We have just finished week 12 of term – one more week to go. This is the longest term of the year (term 2 is 12 weeks, term 3 only 11 weeks). Staff and students alike are beginning to tire, with quite a lot of illness going around.

I have finished teaching all the material needed this term. Next week we have a couple of days for revision, and then Term 1 exams. Marking the exams is quite a big job, which I will finish before travelling to the UK for a two week trip to see my father and meet up with the rest of the family for a long weekend in my home town – including a trip to see the pantomime 🙂

Last weekend was drama weekend, with performances on Friday and Saturday evening. The cast appeared to number about 30, and it was a comedy with some rather good performances from many of the students.

Yesterday evening was the Christmas music concert. The large meeting space known as Centennial Hall (built some years ago to celebrate the 100th anniversary of RVA) was decorated in festive tradition.

Its a bit weird both celebrating Christmas before advent has even started, and to sing of wintry topics when the temperature is in the mid-20s, and there is NO chance of snow except on top of the mountains.

The concert featured a wide variety of music groups, from a string ensemble….

… through concert band, wind band and jazz band….

… to a full ensembe, including the choir.

Given the relatively small size of the school (only 350 students in the secondary school) the quality is remarkably high, especially of the soloists.

On a more meteorological note, Kenya has been having above average rainfall for the past few weeks, for which everyone is grateful, particularly the locals who depend heavily adequate rainfall to grow their own food. I have resorted to wearing my wellington boots from time to time.