One of the ways which Lesley and I help around the school is to provide dorm cover for the Titchie Boys’ Dorm. This is a group of nine 8 to 11 year olds, who are boarding at the school whilst their parents are working elsewhere in Africa.

Each dorm has a pair of Dorm Parents, and once a week they get an evening off, with the children being looked after by someone else.

So every Thursday evening Lesley and I (now only me, since Lesley is back in Europe) supervise their homework, read them a story, give them a snack, and then get them to bed.

We have been reading to them from Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Just So Stories’. Last week was one of my favourites, ‘The Elephant’s Child’, which tells how the elephant got its trunk. As you may recall, the elephant’s child wants to know what a crocodile has for dinner. To find out, he is told to ‘Go to the banks of the great grey-green greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees, and find out’.

Now in Germany, a Fever Tree look like this:

and is Lesley’s favourite mixer for a gin and tonic (other brands are available).

But I think what Rudyard Kipling was referring to looked more like this, photographed in the grounds of the school, and as you can see, indigenous to the region.

Hero’s Day

Thursday was a public holiday in Kenya, also observed by the school. It is an opportunity to honour and respect your heroes, whether they are the president of the nation, or your grandparents.

The day had a carnival atmosphere, beginning with a race around campus.

I was soundly beaten by my algebra class (all at least 45 years younger than me), and by my next-door neighbour, the woodwork teacher (10 years younger than me) AND by the Pre-Calculus Maths teacher, who is 4 years older than me. Well done, Ashley!

To console me after what felt like rather a dismal performance, Ashley pointed out that I was first in my age category. (Confession: I was the only runner aged between 60 and 65).

The day continued with optional activities around the school – I organised board games in the student cafe, with about 20 students playing Catan, Ticket to Ride, Wizard and various other games.

After a BBQ lunch, the students took part in a campus-wide ‘Capture the Flag’ game …. and I had a swing in my hammock.