Happy HOT Wednesday. The rain that surrounded us with cool weather since the weekend went on it's merry way last night. Today is beautiful and sunny, but hot as Hades again and plagued with the humidity left behind by the rain. Ah well. Nothing new.

Today I received a text message 15 minutes before I was supposed to get picked up to go teaching informing me that we would not be teaching today. You see, one of my schools is becoming a "dream school". One would THINK that this would mean that the standards of teaching would be raised and the quality of education would increase. Au contraire, my friend.

In fact, the transitional process from ordinary country school to dream school is also a transition from a little teaching to almost none. The sports days, teacher meetings, aerobics sessions and impromptu "teacher hangout sessions" have not decreased. Instead, added to all of these reasons not to teach are all of the superficial NEEDS to beautify the school. After all, it is now a dream, so shouldn't it look it.

I don't know what they are doing today, as I don't go to school when teaching has been canceled in lieu of vital activities such as painting red and white stripes on curbs, having the students haul dirt for pathways through the shrubbery that other students are planting. All of these activities could be turned into meaningful learning opportunities. Instead, the teachers sit back and tell the students what to do and set them to work like hired laborers. I refuse to be a part of this. Were these activities confined to weekends or after school projects, I would be happy to take part. But, when they replace the minimal amount of classroom learning that is going on, I simply can't watch.

My students cannot learn English if they only study it for 45 minutes a week! Simple as that.

So, I am at home yet again with time on my hands. After breathing through the frustration of the two unanswered texts from the past two days (which inquired into whether or not we'd be teaching today) and instead receiving the message just minutes before I thought I was leaving (Turns out she'd changed her phone number and hadn't bothered to tell me..hmmmm) I called the hospital to ask if anyone was in labor. You see, I'm trying to observe as many births as possible to help prepare me for my future midwifery training. I learned that someone was in the early stages of labor and would probably give birth sometime in the afternoon. I decided to aim for noon and went back to sleep for a couple of hours.

After getting up for the second time today, I had some breakfast, read a little of my National Geographic that came yesterday and hopped on my bike to head to the hospital. After stopping a few places on the way, I arrived at the labor room almost exactly at noon, as planned. As usual, they asked me why I was there (though I'd called and I always come for the same reason) and then informed me that the baby had already been born. My guess was she gave birth around 11.

I know you can't really ever know when a baby will be born. But, why does it feel like they tell me the wrong time on purpose? Alas. Maybe next time.

On another note. Here are some pictures of some of the critters around my house...

Pumpkin caught a snake and proceeded to play with it for quite some time before feasting. (I took this picture while standing on a chair, despite the fact it is a garden snake and it's death was quite imminent.)

This pretty grass hopper was resting on my dishrag on the faucet outside. I took a moment to snap a picture before diving into the dishes. The little guy didn't like his moment in the spotlight much because he promptly flew off, kicking me in the shoulder on his way out!

Here Simba takes a aromatherapy rest on my running shoes. Wouldn't be my choice resting spot, but then he never asked me! So cute.