Casual Tuesday while in Peace Corps

Casual Tuesday In Peace Corps

Last night dreams were interesting and thankfully it wasn’t all about the school and my inabilities to reach the kids but something a little more fun. I ended up dreaming about a field trip to Egypt and having to become Jason Bourne to save everybody.  But, as usual, I was able to wake up before the alarm; little before six. Lately I have been starting my day along with the sun: which sneaks in through my window and under the Russian flag that I currently use as a curtain.

Having a window in my room and a back porch of the house that faces every sunrise every morning has been every day a nature’s present to me. I have been trying to capture it with different cameras and settings but so far I have done it no justice. Our house is on a slant and behind it, is nature that is not obstructed by anything obtuse, except for our own cemented wall and thin wire fence. About a mile down there is a little stream, so lately, when it has been cooler, the fog has been hiding in the ridge; at times, it even seeps up to our house and school and brings the effect like we are in the movie Casablanca.

Today is laundry day, so I take off the shirt as I climb out of bed and throw it in my recently acquired hamper bucket. In flip flops and pajama pants I fill up the cattle outside from the huge rain water collector.  The fresh crispy-chill air provides me with the feeling of a chill shower that I have not had for a few days but probably should.  I am not a morning shower person and the light in our bathroom has not been working the whole time we have lived here so I rarely have opportunities to take warm showers in the afternoon and actually see the spots where I need more soap or scrub a little harder. The warm water is provided by solar heating water system that is mounted on the roof, probably that and the big fridge are the coolest things about the house. Eventually, I will probably add the air conditioner to that list but have yet to use it. The heat will probably hit sometime in October/November, right before the big rains of December/January/February and March.

I have started pre-soaking my clothing on advice of a smart volunteer who had noted that it is a lot easier for hand washing if it had been soaked for some time before the act of scrubbing.  We hired Olga a few months back now; she is our magic laundry woman. She has been very reliable and consistent with great work and being on time.  `Being on time´ has become a trait to cherish, especially in students. Most all of them know the English phrase “Time is money” but they only remember it when somebody else is late and not themselves. 

Finding a worker like Olga is not very easy. As a visitor here, one would find out right away the time concept is more laid back than on the islands of Hawaii. Also, even though most everybody has cellphones, they will still not know what time it is. Probably because the batteries are drained or were never set correctly in the first place.  As a sight note, I have yet to see anybody selling wrist watches of any kind outside of Maputo, and feel very safe that nobody will take my watch if I take it off and leave it accidentally somewhere for an extended period of time.

This morning as I tried to heat the tea with the Chinese kettle, I remembered that it tripped a fuse the day before and probably would not work, as it didn’t. So I had to pour the water out into a metal pot and heat it up on the electric stove that I just fixed two days before, as the wires keep burning up.  It takes 45 minutes for water to boil on the stove, which is the exact amount of time it took me this morning to fix the Chinese electric kettle with handy screwdrivers, vice grips and the worst electric tape I have ever had to use.

With boiled water I prepared tea for the morning and through out the day in a liter jar. On Tuesdays, laundry day, we have Olga coming to wash our clothes and Nelo clean our back/front yard and house. When we have bread, which is almost every Tuesday, I would make different sandwiches out of peanut butter, cheese, pork sausage, homemade guava jam and butter. As the washing sink is outside and since winter is here - hot tea is much appreciated by all and a sandwich could be the only food one has all day, which I know quite well from experience. As today there was no bread we all enjoyed some great biscuit cookies with the tea, which are very similar to shortbread.

Tuesday mornings I do not teach chemistry at the school but a teacher or administrative staff would always find something else for me to do or help with. Today, I made other plans to help close by friends who are missionaries from Texas with their old lap top. But before I can head out to their house I run by the school and open the computer lab for a few teachers that need to write up Provincial Exams for the trimester that will take place in mid-July.  After a few explanations I went back to the house.

Nelo is our guy. He does many things inside and outside the house. He has a family and is about 33 years old. He finished tenth grade but could not continue. His English is much better than most of the twelfth graders at our school. He was very excited to help us around the house, and more so with the opportunity to develop further English skills. So I have been teaching him English and he has been teaching me Portuguese, for which Peace Corps provide us a stipend to give to him.

