When I began telling everyone I would be moving to Liberia, there were two main questions people would ask: where is Liberia and what language do Liberians speak. After showing Liberia on my hand-map of Africa, I would assure people that English is the official language of Liberia, and therefore language would not be a problem. I knew there would be a fairly thick accent, but I also figured that English is English - no problem.
When I arrived in Liberia, however, I was confronted with the reality that Liberian English often sounded like a foreign language. I could sit through an entire conversation without having a clue what was being said if people were speaking to one another in unrestrained Liberian English. Although I would still not say that I am fluent in Liberian English, I think I have come a long way.
There are some expressions my Liberian friends use that I have come to love, and I thought I would share some of these with you. It's not nearly as fun when you can't hear it spoken, but at least this will give you a glimpse!
"Small" or "Small Small". Used in place of "a little bit" or "some." For example, "let me drink small water" or "give me small small rice".
"Take Exercise". When I am running, people might say, "ah, you're taking small exercise" (see - another use of small!) or someone might tell me, "I'm going to take exercise"
"O". This little letter is added to many, many things. "Good morning-o" or "Don't bring your family shame-o" (a phrase Olu says often during testing, telling the students not to cheat more or less!). You can add "O" to almost anything, and it sounds more fun and definitely more Liberian ;)
"Fine." Used about as much as "good" is used in the US. When I ask people "how is your day?" the usual response is "fine". When having a conversation with someone, if I say something they agree with, they might say "fine!" to let me know they agree.
"Ms. Wegman, please let me go cough/spit/urinate." This question is asked of me almost daily by my students. They do not like to cough in class and often tell me they need to go spit (and I almost always say no...). It is not common to ask to go to the restroom or bathroom... they just say what they need to do - urinate.
"My stomach is running." I think this one is pretty self explainatory... it's code for diarrhea.
"Thank God". When I say hello or ask someone how they're doing, aside from saying "fine" they also often say "thank God" in response.
"Plenty." Still means "a lot", it's just used more often and in different ways than I'm used to. If I give a lot of problems on a quiz and my students think there are too many, I might hear, "Ms. Wegman, the problems, they were plenty."
"Plastic." Plastic grocery bags are just called plastic... so when we had left over food after a dinner out with the basketball girls, they were given a plastic bag with their leftovers... there's a long funny story with this, but I often heard said, "she stole my plastic!"
"High/Low Blood." High or low blood pressure. "She had to go to the hospital because she has high blood."
"Big Belly." Pregnant. The other day I heard "Plenty cow have big belly" meaning several cows were pregnant.
Alright, I think that's a good sampling for now... I wish you all in the States who haven't heard Liberian English could come hang out and hear it... but I'll give you my best imitation when I get home if you don't make it over here :)
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Just a quick post to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Hopefully you all are busy spending the day with loved ones and celebrating the joy of Christmas, but just in case you happen to check my blog, I wanted you all to know I am thankful for each of you on this day!
I miss you all and certainly miss spending the day with family. We are, however, enjoying our own Liberian Christmas. We are staying at a hotel for a few days, enjoying some air conditioning, hot showers, delicious food, a pool, the beach, a fitness center, a spa, TV, big plush beds, etc. It is definitely a different kind of Christmas, but a happy one all the same. Although this might not be the best way to glimpse a true Liberian Christmas (Olu refers to our stay at the hotel as "going abroad"), we are having a great time and enjoying some luxuries for a few days :)
Merry Christmas to all... make sure you deck the halls with boughs of...
Holly
I miss you all and certainly miss spending the day with family. We are, however, enjoying our own Liberian Christmas. We are staying at a hotel for a few days, enjoying some air conditioning, hot showers, delicious food, a pool, the beach, a fitness center, a spa, TV, big plush beds, etc. It is definitely a different kind of Christmas, but a happy one all the same. Although this might not be the best way to glimpse a true Liberian Christmas (Olu refers to our stay at the hotel as "going abroad"), we are having a great time and enjoying some luxuries for a few days :)
Merry Christmas to all... make sure you deck the halls with boughs of...
