Thursday, October 1, 2009

Tuesday, September-29-09

And the day began early but not as early as yesterday. We were able to sleep an hour longer before getting up at 6:30am. Our newly adopted temporary roommate from Korea, Jaylle, is staying with us as she completes a week of work with the Red Cross here at the camp. We’d met her on the mini bus coming to Dzaleka yesterday and decided to invite her to stay with us. And so we are now three.

Jaylle was up first, then myself, and Margaret. It was a rough start for Margaret. She’s been rather discouraged lately but is finding her way with everything. It’s just difficult knowing you’re on a tight time frame yet things are seemingly slow getting started with the work placement. To make her feel a little more comfortable with the day I prepared apple jungle oats for her and brought her breakfast in bed. I’m not sure if that helped much but it was all I could really do this morning before starting class at 9:00am.

The walk to school has become more enjoyable. I have come to know a few people on the way and enjoy the morning greetings. There are a few women who sell maize and have their tarp set up by the time I walk by around 8:00. Christine, Dorothy, and Carlos are three people that I know...it’s nice to feel as though we’re familiar to one another. I don’t need to buy and we can be welcoming to one another. I appreciate this.

I had Everson/Alice unlock the make-shift classroom I’d was to work and teach in at 9:00am. I rearranged the tables a bit and prepared some notes on the blackboard. The ESL intermediate and advanced students began to pile in and before I knew it I was out of seats and 28 students in front of me eager to hear what I’d be offering them.

It was a shaky start only because of the numerous interruptions with needing more seating for the space and the occasional late comers. The exercise today was “making comparisons.” I started with outlining the importance of being able to skilfully analyse a situation, diagrams, items for purchase and things you might not yet have knowledge of but can use compare and contrasting methods to determine what something is through the process of elimination.

I cut the class into 2 groups numbering people as one and two. Each group received a photograph and was told to describe what they saw in the picture. This took some time as they were thinking very intently about what they were looking at. This was great to see. Then, i had the groups switch pictures and do the same task with the new photos. After they completed this I had them identify the differences between the two photos. One member from each group presented to the class what they thought were the differences in the photos. This ended up taking about 40-45 minutes.

To end the class on a positive and encouraging note, I had each person put their name on a slip of paper and placed it in my thermos mug cap. Two winning names were drawn for prizes I’d brought with me for the students: a choice of eraser, and colourful pencils. A delightful surprise for the students.

Many students hung around after class and chatted for some time about the lesson and I ended up sitting outside with two of the girls in that class. We took a couple pictures of us sitting together and then I ventured off to take pictures of the food distribution to over 1,000 Ethiopians.

The Red Cross is responsible for food distribution and it goes according to number of people in the household. They have decided to organize distribution according to country so today the Ethiopians received their portion of maize, peas, soap and oil. I was able to view the distribution hut and was even able to get some photographs of the giving. This was a wonderful opportunity which was made possible from a Congolese man I’ve befriended in the camp. I regret to remind him that I am not a French speaker because even though I love the language and want to learn, he talks far too fast. Asking him to slow down doesn’t help much either...so we get along well with English.

At the end of the day (after another TOEFL class lecture) Margaret and I met for coffee at the local restaurant/cafe. This is a basic clay building with a few benches and wood tables but they have excellent food and basic instant coffee from South Africa for 30MK (about 20 cents Canadian). It works. We found ourselves debriefing about the day no sooner than we found ourselves discussing refugee circumstances with a Burundian and a group of Ethiopians. The company was welcomed and the sharing of ideas and exchanges of friendship/camaraderie was a feeling of relief from the sometimes pressure some nature of meetings with others in the camp. This was a relaxed conversation. No one asked for money or about money or if we could sponsor them to Canada. The only comment made regarding travel abroad was by a man who wanted me to save room for him in my suit case and smuggle him across borders. Haha, I hope to see these men again.


Monday, September-28-09

“Hello.” “Hello.” “Salaam.” “Salaam.”