The English lesson started off with why we wash our vegetables and eggs in water mixed with a little bit of bleach. Then we continued to setting up the computer and the reason for using a voltage regulators to power the electronics, difference between Africa and USA (120/220volts), and how lap top batteries, or phone batteries for that matter, do not survive long in Africa. After the power issues I continue to explain VGA cords and how to connect it to the projector, which I have him use to practice computer skills and English skills.

Past Sunday, we started a lesson for him to copy text from a book (Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton). I have him practice reading the text out loud and then translate it into Portuguese, thus giving us both practice to discuss the meanings of symbols and words. Paton is no Conrad but the words still tend to be challenging, but they also repeat quite often within the text, allowing for repetition learning. After setting him up with work to continue to practice on his own, I went to the American couple that is about 20 minutes away by foot.

They live on a hill closer to the village of Nomba. I have grown to enjoy our friendships; they are in their 50s who have been in Lichinga already for about 3 year and full of interesting insights and help. This past Sunday their house was robbed while being away. Their laptop was stolen but earlier last week I took their old broken laptop to look at and after little examination I figured it would be possible to restore but would need small screw drivers. So today I went to their house to use their screw drivers to fix the problem. I got out two hair balls from the fan, blasted air throughout the frame and had to wiggle almost all the connections to finally get it to turn on and more importantly stay on.

During the three hours it took me to fix the problems I enjoyed great conversation about problems that we all face upon living here and trying to adopt within the community. A few weeks back they gave me a few great books to read, which I have been enjoying in some little free time I do have. One of them is the “Cry, The Beloved Country” and another is “African Friends and Money Matters,” which has open my mind to be more sensitive about the differences. While reading that book I was already visioning of what I can write about. A lot of the time it is important to talk to someone to get some things off the chest as well as hearing other side of the arguments or possible solutions that you could not come up on your own.

As I finished up and the laptop worked they were kind to offer lunch but I had to rush back to school to teach Computers to twelfth graders. Before the class started I enjoyed a couple of green oranges at about 8 cents each, which is on the cheaper side. Mozambique is very expensive for Africa, especially in terms of cost of food. I am actually thinking about writing a little research essay on potential reasons behind it. Computer class yesterday had the all-time high attendance for the trimester with over thirty students. But, one can never predict and my attendance today was three. I had the three practice typing skills and they each took two quizzes. I spent over two and a half hours with one of the three students where he kept making the same mistakes and I kept trying to have him realize that first he needs to analyze and/or realize what he is doing wrong. Then, by correcting it he would reduce the amount of errors and improve greatly. And this concept would not just be true in typing. Not sure that I was able to get to him as it kept getting later and his concentration was probably absent as a result of an empty stomach and being tired.

As I finished up with the last student I was called in by the Administrative Director to help her create an excel table. As I know I would like to see sustainable work I guided her through most of the table making, which undoubtedly took longer than if I just did it but hopefully next table she needs, she will be able to do it herself, or at least with less help. Thinking I was finished I headed home for some very late lunch that could be called early dinner but short distance out of the school I was chased by another secretary to help install the printer cartridge in the office of the Director of Pedagogy. This has been a much awaited printer cartridge that I was excited to install and demonstrate how to take out the old one, prepare the cartridge and place in the new one.

Getting home about dinner time I noticed an owl atop of the broken light post just outside our house. It was quietly looking at his pray that I could hear to my left and my right - rustling through the grass. I was hoping he would not try the in-between and fly at me. Upon getting home I was not starving, as sometimes I have to prepare my own dinner, but whenever Nelo comes by he prepares a masterpiece. And this time it was a Monet. He prepared the Matapa, it is a traditional curry out of mustard leafs, peanut butter, oil, tomatoes, onions, and Bennys – the secret ingredient. One would eat Matapa or any type of curry with Xima, and the stuff he made was awesome. The best I have had yet. It is basically corn flour mixed with water and made in patties. A basic staple here in Mozambique and over much of the Africa. Very easy to make it taste awful as it is somewhat blend.

With a full belly I enjoyed some surfing on the internet and the crazy internet espionage that is going within the country of US as well as the outside. Like a spy novel playing out in newspaper articles. Very riveting and feels distant because I feel such conversation here is not yet possible. This could be because there is a lack of resources or because privacy is not of value here, which could be of benefit to society as a whole as I am beginning to see upon spending more time here.

