I have been back in the classroom for over a month, and things seem to be getting back to normal. I have learnt (almost) all the student’s names, and more importantly got to know their mathematical abilities. The last two weeks has been solving simultaneous equations, culminating in learning how to use their graphical calculators to solve them with matrices. When they all pressed together the solve button there was an audible gasp from around the room as they realised the power they had in their hands.

It’s not all hard work, though. Lesley and I and two other couples went away for a couple of nights over half-term to ‘The Ark’, a lodge built in the shape of the ark, located in the heart of the Aberdare national park, about 4 hours drive from the school.

The lodge is built next to a watering hole, which means you don’t have to go out in a Land Rover to see the animals – they come to you.

On the way back we stopped of at the Thomsons Falls, which were beautifully impressive:

I have also taken up a new hobby : pasteurising our own milk. A colleague who left RVA last term used to do it, and so I bought his equipment. We get deliveries of 10 litres twice a week. Two other families take some of it, and I process the rest.

We get much more milk than we can drink, so we have a cream extractor, and I also make homemade mozzarella cheese. Delicious with locally grown avocados and tomatoes and a drop of balsamic vinegar and olive oil…

I am also helping out with the Robotics Team, who will be participating in the East Africa regional competition next February. Two of the team constructed five basic robots, which will then be customised by pairs of team members to solve each of the challenges facing them.

Some integration of the solutions will be needed, both hardware and software, since in the end only one robot can be used for the competition. Many of the problems the team face are common to the robotic exploration I was involved with ESA, and so its nice to be able to put their activities in context.