November...already!

November already ! – Unbelievable how so much as been achieved in such a short amount of time. this week suddenly it is as if it has all come together in the grade teachers heads – suddenly, there is an understanding of active learning and in a twinkling of an eye the grade school has revolutionised from a strong emphasis upon rote learning and copying to lessons where tomatoes from the school garden are being squeezed to demonstrate their water loss / coffee and lemon are being put in pots and passed around to test our sense of smell etc !

     Although it is a struggle to keep up with the lesson plans, now that I can see the effect that it is having then somehow it gives you the strength to be able to work until late at night – knowing that this plan will mean that the children will get an understanding – not simply a copying  !

      Even more good news - We have been lucky to receive a donation for the dream room – the first ever ! This will enable us to alter the room into a dream – complete with luxuries such as painting aprons, fully functioning tape machine etc !

         Still no news on any of the big grants – the major airlines month is up on Saturday – so every day we check the internet with in trepidation, hoping that today will be the news of the good news !

       Progress is very slow on the land front ! The organisation donating the money wants to do so through a Belgium organisation, which is fine, except that this means that we continuously have to wait for that organisation ! The founder is due to visit the school next Monday so hope that this means that at long last the process can start ! It is worrying since we have found a rare perfect piece of land exactly in the location that we want and of course – it wont stay there forever !

      Also, at the back of our minds is the worry that the organisation will change their mind and not donate the money after all ! We haven’t had an official confirmation – just a general one – thus it is a worrying process !

        In anticipation of the founders visit we are busy this week crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s of our paperwork – it is amazing how many strategies an organisation needs to have – from a 10 year strategy, through an annual business plan and a fundraising strategy to a marketing and communication plan ! – phew !

       It is still very strange for us to think that we now live in Nazret once again – both of us feel that we are only on holiday and that soon we will go back to “ real “ life – the one with incredible stresses and worries in working for others, in a large and nondescript city ! Incredible to think that actually we live here – in a place where the sun always shines, where you are greeted by at least a hundred smiling faces and “ good mornings “ and where you can make a real difference !