After having my morning tea and oatmeal I will lock up my hut and start my walk to Mwala to see what is going on at the school even if I don’t have specific plans that require me to be there. I walk across the front of my village, being greeted occasionally by children eager to see me “Bwanji Sarah?!” (How are you?) As I approach the sandy path to the school I meander around sometimes livestock, sometimes cow piles and greet the pupils heading to school. Passing through the archway of mango trees I can see if there are any pupils out of class on break playing by the playing grounds.

I pass the cooking shed where ladies distribute porridge for the UN World Food Programme and greet them as well as any other pupils nearby. I can tell as I walk up to the school which teachers are around that day based on which classrooms have activity in them. I make my way to the head teacher’s office and am greeted warmly by Mr. Ziwa, the head teacher (the principal) and he updates me on the happenings at the school. Any teachers that would like to approach me about projects usually come into his office if they know I am around.

Sometimes I will ask to sit in a class if I have nothing planned. I like to see if a teacher needs any help coming up with creative teaching methods and also offer them some advice as to how they approach their lessons. I also come to the school to attend Teacher Group Meetings (TGMs) held on Fridays. Most TGM topics are to improve all teachers on knowledge in a certain subject, new program being implemented in schools or to better their teaching methodologies.

Usually on my walk home I find myself smiling at the similarities in the way children play outside around the school ground with those of American children. Boys playing some form of tag. Girls with tree fibers made into a jump rope doing some form of double dutch, or their own variation of hop scotch drawn into the dirt. The resources may be different, but the concepts are the same. As an Education volunteer I embrace the cultural similarities and differences on a daily basis.