For those of you wondering, this weekend I am in Kigali doing my monthly banking/visit to PC office/refill on medical stuff/buy necessary stuff that you can’t get at my site/etc. I figure I’ll do this once a month and it’ll serve those necessary purposes but also as a nice little escape and glimpse of reality for a brief period each month. Which I think everyone needs…and you don’t quite realize how much sometimes you just want to hang out and be a muzungu until you find yourself doing and go “it is SO NICE to wear Western clothes, speak English and have a good, relaxing time with other westerner's” yeah, this is going to be quite the two years. As mentioned, I picked up all the mail and packages waiting for me that were sent to the Peace Corps mailbox…I think I have everything so now all mail should go to the PO Box posted in one of the other posts.
Let’s see, what has been new at site. Oh, so my students received their very 1st homework assignment from me on the topic of nutrition. They were to write a full days meals (so, 3 meals) that fulfill the food pyramid and then write me 6 sentences on why nutrition is important and how they can stay healthy. So, those were all due this past week and I spend a grueling 2 nights correcting all, roughly, 200 of them (5 classes, around 35-40 students each….yeahhh). The good news, some students got it! They really REALLY got it! The bad news…roughly a third of each of my classes copied the homework from someone else. Thus, they received a big, fat zero. And when they got their homework back….let’s just say they might not love the white, American teacher as much anymore. But I swear, I will break them of this cheating/copying habit. They will do individual work otherwise, tough nookie, you get a zero. Fixing the system…one small, very small, step at a time. And, I think one student out of all of them actually answered the how part of the homework…critical thinking, we’re working on it. I see glimmer of hope in my students every week which is good. They’re learning slow but that’s expected since I’m teaching all in English and well…it’s their 3rd language. But they’re learning…I think. We’re scheduled for a midterm either at the end of this week or beginning of next week so we’ll see how much they actually get it. And we’ll see how much they really cheat when the teacher’s in the room
Finally, here are some pictures of my home…keep in mind I now have a bedframe, but that’s all the new furniture. But, I am planning on more furniture…eventually. Just gotta go with the “Rwanda time” and Ihangane (Be patient). So, that’s what I’m doing. Also, now have a girl who comes and helps me Mon-Thurs from 2pm-6pm. She cleans the house, does the laundry/dishes, fetches water (so now I don’t have to!), heats up water for my Thermos (hot bucket baths and no more heating up water in the morning!) and she cooks dinner…only dinner. She’s only been working a week, but seems like a good girl so far. I have to remember that I’m still really new in my community, and even though I feel completely safe and secure and like I can trust people…current PCVs keep reminding me…just keep your guard up. It really takes a year to build relationships, but good that you’re integrating. But yes, pictures of home…here you go:
My Room (big bed totally worth it) which now has a bedframe
My Main Room…with the lone desk and water filter
My back courtyard, to the right is the kitchen/shower/latrine
And that’s all for now, til’ next time!
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