Greetings from Nigeria!

Now that I've been here (as a Brethren Volunteer Service worker) for over two months, I think it's high time for me to send out an update. As I sit down to put these words on paper, I wonder how it is possible to convey the richness of life here in Nigeria. There are so many wonderful people, so many sights, sounds, smells—it truly is an incredible place. I am often struck by the fact that there is always some kind of noise, something filling the air at school and around my home. Children running barefoot, laughing and shouting; drumming floating on the air from the churchyard; women singing as they cook and work. Other sounds too—it seems there is always a baby crying somewhere, and it's hard to know what to do when the children line up against our fence or wall and ask over and over for a piece of fruit, a drink of water, anything. Nigeria as a whole is not a poor nation in comparison to many African countries, but the standard of living here would put almost anyone in the United States to shame with our extravagance.

Nigeria is beautiful, and I have yet to see even the beginnings of all there is to explore and learn about. I'm excited for the rains to begin next month, and for all of the rich browns and sandy landscape to flower and transform to green. The mountains are barely visible as we travel now, hidden behind the veil of harmattan dust, but they too will soon be revealed. The sights even now are often breathtaking, especially some of the sunsets and sunrises I have experienced, and I anticipate new beauty in the changing of the seasons from dry to rainy. Rain will also bring cooler temperatures, as each day now is hotter than the one before. Already we top 100 most days, but the heat will still increase through to the first rains. All of our candlesticks have melted and bent in half, and heat means dust devils or whirlwinds too. Two weeks ago, we had a big one, maybe 15ft wide and 35 ft. high blow right into our classroom. It died out within 5 seconds, but since the school buildings are simple cement structures with open windows, we were all covered in dust, twigs and debris!

One of the things I am already cherishing about life here is the slower pace and the less harried schedules. Although it's sometimes a little hard to handle quite so much flexibility (or ambiguity), I've enjoyed time for reading books, cooking, playing my guitar, and even learning to knit! The four little German and Swiss girls (see picture) at Kulp Bible College, ages 2-6, are so much fun. They come over at least 3 or 4 times a week to sing songs and play games, so I really enjoy them. My day usually begins at 6 a.m., and I ride my bike along the dirt road about a mile to school. All-school morning devotions are at 7 a.m., and classes finish at 2 p.m. Some days there are games or Bible studies from 4-6, but other days I will head home at 2 and have the rest of the day free. Friday is market day in Maharaba, the small village one mile away, so I sometimes ride my bike there in the afternoons. We travel to Mubi about once a week (a thirty minute drive) for errands, visiting, or just to get a bite to eat. Most weekends there's someone watching a movie, so there's always plenty to do.

The first few weeks of the term were hard with no guidance for setting my syllabus or explanation of rules or regulations, but I'm really enjoying teaching now. I've finally mastered most of my students' names, and I understand many more of the nuances of what's going on so I'm not QUITE so clueless. I struggle with the formality and strictness of the school hierarchy, but I'm finding a way to build relationships with my students while maintaining an appropriate level of respect (I think!).

There are nine 40-minute periods in the day with an hour break for breakfast from 9-10, so my schedule is not very full. On average, I teach 3 or 4 classes a day since each course meets four times a week. With 2 sections of SS1 (10th grade) English language and 2 of SS2 (11th) English Literature, and one section of SS3 (12th) Lit, I have 20 periods a week. I'd like to add some music, but even meeting with each class once a week would be an additional 11 periods, and would be a little too much. Life IS slower here, and one of the reasons is simply because everything takes longer and makes you more tired than you'd expect. I could never keep a pace like I would normally in the States—the heat, walking or riding from place to place, foreign culture, and on and on ensure that I'm ready for bed by the end of the day.

