I had an e-sign to hang on the virtual door of this blog it would say;
Gone relaxing
Be back Sunday
PS. Happy Weekend!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
A Day in the Life...
I have been a traunt blogger this past week or two. It has been very hectic around here with the day-to-day planning, meetings, lessons, extra-curricular activities etc. This has inspired me to share with you what it is that keeps me busy on a typical school day. Welcome to my life:
5:40am The call to prayer from the local m*sque breaks into my dreams and wakes me abruptly. I had hoped this was only during Ramad*n, but unfortunately not. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:45am My alarm beeps. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:51am My alarm beeps again. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:57am My alarm beeps a third time. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow. Some things don't change no matter where you are.
6:01am I sigh loudly and roll out of bed (literally). I turn on the coffee pot, if the power is on, and shower.
6:15am I get dressed, in a dress-code appropriate outfit of course (necklines no more than four fingers lower than the collar bone, dresses and skirts to the knee, no shorts, no straps), make my lunch (usually leftovers from the night before OR tuna OR peanut butter with crackers). I also enjoy catching up on e-mail from the night before. Sharing the bathroom has forced me to become an earlier riser which makes for a more relaxing morning than I'm used to at home.
7:15am Kari and I leave for school. We have to be there by 7:20am. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we have staff prayer and devotions. Tuesday and Thursday I do photocopying or sit in my classroom preparing myself mentally for the day ahead.
7:55am The first bell rings and my sixth graders begin to arrive. They are a very active group. If I'm not already fully awake, I am by the time the second bell rings and I am acosted by 10-11 year-olds.
8am Sixth grade Social Studies: Ancient History. My class has 12 students. This morning we were in the computer lab using an interactive website as an intro to Catal Huyuk one of the first agriculture settlements located in Turkey. I only learned about Catal Huyuk earlier this week when I was preparing for my lesson. I'm learning with my students, but I have always loved history, so it's a fun experience!
8:45am Seventh grade Social Studies: Geography. This class has 17 students. They are a little less "active" but have a lot of personality. I have connected with this class very well and they almost always seem engaged in the lesson. The students are currently developing a culture for a continent they invented in our last unit. I am looking forward to grading this assignment as it is very personal and the kids are really excited to be using their creative genious.
9:35am I have a break from classes. I usually hang out in the staff lounge and eat birthday treats or other goodies that may have been left there. I grade assignments and/or socialize with the elementary teachers who are on recess break.
10:30am Elementary French students arrive (a class of 11). They are mixed grades 3-5. I have found this class challenging because there are various levels of capability, there is no curriculum (we're working on this problem), and they are developmentally different in their ability to retain information etc. We still have a lot of fun.
11am I have another break. I usually try to be productive with this time and often finish last minute planning for my afternoon French classes.
12:10pm Lunch...yum!
12:50pm Middle School French. These students (class of 16) are mixed grades 6-8. They have all known each other for a long time and are very social. They are also very competitive and thrive on the games we often play. I am still adjusting to the various levels within the class, but I think we're getting more comfortable with one another.
1:40pm High School French. This small class of 11 is also my most challenging class because I am adjusting to working with older students who in some ways are very advanced in their French and in other ways still have a lot to learn. This is my biggest learning curve, but as I get to know the students I am becoming increasingly confident and enjoying them as people not just my French students.
2:30pm Study Hall. Students are required to work silently. This makes for a very productive time for me. I do planning for the next day and often catch up on grading (aka marking).
3:15pm School is done for the day! I often have students who stop by with questions about homework or to pick-up forgotten items. Tuesdays I go straight to the library where I am the librarian until closing at 5pm. I enjoy the time to meet students I don't teach, to help students I do teach, or to catch up on my e-mail. Sometimes I even blog.
Wednesdays are meeting days. The newcomers meet bi-weekly for a support group-style meeting. Otherwise I have middle/high school staff meetings or mentor meetings. A lot of meetings!
The rest of the week I try to excercise with a group of staff (admin, dorm parents, and teachers) who do a video workout together. Right now we're doing P90x. It's nice to have something to keep physically active, especially when it's too hot to run or be outside much during the day. I also enjoy watching volleyball games when our teams (the Lions) are competing. Sports are a big deal here.
5pm Kari and I usually connect and head home. We start cooking and are usually ready to eat by 6pm. We are finding it difficult to make 'quick' meals, especially on nights when we've had a tough day, or we have committments later in the evening. We have gradually managed to increase our repetoire and haven't starved yet. Grilled cheese, spaghetti, sweet and sour chicken, shrimp alfredo, and hamburgers with fries are among our favourite meals. We haven't learned how to cook senegalese food yet, but we're hoping to hire someone to make senegalese food for us every couple of weeks. House help is very affordable here and you simply cover the cost of groceries.
Mondays and Thursdays are the nicest days to come home because we come home to a freshly scrubbed apartment. Our clean, ironed, and folded laundry is waiting for us. Often the laundry is so fresh that it is still warm from being in the sun and being ironed.
