so apparently it's the hot season...

hi everyone! there's actually electricity right now (i'm learning the hard way that that's not so common this time of year) and i wanted to quick update. the utterly oppressive heat, usually over 100°F, apparently comes before the rainy season which doesn't start til june, so i'm in for some sweating! i'm in mbour and i arrived yesterday. i found the handicap center here and actually sat in with their preschool yesterday and today. there are 3 classrooms, 1 for 3 year olds, 1 for 4 year olds and 1 for 5 years olds with a student to teacher ratio that is almost unbelievable. the 5 year old classroom has 1 teacher and 52 students. i wish i could say i was exaggerating but i was there this morning and counted. the other two classrooms have fewer students but it's no picnic either. a bunch of the students have to wait their turn to learn and there's almost always someone crying somewhere. i have been wowed to silence in the lack of supervision, i can't understand how more kids don't get injured day to day climbing around during their recess and jumping off stuff. after my little time here though, i'm not sure mbour is for me for longer term. it's big and toursity in some ways and i think i just want something more manageable where it's easier to become a part of a new community. i'm going to a village a bit further down the coast tomorrow just to check it out but i'll keep posted of my travels!