November 16

UPDATED STORY

The Teter journey to Africa

Teter African adventure part 1

Part 2

On day one in the Kirindon ADP, as we were introduced to the children and elders of the school we visited, we met the 6 teachers responsible for instructing the 751 students there. The ratio of teacher per students was pretty insane, considering our ratio here in the states, but that’s what they had to deal with in all the schools we visited. None the less, the kids all seemed excited to be there, since for them school is an honor and privilege. And the teachers (the real stars of the school) where amazingly dedicated to work with these numbers per class. The school building was small per number of students, and much of the walls made of old and rotting wood. While we were there, Hannah had the unexpected honor of cutting the ribbon and dedicating a new school addition they had just finished. It had been built with some of her charity donations. This was the beginning of seeing many wonderful projects that her charity has helped with, and also seeing first hand how incredibly grateful these people were. To show their appreciation, they had slaughtered an animal (? goat) and prepared a meal for us. Next we were shown a small part of the huge water and sanitation project that Hannah’s Gold is helping with. A large water tank had been placed to catch rain water, and this was hooked up to a hand washing station by the new outhouses. Before this, there was no washing of hands or any clean water for the school or in the area. This is the beginning of helping lower the transmission of diseases of many kinds amongst the people. After all the formalities, it was time for fun with the kids and adults. We found that the kids were mesmerized by our white skin and straight soft hair, and enjoyed being given the opportunity to touch us. One of the older boys asked Elijah if there was “sun” (as in sun light) where Elijah lived, which to him would be a logical reason for why our skin was white. One of the elders whom spoke English told me many of the young children thought we where missing the skin layer, since ours had no blackness. It was fun to let them giggle, touch and hold us to know we were whole. While this was going on, Elijah had started blowing bubbles for hundreds of the younger kids, and they loved it. Soon they crowded around him trying to catch the bubbles. This went on for an hour or more and Elijah became the pied piper of bubbles. He was having so much fun blowing bubbles, he missed the soccer game the rest of us had with some of the older kids and adults, which was a blast ( Hannah had brought the schools a bunch of soccer balls among other things). After a fun filled afternoon, we reluctantly had to say goodbye and leave these beautiful people.

The introduction

Teachers

Always dancing and singing

Dedicating the school

Water project

checking out the white skin

Bubbles for the kids (click for large)

saying goodbye

Hannah's Africa updates

This summer 2008

Abe's crystal journey

Maple syrup shots with Jimmy Kimmel

Hannah on the Letterman show

Costa Rica July 2007

Torino 2006 Olympics pictures

updated video and pictures of Hannah's adventures GO211

Hannah's Gold maple syrup Profits go to feed hungry children in Africa

Surf the white wave

Olympic pipe in Bardoneccia

Teter posse in Torino to watch Hannah on the Today show after the big contest Space Weather link mail