Once a week we play volleyball with the staff at 8pm after campus curfew. I'm not very good. Really, I'm just competitive and don't enjoying losing, but I'm getting a bit better and it's usually an entertaining evening. Other nights I enjoy reading (using my recently returned Kindle), watching a movie on my laptop, or more commonly I am scrambling to get lessons planned and come up with creative or engaging ways to teach expressions with 'avoir' for French, or Population Patterns for Geography.
Thursday nights are youth group nights. I come back to school at 7pm for middle school youth group, which is quite traditional. A bit of worship, large group activities, a teaching time, and small group discussion. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the students on a more personal level. Afterwards the campus is a buzz with students playing games on the two sports courts, or socializing...there are often flirtations to observe.
Handball is a very official sport here at DA. The season started three weeks ago and the majority of the student population, as well as a large percentage of staff are assigned teams and compete in 20 minute games once or twice a week Thursday-Saturday. This week there are games after youth group so I will stay and cheer the players on. Perhaps next year I will play. They set up speakers to play loud music, and they sell pop (aka soda). It's a very serious undertaking. I love the atmosphere and those of you who know me well, know that one of my favourite things about summer (and now Senegal) is being out after dark and still comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. The only discomfort at evening games, are the bugs. It is not uncommon to be attacked by ants or mosquitos, or both. No need to worry though, I use bug spray AND I'm taking a daily malaria preventative.
10pm I start to get ready for bed, or I have a skype date, or I sit on the couch contemplating why it requires so much effort to get off the couch so I can go to bed.
11pm I actually make it to bed and fall asleep quickly...unless the power is cut in which case I sweat a lot, moan and groan, toss and turn until I am eventually so exhausted sleep takes over.
5:40am The call to prayer from the local m*sque breaks into my dreams and wakes me abruptly. I had hoped this was only during Ramad*n, but unfortunately not. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:45am My alarm beeps. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:51am My alarm beeps again. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow.
5:57am My alarm beeps a third time. I press snooze. I turn over and bury my face in the pillow. Some things don't change no matter where you are.
6:01am I sigh loudly and roll out of bed (literally). I turn on the coffee pot, if the power is on, and shower.
6:15am I get dressed, in a dress-code appropriate outfit of course (necklines no more than four fingers lower than the collar bone, dresses and skirts to the knee, no shorts, no straps), make my lunch (usually leftovers from the night before OR tuna OR peanut butter with crackers). I also enjoy catching up on e-mail from the night before. Sharing the bathroom has forced me to become an earlier riser which makes for a more relaxing morning than I'm used to at home.
7:15am Kari and I leave for school. We have to be there by 7:20am. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday we have staff prayer and devotions. Tuesday and Thursday I do photocopying or sit in my classroom preparing myself mentally for the day ahead.
7:55am The first bell rings and my sixth graders begin to arrive. They are a very active group. If I'm not already fully awake, I am by the time the second bell rings and I am acosted by 10-11 year-olds.
8am Sixth grade Social Studies: Ancient History. My class has 12 students. This morning we were in the computer lab using an interactive website as an intro to Catal Huyuk one of the first agriculture settlements located in Turkey. I only learned about Catal Huyuk earlier this week when I was preparing for my lesson. I'm learning with my students, but I have always loved history, so it's a fun experience!
8:45am Seventh grade Social Studies: Geography. This class has 17 students. They are a little less "active" but have a lot of personality. I have connected with this class very well and they almost always seem engaged in the lesson. The students are currently developing a culture for a continent they invented in our last unit. I am looking forward to grading this assignment as it is very personal and the kids are really excited to be using their creative genious.
9:35am I have a break from classes. I usually hang out in the staff lounge and eat birthday treats or other goodies that may have been left there. I grade assignments and/or socialize with the elementary teachers who are on recess break.
10:30am Elementary French students arrive (a class of 11). They are mixed grades 3-5. I have found this class challenging because there are various levels of capability, there is no curriculum (we're working on this problem), and they are developmentally different in their ability to retain information etc. We still have a lot of fun.
11am I have another break. I usually try to be productive with this time and often finish last minute planning for my afternoon French classes.
12:10pm Lunch...yum!
12:50pm Middle School French. These students (class of 16) are mixed grades 6-8. They have all known each other for a long time and are very social. They are also very competitive and thrive on the games we often play. I am still adjusting to the various levels within the class, but I think we're getting more comfortable with one another.
1:40pm High School French. This small class of 11 is also my most challenging class because I am adjusting to working with older students who in some ways are very advanced in their French and in other ways still have a lot to learn. This is my biggest learning curve, but as I get to know the students I am becoming increasingly confident and enjoying them as people not just my French students.
2:30pm Study Hall. Students are required to work silently. This makes for a very productive time for me. I do planning for the next day and often catch up on grading (aka marking).
3:15pm School is done for the day! I often have students who stop by with questions about homework or to pick-up forgotten items. Tuesdays I go straight to the library where I am the librarian until closing at 5pm. I enjoy the time to meet students I don't teach, to help students I do teach, or to catch up on my e-mail. Sometimes I even blog.
Wednesdays are meeting days. The newcomers meet bi-weekly for a support group-style meeting. Otherwise I have middle/high school staff meetings or mentor meetings. A lot of meetings!
