Another day...

Boating on the Lake in Bwera

So I have been talking a lot about what I have been doing as a teacher, but really not as much about how this write up about how this current travel and teaching experience in Uganda is affecting who I am. So some of you know I have been plowing through writing many applications for jobs after graduation… through this process I have asked my past supervisor and methods TA to write me a recommendation. He is also the person I had asked to write me a recommendation for coming to Uganda… so he is basically good luck and an awesome person for helping me out. He directly asked me “influencing your sense of professional purpose and practice?” In my response to him, I have began to actualize how my student teaching here is answering this question.

• “A main part of why I wanted to student teach in Uganda was to understand the idea of culture, as you may know. And being here has only more complicated the idea of culture, yet allowing me to understand it more (which yes is a bit contradictory). I can see what I have been taught as culture as a total way of being and it is true. I have learned it’s the expressions you use to confirm something, the facial expressions you use when you are agreeing, the sense of time.... basically so many things that it cannot fully be explained here. But starting to understand these things has shown me how culture is so entwined with education. For instance, the people I have meant here have meant here say they like to live a simple life and do not worry as much about money as we do at home. Last week, after a month of the term, the school ran out of money because of the students not paying their school fees. The school is fairly basic and serves the same thing each day and has minimal teaching resources, yet they do not bother people about getting money. It is only when the school ran out of money that the students and staff were told of the dilemma and asked to help have students bring in school fees. At home, I could never imagine a private school allowing for students to continue being educated without some of them paying a dime. The simplicity is so new to me and I can only barely fathom this idea of living by the bare minimal until all resources are gone. Yet then I remember, why do I need more than I use, how could I be that selfish. So going to work in an area of high needs or in completely different culture I have to remember to appreciate who the people are and how they live. The only way to learn that is to be involved in the community and understand where the students are coming from. As well I am struggling yet beginning to learn many ways of doing things with only chalk and a chalkboard. The first few weeks, I felt as if I was losing myself as an educator because I could not figure out to tie my love for hands-on curriculum with their resources. Although I still cannot truly be as hands on as I like, I have the students go out of the classroom and use the environment to learn math or to involve drama in learning English... all of which I would put more emphasis on technology and tools in most American classrooms. All of this has made me want to be a better educator and continue to learn ways to use what I have to be the best educator I can be while tying in my pedagogical beliefs.”

Hospital in Bwera 

Wah… so I know that was a load full of information and stuff about me. I think having the prompt and motivation from his question really helped me focus on what I am learning here. So please if you want to know something, leave me a comment with a question and I would love to answer, because it is probably helping me more than you (not to selfish).

Enoch and his wife at the Craft Market

Secondary School in Bwera

Ramp being built

With school being out the past two days, it has been hard on me. Over the last week I have become really homesick. On Tuesday we went to Bwera, to visit Enoch’s hometown and to see some sights… I cried probably 4-5 hours that entire day and he was quite concerned with me. I am not sure why at this time in my trip this was happening but I think it really has to do more with the fact that I do not have close friends here rather than the culture. The other girls are great, I just take my time making friends and it is hard living with 3 others…. So basically I concluded I will never travel alone again! But when I was not sulking in my homesickness, I really enjoyed my time in Bwera. We got to visit a local hospital, with a great view of the town as well as one of the best secondary schools in the area. They even had computer class and chemistry rooms… it was so much different than Rwentutu, and holds home for over 1000 students! (Rwentutu has less than 200) Enoch was also telling us that they are building a library for the school and because it is now getting government funding, the school must provide access for those who are disabled. Here is a picture of the wheel chair ramp being built. It is good to know that Uganda is making an effort for students of all abilities to have equal education. On Wednesday it was Independence Day for Uganda… there was not much going on in Kasese, so I decided to take a personal day to relax and reflect. I much needed it, yet had regretted not going into town until today. When I was asked about my independence day I said I relaxed, others mostly responded that they stayed home or gardened…. which made me feel much better about the fact that most Ugandans in this area don’t do something special.

 

Steven and I 

Baby fascinated with
Bzungu

Reversing my thoughts a bit, on Monday we stopped at an orphanage. I was quite nervous about going to this place because of the sadness it might evoke in me. They first brought us to the babies…. I honestly don’t like babies very much so I stood by and observed. The children had such little toys to play with and laid on the ground. It smelt like stale pee, yet the young children seemed very happy, which is most important. Afterwards I got the chance to play with some toddlers and hear their stories. I meant a small boy named Steven who basically won over my heart. The lady working said he was found in a dumpster at day one. I am glad he is well and safe now… the school even sends the children who are of age to primary school… so there is hope for Steven to have a good life.

Best of days…