Holly
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Time, Time, Time
**Sorry I've been away - internet has been down! Back in action now!**
Is everyone else in disbelief like I am that Christmas is less than one week away? And the year 2010 - two thousand and TEN - is upon us. It's so hard to believe. Equally difficult to comprehend is the fact that Ricks students and staff have officially finished 3 out of 6 marking periods. Wow, time is flying.
Although we have technically finished half of our marking periods, we are not quite at the half way point of our time here. Second semester is actually about 4 weeks longer. Combine that with a month off for Christmas break and a couple weeks here in June after we're done teaching, and we've got about 6 more months in Liberia. I have moments when I feel like the next 6 months will be long, and moments when I feel like I will blink and then find myself on a plane headed home. I know I will have moments when I feel both of these things, but I also know this will all be over before I know it.
The other day a friend asked me if I was counting down the time until I leave or if I was feeling like it was all passing by too quickly; honestly, the answer is both. There are things I miss about home, from the superficial (air conditioning, favorite foods) to the more meaningful (people, friends' weddings, holidays with family, etc.). And there are so many things around me that remind me of the "countdown until home": the number of vitamins I have left, the academic calendar, the money in the bank... all these things make it hard for me not to be aware of the "countdown."
At the same time there are many things I love here and know I will miss dearly. I feel like we are finally coming to a place where we are not visitors, not outsiders, but becoming more a part of a community, specifically the Ricks community. We are spending more time laughing with people, understanding one another more clearly, hearing more and more stories, and sharing more of our own stories. The other day we were talking with one of our friends and he started to refer to us as "the guests" (how all American groups that pass through Ricks are referred to), but then he stopped himself. He said, "No, I have learned you are not guests; you are Liberian American white teachers." I love this - and this is indeed what I am.
As I bid farewell to the first semester and look toward the next 6 months, I am grateful for all this experience in Liberia has already brought me and look forward to all that this journey holds for me in the future - both the things I expect and the things that will completely surprise me.
Is everyone else in disbelief like I am that Christmas is less than one week away? And the year 2010 - two thousand and TEN - is upon us. It's so hard to believe. Equally difficult to comprehend is the fact that Ricks students and staff have officially finished 3 out of 6 marking periods. Wow, time is flying.
Although we have technically finished half of our marking periods, we are not quite at the half way point of our time here. Second semester is actually about 4 weeks longer. Combine that with a month off for Christmas break and a couple weeks here in June after we're done teaching, and we've got about 6 more months in Liberia. I have moments when I feel like the next 6 months will be long, and moments when I feel like I will blink and then find myself on a plane headed home. I know I will have moments when I feel both of these things, but I also know this will all be over before I know it.
The other day a friend asked me if I was counting down the time until I leave or if I was feeling like it was all passing by too quickly; honestly, the answer is both. There are things I miss about home, from the superficial (air conditioning, favorite foods) to the more meaningful (people, friends' weddings, holidays with family, etc.). And there are so many things around me that remind me of the "countdown until home": the number of vitamins I have left, the academic calendar, the money in the bank... all these things make it hard for me not to be aware of the "countdown."
At the same time there are many things I love here and know I will miss dearly. I feel like we are finally coming to a place where we are not visitors, not outsiders, but becoming more a part of a community, specifically the Ricks community. We are spending more time laughing with people, understanding one another more clearly, hearing more and more stories, and sharing more of our own stories. The other day we were talking with one of our friends and he started to refer to us as "the guests" (how all American groups that pass through Ricks are referred to), but then he stopped himself. He said, "No, I have learned you are not guests; you are Liberian American white teachers." I love this - and this is indeed what I am.
As I bid farewell to the first semester and look toward the next 6 months, I am grateful for all this experience in Liberia has already brought me and look forward to all that this journey holds for me in the future - both the things I expect and the things that will completely surprise me.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
And Just Like That, Some Things Come to an End
Hello friends and fellow Liberia-enthusiasts :) I hope you all are well! Sorry my posts have been a bit scarce lately. As mentioned, this period in school has been a short but busy one!
