Sajida (pronounced Sah-gee-dah) is a very sweet young girl in our middle preschool class who started last year in the baby class. She is not known for showing her emotions very much. Almost every picture and mental memory I have of her is similar to the one to the left of this text. She does not smile often, but she also is never mad and rarely ever cries.

Even when doing things most of us would consider to be fun, like arts and craft or singing or playing on the playground she has that same emotionless face. What I can tell you even though I don’t have any good photos of it, is that Sajida is a daredevil. When you pick her up she loves to be turned upside down or thrown. She loves to jump off the swings when they are at the highest level. Unlike most daredevil types she still respects authority doing so. If you tell her not to do something she will not do it. But if you don’t specifically say she cannot do something, chances are she might try it.

Sajida is a good student, though not a top three in her class which I have mentioned is the Tanzanian standard. She keeps her grades in the upper 80s and low 90s. She never has to be forced to participate in things like some kids. You tell her what you want her to do and she does it as long as it does not involve smiling.