Firstly I hope everything is going well back in Britain and wherever else - I can't believe we're half-way through November already!
Arrived in Kaolack this morning where we're spending Tabaski. It was an early start to catch the 4am bus as everyone is on the move to head home to their families for the celebration and there are few spaces in any vehicle to travel anywhere. Although a little early we watched the sunrise en route and it's been lovely to arrive with so much of the day left and see everyone here again with such an enthusiastic welcome. The sheep has been bought and is standing in the yard, my clothes are all tailored and ready, complete with matching tacky pink shoes and nearly everyone has arrived. Hopefully the next few days should be both a great experience and a chance to relax a little.

Teaching in Joal was progressing fine however due to the government not paying salaries there was a teachers strike for the whole of the past week with teaching time reduced to 8-9am every morning. It meant I spent a lot more time preparing texts for the lycee at the house rather than being at school but also a little more time to get other things done so for me it wasn't entirely a bad thing! On Saturday morning after classes finished the kids decided to go on strike too. Apparently this is something that happens before most of the holidays as they are 'demonstrating' against the holidays being too short! And here they are having only just started school... The 'demonstrations' involved those in the 6ème and 5éme classes shouting a lot and throwing bricks/rocks at the school. All the teaching staff just hide inside until everything has calmed down and peer out the shutters taking pictures of the culprits. They seem more resigned though and vaguely entertained than angry! Thankfully I managed to cycle home safely.

The second drama was that we managed to flood the house. As there is no water during the day you cannot tell whether or not the tap is on so that when the water did come on at 3am the tap just ran and ran until we were woken at 4.30am with a knock on the door informing us the house was flooded. oops. Luckily the house is tiled, there are very few furnishings and the bedrooms and kitchen is raised, so that it was able to be sorted out without too much fuss - just a few tired people! We tried out our fishcakes again that evening though which went down a treat and were a whole world better this time. Also Louise managed to light a ball of gas whilst trying to heat up the iron and ended up singing her hair a little which was also quite dramatic.

We went to the chorale yesterday afternoon with a suggestion from Joal's basketball coach, Robert, to check it out whilst they were rehearsing for some celebrations on November 21st. Everyone was very welcoming and in the end they made us sing, despite Louise's sore voice and my sore ears and of course complete lack of voice altogether. We got a hand with reading the wolof but the serer was slightly too much to handle and we happily gave up to listen for a while. It would be really nice to go to, even if it is just from time to time. We're also considering basketball and planting a vegetable garden across the road just to keep us on our toes!

No doubt I'll find more exciting events to report after Tabaski so until next time...

Kirsty x