Our assignment, at last!

We have received word that we will be teaching in the seaside village of Brenu Akyinim. Brenu is situated fifteen kilometers west of Elmina. And Elmina, as my students at Walker may recall, is the location of the notorious Elmina Castle wherein were kept the captives from all parts of the African continent while they awaited shipment to the New World to become the slaves of landowners there and work the fields until they died.

We plan to take time to visit that historic place and record our thoughts about it. But first, we will get situated in our new home in the village and meet the families that make up that community. Our classroom, we have now heard, is an actual building. Though it lacks doors and windows---and thus, is open to the outside---it has floors and desks for the children. How many children we will be teaching we have yet to find out. This we do know: The children will most likely range in age, anywhere from five or six to ten or twelve; we will be teaching the English language to these children and I, Ms. Kierzek, being a music teacher, intend to use song and movement as much as I possibly can.

Ms Lagen and I are so anxious to be on our way, but still have some last minute preparations. We are stuffing suitcases full of the school supplies contributed by our students at Walker---we acquired several large ones just for this purpose---weighing them carefully, and stuffing in more. I am taking my keyboard and those 60 soprano recorders from Dr. Rinehart---wooHoo!!!---to help me teach with musical motivation. Oh, I wish we were on our way!!!