The rest of the week I try to excercise with a group of staff (admin, dorm parents, and teachers) who do a video workout together. Right now we're doing P90x. It's nice to have something to keep physically active, especially when it's too hot to run or be outside much during the day. I also enjoy watching volleyball games when our teams (the Lions) are competing. Sports are a big deal here.
5pm Kari and I usually connect and head home. We start cooking and are usually ready to eat by 6pm. We are finding it difficult to make 'quick' meals, especially on nights when we've had a tough day, or we have committments later in the evening. We have gradually managed to increase our repetoire and haven't starved yet. Grilled cheese, spaghetti, sweet and sour chicken, shrimp alfredo, and hamburgers with fries are among our favourite meals. We haven't learned how to cook senegalese food yet, but we're hoping to hire someone to make senegalese food for us every couple of weeks. House help is very affordable here and you simply cover the cost of groceries.
Mondays and Thursdays are the nicest days to come home because we come home to a freshly scrubbed apartment. Our clean, ironed, and folded laundry is waiting for us. Often the laundry is so fresh that it is still warm from being in the sun and being ironed.
Once a week we play volleyball with the staff at 8pm after campus curfew. I'm not very good. Really, I'm just competitive and don't enjoying losing, but I'm getting a bit better and it's usually an entertaining evening. Other nights I enjoy reading (using my recently returned Kindle), watching a movie on my laptop, or more commonly I am scrambling to get lessons planned and come up with creative or engaging ways to teach expressions with 'avoir' for French, or Population Patterns for Geography.
Thursday nights are youth group nights. I come back to school at 7pm for middle school youth group, which is quite traditional. A bit of worship, large group activities, a teaching time, and small group discussion. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the students on a more personal level. Afterwards the campus is a buzz with students playing games on the two sports courts, or socializing...there are often flirtations to observe.
Handball is a very official sport here at DA. The season started three weeks ago and the majority of the student population, as well as a large percentage of staff are assigned teams and compete in 20 minute games once or twice a week Thursday-Saturday. This week there are games after youth group so I will stay and cheer the players on. Perhaps next year I will play. They set up speakers to play loud music, and they sell pop (aka soda). It's a very serious undertaking. I love the atmosphere and those of you who know me well, know that one of my favourite things about summer (and now Senegal) is being out after dark and still comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt. The only discomfort at evening games, are the bugs. It is not uncommon to be attacked by ants or mosquitos, or both. No need to worry though, I use bug spray AND I'm taking a daily malaria preventative.
10pm I start to get ready for bed, or I have a skype date, or I sit on the couch contemplating why it requires so much effort to get off the couch so I can go to bed.
11pm I actually make it to bed and fall asleep quickly...unless the power is cut in which case I sweat a lot, moan and groan, toss and turn until I am eventually so exhausted sleep takes over.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Attaya: Senegalese Tea Ceremony
Last Friday night Kari and I had planned a relaxing evening with some girls in the building. We ordered pizza (yes, we can order pizza in Senegal) and got ready to watch an episode of my favourite TV show, Pushing Daisies. We had been looking forward to continuing the series, but we spent so much time chatting and catching up that by the time we started watching the episode we were only 10 minutes in when the power cut.
Power cuts are one of the first things you have to adjust to when you arrive in Senegal. Some families are fortunate enough to have generators to prevent the disappointment of an unfinished tv show, Pushing Daisies, for example. We are not so fortunate. It's a reality here and happens at any time; minutes before the first bell rings on a school day, during a unit test, walking home from a friend's house at 10pm, as you're preparing dinner, just as you are about to have a skype date with a friend or family member, or in the middle of the night. It's a fact of life that is unpreventable and easier to deal with the sooner you accept the reality. Rumour has it that the cuts will become increasingly long now that Ramad*n is finished. Kari and I have learned to keep our computers charged and often enjoy movies if the power cuts are in the evenings.
As disappointed as we were to be interrupted as we were just beginning our show, we were optimistic the power would come back on in a few minutes. No such luck. However, the evening turned out to be a great and educational experience nonetheless. Nabrissa stopped by and suggested we do attaya, a traditional Senegalese tea ceremony. It is a long process involving three rounds of preparing and serving tea in small glasses. The Senegalese are a very relational people and will spend hours preparing and partaking of attaya.
We all headed up to the roof for my first ever attaya experience. Danielle and Nabrissa started a fire with coal and paper in the fuurnu, a small coal fire pit. Once the coals were hot, Danielle heated water and sugar with the tea leaves, called warga in a small teapot, the brada.
The first round of attaya is called Lewel, it is strong and bitter, and symbolizes life. The second round, Naarel, is more sweet, and symbolizes friendship; the longer we're together the sweeter it becomes. The third round, Nettel, is the sweetest and represents love. Though this is how it was first explained to me, I have also read that all three rounds represent the growth and development of friendship.
Once the mix comes to a boil you remove it from the heat and begin a long process of pouring it back and forth between the small cups and the teapot. Each time your pour it back and forth it builds up a foam which you keep in the glass while you continue to pour the tea back and forth.
When the first round is ready it is served to the oldest person first and continues in descending order. I was fourth of eight this particular evening. The second round begins using the warga left in the pot with the addition of more sugar. The process continues as in the previous round and is repeated again for the last round.
