. I absolutely love them and think they are all incredible. I have spent a lot of time with younger kids the past couple of years (babysitting, Sunday school, etc.) and had forgotten what a fun age group jr. high is. Kids this age are so fun to be around. You can talk to them like equals on some things. You can laugh with them or talk about serious stuff. Hopefully I am forming relationships with them that are more than just a science teacher with her students.

Anyway, in other news, I take the GRE Saturday at the American Embassy. I have been studying my words (the verbal section is the one I need to improve) for the past 2 months, but I still feel a little diffident (that’s one of the words!) about the test. Please pray for me to do my best!

Bech finished our screen porch tonight. We don’t have screens on our windows nor do we have air conditioning. This means it can get pretty hot at night. We have a fan that we keep on…it really helps. But now we can leave our back and front door open (well with the bars in place) and just let the cross breeze flow through. Plus, if you know Bech at all, you know he’s a perfectionist which means our porch is beautiful!

We feel like we are much more adapted to life in Malawi by now. I have only gotten upset at the power going out once in the past month (I don’t mean its only gone out once, I mean I have only gotten upset once!). I am becoming a homemade tortilla expert. Bech is great at driving here…I still have a little way to go on that issue. Things that used to be strange are getting more normal.

One thing we really miss right now is fall! It is the end of dry season here. Wet season will begin in December. Last time I was here, it was rainy season. It rains every single day for an hour or two. I knew there was a dry season, but I thought that just meant it didn’t rain quite as much. Wrong! Dry season means it NEVER rains. It has rained twice since we got here. Once it was just a slight sprinkle, and once was real rain but only for 15 minutes. We are ready for rain! It is also really hot, so we are ready for a break in the heat.

Well I better end this so I can post. We miss everyone!