Today we returned to KASS but this time to welcome an incoming class of first year biology students.  Our host teacher said that on the first day of class, most teachers would go over the course syllabus, but he wanted to try something new and asked us for ideas. We gave him some typical questions we might ask students for class introductions and he went with it!  

He asked them to tell us their name, what school they came from, something no one in the room knows about them, what their favorite food is, and what animal they would be if they were not human.  It took A LONG TIME for 56 students to share their information, but it was so interesting to hear their responses.  Many of them were too shy to answer the "tell us something no one knows” question but a few told us things, like “I like to sing but I don’t have a good voice, so I only sing at home”  or “I love to dance.” One student told us that he started his elementary school (called basic school) just meeting under a mango tree, because there was no building for the school.  (Apparently in the rural areas up north, this is quite common).  The animal question was really interesting, the students really thought it through and had great explanations for their choices, and they ranged from ants to elephants! 

We also got to see some of the carbon sequestration research that is happening on this reserve.  Lots of money has been invested in this research and the data will also show us how the forest is changing in response to increased carbon dioxide.  Before we left we got to take a closer look at one of the HUGE termite mounds and on the way out, we caught a glimpse of a Green Turaco, a huge green bird with red wings.  This reserve is also home to the African Gray Parrot, but most of the birds were up high and not active because of the afternoon heat.   This is NOT my pic of a Green Turaco but I am sharing it anyway : )