Though the evening was not what I had planned, it proved to be better than I had anticipated. I love it when these things just "happen". In my opinion, the unexpected experiences in life are often the most enjoyable.
Power cuts are one of the first things you have to adjust to when you arrive in Senegal. Some families are fortunate enough to have generators to prevent the disappointment of an unfinished tv show, Pushing Daisies, for example. We are not so fortunate. It's a reality here and happens at any time; minutes before the first bell rings on a school day, during a unit test, walking home from a friend's house at 10pm, as you're preparing dinner, just as you are about to have a skype date with a friend or family member, or in the middle of the night. It's a fact of life that is unpreventable and easier to deal with the sooner you accept the reality. Rumour has it that the cuts will become increasingly long now that Ramad*n is finished. Kari and I have learned to keep our computers charged and often enjoy movies if the power cuts are in the evenings.
As disappointed as we were to be interrupted as we were just beginning our show, we were optimistic the power would come back on in a few minutes. No such luck. However, the evening turned out to be a great and educational experience nonetheless. Nabrissa stopped by and suggested we do attaya, a traditional Senegalese tea ceremony. It is a long process involving three rounds of preparing and serving tea in small glasses. The Senegalese are a very relational people and will spend hours preparing and partaking of attaya.
We all headed up to the roof for my first ever attaya experience. Danielle and Nabrissa started a fire with coal and paper in the fuurnu, a small coal fire pit. Once the coals were hot, Danielle heated water and sugar with the tea leaves, called warga in a small teapot, the brada.
The first round of attaya is called Lewel, it is strong and bitter, and symbolizes life. The second round, Naarel, is more sweet, and symbolizes friendship; the longer we're together the sweeter it becomes. The third round, Nettel, is the sweetest and represents love. Though this is how it was first explained to me, I have also read that all three rounds represent the growth and development of friendship.
Once the mix comes to a boil you remove it from the heat and begin a long process of pouring it back and forth between the small cups and the teapot. Each time your pour it back and forth it builds up a foam which you keep in the glass while you continue to pour the tea back and forth.
When the first round is ready it is served to the oldest person first and continues in descending order. I was fourth of eight this particular evening. The second round begins using the warga left in the pot with the addition of more sugar. The process continues as in the previous round and is repeated again for the last round.
Though the evening was not what I had planned, it proved to be better than I had anticipated. I love it when these things just "happen". In my opinion, the unexpected experiences in life are often the most enjoyable.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Kor*te
Today in Senegal Musl*ms are breaking their month of fasting for Ramad*n with a day of celebration. In light of the fact that Senegal is a Musl*m country, Kor*te (pronounced core-ee-tay) is a national holiday and even the missionary community "observes" with a day off school.
Ramad*n is a month of fasting in which Musl*ms refrain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from dawn to sunset. This makes for an interesting experience for everyone in the country who is affected by the tiredness, and irritability of those observing the fast. I even came across a Senegalese website encouraging visitors to stay away during the month of Ramad*n because it can often be an "awful" experience for a variety of reasons.
To give you an idea of how daily life is affected, I have been woken up almost every morning for the last month between 5:30am-5:45am with the call to prayer heard from the neighbourhood mosq*e. Store hours tend to be altered, and out of respect for our house help and security guards we try not to eat or drink when they are around during the day. If you happen to be out in traffic around 7pm driving can be atrocious as people are at their worst after a day without food or drink. They are desperate to get home in preparation for breaking the fast. You can generally buy dates and water from vendors out the window of your car at this time as this is the traditional way to break the fast. They believe that starting with dates, sweet breads and pastries is good for your system as you begin to eat after a long period of fasting. On more than one occasion I have found myself in a grocery store between 6-7pm waiting in extensive line-ups as people shop in preparation for their evening meals.
Today marks the end of the fast, it is the day when families and friends get together in celebration much like we would for Thanksgiving or Easter. The end of the fasting period is marked by the first day of the following month according to the sighting of the new moon. This is announced by the local religious leader and is not generally known until the day of. We only found out we would have the day off school as of Tuesday and this was because we knew that the full moon would appear Friday, Saturday OR Sunday. Food is donated to the poor, people often have new clothes made by the local tailor or wear their best outfits. Communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. Kari was out this morning and apparently the city is quiet and deserted which is uncharacteristic and contrary to the usual hustle and bustle as early as 5am on a typical day (weekend or not).
I have to admire the discipline and commitment of the Musl*m people as they observe the month of Ramad*n. Fasting is intended to teach patience, humility, and spirituality. It's definitely not easy in the intense heat of the day. There have been a few times in the last two weeks when I have missed my afternoon meal and within an hour or two I'm grumpy and my stomach is aching.
During Ramad*n Musl*ms sacrifice for the sake of God and offer more prayer than usual. They ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. Musl*ms believe Ramad*n to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Q*r'an were revealed to the Islam*c prophet, Muh*mmad.
It is a time when I, as a Christian, am challenged to reflect on how undisciplined and uncommitted I can be when it comes to things as simple as my daily Bible reading and prayer time, let alone fasting. It's ironic to me that while the people here are obligated to seek after patience, humility and spirituality (or holiness), these are things that I aspire to in my relationship with God. Though I am not mandated by my local pastors or restricted by social pressure, I should be intrinsically motivated by my love for God to pursue these things of my own accord.
