· I am working away on the workshop content at the Transformation Education office and am very conscious of how many people are “with” me right now. I have Sara Miller’s workshop notes everywhere, reciprocal strategies pushed by Ed, Melissa’s rubrics, Joshua’s management strategies, grad school big picture thoughts and perspectives, ASWG stories, friends and families encouragement, church’s prayers and prophesies. Amidst the noise of chickens and horns and voices outside the office window, I feel wrapped in experiences and relationships that are allowing me to do what I need and want to do today. I am very grateful for this moment and all the moments that have led up to it.
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· As I feel more confident here, it is good for me to move forward, rather than being immobilized by caution in planning something that is not effective or inappropriate. I want to stay reflective and keep Friere with me as well.
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· I wish I could video and photograph all of the streets. Every space is filled with someone selling something specific: in shops, in stalls, in booths, or from the heads. I saw someone passing with a head basket full of toothpaste and toothbrushes today.
· I had a productive conversation with Gwen talking through the session objectives for reading and writing. Mr. Conte and Mr. Camara were unable to make our meetings today, so tomorrow I am going to spend some time in a classroom with a fifth grade teacher, and then pick their brains about what will be useful for them. I hope I will work well with Jane so we can present a lot together.
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· After work, Audra, another volunteer came, and we all went to go get our presentation outfits made with the cloth Gwen and I picked up Saturday. I am getting a sundress cut (with pockets!). I hope it will be professional enough. The catalogs all showed very plump women modeling the dresses. So different from Western beauty ideals!
July 13
Today I met with teachers at Samaria Primary and then had a good conversation with Bokeray, a class 6 teacher. Mrs. Tucker, the head teacher at Samaria is retiring this week and was all smiles and had all her teachers come to meet with me.
· The biggest issues: The smallest classes have 40 students, some 50, and Bokeray’s have 60-70 students. Some students do not have even the phonetic sounds down. Big classes. Little time. (Reading 2 x a week, Writing 1 or 2 x a week) The schools do things differently. English is the second or third language. I am now pulling in my English Language Learner knowledge, and seeing how to best alter what I had planned. Praying for guidance.
This afternoon we got home around 6, and Gwen suggested we go for a run before it gets dark. Perfect! Driving and office work has gotten me restless since our beach run Sunday. Gwen, Audra, and I laced up, walked up the initial huge hill and then set off at a great pace. It was the same effect as a great trail run, dodging the mud, potholes, and rocks on the road. On the streets we would say good evening and get a pleasant reply back, if not someone saying, “Keep it up! Go! Well done!” with occasional laughter. As we came up the long hill on the return with a view of the city and ocean, night fell, and I got a little more cautious not knowing the roads and avoiding traffic on the main road. I can’t wait to go again.
FYI: $1 = 4,000 Leones and the largest bill is 10,000 Leones. Bread is 500 Leones, mangoes are 2,500 Leones (out of season), all taxi rides are 900 Leones, our lunch meal from a restaurant is about 9,000 Leones, and a box of Cheerios I found was 34,000 Leones ($8.50!).
I tried unsuccessfully several times today to upload pictures. I'll keep at it!
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