I've been bringing my guitar to school at least once a week though and playing in my classes and with some classes that don't have a teacher during a period when I'm free. There are some days when students might only have 3 or 4 teachers out of their 8 or 9 scheduled periods—someone is always sick, or traveled to greet family, or just not around. I feel pretty good about my lesson plans for next term though, and have mapped out a much more structured (and realistic) course this time. The language students have a textbook to use, and I have decided to teach Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies with an introduction to poetry in between to my SS2 Lit class. They have to read Animal Farm for their senior exams, and there are about 6 copies of Lord of the Flies already at the school, so it seemed like another good choice. The students will all be responsible for purchasing their own copies over term break, so hopefully they will return with their books and be a little more enthusiastic about learning next term (SS2 are my most quiet, low energy, apathetic students, but maybe that's just 16-17 year olds everywhere!).

Our school term ends in another three weeks, but I taught my last classes yesterday. We will now have two weeks of final exams and the last week will be grading and an all-school athletics competition. Senior students are finished completely with classes already. They started this week with a three-week mock exam regimen, in order to prepare for their actual national school certificate exams in May and June. They have to do an incredible amount of work—a 3 to 6 hour comprehensive examination in every subject with an emphasis either on science or arts. So, the last month has been really busy for me, writing the students' midterm exams, grading them, writing my senior literature mock exam, and now finishing setting questions for my SS1 and SS2 finals. I will certainly be ready for our 4 week break by April 20th!

Today is Good Friday, and IEYN does a full Lovefeast service very similar to the US Church of the Brethren with footwashing, fellowship meal and communion. The service was conducted in Hausa, but already I am understanding more and more words, and the spirit and idea of the Holy Week are the same no matter what language people are speaking. The common meal was especially powerful for me, because it truly embodied the spirit of a fellowship meal as I imagine it should be. Men and women sit divided in church and wash feet separately, but everyone participated as a community in the lovefeast. Each person brought some item of food, and then while people were singing and playing music, individuals wandered around through the aisles sharing their food and exchanging it with others. We brought a loaf of banana bread, which was soon given out, but by then my plate was full with a carrot, a small orange, a banana, some fish and rice, oleilei (a bean paste with onions and hot peppers boiled in a bag), kunu (a peanut and rice porridge, some sobo (a sweet drink made from yaqua flowers), and even a cookie! People still moved around, offering me a bite of their mango for a bit of oleilei from my plate—we were truly breaking bread together and sharing everything we had to offer.

The joy in the churches that I've seen here is unlike anything I've experienced in the States. It's so refreshing to see people happy and alive with the simple pleasures of life and knowing God. So much of our time is spent focusing on rituals and committees that we lose sight of the simple mandate to live a life modeled after the love and actions of Jesus' example. Of course, regardless of church, I feel that my life here is nurturing a health and peace that I've felt only very few times before. There is a clarity and purity gained when I am unencumbered by so many burdens—a harried schedule, processed food, and material possessions. I don't think that most people here do not take life for granted in the same way "we" do (in general in the United States)—there are simply too many hardships, too many deaths. I am humbled and reminded each day of the terrible amounts of waste and misspent time and energy of so many in the "privileged" Western countries, and the damage our extravagant lifestyles exert on others around the world. I'm thankful each day for the chance to live and share life with my community here in Nigeria, to grow and change along with my students and new friends.

So, I suppose that I've let my thoughts wander for plenty long enough, and I'll close with a few quick updates. Matt Messick, Kristy Manuliak and I have been here in Jos since Wednesday afternoon and we are traveling today (Friday 29th) to Yankari Game Preserve to spend the weekend. There is an incredible amount of wildlife to see (if you're lucky) and hot springs to swim in and enjoy, so we will camp there until Monday morning. I anticipate spending at least a week of term break in Jos, and hopefully I will be able to check my e-mail account then and reply to any messages that I've received over the last few months. Now that I'm a bit more familiar with the city and have mastered public transport (a motorcycle ride from John and Janets Tubb's house to the market costs 25 cents) I can perhaps begin to check my own account more often and not rely on other folks to forward these messages out to everyone. So, in 3 or 4 weeks perhaps I'll get a round of e-mails sent, and until then I'll keep up with my written letters. I've mailed about 70 in the past two months, and received a bunch too—I've really appreciated hearing from many of you. Hope all is well with you, and congratulations if you made it all the way to the end of this lengthy, rambling message!

Shalom,

Rebekah