**I referred to Wikipedia.org for info regarding Ramand*n
Ramad*n is a month of fasting in which Musl*ms refrain from eating, drinking, and sexual relations from dawn to sunset. This makes for an interesting experience for everyone in the country who is affected by the tiredness, and irritability of those observing the fast. I even came across a Senegalese website encouraging visitors to stay away during the month of Ramad*n because it can often be an "awful" experience for a variety of reasons.
To give you an idea of how daily life is affected, I have been woken up almost every morning for the last month between 5:30am-5:45am with the call to prayer heard from the neighbourhood mosq*e. Store hours tend to be altered, and out of respect for our house help and security guards we try not to eat or drink when they are around during the day. If you happen to be out in traffic around 7pm driving can be atrocious as people are at their worst after a day without food or drink. They are desperate to get home in preparation for breaking the fast. You can generally buy dates and water from vendors out the window of your car at this time as this is the traditional way to break the fast. They believe that starting with dates, sweet breads and pastries is good for your system as you begin to eat after a long period of fasting. On more than one occasion I have found myself in a grocery store between 6-7pm waiting in extensive line-ups as people shop in preparation for their evening meals.
Today marks the end of the fast, it is the day when families and friends get together in celebration much like we would for Thanksgiving or Easter. The end of the fasting period is marked by the first day of the following month according to the sighting of the new moon. This is announced by the local religious leader and is not generally known until the day of. We only found out we would have the day off school as of Tuesday and this was because we knew that the full moon would appear Friday, Saturday OR Sunday. Food is donated to the poor, people often have new clothes made by the local tailor or wear their best outfits. Communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends. Kari was out this morning and apparently the city is quiet and deserted which is uncharacteristic and contrary to the usual hustle and bustle as early as 5am on a typical day (weekend or not).
I have to admire the discipline and commitment of the Musl*m people as they observe the month of Ramad*n. Fasting is intended to teach patience, humility, and spirituality. It's definitely not easy in the intense heat of the day. There have been a few times in the last two weeks when I have missed my afternoon meal and within an hour or two I'm grumpy and my stomach is aching.
During Ramad*n Musl*ms sacrifice for the sake of God and offer more prayer than usual. They ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. Musl*ms believe Ramad*n to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Q*r'an were revealed to the Islam*c prophet, Muh*mmad.
It is a time when I, as a Christian, am challenged to reflect on how undisciplined and uncommitted I can be when it comes to things as simple as my daily Bible reading and prayer time, let alone fasting. It's ironic to me that while the people here are obligated to seek after patience, humility and spirituality (or holiness), these are things that I aspire to in my relationship with God. Though I am not mandated by my local pastors or restricted by social pressure, I should be intrinsically motivated by my love for God to pursue these things of my own accord.
**I referred to Wikipedia.org for info regarding Ramand*n
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Homesick for ROMS
Today is the first day of school for my teacher friends at home. While I am not sad to be a month into the school year already at Dakar Academy, I am missing the excitement of the first day at Royal Orchard. I will admit that I am the most homesick today that I have been since arriving in Senegal. I am feeling downright sentimental.
I can imagine seeing my friends and colleagues after the summer and catching up about our vacation anecdotes. It's fun to see how students have grown and changed over the summer, how the classes are mixed for the coming year, and it's exciting to introduce the new classroom routines and expectations you've perfected in your mind over the break.
I am missing my colleagues who have inspired me, encouraged me, and survived with me. I am missing my classroom at the top of the stairs across from the library, I am missing the familiarity of greeting the kids by name when I pass them in the hall.
ROMS represents familiarity and comfort. It represents the confidence and know-how that seem to have eluded me here in Senegal. It represents a challenge I overcame, and great personal victory.
As exciting as my new adventure is, it's not without some sadness. In all the craziness of preparing to move I don't know if it truly set in until today that I wouldn't be back (at least not this year). This is the point where my past and my present truly diverge. I hope and pray that when I look back at my first day of school at Dakar Academy and my first year teaching in Senegal, that I will regard them with as much pride and fondness as my time at Royal Orchard.
I can imagine seeing my friends and colleagues after the summer and catching up about our vacation anecdotes. It's fun to see how students have grown and changed over the summer, how the classes are mixed for the coming year, and it's exciting to introduce the new classroom routines and expectations you've perfected in your mind over the break.
I am missing my colleagues who have inspired me, encouraged me, and survived with me. I am missing my classroom at the top of the stairs across from the library, I am missing the familiarity of greeting the kids by name when I pass them in the hall.
ROMS represents familiarity and comfort. It represents the confidence and know-how that seem to have eluded me here in Senegal. It represents a challenge I overcame, and great personal victory.
