Day 15 of French Class

Yes, it has been a week since I last wrote, and my apologies for not keeping you updated. I honestly find it hard to believe that we've already completed 3 weeks of this course! There are certainly some mornings when we wake up and really really do NOT feel like going, but on the whole I'm finding that I rather like getting up early. Class is...well, it's class, what can I say? We have over 20 people in the class and it's getting easier to speak in front of everyone, though still unnerving at times. I love how all the different professors have different names for me! There is only one of them who actually remembers my name =P The rest call me "Mademoiselle"," Mademoiselle Anglophone", or just 'Bisbee' xD But for some reason they can all remember the name 'David'...

Before I go, I've been feeling rather poorly lately. I had a headache last night and today and I now have a cold to go with it. I may have had a fever earlier today as well, so please pray for me. =)

A Lily in the Desert,

Lydia

Day 9 of French Class

The week is almost over!! Today was exhausting! Not because we did anything, but because...okay, I don't even know why! I had to take a nap when I got home because I was so tired. Please pray that I'll be able to stay awake through tomorrow's lesson!!

A(n exhausted) Lily in the Desert,

Lydia

Day 8 of French Class

Good day today! A friend of ours arranged to have her driver drive us to class this morning and then back again at noon. Let's just say....it's a much nicer (and faster) ride than the bus. =P We worked on speaking for our first class and we had a lot of fun talking together and acting stuff out. We laugh a lot in class so it makes things a lot easier and much more fun. =) Then we had phonetics class which is always fascinating/ boring. It's hilarious to listen to us all repeating all the words after the teacher. It doesn't make any sense so I'm sure we must sound ridiculous to any poor person walking by. =P Writing tomorrow! I desperately hope I do NOT have any homework for tomorrow that I was supposed to do...=P

A Lily in the Desert,

Lydia

Day 7 of French Class

It looked like everyone was going to fall asleep at the beginning of class today. Everyone trudges in yawning and rubbing their eyes to keep from falling asleep. It might have even been comical if I hadn't been the worst of the lot. =P It was rather interesting, today is supposed to be oral comprehension and expression. We kinda wrote the whole time....we'll probably do more oral tomorrow.

So, guess what terrific seat I got on the bus! =D (Yes, I got a seat- that in itself is terrific) In the front, practically sitting on the dashboard, on a sideways seat. So I sat up there a few inches from the big glass windshield, delighting myself with the exciting feeling that comes with knowing you would be thrown to a sudden death should the bus brake too suddenly while going too fast. =D Just another reminder of how good God is in His protection of us everyday. =)

A Lily in the Desert,

Lydia

Day 6 of French Class

Grammar! Gotta love it. That's right, they dumped a whole bunch of conjugation and grammar stuff on us today! I guess that's the thing about homeschooling, you can learn things the way that works the best for you, whereas in this course you learn the same as everyone else...even if it doesn't make the slightest bit of sense to you.

David and I have both decided that French class is getting harder and our transportation is getting boring. =P Cheerful attitude to have, huh?

Tomorrow, a friend will be dropping us off with her car so we won't have to take the bus! God is good. =) Until tomorrow!

A lily in the desert,

Lydia

Day 5 of French Class

Made it through week one! We were all quite ready to be done for the week. The weekend never looked so great! Dad drove us there this morning because it was still raining at 6. We're beginning to get into all that hard stuff in French class, so it's getting more boring....

As we were riding the bus back, I noticed a little girl wearing a 'gregoree' or charm around her neck. It had a claw of some sort on it. I guess it kind of reminded me how much the people around me are in bondage and need Jesus. Please continue to pray for the people here in Senegal that they might come to the saving knowledge of Christ. It's funny how so many seemingly important things become meaningless when compared to people's souls. I'm learning this a little more everyday. God bless and have a wonderful weekend!

A Lily in the Desert,

Lydia

Day 4 of French Class

Hanging out the door of a bus is so much fun! Well, actually, I wouldn't know. David was the one hanging out of the open door this morning, I was on the next step up. Ah, just another lovely start to a day of French!

Class went well, the lesson was fascinating, but I was bored to death and had the strange urge to fall asleep. My ankles have begun to ache from all the walking. We walk over an hour each day and it's beginning to take its toll. We finish week one tomorrow!!

In Christ,

Lydia

Day 3 of French Class

It's so much fun doing things early, isn't it? It actually did feel good to be out of the house at 6:40 this morning. David and I made walked up to the bus stop and caught the earlier bus. Making record time we grabbed some breakfast at a nearby bakery and then walked through the campus to class. Being 15 mins early gives one such a feeling of satisfaction...as well as a feeling of nerdiness.

Today we studied expression and comprehension for the first class. The second class we had a slightly boring teacher, but the lesson was fascinating. It was on phonetics and, David and I being the only Anglophones in the class, he called on us the most. It's quite interesting because nearly every one of the students in our class are taking French as their 3rd or 4th language.

Please continue to pray for our safety as we travel our dangerous route each morning. Also, please pray that we might be a witness for Christ to our fellow classmates. Lastly, if it's not too much trouble....that'd we'd do well in the course? =P Thank you!

In Christ,

Lydia

Day 2 of French Class

We made it through day two! We decided to attempt the bus this morning so Dad dropped us off near the bus stop (strange concept, isn't it? Getting dropped off at the bus stop?) and yes, we missed our bus by a few seconds. I felt like such a homeschooler....BUT, another bus showed up several minutes later so we were saved! We even managed to be early for class despite the 30 minute walk we have from the bus drop off to our classroom (did I mention it's a large campus?). We worked on comprehension and expression of the French language today. I was the first to finish one of the pages we were all working on as a group, I should be either happy about this or very worried....

It's very interesting to see all the people in the class. We have people from Turkey, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, South Korea and Zimbabwe. One Turkish young lady came in with clothes covering every part of her body except her hands and face. It wasn't the full, black garb that sharia law demands, but she was covered. Our class went from 9 people yesterday to 17 people today, but it didn't have any negative affects on my level of nervousness. Thank you once again for praying. Love you all!

In Christ, Lid

Day 1 of French Class

It's 6 AM and the electric is off. Why am I getting up so early on a summer morning? The answer is French Class. For the month of July David and I are taking a 100 hour French course at the university here in Dakar. The class starts at 8 AM and ends at noon. The following takes place between 6 AM and 11:30 AM on the first day of French class...

After waking up and realizing we had no electric, I got up, had my devos, got my clothes all mixed up, got my bag ready and grabbed some breakfast. Mom generously offered to drive us there the first day so we didn't have to worry about catching the bus today. Although class was supposed to start at 8 we didn't actually start until 8:30 due to sign up delays. David and I were placed in the Intermediate 1 class along with 7 other people. All the students are from different countries and speak different languages making things quite interesting. We were all partnered off at the beginning and I found myself working with a very pleasant young lady from Paraguay named Vanella. Class ended two hours early today which is good because it took us nearly that long to get home. To make a long story short - we walked a looong ways and then boarded a city bus which was hot and crowded, got off it and walked a shorter ways home.

My morning in a paragraph. I'll keep you all updated as much as possible. Thank you for your prayers, I could really feel them this morning. =)