After little rest I went back to school work and graded notebooks for about 3+ hours.  I inputted the weekly quizzes into the computer along with the homework grades and the test. I provided the students with up to date grade for this trimester to demonstrate how they are doing in class and so far am pleasantly surprised, though they are my best disciplined kids.  I kept grading the books until about the rain arrived at about 11pm, at which I called it quits. The rest of the grading I will finish tomorrow morning and return the notebooks, giving them a whole day before next class. And I will probably add extra homework for those that did not do well on the latest quiz that they took yesterday, to improve their grade a little bit and hopefully have more practice doing it.

Thanks for all your guys positive words of encouragement in the previous edition. Sorry for the length but I guess I’m getting older and have more hot air to vent out. My birthday is coming up next week and I am very glad I will be spending it here working and hopefully improving someone else’s life. I have lacked that in my stack-testing job. Though remember on some occasions I did have that while I was coaching tennis at the high-school.

Monday May 15th

Sunday night I went to bed after grading many chemistry notebooks. Since meeting my fellow volunteers in the north during a reunion, I decided to try something drastic, as many of us trying to increase our student learning and participation, by having weekly quizzes and weekly homework  Why is this drastic? Well. Firstly- I only meet with the kids twice a week, which actually is an overstatement because if they didn't come and clean the school on Saturday it is cut in half.  Those kids that didn't participate in cleaning are not allowed to study all day on Monday. Secondly, rarely do I have a high attendance during first or second periods, or last period of the day (which tend to be my hours) as they leave early and show up late. This could be a result of them having to walk to school anywhere between 30 min to 2 hours each way, bad weather, or not being penalized for absences.

By asking more from the kids and grading it weekly, I have increased work on them and for myself. But, I have also been able to keep kids excited and fairly attentive almost every class period. Now they seem to understand that everything we practice in class, or what they practice at home, will be tested on the same day or next time we meet. I will keep up with this at least through out this trimester and hopefully will see an improvement in kids desire to continue learning, whatever subject it may be. Already, I am seeing improvements in some of the kids that tended to slack last trimester. They are coming to see me during free time to take another quiz and improve their quiz grade, as well as copy the homework problems that they missed the week before. Right now, in chemistry setting, I really believe that some of the kids are not at the levels they should be, but can be, as a result of an avalanche effect.  Where at some point they gave up on understanding or hating one thing and from them it kept escalating. It could have been a math fraction or a simple/hard idea of at atom. From my part, with extra work, I would love to reach as many as I can.  I do understand that my strong drive is only a result of having few distractions, allowing me to focus on this problem at hand. ADD medicine would not sell well in Africa.

Having let off some steam about one of the problems at hand, let me go on and talk about this Monday, May 15th. There is nothing special about today. Just a little insight into one of my days here in NOMBA (which is the name of my neighborhood). Like almost everyday I wake up with the sun, this time of the year it's a little before six. The window in my room faces east and sun shines brightly even through the curtain. Today I brewed some tea and was off to school a little before six-thirty, it takes 5 minutes for me to walk there. I tend to be the first teacher/person at school and relieve the night guard. I get to school early to open up the computer lab, which I use to entice a few students to come early and practice using computers (mouse and keyboard), listen to music or sometimes actually type up a paper. But most of the time kids use computers to transfer music between their memory cards to play on their phones.

Before the 7 am daily morning meeting at the outdoor gymnasium, I input the kids grades in the excel sheet and prepare lessons for the day or homework.  At the morning assembly students lead the mozambique national anthem, which i also proudly sing. It's extremely catchy. Most of the time I tend to be one of the only teachers, with rare appearances from the administrators displeased with low attendances, lack of uniforms, or at times other important announcements. 

On Mondays, I have 1st period with one class and a double period (2nd and 3rd) with another. Offiially first period starts at 7:15am and supposed to last 45 minutes like every period. But, it is extremely rare for me to be able to start as I did today before 7:25am. During our 2+ months of training for secondary school teachers in Namaacha, Mozambique we were taught and encouraged to design classes around 4MAT. 4MAT includes 4 parts that I will now would have to look up on google to remember, but something like: Motivation, Explanation, Practice, and Application. For me as a 12th grade chemistry teacher this format is just not suitable. Firstly, I do not have enough time and secondly, I have way too much material where my practice alone sometimes is the whole period as I have to go and reteach algebra (quadratic formulas) or calculus (logs and its derivative ln). 