As exciting as my new adventure is, it's not without some sadness. In all the craziness of preparing to move I don't know if it truly set in until today that I wouldn't be back (at least not this year). This is the point where my past and my present truly diverge. I hope and pray that when I look back at my first day of school at Dakar Academy and my first year teaching in Senegal, that I will regard them with as much pride and fondness as my time at Royal Orchard.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thankful
Sunday morning I attended an English-speaking African church service with two of my colleagues, who also happen to be my friends. The church family is mostly Africans who come from English-speaking countries, and very few Senegalese. The pastor's sermon was based on Luke 17:11-19. Jesus heals ten men suffering with leprosy yet only one of the ten has the presence of mind to thank Jesus for the compassion he showed in healing a social outcast. The pastor reminded us to be thankful in all circumstances. He emphasized that even the uncomfortable situations we face stretch us and force us to become a better version of ourselves.
While thankfulness is a fairly basic concept, I have challenged myself in the last few days to remain thankful.
As I reflected on the weekend it was easy to be thankful for a home-cooked meal with friends on Friday night after a long and tiring school week. It was not difficult to be content with a Saturday morning sleep-in or appreciative for the friend who took me to a local hotel to relax at the poolside. It was fun to spend the day with a young teacher from the deaf school that my sponsor child attends. Later in the evening, the long wait at a local tailor shop did not diminish the excitement of looking through Senegalese fashion books to decide what traditional outfits I will have made once I've had a chance to visit the fabric market. As I reflected on thankfulness, I realized that I have even learned not to take the electricity for granted, and have been grateful for very minimal power cuts since earlier this week.
After Sunday morning service, with Pastor Baffi's sermon fresh on my mind, it wasn't surprising that I remained positive in the one-hour ride home, a commute which normally takes 5-7 minutes. I was happy to have the opportunity to get to know some new friends better, even if it was hot and sweaty in the "air-conditioned" truck. I'm starting to sense that tense driving situations can be bonding experiences. I was particularly thankful that I wasn't the one trying to maneuver through the traffic jam.
Sunday afternoon at the local beach, with clear blue skies and refreshing salt water, it was easy to find enjoyment in wave-jumping and sun-tanning. I had the pleasure of meeting a few of the regular vendors who sell delicious candied peanuts and mini fatayers (meat-filled dough pockets, similar to a pizza pocket but with different filling). I was aware of the fact that I am blessed to be living in a country where beach day can be everyday, almost year round.
After a full day of being conscious of my thankfulness, Sunday night my resolve began to falter as the school week inevitably approached. I remained grateful that my lessons did not require too much additional planning, but I did not have an appreciative attitude as I went to bed, knowing that Monday was only hours away.
Monday mornings, for me, are traditionally my most difficult time to be responsive, let alone thankful. This past Monday morning however, it was almost impossible to keep the grin off my face when I saw that my classroom air conditioner had been connected. The day itself had ups and downs, but all things considered, I remained positive and grateful for one more day of teaching and serving at DA.
Which brings me to today...
It's ironic that I chose to write about thankfulness and how simplistic a practice it is, because today proves that even with 27 years of experience, and in spite of my weekend of gratitude, I have learned very little about the discipline of thankfulness and contentment in all situations. I hope that in the next 27 years I will have come at least a little closer to mastering this "basic" concept.
The school day itself was busy, but good. Plans had been made for me to leave school 45 minutes early to go to the Canadian Embassy with two Canadian colleagues to begin the application process for my carte d'identite, an official residency status if you plan to live in the country for more than a year. The one Canadian teacher is here in Senegal with her husband and family and has a very nice air-conditioned vehicle and driver she shared with us. We made it to the embassy with no problem, and I was proud of our unobtrusive, conservative embassy building. I was tempted to take a picture of the detailed hand-rails featuring maple leafs, but didn't want to be mistaken for a trouble-maker.
After passing through "security", a process which did nothing to build my faith in my safety if I ever required the protection of the embassy, we were seated in a reception area. We were probably in the office for a total of 45 minutes, which is arguably short from what I've been told, but the visit was a complete waste of time. We were given a list of a dozen documents, identification, and fees necessary to begin the process. We then continued to the the foreign affairs office, across town. This is where I will eventually need to go once I have collected the billion and two things to continue (or begin) my application process. There was nothing more I could do today, but my Canadian friend needed to have her temporary residency card stamped. Her business didn't take too long, but she came out shaking her head. They had allowed her to look through the cartes d'identites that were ready for pick-up. The good news is that she found hers, the bad news is that it was ready in 2004 and no one had ever bothered to let her know. On top of that, the document expired in June 2009 so she now has to begin the process all over again.
My thankfulness has gradually spiraled into a lengthy complaint. To redeem myself, and to focus on the bright side, I am thankful...
I did not have to go through this process alone.
Traffic wasn't too bad considering it's still Ramadan and fasting drivers and pedestrians can be incredibly irritable.
I did not have to experience the frustration of being told my carte d'identite is six years old and just recently expired.
My friend will now be able to do the entire application process with me.
I got home at a reasonable time and made a delicious dinner (hamburger and french fries).
I don't have any additional planning for my day tomorrow so I can take the rest of the evening off.
There's chocolate ice cream waiting for me in the freezer.
While thankfulness is a fairly basic concept, I have challenged myself in the last few days to remain thankful.
