Well, the whole turning over a new leaf to blog thing didn't really take, did it?
Now I'm in Kenya, for a three week workshop. I'm learning a new method for making Primers, which uses a new computer program to sort word lists and data. It's pretty slick. To practice using the computer program, each of us has been assigned a language here in Kenya to work on. So I'm making a Primer for a Cushitic language, which is spoken in a couple of different countries. It's pretty challenging, but I made a bit of a break-through today and got a bit encouraged. Next week we have mother tongue speakers of the languages coming in to work with us, so it will be much more fun then. I nearly lost hope for a little while this afternoon because everything was just taking SO long, and I have really no idea if I'm doing the right thing, because I don't have anyone around me who actually SPEAKS this language - all I have is a word list and a few translated Bible books to go on! But once I got into a groove, I was enjoying making up a pre-primer, and laying out a nice little book. It looks so pretty :)
It's definitely nice to be away from my normal place for a bit too. It was really hard to leave my cute little house, especially since I've just finished my curtains and wanted to start sewing some pillow covers for my couch... but I certainly can't complain about getting out of the heat for a few weeks! It was in the 40's when I left - 42C is just too hot for human habitation. Here in Nairobi, it's just about perfect. 28-30C during the afternoons, but cool (ok, downright COLD to me at the moment!) during the mornings and nights.
And it's great to meet with some old friends here again, too. The world of literacy workers in my organization is pretty small, so you tend to run into the same people now and again at various meetings, conferences and workshops. It's a good thing that we're all pretty nice people! There are always new people, as well, though, which is also great. This week, we are all coming from all corners of Africa, so it's really nice to hear about people's lives in other parts.
Tomorrow is another long day, and I have lots of vowel exercises to write tomorrow in my pre-primer. I have gotten on a bandwagon here, though. I have exercised, like, really intentionally exercised, three days in a row! I really hope I can stay on this bandwagon, because I think it's really good for me!
Now I'm in Kenya, for a three week workshop. I'm learning a new method for making Primers, which uses a new computer program to sort word lists and data. It's pretty slick. To practice using the computer program, each of us has been assigned a language here in Kenya to work on. So I'm making a Primer for a Cushitic language, which is spoken in a couple of different countries. It's pretty challenging, but I made a bit of a break-through today and got a bit encouraged. Next week we have mother tongue speakers of the languages coming in to work with us, so it will be much more fun then. I nearly lost hope for a little while this afternoon because everything was just taking SO long, and I have really no idea if I'm doing the right thing, because I don't have anyone around me who actually SPEAKS this language - all I have is a word list and a few translated Bible books to go on! But once I got into a groove, I was enjoying making up a pre-primer, and laying out a nice little book. It looks so pretty :)
It's definitely nice to be away from my normal place for a bit too. It was really hard to leave my cute little house, especially since I've just finished my curtains and wanted to start sewing some pillow covers for my couch... but I certainly can't complain about getting out of the heat for a few weeks! It was in the 40's when I left - 42C is just too hot for human habitation. Here in Nairobi, it's just about perfect. 28-30C during the afternoons, but cool (ok, downright COLD to me at the moment!) during the mornings and nights.
And it's great to meet with some old friends here again, too. The world of literacy workers in my organization is pretty small, so you tend to run into the same people now and again at various meetings, conferences and workshops. It's a good thing that we're all pretty nice people! There are always new people, as well, though, which is also great. This week, we are all coming from all corners of Africa, so it's really nice to hear about people's lives in other parts.
Tomorrow is another long day, and I have lots of vowel exercises to write tomorrow in my pre-primer. I have gotten on a bandwagon here, though. I have exercised, like, really intentionally exercised, three days in a row! I really hope I can stay on this bandwagon, because I think it's really good for me!
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