Sorry for the last story - got a bit carried away with the gin and honey concoction Edwin was pouring down my throat while getting over excited at my writing skills- Thanks Eddie!
4am dawned with the realisation that this holiday - like all others does not come with sleep included! Ah well, at least I made it to Flores, said farewell to my nun friends (yeah I know you all think I should be hanging out with a more 'sedate' style of friend) and said hello to some UNICEF aid workers from Jakarta who were on a mission to deliver vaccines and education to villages in the Sikka province. I asked to tag alone, as you do, and was really pleased they agreed to let me come. We stopped at the first community center which was decked out as a medical facility today where mothers could bring their under 5's and learn how to prevent malnourishment and disease. The children were weighed the traditional way- see the photos to believe it - and given some advice from the midwives on how to ensure they gave the children a balanced diet. It was all amazing to see, and after we travelled to another village for another demonstration, however my attention was caught by the school next door.
Of course, Jenna is Jenna and I am a teacher, so into the classroom I jump with 200 muslim children rushing and pulling around me, giggling gleefully! I toured the small school and poked into the classrooms. In Indonesia most children now take exams, and I felt a bit of a dick making the children so hyper active, and tried with my best eye contact and shushing to quieten them down. Finally worked out bribery with the camera was the way forward then proceeded to teach them 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes'! The teacher was impressed and got me to write down the words! Seriously the height of adorability! After we communicated as best as we could, I taught them a little basic English, but some of the older ones already knew their numbers and colours.
What an amazing morning, an experience and memories you just can't buy! I decided enough was enough and I realy have to push West towards Moni and attack my second volcano. However, when I called for a moto, the driver showers me with more ideas than my under-rested, over active imagination can handle! We shared some mouth-watering grilled snapper freshly caught that morning on at the picturesque harbour while I contemplated stapling my eyes open so I can continue seeing all this amazing stuff while I'm asleep!
Thank you for your lovely messages, keep 'em coming I love to hear you are enjoying my tales of madness, and I will update you again when I have another story - probably in about 4 hours once I get off the local 'bus' (read cramped mini-van squished between 16 Indonesians and numerous livestock while balancing on several kilos of rice!).
Love Jenna
|  | 
|
