January 19, 2002

Final exams bring students in grades 6 to 11 together.

Today was the last day of exams - the process here seems a little drawn out, with each class having one exam each day. At the same time, this has given us the chance to slowly adjust back to life in Zababdeh, and that for that we are grateful. Now exams are over, and on Monday it's back into the classroom.

The teachers all came over today after school to pay the official visit to our new apartment. There were about forty of them here, including their children, which meant they were sitting on top of every piece of furniture that vaguely resembled a chair. After showing them some pictures from the school's Christmas party, we served the requisite coffee, after which they all left. There's something strangely appealing about "official" visits, in which bunches of people stay for a short period of time and then leave right after the coffee is emptied.