Are we together?

Thats the phrase teachers use to make sure pupils are paying attention! Its been a busy month since I last wrote. Ive started co-teaching and meeting with my girls club. Im also meeting with a women's nutriton club and they are too funny! Ive done some school observations, meet some awesome people who let me hitch for free, saw a snake, got a puppy which i named Hendrix and went on my 1st Zambian vacation. I went monitoring with the zonal head aka my head teacher and went to the farthest school in my district Muchelenje it 30k away. The school is a government school but looks like a community school. The school has US sponsors so they have the most materials in the zone but with 4 teachers (literally 4!) theres only so much you can do. When observing the 9th grade class, the deputy head(vice principal) asked me to encourage and motivate the class especially the girls. I didnt do much, my motivational speaking skills need work. I just asked them all to tell me what they wanted to be when the grew up(everything from driver to female pilot to male nurse) and i just explained to them that you need an education for those things. Im sure that was probably the 1st time anyone asked them that question and I hope the teachers remind them of those goals. 2days ago I went to the 2nd closert school (15k bike ride) to do observations. In the middle of my 8th grade English observation the teacher asked me if i had anything to add. I couldnt help myself...i got up and taught! Just a fill in the blank activity but it got more pupils participating which is why im here. Ive co taught 4 classes so far at my center school. I taught 2 civics and 2 english classes all grade 9. Im loving it so far! The kids have fun laughing at my handwriting and my accent (hince the are we together) but i feel like they are getting something. Ive had students ask me to teach english when the teacher is absent and beg me not to leave the class when the period is over. Great feeling. I co taught an unplanned (shhh!) english lesson with the head teacher. It was crazy how we filled in each others gaps and how quickly i thought on my feet. I impressed myself. The head is now a huge fan of co teaching! The girls in the club are opening up and are "being free" with me. Ive had puppy hendrix for a week. He is a feisty yet adorable pup. He eats nshima and kapenta like a true zambian. Saw a snake walking home yesterday. I think it was a boomslang but i didnt stay to find out. For 4th of july 5th of july (hero day) and 6th of july (unity day) i and 4 other volunteers went to kapesha hotsprings in my district. It was a good time with good people. Oh i almost forgot. My too much fun womens nutrition club is coming over monday to show me how to dance, cook, and how to keep my husband. Wonder if i can opt out of that last one for now :-). My phone is telling me im done typing! Sorry for my spelling and if any of this is a repeat. Love you all and hope you are well. Keep the letters coming they are good hut art!