To my surprise, I discovered that Biology classes (the ones I would be teaching) are not offered until August. I found this out from talking with a student a week and a half before the start of classes. Needless to say I was quite vexed with my supervisors for not telling me this in the first place. I have since scrambled last minute to find another occupation for the next six months. Lucky for me, there is a secondary school about a 30 minute walk from me that was in need of an 11th grade English teacher. I got the job on Monday and started classes on Tuesday (not much time to prepare!). Thus far it is going well, though I am scrambling to put together lesson plans, syllabi, etc… at the last minute.
In addition, I will be filling my time by working as a computer teacher at my original school, teaching a class and helping the administration to streamline some of their procedures. At the moment, they have computers but still do everything by hand. It takes days to do what you could do in a few hours. My first priorities are teaching them to use the computer to make class schedules and calculate grades.
To be honest, I have come to expect situations like these. A curve ball is thrown at me at the last minute and I am expected to pick up the pieces. Nobody holds your hand. Peace Corps told me I would have to be flexible and independent, and I guess this is what they meant.
I think it will all come together in the end. I have only taught one day of English classes but already have some great stories to tell. I’m having fun, the students are learning, I am learning... I’d say things are going well.
Woah... Great post! Life throws us curve balls, but I wont try and stretch the metaphor into some kind of great revelation... that is the job for a clever blogger! hope that you are having a blast in Africa... from what I have heard, that kind of Chaos is pretty much the norm.. .But I think you are more than capable of taking it on!
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