You know, time is a funny thing; in some ways I feel like we have only just arrived, and in some ways I feel like we have been here forever! I know our time is starting to add up, however, when we start to experience endings along with new beginnings. This past Friday marked one major ending - the ending of teaching for the first semester. We still have to proctor exams next week, but I am done with instruction for the year 2009. Wow. Second semester is a little longer than first semester, but it's in moments like these that I feel like I am going to blink and then find myself on a plane bound for the US. It is unbelievable.
This past week has also marked the presence of the first large group from the States on campus since our arrival. The group from Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX (in addition to a couple folks from Texas Baptist Men) arrived last week and left yesterday (Friday). During their time at Ricks, they did so much wonderful work: they painted the outside of the school building (a big job!), worked on improving the campus water system, distributed backpacks to almost every student in the school, gave out shoes to some of the younger kids who desperately needed them, taught nightly Bible studies, visited a local orphanage, and helped train elementary teachers in using a new Bible curriculum and resources.
In addition to all the work this group did for and with the school, they also ministered to Ann Elizabeth and I through their friendship, fellowship, and food! They invited us over to their house each night to enjoy a home-cooked dinner prepared by the team cook; we enjoyed cheesey potatoes, chicken macaroni, butter chicken, rolls from scratch, cherry pie/cobbler, brownies/cookies, and so much more absolutely delicious food. I know it seems superficial, but sharing food - especially familiar food that reminds you of "home" - really can be a powerful ministry. We enjoyed sitting with them each night, eating our meal and hearing their stories from the day. It was fun to feel like we had become the experts on life in Liberia and at Ricks specifically. We were sad to see them leave - another ending - yesterday. There will be more groups coming throughout the year, and we look forward to sharing in their experiences in this amazing place we have come to call home.
You know, time is a funny thing; in some ways I feel like we have only just arrived, and in some ways I feel like we have been here forever! I know our time is starting to add up, however, when we start to experience endings along with new beginnings. This past Friday marked one major ending - the ending of teaching for the first semester. We still have to proctor exams next week, but I am done with instruction for the year 2009. Wow. Second semester is a little longer than first semester, but it's in moments like these that I feel like I am going to blink and then find myself on a plane bound for the US. It is unbelievable.
This past week has also marked the presence of the first large group from the States on campus since our arrival. The group from Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX (in addition to a couple folks from Texas Baptist Men) arrived last week and left yesterday (Friday). During their time at Ricks, they did so much wonderful work: they painted the outside of the school building (a big job!), worked on improving the campus water system, distributed backpacks to almost every student in the school, gave out shoes to some of the younger kids who desperately needed them, taught nightly Bible studies, visited a local orphanage, and helped train elementary teachers in using a new Bible curriculum and resources.
In addition to all the work this group did for and with the school, they also ministered to Ann Elizabeth and I through their friendship, fellowship, and food! They invited us over to their house each night to enjoy a home-cooked dinner prepared by the team cook; we enjoyed cheesey potatoes, chicken macaroni, butter chicken, rolls from scratch, cherry pie/cobbler, brownies/cookies, and so much more absolutely delicious food. I know it seems superficial, but sharing food - especially familiar food that reminds you of "home" - really can be a powerful ministry. We enjoyed sitting with them each night, eating our meal and hearing their stories from the day. It was fun to feel like we had become the experts on life in Liberia and at Ricks specifically. We were sad to see them leave - another ending - yesterday. There will be more groups coming throughout the year, and we look forward to sharing in their experiences in this amazing place we have come to call home.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Liberian History: Part 1
I think I have promised about 5 times that my next blog entry would be about Liberian history, and so far I have been a liar in this respect. I have been intimidated by my promised Liberian history blog entry because I am fairly certain I will get some details wrong. However, I get the feeling that even after living here in Liberia for a year I would still not be able to write a flawless historical record. So, without further ado, here is a little bit about Liberian history. I'll start with the early years and slowly work my way forward in time.
