So big news... we are finally moving into our new school!! Woo! I will no longer be teaching in an old agricultural store with bamboo sticks as walls but in a real school building with real walls, and doors to classrooms, and space for me to walk between the desks! ha It has been a long time coming but the date is finally set. On March 22nd the school building will officially be handed over. So after telling me for a year and a half that "next term we'll move to the new school site," we finally are! Granted I'll only have one term to teach there but late is better than never. Plus it is about a mile away and I probably wouldn't have been able to rouse myself an extra 45 minutes early to make it to school in time for my entire 2 years here but 2 months should be manageable. Anyways, this has been very exciting news for myself and the school.
It has been a bit frustrating for me lately to realize my time is coming to an end and I have hardly saved the world or turned my school into a smoothly running machine. I know I have done good work during my time of service but everyone comes into service with wonderful ideas about everything they will accomplish. I thought I would abolish flogging at my school and turn all the students into math geniuses! ha Well I suppose a few students that were already doing well in math have flourished with a teacher who cares but the good majority of my students are still doing pretty poorly. And flogging... well it is definitely not abolished but I suppose the teachers have opened up to some alternative punishment techniques although I'm sure it is more to appease me than because they actually find them effective.
It is mostly just frustrating for me to know that the students I now know and love are stuck in a system that does so little for them. It is hardly the students or teachers fault but the system as a whole that makes teaching ineffective. Who can blame teachers that are barely paid for not coming to school regularly or on time? Who can blame students who know that they will probably stay in their village and continue the family's work despite any education they get? Who can blame the schools when the resources they need are not there?
Anyways it has been kind of depressing to think of leaving my favorite students here and not having a sure way of staying in contact with them. I wish I could just bring them all back home with me! (haha you would like having 20 African children living with us, right mom and dad?)
Yesterday I walked with 3 of my students to one of their family's wer-ays. It is where they keep their cattle. Fullah's are known for being nomadic cow herders and while most have settled into homes now they still keep cattle and move their grazing location periodically.
Anyways, one of my favorite students, and one I pay school fees for, always goes to the wer-ay on Fridays so I told him I would like to see it sometime. Finally, I went with him. Before departing he assured me it was not too far. About 4 miles in though I mentioned that it seemed a little far. He told me that the cows had been about 10 miles away so comparatively this wasn't far at all (thankfully I was sick the last time he wanted to go or I would have been in for an unpleasant surprise). Well after about 1 to 2 more miles we finally reached. It was a nice, peaceful place in a hilly wooded area. Sulaimon's family lived there with the cattle so there were 4 one room huts around. He introduced me to everyone and they were very happy I had come. Soon I discovered that the 3 boys that walked me there though had no intention of going back to Fadugu until the following morning. They all seemed to be under the impression that I was aware of this and that staying the night wouldn't be a problem at all. Well I was a bit wary at first since I had not brought a change of clothes and really enjoy sleeping in my own bed but it really seemed to mean a lot to Sulaimon and his family so eventually I agreed. Nothing too eventful happened. In the morning I was able to see a lot of the cows and they gave me plenty of cow milk (unfortunately I am not particularly fond of the cow milk here as it is a bit clumpy and sour but the gesture was very nice). All in all it was a good cultural experience for me and a nice visit. It was nice to get to know some of my students better and see where they come from. I think Sulaimon really appreciated that I went with them and met his family. Its nice to know that my students see me not only as a teacher but as an adult they can share things with and spend time with outside of school. The whole event really meant a lot to me as well.
Well that's all from me for now. I hope things are well for you all too!
Sara's Top Ten Most Wanted Things (at this precise moment in time).
Just because I'm bored not because you are really interested.
1. A cold beverage - a smoothie, raspberry lemonade, ice water, really
just anything not room temperature
2. Working internet. At this point dial-up would seem fast and reliable. (This is only number 2 because I am trying to use the internet and it is failing miserably. Normally I don't mind not having it. It would probably be better if I didn't even try to use it.)
