Let me introduce you to my lovely apartment! It is a very spacious place… one could say too spacious, given my lack of personal belongings! It used to be a dormitory so it still has a couple of odd features. It is a two story building, with three apartments above and three below. Mine is on the top floor, but as it is built on the side of a hill, it can be reached by a ramp rather than a staircase. It is one of 24 apartments on the campus. As you enter the apartment you will be faced with a long wide hallway; long enough to facilitate a fairly reasonable game of indoor cricket I think!

The first door on your left is the kitchen. It has a combination gas/electric stove (gas and electric hotplates, electric oven). Being gas means I can still make a cup of tea when the power has gone out! I can’t use the oven to warm up frozen bread rolls though… It has a large fridge with a freezer, a table and chairs and a selection of basic cooking equipment. I can make most things comfortably. The biggest adjustment will be having no microwave. I have to plan my meals in advance to make sure meat is defrosted, rather than cook according to my mood. Time to be more disciplined I think!

The second door on the left is the bathroom. This is the room with remnants of its dormitory days. It is a huge room with a large deep bath tub; the question is, is there enough water to actually fill said bath? Seems like a luxury one may not be able to afford! There are two shower alcoves, only one of which still works, a toilet alcove, and a cupboard which holds extra buckets, mop and broom, and cleaning products. I keep a generous supply of toilet paper in here for the potential onslaught of what I like to call “squirty-bum” but have yet to be thus afflicted. I like to credit my new obsession with washing my hands for protecting me so far! Thank Heaven for soap! There is also a sink and cupboard space.

Opposite the bathroom is the lounge, a large and fairly bare room at the moment. It has a three seater couch and a single seat, a cupboard, coffee table a picture of some kind of egret or heron, a small statue of a hippopotamus, and a couple of sadly empty bookshelves. I only brought a handful of books with me, enough for the journey and first couple of days, so intend to use the library and borrow from other staff where possible. I’ve been told there is an excellent collection of Christian romantic fiction available. I can hardly wait to get stuck into them… For the record, I brought Geraldine Brooks’ new novel Caleb’s Crossing with me, which is excellent! I might even write a little review later, just for my Dad!

If you continue to the end of the hallway you will find my room on the left and Sylvia’s on the right. We each have a bed (mine is double, Sylvia’s is a very generous single), a wardrobe, chest of drawers, desk and a comfy chair, so the rooms are quite comfortable to retreat to when a quiet space is needed. My bedroom window looks over the garden to the car park where the school fleet of cars is parked, so when I am feeling nosy I can watch the comings and goings of other staff members. Sylvia’s overlooks gardens on the other side and then the wall of the compound. Just over the wall is a local church which has very enthusiastic and loud worship and healing services which apparently we ALL get to enjoy, even if we choose not to attend. I’ve lost count of the number of people who have asked me how I am coping with the racket!


I share a laundry room with about three other families, which can mean it is tricky to find a time when the machine is not being used. We have access to a drier but are encouraged to hang our clothes in the attic where clotheslines have been hung for our use. We all have a signposted space for our use. It works well as it generally gets quite warm up there as the sun hits the corrugated iron roof. Most things dry in about 24 hours. I have been warned to keep the door of the laundry closed when it is not in use to keep the mongooses… er… mongeese (?) out of the attic!
The most convenient thing is that I am literally 30 seconds walk from work; the school buildings are right across the car park! This may also end up to be the worst thing, but so far so good!
Looks and sounds very comfortable. Thanks for going to the trouble of uploading the photos despite the technical difficulties.
The plural form is “mongooses” by the way. (Being a mammal from India it is in no way related to birds called “geese”. In fact, its English name is derived from an Indian dialect word “mungus”)
And I am looking forward to reading “Caleb’s Crossing.”
Dad will never cease being a teacher!!!
I’m sure open book shelves will soon beckon! It all looks very comfy.
Wow Rose! THANKS so much for the virtual tour. Wonderful. I am sure you will be quite at home in no time. Needs a few little Rose and Sylvia touches! You guys could make some. Don’t hold back on your creative urges! Could have the locals laughing but some rocks and stuff really ARE beautiful! You guys might start a collection. The weather here today has been glorious. Hope your day was too. Take care, don’t scratch! Kath. x
Hi Kathy. I keep hearing about markets where you can buy all sorts of local handcrafts, and some of the staff who have been here for a while have bought some beautiful paintings and carvings. Gotta get me to one of them markets I think!
Hey Rose, place looks fantastic! Hope you don’t get any squirty problems, but at least you have a plan – maybe a paperback along with the extra toilet rolls?!
Glad to hear you’re settling in, so nice to be able to read about your goings on.
Cold here in Clare still, warm in the day but still ice on the car early morning.
ann