The history of the Republic of Liberia begins, in large part, in the United States. That's right - to discuss Liberian history, we have to start in America.
Time: Early 1820s. America is still in a pre-Civil War era, and slavery is still an active industry. By this time, however, some slaves have earned their freedom through a number of different means. How the freed black slaves will fit into the larger picture of American Society is not clear... but the American Colonization Society (ACS) is formed with an idea: let's send the freed slaves home! The intentions behind this idea are not entirely clear. Perhaps it was a suggestion that only had the best interests of the freed slaves in mind - sending them back to Africa could be seen as the benevolent thing to do. Or, perhaps it was a suggestion that was intended to get the freed slaves out of the picture so that those people who were still enslaved did not see them and get any ideas about deserving their own freedom. Whatever the motive, the ACS was founded with the task of establishing a colony back in Africa where all the freed slaves could be sent "home."
So, a ship set sail carrying a little over 80 freed slaves and 3 white ACS members. They first landed in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a colony established by Britain for the similar purpose of having a place to re-settle freed slaves. The ACS did not want to settle there - they wanted their own colony. They continued south and eventually landed on Providence Island (in present day Monrovia).
There were, however, a few problems with the ACS's brilliant plan. First, although the freed slaves did indeed come from Africa, none of them were actually from this region. Many were from the Congo area (further east and south). In other words, this is like picking me up here in Liberia, telling me you're sending me home, and flying me to New Hampshire when, really, I should be going to Florida. Second this boat of eager settlers was not arriving in an unoccupied land. There were many people already living in the land we now call Liberia, and they were not looking to give their land away to this boat full of 80 strangers.
It wasn't until after months of "negotiations" between the ACS and the indigenous people (the ACS basically held a gun to the local chief's head and forced him to accept some meager compensation in exchange for a large amount of resource-rich land) and eventually a battle between the settlers and the indigenous people (which the settlers won with a cannon blast) that the ACS had a piece of land to call their own. But getting a piece of land was not the only struggle they faced; people were dying at alarming rates due to diseases like Malaria, Yellow Fever, TB, and Cholera. In fact, the first 3 ACS members died before they could even leave the ship; it was actually a second round of ACS representatives sent over with additional freed slaves that handled the "negotiations" with the indigenous people living in the land.
The presence and efforts of the ACS, however, did not last long. About 20 years later, in 1847, the Republic of Liberia was founded without the banner of the USA or the ACS flying over it. Liberia was Africa's first truly free, independent republic. And that's how Liberia began... more to come later!
The history of the Republic of Liberia begins, in large part, in the United States. That's right - to discuss Liberian history, we have to start in America.
Time: Early 1820s. America is still in a pre-Civil War era, and slavery is still an active industry. By this time, however, some slaves have earned their freedom through a number of different means. How the freed black slaves will fit into the larger picture of American Society is not clear... but the American Colonization Society (ACS) is formed with an idea: let's send the freed slaves home! The intentions behind this idea are not entirely clear. Perhaps it was a suggestion that only had the best interests of the freed slaves in mind - sending them back to Africa could be seen as the benevolent thing to do. Or, perhaps it was a suggestion that was intended to get the freed slaves out of the picture so that those people who were still enslaved did not see them and get any ideas about deserving their own freedom. Whatever the motive, the ACS was founded with the task of establishing a colony back in Africa where all the freed slaves could be sent "home."
So, a ship set sail carrying a little over 80 freed slaves and 3 white ACS members. They first landed in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a colony established by Britain for the similar purpose of having a place to re-settle freed slaves. The ACS did not want to settle there - they wanted their own colony. They continued south and eventually landed on Providence Island (in present day Monrovia).
There were, however, a few problems with the ACS's brilliant plan. First, although the freed slaves did indeed come from Africa, none of them were actually from this region. Many were from the Congo area (further east and south). In other words, this is like picking me up here in Liberia, telling me you're sending me home, and flying me to New Hampshire when, really, I should be going to Florida. Second this boat of eager settlers was not arriving in an unoccupied land. There were many people already living in the land we now call Liberia, and they were not looking to give their land away to this boat full of 80 strangers.
