Dental Floss and Toothpaste

           I have a newfound love for oral hygiene products because I have discovered they can be used for so many different things!  Last week I developed about 200 hundred photos to put up in my living room.  I hung them all up on my wall with toothpaste.  My living room was minty fresh for a few days and now I get to look at the photos of all the people I love and miss every day.  Last week my power was out for four days and I really had to do my laundry.  Obviously I do not need electricity to hand wash my clothes, but I iron everything because I am paranoid about mango flies.  I decided to hang dry my clothes in my house.  Can you guess what I used for my clothesline?  Dental floss.  Pretty amazing how strong that stuff is; it worked really well!  I do not floss, so I am glad that I finally found a use for all of that dental floss Peace Corps provided. 

            Last week proved to be more successful in the working department.  I never did hear from my counterpart, but I have started teaching at the school where I live.  As to when I will visit the school where I am supposed to work…not so sure.  This is Uganda, so I have to take the initiative to make my own work.  Thankfully, the school where I live needs me to teach!  I am teaching P6 and P7 math three times a week for forty minutes each.  The first day of teaching, I went in completely blind, which was a little nerve wrecking.  Francis (one of the teachers) asked me to come visit his P6 class.  After he introduced me to the class, he asked the class, “Would you like her to teach you today?”  They all cheered, “YES!”  So, he handed me a piece of chalk and said, “They are on long division.  Good luck.”  I was caught off guard and all I could think was, “I haven’t done long division since the fourth grade!  Isn’t this what calculators are for?”  Fortunately, I was able to remember how I was taught how to do long division and I was able to pull off the lesson.  I am glad, however, that I am now able to prepare for my lessons.  As Caroline says, “If you didn’t barf, poop your pants, or show up naked…it was a success.”  

            I really like teaching so far and the students are really excited to have a mzungu as their teacher.  All of my students give me their complete attention, and I even have a few teacher’s pets.  I’ve gotten a few avocados and mangos, which is great.  I always thought teacher’s pets were annoying, but if you are a teacher, they are pretty great.  I am struggling with how students learn here – there is no critical thinking and it is all rote memorization.  When I write anything on the board, they will copy it all down.  If I draw a picture in order to show something, then a student will inevitably ask if they have to copy that down too.  I have learned not to ask yes or no questions because the answer will always be yes.  For instance:

“Do you all know how many minutes are in an hour?” 

In unison, they all responded, “Yes!”

“Ok, how many minutes are in an hour?”

Compete silence. 

            Students do not admit they do not know the answer to a question because they are afraid they will be caned.  Also, they speak so quietly when you ask them an individual question.  I have decided to bring candy to class and I will give it to the students that speak loudly and clearly!  It is going to be a challenge to deal with the education system here, but I think slowly and surly I will be able to make a little bit of a difference.

            I am also teaching the teachers three times a week from 7PM – 9PM in the computer lab.  The school has 15 computers, but they are just collecting dust because no one knows how to use them – hence the students do not get to learn either.  I decided to start a class for the teachers so that they can continue to teach the students when I leave.  My first lesson on Thursday was cut short because the power went out…  I did not get very far in my lesson either because as soon as I started to explain the parts of the computer, the teachers asked me to write it down on the board.  (I’m not kidding when I say they have to write down everything here).  I wish I could make handouts, but I think from now on I will write down the notes on the chalkboard and they can copy it down after class.  I am teaching again today and the lesson is: turning the computer on and off.  I am not joking.  It was a little crazy to me at first because I am so used to everyone knowing at least the basics of a computer. 

            The students are really excited that I am here and I am always invited to their dorms.  I sit on one of the bunk beds, and 50 students surround me and ask me questions about America.

“Are there really flying houses in America?”

“Do you eat matoke? Do you eat posho?” – They are surprised when I say no.

“Do people have HIV/AIDS there too?”

“Can you take me to America?”

“Is everyone rich?”

“Are there black people in America?”

“Do they cane their students in America?”

“Is it true you eat snakes?” – Where they go this, not so sure.  They must be watching Survivor.

“Is there really a High School Musical?” 

And my personal favorite…

            “Sing us a song!”  - I am sure some of you just laughed out loud thinking of me trying to sing to 50 students.  I have not done it, yet.  I always say I cannot think of a song to sing (which is true).  Also, we all know I do not have a good voice, I fear I will make them all deaf.  I don’t think I am going to get out of it though.  I think after the first song I sing, they will no longer ask. 

            It was only a matter of time...I finally got sick.  I think it was from drinking untreated water.  When I went to the P6 dorm, one of the students gave me juice, which she diluted with water.  I didn’t really think anything of it until the next day when I was sprinting to the latrine.  All I could think was, “You idiot, they probably don’t treat their water!”  In all honesty though, I probably would have still drank the juice if the thought had crossed my mind when it was handed to me.  I wouldn’t want to be rude…  What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, right?  Plus, I am fine now!

            I hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend two weeks ago – I definitely had my first wave of homesickness not being able to go to Laguna to see the Knapton family.  I could have used a weekend of lying by the pool and a good BBQ.  (There you go Steve, you got your shout out…)