Preschool.

Elmer explored a preschool classroom in Malawi. There were some things he noticed were just like our class! 

The children build with blocks. 

They even made Elmer a little house. 

Everyone loves to smile for a camera. 

Just like our classroom, it is filled with tables, toys, and art on the wall. 

The children take breaks for snack time. Elmer enjoyed sampling everyone's treats. 

What do you notice about the school Elmer visited? 

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi is just as long as the country of Malawi, so everybody is really proud of their lake! If you look on the map, you can see the lake. Elmer enjoyed swimming and walking along the shore. 

Around the School.

Elmer loves school more than anywhere else. We've been going to the Ebenezer school every day for the past two weeks, and he likes to wander around meeting new people and checking out the grounds. 

Here Elmer is in the library, his favorite spot. Ebenezer has a lovely library full of books. 

During break time, he joins children on the playground. 

And he is a big help with reading groups. (I made them a letter tray just like the ones in our kindergarten at home!) 

Elmer has many new friends, but he misses his old friends most of all!

More About Babies.

Often babies are carried on the backs of their mothers. Elmer is very fascinated by this, since elephant babies are typically forced to walk due to their large size. As we mentioned before, in Malawi, women use a cloth called a chitenje to wrap their babies on their backs. My sister's students came over one day to help Elmer and I learn more about baby carrying. 

 Can you find Elmer in this photo? 

He likes the ride!

Corn. It's Called Maize.

People grow corn all over Malawi. They call it maize. Americans like to grill our corn and eat it off the cob. Malawians wait to pick it until it is very brown and dry. 

Then they make corn flour. You can see it drying here on mats. It is also a good picture to notice clothes drying on the line. Nobody here has electric dryers, but the sun is always bright and dries the clothes. 

On Top of the World

Elmer was a little bit nervous about using hammocks so close to the cliff. Susan and I enjoyed them though. 

Elephant Ears!

Elmer has officially found his favorite plant. This gigantic green leaf is referred to as an "elephant ear."