Hi Mom

My motivation to finally begin to write again is my mom. My mom is in her 80"s and lives 7,400 miles away from me. We chat every week either through email or phone. Since there is a 7 hour time difference, the phone calls are planned for my late afternoons which aren't always free. My mom struggles with technology and only bought an iPad to communicate with us. She has worked long and hard as well as overcome numerous obstacles to send us emails. SO for all intents and purposes ( that was for you, Kenny Goodrow!) this post is for her.

Flora and fauna:
The diversity of the plants, insects, birds, and animals here is spectacular. Dry season runs from April- November. We have had a few rainy days but I have been informed that is unusual. Despite the lack of rain and the intense sunshine, plants and trees are thriving. I experienced a full seasonal New Hampshire year within the course of a month or two here.

The beautiful jacaranda trees bloomed first reminding me of lilacs with their color.

Next were the spring/summer like frangipani trees with white petals and butter cream centers. After they had bloomed, the pink and salmon colored flowers burst releasing an abundance of subtle fragrance.

Lastly, the flame trees popped into existence seemingly overnight and NH autumn came to Lusaka.

This is the view of my road with the frangipani's and flame tree at the end. 

I am attempting to learn some of the bird species as well. I suppose if you have never been to NH, our Blue jays, Robins, Indigo Buntings, and Cardinals would impress you. However there are some gorgeous birds here that I find fascinating and elusive to my camera. The following photo is not mine but can found on the link below. This is the African Paradise Flycatcher. I have several in my yard and they are such graceful, dainty looking little birds. I think of a ballet when they swoop around my backyard with their colorful wings and long fanciful tails. I have desperately tried to catch the little buggers on camera, but to no avail. 

AFC link

On our trip to Livingstone, we saw so many birds it is hard to choose which to post. I chose the bird that represents Zambia, the Fish Eagle. Since we have a Bald Eagle nest close to my NH house, this bird also brings forth sweet memories of home. This is a female-she is bigger than the male. 

Rounding out my bird chapter is the Goliath Heron. They are approximately 60 inches in height and magnificently patient birds. This one was photographed by me on the bank of the Zambezi river. 

I have been trying to snap the Blue Waxbill, another evasive backyard bird. Feel free to look him up. 

My goal is to be better at blogging, if not for me, for my mom. If anyone else has questions or requests, feel free to post in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

Be well and keep reading,

Jill (Noisy Librarian)

School

Week two completed. The students came back to school with bright smiley faces all ready to learn. I love it when the kids come back relaxed and ready to begin a new year. Several people have inquired about my job, curriculum, and various other components of my occupation. I am a licensed teacher-librarian for grades k-12 and have actually been teaching students in information literacy for nine years. Although the curriculum is different in Zambia, the skills taught are similar.

I have classes in the library with 3 year olds all the way up to 5th graders. Each class attends once a week where they learn skills such as taking care of books, parts of a book, finding reliable materials, learning about genres, citing sources, navigating databases, note-taking, assessing information, and much much more. Yes, I also read to them and discuss books although this is not the only thing a librarian does these days. I am an voracious reader and try to share my love of reading through numerous activities and discussions. In addition to meeting each class once a week, I work with two grades intensely during a particular inquiry unit. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program(PYP) has specific units of inquiry that the students invest themselves in for approximately a 6-8 week period. There are numerous units per grade throughout the year where children investigate such topics as "How the World Works," or "Who We Are," it is much more in depth that what I can write. During the scheduled inquiry unit, I meet with each class in the classroom once a week and the second weekly time the tech coordinator and myself work together with the students and teacher in the classroom. Together, we assist the students in the process and product ensuring each child progresses on skills in information literacy and technology according to standards. This is in addition to my library classes.

In the library classes, I have attempted to incorporate assorted techniques and tools to keep kids engaged in the process. One of the techniques is something called Genius Hour. I have collaborated with several teachers on this during the past 3 years and have some interest in it at AISL. I am excited to share this technique with other educators. I also use tools such as Kahoot or Socrative for simple pre-assessments as well as love to Mysteryskype and utilized Breakoutedu for building team skills.