As I reflected on the weekend it was easy to be thankful for a home-cooked meal with friends on Friday night after a long and tiring school week. It was not difficult to be content with a Saturday morning sleep-in or appreciative for the friend who took me to a local hotel to relax at the poolside. It was fun to spend the day with a young teacher from the deaf school that my sponsor child attends. Later in the evening, the long wait at a local tailor shop did not diminish the excitement of looking through Senegalese fashion books to decide what traditional outfits I will have made once I've had a chance to visit the fabric market. As I reflected on thankfulness, I realized that I have even learned not to take the electricity for granted, and have been grateful for very minimal power cuts since earlier this week.
After Sunday morning service, with Pastor Baffi's sermon fresh on my mind, it wasn't surprising that I remained positive in the one-hour ride home, a commute which normally takes 5-7 minutes. I was happy to have the opportunity to get to know some new friends better, even if it was hot and sweaty in the "air-conditioned" truck. I'm starting to sense that tense driving situations can be bonding experiences. I was particularly thankful that I wasn't the one trying to maneuver through the traffic jam.
Sunday afternoon at the local beach, with clear blue skies and refreshing salt water, it was easy to find enjoyment in wave-jumping and sun-tanning. I had the pleasure of meeting a few of the regular vendors who sell delicious candied peanuts and mini fatayers (meat-filled dough pockets, similar to a pizza pocket but with different filling). I was aware of the fact that I am blessed to be living in a country where beach day can be everyday, almost year round.
After a full day of being conscious of my thankfulness, Sunday night my resolve began to falter as the school week inevitably approached. I remained grateful that my lessons did not require too much additional planning, but I did not have an appreciative attitude as I went to bed, knowing that Monday was only hours away.
Monday mornings, for me, are traditionally my most difficult time to be responsive, let alone thankful. This past Monday morning however, it was almost impossible to keep the grin off my face when I saw that my classroom air conditioner had been connected. The day itself had ups and downs, but all things considered, I remained positive and grateful for one more day of teaching and serving at DA.
Which brings me to today...
It's ironic that I chose to write about thankfulness and how simplistic a practice it is, because today proves that even with 27 years of experience, and in spite of my weekend of gratitude, I have learned very little about the discipline of thankfulness and contentment in all situations. I hope that in the next 27 years I will have come at least a little closer to mastering this "basic" concept.
The school day itself was busy, but good. Plans had been made for me to leave school 45 minutes early to go to the Canadian Embassy with two Canadian colleagues to begin the application process for my carte d'identite, an official residency status if you plan to live in the country for more than a year. The one Canadian teacher is here in Senegal with her husband and family and has a very nice air-conditioned vehicle and driver she shared with us. We made it to the embassy with no problem, and I was proud of our unobtrusive, conservative embassy building. I was tempted to take a picture of the detailed hand-rails featuring maple leafs, but didn't want to be mistaken for a trouble-maker.
After passing through "security", a process which did nothing to build my faith in my safety if I ever required the protection of the embassy, we were seated in a reception area. We were probably in the office for a total of 45 minutes, which is arguably short from what I've been told, but the visit was a complete waste of time. We were given a list of a dozen documents, identification, and fees necessary to begin the process. We then continued to the the foreign affairs office, across town. This is where I will eventually need to go once I have collected the billion and two things to continue (or begin) my application process. There was nothing more I could do today, but my Canadian friend needed to have her temporary residency card stamped. Her business didn't take too long, but she came out shaking her head. They had allowed her to look through the cartes d'identites that were ready for pick-up. The good news is that she found hers, the bad news is that it was ready in 2004 and no one had ever bothered to let her know. On top of that, the document expired in June 2009 so she now has to begin the process all over again.
My thankfulness has gradually spiraled into a lengthy complaint. To redeem myself, and to focus on the bright side, I am thankful...
I did not have to go through this process alone.
Traffic wasn't too bad considering it's still Ramadan and fasting drivers and pedestrians can be incredibly irritable.
I did not have to experience the frustration of being told my carte d'identite is six years old and just recently expired.
My friend will now be able to do the entire application process with me.
I got home at a reasonable time and made a delicious dinner (hamburger and french fries).
I don't have any additional planning for my day tomorrow so I can take the rest of the evening off.
There's chocolate ice cream waiting for me in the freezer.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Firsts...
This weekend was full of firsts for me. Every time I did something new I chastised myself for not having thought to have my camera with me. Regrettably I have gotten into the habit of traveling light.
Friday after school was my first trip to King Cash, a Costco style warehouse grocery store. Things are not necessarily sold packaged in bulk, but you often get better prices if you buy more than one unit of any given product. King Cash is also a North American favourite because they sell products that we would otherwise miss. For example, they had taco shells and seasoning mixes, cake mixes, and a KD equivalent. This particular trip also happened to be my first time driving with our school director who recently came with his wife from Guatemala. He is a great driver. We were caught in crazy traffic because of an accident and he navigated very easily around it, just like the Senegalese. A Shell tanker had jack-knifed (a fancy maneuvre) across the two-lane (which really means 3 or 4 or 4 1/2 lane) road. Two large trucks had then tried to pass the accident in different directions and had crashed into one another blocking the entire road. It looked like they were leaning on each other for support. Fortunately we were able to cut through a gas station parking lot to get around the mess.
