Mitsidi Baking Club is born!

I cannot believe that it is a whole week since my last post. It has been a full week both from the point of view of work, and socially. We have moved from the tiny office in admin to a classroom in JPII and are enjoying the extra space. Sarah and Marc are settling in and getting to know everyone. It is good to have them at Mitsidi as their relative youth makes us a more balanced community! We have become a bit middle-aged of late! On many days everyone has retired to their own houses by 7.30pm, and if I am feeling sociable it can be lonely looking out at all the little houses with their lights on and knowing that the occupants have chosen to have a night in their own homes! I suppose it is only like living in any suburban street in England. Anyway, Sarah and Marc have at least started differently and the sitting room in the main house is a much cheerier place than it has been! Last weekend I made bread for the party and Marc liked it and wanted a bread-making lesson, so on Monday night the three of us stayed in the kitchen in the main house after supper, and thus the Mitsidi baking club was born! The bread was delicious, and also creative as we made a fertility loaf with very disproportionate features! The next day, office moving day, my computer crashed again and had to be rescued by the three junior lecturers of JPII working as a team, so they had of course to be rewarded and the next night we made a resoundingly successful chocolate orange cake. This weekend a group of 5 of us went off to explore Zomba plateau and therefore there was a need for a picnic. The baking club swung into action again and produced sausage rolls, quiche and egg mayonnaise sandwiches. We bake, we talk, we laugh, we demolish a few Greens, and the evenings pass swiftly and pleasantly.

I have written letters for the students this week to go in the pack which will tell them all about the work placements (paid) that they will begin as soon as the Children's Centre opens. Sue has written telling them that the centre opening will be delayed until January 1 and explaining why this is necessary. I think they will be very disappointed, but there does not seem to be a sensible and safe alternative option. I shall have to delay posting this blog entry until after the letters go out, or I shall be giving away classified information! David and I have put together a programme of training courses to try to keep the students' enthusiasm going throughout the intervening period. This also will be in their pack. We have identified a group of students who need extra support in the early part of their work placements, either because their exam results are poor, or because some other problem has been identified during the interview process or with their attendance or punctuality. This group will receive a second letter explaining their situation and offering them extra mentoring during a probationary period to help them get up to scratch. For several I have few real concerns, they are capable, caring people who are not particularly academic, and who I have no doubt will prove themselves to be good care givers quite rapidly. There are a few others about whom I am more concerned, and one or two who I think are in the wrong job, but I am very pleased that Sue and Brian have given everyone a chance to prove themselves in a practical situation.