Libraries, birds and bugs

This is actually a blog that I wrote a week ago, but I haven't had
time to post it, despite having Internet nearby...

Sorry I haven’t written much lately, but I’ve been quite busy. So,
here are the updates! I’m no longer teaching biology, only English to
Form 1s and 4s. However, I have also become the Head Librarian. This
actually presents quite the challenge, as we really don’t have a
library. Ok, so we do have a building that is technically called the
library, but most of the books are stored elsewhere. It is my job to
make that building ready to actually live up to its name, and to
catalog the books that we do have (there are very few) and devise a
system of running the library itself. I’m also attempting to get more
books for the school. I’m hoping that the District will pay for some,
especially the much needed English language science textbooks, but I
plan on also contacting various charities and NGOs to see if anyone is
willing to donate loads of books. On top of teaching and
building/running a library, I am also the Assistant Head of the
Language Department (or Assistant to the Head, I’m not sure which
yet), I’m running two English Clubs a week, helping out at a third and
I’m supposed to be starting up at least one more. So, if anyone has
any advice on any of these things, please, let me know!

I found an ant with a death grip on my shoe. Really. I was cleaning
the other day and when I picked up my shoe I found a large ant with
its pincer’s embedded deep into my shoe. I tried to flick it off, but
it wouldn’t come lose. I actually had to grip it firmly by the head
and twist a little. It made me thankful that I was wearing shoes when
I had to walk through that swarm of ants on the way home from school a
couple days before.

Random thought: I dread the day the crows lose their fear. The noise
they make on my tin roof is incredible. The first time I heard it, I
thought someone was breaking down my door, so I try to scare them away
whenever they land. Unfortunately, they are quite bold, and they
stare at me for a second, thinking “Is he really a threat?” I don’t
want to think about what will happen when they realize that, no; I’m
really quite harmless.

Also, I may have mentioned this in an earlier post, but something
keeps laying eggs on my walls. My map has been a victim several
times, but lately I’ve found them on my calendar and less than an inch
away from Dallas’ face (on a photo I put on the wall). I’m not sure I
want to know what is doing it, but with the moths, wasps, bees, flies,
ants and spiders, there are many candidates.

One piece of good news: I’ve found Internet nearby! The District
office on the other side of town (about a ten minute walk) has a
connection, and I will be able to use it on occasion. This is great,
as I won’t be restricted to going to Kibungo every weekend (and
spending 1200 RWF just to get there!).

I had a night without electricity the other, well, night. I couldn’t
charge my phone or computer, which was frustrating, but there was
something kind of cool about reading and writing letters by
candlelight and listening to the BBC World Service on a wind-up radio.

Camber, if you are interested in sending me books, I'd love it! Check
the price of sending them though, I believe it's expensive. My
address is on the blog somewhere, I think.

That's all for now, I'll try to get another out soon. I have more stories.