The library itself is quite large and beautiful. It is one library shared by all the students in the school. there is a division of the younger students section versus the older students but neither side is forbidden to the other. We have a Lego wall and kits, a fish tank complete with a turtle, a "tree house" where students can climb into a loft like structure and comfortably read or work, numerous clear boards where students may write or draw on ( like a whiteboard), we also have a small corner with couches and a coffee maker for older students, teachers, and parents to relax and chat or read and work. Recently we were gifted a giant Connect Four game. The purpose of this stuff is for exploration, problem-solving, and collaboration.

In addition to myself as the PYP teacher librarian, there is the MYP (middle year) DP ( diploma) teacher librarian who also hails from NH! She is an incredible resource of energy and information and has made the transition to Zambia incredibly easy for me. There are also two library assistants who  are helpful, kind, and work well with everyone who enters the library.

In addition to the beautiful library, we have a spectacular campus set on 25 acres of land. We can eat outside every day if we like and oftentimes classes will be held outside. Quite a difference from NH! I am still learning a lot and am embracing the challenges that are placed before me.
Be well,
Jill ( Noisy Librarian)

Daley life

It feels like we have been here forever but then again only moments. Settling into the lifestyle is relatively easy as long as you realize things will take much longer than anticipated. Since that is the lifestyle and expectation, it quickly becomes part of your persona. Things get done and goals achieved but in a much calmer less hurried way. Work hard play hard seems to be the motto.

The students will begin school on Tuesday and I eagerly await their arrival. With over 40 nationalities attending the school, I am nervous about remembering their names as well as pronouncing them correctly! I will have students in a library class as well as in inquiry units where I spend time in the classroom with them and the tech integrator. I am looking forward to learning the curriculum.

One of the things I have been trying to learn is the flora and fauna that live near my house. I finally saw a monkey when I visited the horse farm just down the road. Sadly, the phone was not on hand to snap a pic. There are numerous birds that are stunning but don't stay long enough to me to get a good photo. Many species are very similar to the birds in NH. There is a little bright green bird that reminds me of the goldfinch back home. Another stunning bird, I have tried to photograph, has a brilliant blue strip on the wing and a long flowing tail.

Isaac, this picture is for you. I haven't gotten the flattie yet but thought you might find interest in this unique character. It is a bug that is shaped like the letter "y." It stays in my carport on the wall. I haven't seen it move or fly but thought you might think it neat.

The elevation in Lusaka is 4.190' whereas Plainfield is 522', quite a difference for me. I find myself gulping water all day long to avoid headaches. All the water we consume or cook with is bottled. At this elevation, cooking becomes interesting. I am learning how to add more liquids to baking and less time in the oven. The cooking of rice has escaped me, but I will try again. We do have nshima, the local staple, which is akin to grits, but I have not made it yet. We stick to a lot of stir fried veggies.

I walk to and from school everyday and also try to walk a bit after school. I meet and greet a lot of people during these journeys and everyone is unbelievably friendly. Occasionally we catch the sunset during our walks and they truly are gorgeous. I tried to catch one but it isn't as spectacular as some I have seen. Another curiosity are the stars. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, I have not seen anything that I can identify. It is another goal of mine to learn some of the constellations on this part of the earth.

I am eager to begin school tomorrow morning, and most likely, my next post will discuss my first adventurous week with students.
Be well,
Jill (Noisy Librarian)

So much to share....

This week has been a whirlwind of activity and change. Besides encountering many "firsts" that have challenged my thinking, I am working on changing the way I write the date (day/month/year), think about time (military), convert to metric, and figure out how to navigate driving on the other side of the road. In all honesty, this has the potential of being a stressful nightmare, but thankfully, it isn't. I have an amazing support team from the school whom has assisted me every step of the way. Furthermore, I am coming to realize that Zambians, in general, are some of the kindest most laid back people you can ever meet. The culture promotes this with an easy-going relaxed attitude. Therefore, if you want to eat out in a timely manner, be prepared to wait much longer than you do in the States. The bonus is that your meal is always served with a pleasant smile and your requests are heard.