3. A salad with lots of veggies and real dressing, ie not a mayonnaise ketchup mixture.
4. A bathroom inside my house (the ranking for this fluctuates depending on how I'm feeling ha)
5. Air conditioning so I don't wake up soaked with my own sweat every night (sorry if that's too personal ha)
6. A store that sells contact solution.
7. A watch. Some kids stole mine. It wasn't even a whole watch it was just the time piece but they stole it anyways.
8. My furniture project to be complete. The carpenters are really taking their time with it...
9. The majority of my students to pass my next exam.
10. The 5th Game of Thrones book.
It has been a bit frustrating for me lately to realize my time is coming to an end and I have hardly saved the world or turned my school into a smoothly running machine. I know I have done good work during my time of service but everyone comes into service with wonderful ideas about everything they will accomplish. I thought I would abolish flogging at my school and turn all the students into math geniuses! ha Well I suppose a few students that were already doing well in math have flourished with a teacher who cares but the good majority of my students are still doing pretty poorly. And flogging... well it is definitely not abolished but I suppose the teachers have opened up to some alternative punishment techniques although I'm sure it is more to appease me than because they actually find them effective.
It is mostly just frustrating for me to know that the students I now know and love are stuck in a system that does so little for them. It is hardly the students or teachers fault but the system as a whole that makes teaching ineffective. Who can blame teachers that are barely paid for not coming to school regularly or on time? Who can blame students who know that they will probably stay in their village and continue the family's work despite any education they get? Who can blame the schools when the resources they need are not there?
Anyways it has been kind of depressing to think of leaving my favorite students here and not having a sure way of staying in contact with them. I wish I could just bring them all back home with me! (haha you would like having 20 African children living with us, right mom and dad?)
Yesterday I walked with 3 of my students to one of their family's wer-ays. It is where they keep their cattle. Fullah's are known for being nomadic cow herders and while most have settled into homes now they still keep cattle and move their grazing location periodically.
Anyways, one of my favorite students, and one I pay school fees for, always goes to the wer-ay on Fridays so I told him I would like to see it sometime. Finally, I went with him. Before departing he assured me it was not too far. About 4 miles in though I mentioned that it seemed a little far. He told me that the cows had been about 10 miles away so comparatively this wasn't far at all (thankfully I was sick the last time he wanted to go or I would have been in for an unpleasant surprise). Well after about 1 to 2 more miles we finally reached. It was a nice, peaceful place in a hilly wooded area. Sulaimon's family lived there with the cattle so there were 4 one room huts around. He introduced me to everyone and they were very happy I had come. Soon I discovered that the 3 boys that walked me there though had no intention of going back to Fadugu until the following morning. They all seemed to be under the impression that I was aware of this and that staying the night wouldn't be a problem at all. Well I was a bit wary at first since I had not brought a change of clothes and really enjoy sleeping in my own bed but it really seemed to mean a lot to Sulaimon and his family so eventually I agreed. Nothing too eventful happened. In the morning I was able to see a lot of the cows and they gave me plenty of cow milk (unfortunately I am not particularly fond of the cow milk here as it is a bit clumpy and sour but the gesture was very nice). All in all it was a good cultural experience for me and a nice visit. It was nice to get to know some of my students better and see where they come from. I think Sulaimon really appreciated that I went with them and met his family. Its nice to know that my students see me not only as a teacher but as an adult they can share things with and spend time with outside of school. The whole event really meant a lot to me as well.
Well that's all from me for now. I hope things are well for you all too!
Sara's Top Ten Most Wanted Things (at this precise moment in time).
Just because I'm bored not because you are really interested.
1. A cold beverage - a smoothie, raspberry lemonade, ice water, really
just anything not room temperature
2. Working internet. At this point dial-up would seem fast and reliable. (This is only number 2 because I am trying to use the internet and it is failing miserably. Normally I don't mind not having it. It would probably be better if I didn't even try to use it.)
3. A salad with lots of veggies and real dressing, ie not a mayonnaise ketchup mixture.
4. A bathroom inside my house (the ranking for this fluctuates depending on how I'm feeling ha)
5. Air conditioning so I don't wake up soaked with my own sweat every night (sorry if that's too personal ha)
6. A store that sells contact solution.
7. A watch. Some kids stole mine. It wasn't even a whole watch it was just the time piece but they stole it anyways.
8. My furniture project to be complete. The carpenters are really taking their time with it...
9. The majority of my students to pass my next exam.
10. The 5th Game of Thrones book.