It wasn't until after months of "negotiations" between the ACS and the indigenous people (the ACS basically held a gun to the local chief's head and forced him to accept some meager compensation in exchange for a large amount of resource-rich land) and eventually a battle between the settlers and the indigenous people (which the settlers won with a cannon blast) that the ACS had a piece of land to call their own. But getting a piece of land was not the only struggle they faced; people were dying at alarming rates due to diseases like Malaria, Yellow Fever, TB, and Cholera. In fact, the first 3 ACS members died before they could even leave the ship; it was actually a second round of ACS representatives sent over with additional freed slaves that handled the "negotiations" with the indigenous people living in the land.
The presence and efforts of the ACS, however, did not last long. About 20 years later, in 1847, the Republic of Liberia was founded without the banner of the USA or the ACS flying over it. Liberia was Africa's first truly free, independent republic. And that's how Liberia began... more to come later!
Monday, November 30, 2009
School's Out!
When I was in school, these were words I loved to hear - school. is. out. Freedom! Lately, however, I find myself liking these words less and less. Let me explain.
The Liberian school year is broken up into 6 marking periods. Typically, a period consists of 5 weeks of instruction and then one week of testing (kind of like high school exam week we would have at the end of the semester). This is how the first two periods went. Third period, however, is quite different. Because of when the school year started and when Christmas break falls, Period 3 ends of getting the short end of the stick; to be precise, we only have 3 weeks of teaching before our week of testing in the third period. That means 15 days. Fifteen days to give 4 homework assignments, 3 quizzes, and prepare for a cumulative exam. And most of my classes only meet 3 days each week anyway... so yes, that means 9 days to do all this.
You can imagine my frustration when, preparing to sprint-teach my way through nine days in each class, I found out school was canceled. Last Tuesday Montserrado County had run-offs for the senatorial election, so school was canceled county wide. Down to 8 days in some classes. Then last week we found out that today, Monday the 30th would be a day off as well - President Tubman's birthday. That's right - I'm down to 7 days in some of my classes... for the whole period! It's nuts!!
Let's be honest - I still love a day off. Sleeping in, doing some leisurely reading, updating my blog... all good things. But I'm also discovering that a day off of school can be a little frustrating from the teacher perspective, especially when it is unplanned! But for now we're just going with the flow and trying to do as much as we can in the days we have left.
I would ask that your thoughts and prayers be with the students - it is a busy semester for them indeed! Pray that my math students would have increasingly more confidence and motivation as the year goes on. Math is a clear least favorite subject for many students, and I can tell that many of them have given up on the idea that they could ever succeed in math... pray that they won't give up. Pray for my students in Bible class as we move into talking more directly about sex and the choices they have. Pray that they will know that they DO have choices when it comes to sex, and pray that they will trust themselves enough to make good choices with their futures in mind. Pray for Ricks in general, that the school would continue to grow and improve each day as they work to bring hope to Liberia by giving each student unique and wonderful opportunities. I love the school motto; it reads, "Not for self, but for others." Pray that I will be able to live this out in my life each day.
The Liberian school year is broken up into 6 marking periods. Typically, a period consists of 5 weeks of instruction and then one week of testing (kind of like high school exam week we would have at the end of the semester). This is how the first two periods went. Third period, however, is quite different. Because of when the school year started and when Christmas break falls, Period 3 ends of getting the short end of the stick; to be precise, we only have 3 weeks of teaching before our week of testing in the third period. That means 15 days. Fifteen days to give 4 homework assignments, 3 quizzes, and prepare for a cumulative exam. And most of my classes only meet 3 days each week anyway... so yes, that means 9 days to do all this.
You can imagine my frustration when, preparing to sprint-teach my way through nine days in each class, I found out school was canceled. Last Tuesday Montserrado County had run-offs for the senatorial election, so school was canceled county wide. Down to 8 days in some classes. Then last week we found out that today, Monday the 30th would be a day off as well - President Tubman's birthday. That's right - I'm down to 7 days in some of my classes... for the whole period! It's nuts!!
