Athletics

Sunday morning was the big athletics event in the area which the learners had been practicing after study for for the past few weeks! Nine schools came to compete. It was actually a lot like the track meets from high school, so I could basically follow what was happening! The best runners in the different age groups had been picked on one of the days I was sick and they competed against the other schools. I believe I was told we came in last place, but the learners tried so hard! And we were doing pretty good toward the end with the short distance events! The school I do not think has any of the “field” equipment, so they were not able to practice those beforehand. For some of the races, it was just so hot I didn’t know how anyone was running! I was so nervous that they were hydrating enough because they would basically collapse when they got back to the group after the long distance races!

The events were supposed to start at seven this morning at Bunya Combined School, the school I am closest to. So after a call from my principal making sure I was getting there because some of the learners were supposed to be coming, I got there around 6:50. The car never came to the school to get the learners, so they ended up having to walk, which is about a 30-40 minute walk (no matter what people say, I think it’s pretty far on foot!). Other schools were late coming as well, and they were still getting things like the tent and the wiring set up, so we ended up starting at 9, closer to the hotter parts of the day! The meet seemed over around 6pm, when we started getting the last of the bread ready to give the learners after they were finished their races. Sadly, there was not enough for some of the younger learners who came to watch, but most got at least a piece and everyone got some juice. We did have lunch earlier which was some bread and jam. We then had to wait for the car that would take the learners back to the school, which is closer to where they live. I decided to wait with them for the bus. I did leave a little bit before it got there though because it was already dark, and almost 8pm when the bus that was supposed to take them left for its last run before the Sivara group. It was a very long day for all! But I did enjoy it, especially seeing the learners compete and hearing their cheers(, which are catchy even if I don’t know all of the words!).