May 23

May 23, 2012

Today was a trying day… Wednesday is worship day as is Sunday so today when we reached school at 830 we held off on learning until worship is over in the classrooms and then we began to teach. Our teaching was brought to a halt again when some Cross Cultural Solutions volunteers came to do a demonstration for the children on how to properly wash their hands. This was a very well planned and executed demonstration I think the kids really grasped the concept as well. When I started teaching I was struck by my biggest obstacle so far…. The children feel as though they have learned to read and write though their capacity for words is limited and only made up of a few MEMORIZED words rather than being able to sound out what they see. The concept that a letter makes a sound is not fathomable to them and this makes it hard for me to even go on with teaching the way they are currently…. Not to mention the language and accent barrier makes it even more difficult for them to learn the correct pronunciation of the letters and words. The children also don’t have anything to write on or which and when I bought them supplies I was told they can’t use the lined paper and can only use the graph paper, and only for math…. I will have to be forceful and tell them tomorrow- THEY NEED TO WRITE IT DOWN TO LEARN THE MATERIAL! Needless to say I was exhausted by 12:30- lunch time.

Rachel was also exhausted from a very stressful morning of teacher and we sought each other as targets of our frustration. WE both quickly noticed this and stopped using each other as punching bags which was good…. It would have been a long night.

The volunteers that came to do the demonstration were very friendly and we all exchanged information and agreed to meet tonight at a local bar for a beer- this was much needed social activity for Rachel and I and though we haven’t ventured into town alone (without taxi or guide) we quickly noticed we were safe and everyone we encountered were just happy to see us helping their community and willing to say a friendly hello. It was nice to get out and socialize with other people as well as hear they were struggling with similar stressors as we were. WE were only out for an hour or so because I had to come home to do some school work before I teach tomorrow; I have put together some folders and lined paper for them to use as well as purchased individual chalkboards for the kids to practice writing words and math problems on at their desk. I am trying to think of a solution for the class chalkboard (did I mention my classroom is just 15 desks pushed together under a metal roof outside). The chalkboard is a piece of plywood painted in black paint, with a rip in the middle from water damage and you can barely even read my chalk writing on it, it is so worn. I am hoping to wither buy some chalkboard paint local or purchase a white board so the teacher and children have a sufficient place to learn material off of.

I am bloated from all the chicken and potato I have been eating and think I need to broaden my diet options though goat meat and fish don’t seem appetizing… or safe.

---Time for a snickers from the good ole’ USA!

<3 Jessie!