Land!

This is a picture (left) of our outstanding fourth class student. Isn't he great? The next picture (below right) is of a new first class student. She finally decided to go to school after four months of pestering from Ismail and myself (every DAY). She's darling, but skittish. She hates it when I try to tickle or hug her. She runs until she is a out of reach and then "communicates" with me by repeating everything I say, with an American accent.








And now, the news:

Today the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) came with the Revenue Inspector (RI) to secure the land for the school. After a few phone calls from the MRO, Mr. Reddy (the neighbor across the street) decided he wasn't going to claim the land after all. We're FREE to build! However, the MRO's office had inadvertently given about 100 sq. yards of the total 300 to another group. To make up for this, he offered a 100 sq. yards of government land down the street. Looks like we're going to have a separate preschool and primary school building. That will cause problems, but we'll get through it. Here is a picture of all of us talking about the land (right, thanks to Ismail for taking the picture). I'm on the wall that Mr. Reddy built on December 4th. But since he's no longer claiming the land, this is the school's wall now! The 200 sq. yards includes all the land from the wall to the street (where Ismail was standing when he was taking the picture). To make up for the 100 sq. yards lost, the MRO is going to level the remaining land to ready it for construction. That will save quite a bit of money, thank you! He also saw the temporary school and understood we're getting kicked out on April 1, 2005.

Here are the teachers in a picture from today, standing next to the Revenue Inspector and Ismail (right). They had to endure years with bad government teachers before. They seem to think it is strange to have confrontation and demand for change. Confrontation is not really used in the close quarters of the neighborhood. Because there is so little room, everyone ignores or accepts. Where are they going to go if they don't? So why get all worked up? (That coping mechanism, I believe, is part of what makes these people so peaceful.) Thanks again goes to Ismail, who has patiently and professionally gone through this whole process as the interpreter.

In better news, we now have an office assistant, Anita. She is lovely and is quite good. She helps the teachers get teaching aides, makes sure children receive first aid when needed, and all the million things that can distract teachers from their core functions.

Finally, a new litter of pups was born. Naga, the little one year old school "mascot," has great fun chasing after them (when they are awake).