step it back.

the previous camp that we finished was pretty much a poor performance. but i think today's new start at a different school really made it up.

on our way to the camp, many of us were exuding a very negative attitude cause the previous camp was bad and it was pouring hell outside. but before we left the bus, one of our coordinators just gave us a moment to relax and take in all the excitement from our first camp and breathe out all of our frustations. it really helped. we left the bus and entered the school area with a lot of fun and excitement. overall, today was a pretty textbook camp day.

i realized that we are all here to do a job. we have a function. and that function is to deliver factual information about HIV/AIDS and the environment to these children, and they need this information. my emotional state should never determine my actions, or lack thereof, here in these camps because otherwise, i am not completing the task that i am assigned to, and the task that these kids expect of me. even if it takes a moment for me to step back and rethinking my purpose here, i feel like i must do what i am here to do, no matter what it takes.

tomorrow, after camp, we are all going to someones house in the village for the homestay program. i'm very excited for it. i feel like doing this homestay program will let me say with confidence that i have been to malawi. it's really important for me to do these things because otherwise, i feel like i have no right to teach them when i know nothing of their lifestyle. obviously it will be very difficult cause i don't speak chichewa, and there will be lots of charades going on tomorrow night, but i hear that they will be going out of their way to comfort us, and all i can do us try and be respectful of their culture and way of life. hopefully i will learn a lot.

next update in two days with juicy details about homestay. stay tuned.