Having started little late I went on to review a similar problem that they solved for homework and will see on the quiz at the end of the hour. Having completed it with their help, I allowed them time to copy it into their notebooks as they are able to use them during all the quizzes, though not the tests. I had another 20 minutes to cover some new material that would rush through. I of course went over as quite often happens and as almost as many times as I go over the teachers are not on time and I was able to finish it off and even write up two quizzes on the board. As kids are very fond of copying, I find it very helpful in writing up two different but same material quizzes on board and assigning each the first or the second one by writing 1 or two at the top of the page and initialing - I initial it as a result of multiple cheaters even the very first time around.

Sometimes collecting books is like pulling teeth but if you do walk out and not let them turn them in one time around, the next time it is a lot easier. The second class I had a double period and on average that class is much better behaved. I think it is a result of having more nerds, and they do exist in Mozambique. One of their braniacs is representing the province at the national math olympiad this week. And will hopefully bring the trophy. By far my and probably school's best student. And, he walks over 2 hours each way to school, leaving his house well before sunrise.

I return the notebooks to the kids and we began with going over another similar problem on the quiz and I point out similar mistakes like squaring means multiplying by itself and not two, or 3 x 3 is 9 and not 8. But I bet that doesn't just happen with my students here but even those in Albuquerque. After the quick overview I continue with new material and crazy example that shoots over most heads. That sometimes I do on purpose, just to make them scared but bring it back with something easier and leave on a positive note. I have a blast teaching and explaining, which sometimes I even have to do with some crazy drawings, which maybe one student gets.

Once I leave them with homework I return to Computer Lab, which I use as my office and sometimes closet or bedroom. Those times when I leave a few of my shirts behind or forget my keys in the city and can't get into my house until the next day, so I make an uncomfortable bed out of some cloths and pretend to guard the computers. During most of the day I pass my time there and leave the doors open for the kids to come in, use the computers or talk about chemistry and much more preferred topic, English. During that time I attempt to grade notebooks and allow my students to make up their quiz and homework grades. And this trimester many more have come to embrace it., as I have become a little less strict and fun to hang around.

Computer classes for 11th and 12th graders is like PE. They are after school and even though graded, they are not necessary to pass or graduate. I have 6 computers and am probably better off teaching the 20 kids that actually have time and would like to learn than accommodate all 50 and probably not get much computer time for any of them. Last trimester right off I started off hands on. I gave them tables to replicate in Excel, which also included practicing English with little translation. We also practiced and quizzed typing without looking. But this trimester I am trying to go big and get the kids really doing some fun stuff, not just with computers but with their minds. Firstly, each student will write at home at least two poems, stories, songs, plays or some sort of written scripts that they will digitize outside of class. Secondly, in July I will receive two great hand held cameras, gifts from (name withheld). Students will use them to learn how to operate it, transfer files from it to computer, and modify it using basic free software (picassa). After they will present to class using projector and discuss the subject of their photos, the modifications they did and anything else they would like to include. Next trimester, for each class, as a class will use their written assignments and the modified photos to put together a digital book. Perhaps even something like yearbook as I have yet to see or even hear someone talk about something like that here.

During this trimester if we receive an unlimited internet modem, each student will create an email account and a facebook account. We are pretty far out of the city and do not have a hard phone line so we are looking to acquire a 3G USB modem that I can route into a wireless router and therefore connect all the PCs to the internet. As well as promising all the fun activities, I got the class to write up short autobiographies and copy down the keyboard, as there will be a quiz on a few key letters next week. I stick around a lot after my class, sometimes covering for the other computer teacher, but mostly giving many students an opportunity to practice a little more or write up their projects for other classes. By doing that, I sometimes learn quite a lot about all the other disciplines and how cool somethings are. They are learning about the importance of food safety for example, or that local witch doctors pass on their traits to their nephews when they are old, or the small and big differences between Brazilian, Mozambican, and Portugal's Portuguese.

I got home sooner that usual, around 1600, clocking in almost a 12 hour school day.  I made some lunch/dinner combo and continued to grade the notebooks as the tv was blasting. Local tv is very interesting, its government controlled so the news are always bios for single party but the entertainment before the Portuguese and Brazilian telenovelas is music box. Basically, Mozambican music videos and rap freestyle. Before my time ends here I hope to understand most of it and perhaps attempt to rap myself. I brushed my teeth at about 9pm and am usually in bed before 10. Tuesdays are sometimes even more exciting as I get to school same early time but only teach in the afternoon. But about my tuesday I will write next week. If you would like to hear more about something in particular, write me. I'll include a little side note here or there. Also, I am sorry for not proofreading but I will try to edit when it's not about to be my bedtime. Boa noite! e obrigado!