Coming from New Hampshire, I anticipated that it would be hot here. Even though I was warned it is the "cool" season, the image of Africa in my mind is HOT, certainly much hotter than New England. Well, that isn't always so. The days are cool and the nights are downright chilly where we sleep in sweatshirts, sweatpants, and socks. I will most likely long for this  weather once the "hot" season arrives in September. Another interesting fact is that the sun sets at 18:00 (6:00) every night. I long for the warm summer evenings where it is light until 21:00 (9:00) but it will never be dark at 16:00!

The landscape is dressed in shades of brown, tan, copper, and reds at the moment. It is a contrast to the green hills and mountains of NH right now, yet it has its own beauty. There are splashes of color among the brown that attract the eye. We went into the "bush" outside of our backyard and there are quite a few blooms on various trees. I hope to begin to learn more about the plant, animal, and bird life while I am here. We have not seen any monkeys yet, but a colleague had one in his yard the other day as well as a large bat which may have been a fruit bat. I greet Africa every morning outside with my cup of coffee but other than a few exotically colored birds, and crows that look like ours except they have a white band on their bellies, I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary. We do have tiny geckos and very large spiders called "flatties" that are literally flat against the wall. They look like stickers they are so flat, but they are harmless and do a lot of good eating the bugs so we leave them alone.

Outside of my backyard

One thing I found fascinating is that the trees appear to be covered in red dirt.

The soil here is the color of terra cotta and looks like it is spreading up the trees. I asked the gardener, Grant, about it and he explained it is tiny ants that create the illusion. The ants take the dirt up the trees and live underneath during the non-rainy season. It does not injure the trees at all. When rainy season comes ( Dec.-April), the ants go back into the ground and cannot be seen. It sounds to me like they are hibernating. If you touch a tree, the soil is fairy think and crumbles to the ground allowing you to see the ants at work. I was told the tiny ants are harmless and do not bite yet the bigger ground ants can deliver a nasty pinch.

There is so much to watch, learn, and explore that we are never bored. Everyone is considerate and welcoming and goes out of their way to be accommodating in all aspects. This mentality truly proves that with a positive mindset and caring support, anyone can achieve anything.
Be well,
Jill .  (Noisy Librarian)

Purpose and intentions

The purpose of this blog is to inform my family, friends, and students of my adventures, thoughts, fears, and feelings regarding my African adventure. Today, I will leave NH, and fly around the world to Zambia to begin a year of teaching in a different school. I have flown very little and have never been overseas, so this will be quite an adventure for me. The intent of the blog is to encourage others to try something new,become a risk-taker, expand your horizons, and look at the world through different perspectives. 

There is a vast difference between "want" and "need" and I am positive that I will encounter situations that change my definitions of these terms. However, my daughter's pre-school teacher used to say to the children, "You NEED friends." She was correct, and I have passed that message on to my students. This simple sentence has been demonstrated time and time again once my journey solidified. My friends and family have been extremely supportive of this undertaking. So many people wanted to just meet and chat before I left that it has left an indelible and positive impression upon me, yes, you NEED friends! There is a lot of good in this world, make sure you spend time with those that help you see this. 

Lastly a disclaimer and a commonality. I am currently writing this on my phone. While I am aware that younger generations are proficient in this skill, I am not, nor do I intend to aspire to that level. I hope to post often and therefore there will be grammatical errors that I will be perfectly aware of after I publish. Forgive me. 

The commonality is in the pictures below. The first photo is of Mt Ascutney; a view I see everyday while driving home. I never get tired of this beautiful view. I have photos of it from every season and various angles. No wonder Maxfield Parrish was inspired here. The second picture was taken by my daughter while in Zambia. It is the Kafue River; another spectacular landscape ( riverscape?). Both of these photos are originals with no touch-ups or filters, both are gorgeous and both have tints and shades of blue that are similar and appealing. Two very different places in the world that share some traits. I will continue to search for commonalities between NH and Zambia while recognizing and valuing differences.

                                          Mt Ascutney late Spring

Kafue River same time

If you choose to follow the blog, feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer. 

Be well,

Jill AKA Noisy Librarian