"Good Morning, Class!" I say with a smile.
"Good Morning, Miss Dean," they respond politely.
"How is everyone today?" (I always check in with my students)
"We are fine thank you, and you?"
"I am quite well this morning, thank you! (short pause) Alright, you may be seated."
... and that is how I begin my classes each morning.*
Alas, I once again begin my blogging... again. I am here in Dakar, Senegal where I am teaching English, History & Geography, and Civic Education as well as job searching and volunteering. It is a good life, a spry life.
Today makes one month from the day I left Portland. Goodness, it is incredible how fast time flows around us. During this first month I have began a new job, apartment searched, visited several families here in Dakar, and of course, visited the beach a couple of times. Life in Dakar is as it was yet, with differences here and there. Perhaps the differences aren’t so much that the ways of life or the people here have changed but the context in which I am living my life here has changed.
All is well... and HOT. I find is completely and utterly interesting how often people tell me it is hot here... well not just tell me, but tell themselves and others over and over and over and over again. The climate is extremely warm and humid, especially since we are still in the end of the rainy season so each person I chat with commiserates with me by telling me, "Woa, il fait chaud aujourd'hui!" or "Phoo, dafa tang!"
Slowly I will share with you how my work began, how it was seeing people again for the first time after 7 months, what it feels like walking down new and many-a-time-traveled roads, or how it feels beginning life after studies in a different country. However, as to not overwhelm you with loads of information, here is where I am at:
* Dakar is lovely and terrible at the same time - people, roads, smells, languages, noises - it is inevitable to experience the topsy turvy-ness of emotions but one thing is certain, I still absolutely adore the Senegalese’s culture
* It has been incredible visiting my loved ones and friends... life has blessed me with beautiful relationships in different countries.
* I am starting the 3rd week of teaching here at Cours Sainte Marie de Hann, a large, excellent, private school in Dakar. I have 6 different classes, teaching over 200 students in just 20 hours a week. I have three senior year English classes, one sophomore year English class, one 7th grade English class, and then with those I am teaching History & Geography as well as Civic Education to an 8th grade class in the bilingual program here. I am teaching in the classroom 20hours but realistically I am working between 35 to 40 hours a week. My schedule is still fluctuating, meaning the exact days and hours of my classes keep changing so I hope in the next two weeks it is altered to allow me more time for another job… or a bit of rest.
Today makes one month from the day I left Portland. Goodness, it is incredible how fast time flows around us. During this first month I have began a new job, apartment searched, visited several families here in Dakar, and of course, visited the beach a couple of times. Life in Dakar is as it was yet, with differences here and there. Perhaps the differences aren’t so much that the ways of life or the people here have changed but the context in which I am living my life here has changed.
All is well... and HOT. I find is completely and utterly interesting how often people tell me it is hot here... well not just tell me, but tell themselves and others over and over and over and over again. The climate is extremely warm and humid, especially since we are still in the end of the rainy season so each person I chat with commiserates with me by telling me, "Woa, il fait chaud aujourd'hui!" or "Phoo, dafa tang!"
Slowly I will share with you how my work began, how it was seeing people again for the first time after 7 months, what it feels like walking down new and many-a-time-traveled roads, or how it feels beginning life after studies in a different country. However, as to not overwhelm you with loads of information, here is where I am at:
* Dakar is lovely and terrible at the same time - people, roads, smells, languages, noises - it is inevitable to experience the topsy turvy-ness of emotions but one thing is certain, I still absolutely adore the Senegalese’s culture
* It has been incredible visiting my loved ones and friends... life has blessed me with beautiful relationships in different countries.
* I am starting the 3rd week of teaching here at Cours Sainte Marie de Hann, a large, excellent, private school in Dakar. I have 6 different classes, teaching over 200 students in just 20 hours a week. I have three senior year English classes, one sophomore year English class, one 7th grade English class, and then with those I am teaching History & Geography as well as Civic Education to an 8th grade class in the bilingual program here. I am teaching in the classroom 20hours but realistically I am working between 35 to 40 hours a week. My schedule is still fluctuating, meaning the exact days and hours of my classes keep changing so I hope in the next two weeks it is altered to allow me more time for another job… or a bit of rest.
* All of my students at the high school are bigger than me and at least ¾ of the students in my middle school classes are bigger than me.
* I have found an apartment! Alxhumdililah! However, I still living with my Senegalese family because the apartment is still being built. It should be finished before the 15th of this month (inshalla)! It is going to be beautiful, I will post pictures soon.
* I have found an apartment! Alxhumdililah! However, I still living with my Senegalese family because the apartment is still being built. It should be finished before the 15th of this month (inshalla)! It is going to be beautiful, I will post pictures soon.
* I cannot post pictures on my blog because at the moment the card-reader in my laptop does not work so I cannot take the pictures off of my camera. I will post them as soon as I can!
* My internet access is unstable - for example, Sunday I was able to find the time to send out a list of emails but the internet was down so I was not able to connect with anyone. Needless to say, please be patient with my communication, or lack there of.
* My internet access is unstable - for example, Sunday I was able to find the time to send out a list of emails but the internet was down so I was not able to connect with anyone. Needless to say, please be patient with my communication, or lack there of.
* I am still processing this “life-change” of mine. There are those days where I feel invincible, yet, as expected, there are those days where I feel completely conquerable. Living a life where I feel I belong in more than one place at a time is not exactly easy or simple. Though the most prominently practiced religion here is not my own, I feel the faith around me and it helps; it feels good to be surrounded by loved ones who hold such great faith. By the by, I am blessed to be where I am and thankful for the love and support I receive… it gives me strength when I am missing those in my life in the United States.
* Forgive the typing errors... these damn French keyboards are a bit tricky!
* Lastly, I didn't know it was humanly possible to sweat as much as I do these days :)
Cheers,
Lacey
This is very lovely. I am excited to see pictures! You should send me the address so I can Google Map you. :) Oh! I will look up the school now. Fun for me!
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