A Kiwi flying in Africa

I have been volunteering as an Assistant teacher and Technology advisory at One Planet International School for nearly 4 months now, I have to say.....if you ever thought that your teacher was mean or wasn’t that great, I seriously challenge everyone of you to take at least a month of your life and go teach in a school, I can honestly say that if there was only one thing that I have learnt from serving at a school it would be developing HUGE respect for what teachers do and who they are.

Being a teacher in school life is a lot different than being a student, for one you develop a sense for predicting the future, with all the balls flying around its pretty much develop a six sense or die. Second thing is that you really start to value the times when there is no horrific high pitched screeching. No its not all that (although it’s a Big part) What I have learnt from children here is that overtime we really do get boring and old, O.K all kidding aside, being in the role of a teacher you are given the amazing opportunity to see these children grow and develop, you see the incredible gifts that each and every one of them have and you see how they use them, every day I witness incredible miracles of creativity, the supernatural power of a young mind and the love and care each one has for another.

Children are these pure resources that present these incredibly amazing qualities, qualities that can change the world into a better place. When people say ‘the children are the future’ I don’t just think that it means we are all going to die one day and they will take our places, I think that it means we are going to screw the world one day and the children that we are teaching, being brothers of, sisters, uncles, aunts and parents will one day have to step up and over our mistakes and heal the world.

I will do a small recap, I challenge every one of you to stand up and try teaching a child, it doesn’t have to be in a school environment, it just has to be in an environment where that child is going to benefit and develop into the cure for the world.

Hello everyone once more,

Well I'm back to my blog, I have decided that you probably need some reassurance that I haven't yet been eaten by lions or trampled by Elephants.......I'm saving that for my trips to Kenya, but that's a story that will come later.

I am into my service by 3 and a half months now, I have to say that this figure in no way puts into perspective just how much I have learnt, seen and experienced.

Some things that will and must be experienced are often shocking to say the very least, some of these experiences have made me grow into someone I would have never imagined myself becoming, some have shaken me to the core of my being about things I used to believe true and sound. But when the clock stops ticking at the end of each day I am grateful for every second that I spend being involved in this incredible but strange place.

Will be doing a lot more blogging soon, I'm finding it keeps me grounded (which is a hard thing to find sometimes)

Hello to all my loved ones, incredible friends and strange stalkers who like looking at other people’s blogs

This is my first blog, some may say it's very late due to the fact I have already been in Ethiopia for nearly two months, BUT for the people who do say it is late, I simply reply TIA (This Is Africa).

Well i guess because this is my first blog, I should inform the people who have no idea what a strange, tall and reasonably handsome looking kiwi bloke (have to boost my self-confidence somehow) is doing in Ethiopia.

• I am doing a Baha'i year of Service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

• I am Volunteering at a Baha’i inspired primary school called One Planet International School, assisting in English with the 2nd and 3rd graders, helping with curriculum development with the computer department, assisting the school with developing after school programs and developing the Horticultural department (which is not actually a department yet, but I’m calling it one so I sound like I’m doing lots of work and i am an important person.....Ha!).

• With the help of Leah, Ben, Heidi, Sacha, Abel, Glory, Mario and Gail we are to setting up children classes, pre-youth classes, Devotionals and Study Circles for the neighbouring children, youth and boring Adults (just kidding).

• I will be traveling ALLL around Ethiopia hopefully going too far off villages, travel teaching, meeting some of the many tribal people of Ethiopia and going to see some of the Amazing historical and natural attractions.

• Hanging out with all the incredible Baha'i Youth who are also serving at the school, a TV program for kids and volunteers who are freelance (Sacha).

• Being immersed in the phenomenal culture and meeting truly life changing people.

• Developing myself spiritually, mentally and physicality (its Ethiopia, I figure if I run in this high altitude area I’m coming back a marathon runner)

WELL I hope that was a good enough blog for you all.