And we chatted. A group of Ethiopians, curious and keen to hear what I was saying gathered around and listened intently as I spoke English to a fellow Ethiopian. I inquired into the reason for their stay here, when they planned to depart for South Africa and exchanged a lot of smiles—a pleasantry I knew we all felt comforted by. I thanked them in Americ and waved goodbye. I felt understood, accepted, or at the very least, familiar.

I turned and walked way and headed home for lunch. Just as I approached the turn off path to our house I was stunned to see five large dogs chasing a young boy, age of 16 or so, across the road heading straight for me. I continued to walk, watching cautiously when the boy sped up bolting in my direction. I stopped and stared like a deer in headlights. I was certain the dogs would catch up to him, snarling, fangs and open jaws. I was also feeling fairly certain that I’d landed myself in the cross roads of a battle between human and beast and if it wasn’t he who’d be snatched, it would be me. Just as unexpected as this scene was in the first place, the dogs just stopped. It was as though there was a shield that went up right in front of them, and all five stopped and backed off. The boy ran past me, slowing as one would after passing the finish line in a marathon. I asked him what he’d done. He replied, I don’t know. I said, “Did you steal something?” He replied with a slight laugh and uncertainty, “No.” And that was it. It was over. Adrenaline was pumping but I had to smile and think of just how lucky we both were. Saved. For no real reason...just saved from the jaws of the beast.

After I’d eaten and completed some lesson planning, I rushed off to class as quickly as possible. I hoped not to have too much exposure with the sun as the burning sensation has become a severe itch and a part of me is curious if it is simply a terrible rash caused by doxycycline. I thought for a long time it was a burn...it must be. In any event, I was questioned about my rushed state and had to laugh but explain why. I feel good for people to understand my dilemma; it will clarify so much of my odd behaviour when I’m out in the sunlight. I kind of feel like a vampire. I headed to my 2:00pm class and began preparations.

The students started to saunter in after 2:00pm and I had each one write his name on the board so I could remember their names better. I introduced myself and inquired into the teaching style their previous teacher had used asked what they liked and what they thought would be more helpful. They commented saying, “Sister, whatever you plan, whatever you think is best will be best.” I didn’t accept that answer, I probed them more to understand what they needed and wanted.

Their reply: they liked the vocabulary and the topics she’d prepare for class. But they wanted to hear what I brought to the table. I informed them of my plan for them this day: two articles, one published from the Malawi National relating to condom use, the other, an article published by BBC news regarding the new possibility of an HIV vaccine. This sounded good to them. So, I broke the students into two groups each reading one article, finding 5 words they don’t know and then summarize the article in 5 sentences.

After ½ hour I had them share the vocabulary and findings with the other group. It was more difficult for them than expected but they got through it and great conversation transpired. I contributed my own thoughts about HIV and condom use and we had a huge debate about what it meant for them here. Some of the major points were the following:

1) If condoms are distributed to youth, they will be protected from HIV

2) If condoms are distributed they’ll make youth more likely to have sex and increase other health issues/moral issues.

3) If condoms aren’t available, youth will have sex freely and increase risk of HIV

4) If condoms are available, youth won’t use them anyway, they’ll have unprotected sex

5) The bible indicates one is celibate until marriage so condom use and sex is irrelevant because one shouldn’t have sex in the first place (but we’re human and we will anyway, hmmmm)

6) If a vaccine is discovered, will that mean more people will have unprotected sex because they know they can without becoming HIV positive? And if so, what will be the social and health consequences?

These were great points indeed and it was great to be fully engaged with these students regarding this topic. They’re very intelligent and have formed many opinions about this issue.

I ended the overextended class (it was only supposed to be 1 ½ hours – it was 2) by pulling two names from a bunch that I’d scrammed in a pile as one would in a hat, and had each group member pick a name. Two people from both teams won a prize: a choice of a colorful pencil or a colorful eraser. I think this closed up the classroom discussion very well.

I felt proud of the students, and of myself. We were able to share our ideas with one another and respect each other’s opinions. I suggested next class that we put the tables together and sit in a round table like UN members. This idea was welcomed with enthusiasm. I can’t help but be excited for the next class myself.

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