Friday night Kari and I had dinner with a family from school. They live around the corner from a beautiful beach and it was my first beach visit since arriving, my first time wiggling my toes in the Dakar sand. It was a gorgeous evening even if we did get caught in the rain (NOT a first). For dinner we ate Senegalese style for the first time. We sat on a mat with the family (six of us total) and ate from a large bowl together. Everyone's body had to be turned in the same direction and we all ate using the spoons in our right hands. Each person has an imaginary pie-shaped section to eat from, and anything in the middle is up for grabs. Once you've had enough it's polite to burp to convey your satisfaction with the meal. The food itself was maafe; veggies and chicken in a peanut sauce over rice. Delicious! We finished a great evening watching The Man from Snowy River (also a first as I had never seen that movie before).
Saturday morning was a shopping trip, which is always a fun outing. I took it easy in the afternoon and enjoyed reading on my patio for the first time. I even managed to finish the book, Bud, Not Buddy before bed that night. It was another book that I had purchased on my Kindle to read that I just happened to come across in hard copy.
I enjoyed a homemade pizza dinner and games night with good friends and met some new friends who introduced me to Pass the Pigs, a fun and hilarious game for all ages. Once they showed us the game (which involves miniature pigs) I realized that it wasn't the first time I'd played, but I can't remember when or where I'd played it before...so I'm making the executive decision to call it a first. I've also made the executive decision to add the travel version to my Christmas list.
Sunday morning was my first taxi ride in Senegal...ever (and also, coincidentally, my second). I attended Eglise Evangelique, a French church here in Senegal with my friends Tim and Nabrissa for the first time. It was a great experience and I look forward to visiting again soon. I was impressed with my comprehension. I followed nearly the entire service. The most challenging parts were the scripture references because I'm not used to the French translations. I've also decided to add a French language Bible to my Christmas list.
I think that's as far as the firsts went this weekend. I'm looking forward to other cultural novelties as the year continues. I was recently out with a missionary friend who has been in the country for 12 years and said (more than once or twice) that she is still learning and discovering things for the first time. I hope and pray that even as I become increasingly comfortable here in Senegal and leave the honeymoon phase behind, that I will still be open-minded about new experiences and even search them out.
Friday after school was my first trip to King Cash, a Costco style warehouse grocery store. Things are not necessarily sold packaged in bulk, but you often get better prices if you buy more than one unit of any given product. King Cash is also a North American favourite because they sell products that we would otherwise miss. For example, they had taco shells and seasoning mixes, cake mixes, and a KD equivalent. This particular trip also happened to be my first time driving with our school director who recently came with his wife from Guatemala. He is a great driver. We were caught in crazy traffic because of an accident and he navigated very easily around it, just like the Senegalese. A Shell tanker had jack-knifed (a fancy maneuvre) across the two-lane (which really means 3 or 4 or 4 1/2 lane) road. Two large trucks had then tried to pass the accident in different directions and had crashed into one another blocking the entire road. It looked like they were leaning on each other for support. Fortunately we were able to cut through a gas station parking lot to get around the mess.
Friday night Kari and I had dinner with a family from school. They live around the corner from a beautiful beach and it was my first beach visit since arriving, my first time wiggling my toes in the Dakar sand. It was a gorgeous evening even if we did get caught in the rain (NOT a first). For dinner we ate Senegalese style for the first time. We sat on a mat with the family (six of us total) and ate from a large bowl together. Everyone's body had to be turned in the same direction and we all ate using the spoons in our right hands. Each person has an imaginary pie-shaped section to eat from, and anything in the middle is up for grabs. Once you've had enough it's polite to burp to convey your satisfaction with the meal. The food itself was maafe; veggies and chicken in a peanut sauce over rice. Delicious! We finished a great evening watching The Man from Snowy River (also a first as I had never seen that movie before).
Saturday morning was a shopping trip, which is always a fun outing. I took it easy in the afternoon and enjoyed reading on my patio for the first time. I even managed to finish the book, Bud, Not Buddy before bed that night. It was another book that I had purchased on my Kindle to read that I just happened to come across in hard copy.
I enjoyed a homemade pizza dinner and games night with good friends and met some new friends who introduced me to Pass the Pigs, a fun and hilarious game for all ages. Once they showed us the game (which involves miniature pigs) I realized that it wasn't the first time I'd played, but I can't remember when or where I'd played it before...so I'm making the executive decision to call it a first. I've also made the executive decision to add the travel version to my Christmas list.
Sunday morning was my first taxi ride in Senegal...ever (and also, coincidentally, my second). I attended Eglise Evangelique, a French church here in Senegal with my friends Tim and Nabrissa for the first time. It was a great experience and I look forward to visiting again soon. I was impressed with my comprehension. I followed nearly the entire service. The most challenging parts were the scripture references because I'm not used to the French translations. I've also decided to add a French language Bible to my Christmas list.
I think that's as far as the firsts went this weekend. I'm looking forward to other cultural novelties as the year continues. I was recently out with a missionary friend who has been in the country for 12 years and said (more than once or twice) that she is still learning and discovering things for the first time. I hope and pray that even as I become increasingly comfortable here in Senegal and leave the honeymoon phase behind, that I will still be open-minded about new experiences and even search them out.
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