Let's be honest - I still love a day off. Sleeping in, doing some leisurely reading, updating my blog... all good things. But I'm also discovering that a day off of school can be a little frustrating from the teacher perspective, especially when it is unplanned! But for now we're just going with the flow and trying to do as much as we can in the days we have left.
I would ask that your thoughts and prayers be with the students - it is a busy semester for them indeed! Pray that my math students would have increasingly more confidence and motivation as the year goes on. Math is a clear least favorite subject for many students, and I can tell that many of them have given up on the idea that they could ever succeed in math... pray that they won't give up. Pray for my students in Bible class as we move into talking more directly about sex and the choices they have. Pray that they will know that they DO have choices when it comes to sex, and pray that they will trust themselves enough to make good choices with their futures in mind. Pray for Ricks in general, that the school would continue to grow and improve each day as they work to bring hope to Liberia by giving each student unique and wonderful opportunities. I love the school motto; it reads, "Not for self, but for others." Pray that I will be able to live this out in my life each day.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Birthdays Aren't The Only Things That Can Be Belated
So Happy (belated) Thanksgiving to you all! I had wonderful intentions for a cliche Thanksgiving blog in which I wrote in length about all the things I am thankful for and included a few sentimental notes about all of you. However, lack of internet yesterday precluded any such blog from ever being written. And now that it's the day after Thanksgiving, I couldn't possibly say thank you to anyone... ;)
In all seriousness, I admit that Thanksgiving day was a bit lack-luster for me. Like anyone else living outside of the States experienced, Thanksgiving was just another day. I went to school, taught classes, gave quizzes, graded, tried to use the internet, ate some bread and nuts for dinner, and had an all-around ordinary day. I have been battling a cold for the last week-ish, so I spent most of the day just trying to get some rest and feel better. I did get to call home and talk to everyone who went to my house for Thanksgiving, so that was fun. Otherwise it was an average day.
But what is Thanksgiving really supposed to be about? I admit that I have never conducted a thorough study of the first Thanksgiving and don't claim any historical fact to what I am about to say. But my understanding of Thanksgiving is that it was a day when two groups of people, formerly enemies, set aside their differences - at least for one day - to come together and celebrate that which they both needed and received... food from the harvest. I imagine, like many Thanksgivings all across America, there were akward moments at the dinner table. I imagine there were some people who didn't get as much corn as they wanted, or whose favorite kind of pie was gone by the time they got through the serving line. Perhaps some people wished they could be present for the meal but were kept away for one reason or another.
I certainly missed Thanksgiving, and missed being with my friends and family (and delicious food) on this special Thursday. But maybe it's a good reason for me to think about what really makes Thanksgiving day a day of thanks. If it is about setting aside differences and finding common ground with people, perhaps I'm celebrating Thanksgiving each day I am here in Liberia. If it is about being grateful for what you have been given even in the absence of things you wish you had, this is a lesson I am being taught daily. If Thanksgiving is an occasion to look for the goodness in others and celebrate possible alliances, shouldn't we all be celebrating every day?
I miss turkey, and mashed potatoes, and stuffing, and green beans, and warm rolls and pie... but maybe this year will help to make Thanksgiving each year to come a bit more meaningful and help me to remember the true spirit of Thanksgiving every day in between.
In all seriousness, I admit that Thanksgiving day was a bit lack-luster for me. Like anyone else living outside of the States experienced, Thanksgiving was just another day. I went to school, taught classes, gave quizzes, graded, tried to use the internet, ate some bread and nuts for dinner, and had an all-around ordinary day. I have been battling a cold for the last week-ish, so I spent most of the day just trying to get some rest and feel better. I did get to call home and talk to everyone who went to my house for Thanksgiving, so that was fun. Otherwise it was an average day.
But what is Thanksgiving really supposed to be about? I admit that I have never conducted a thorough study of the first Thanksgiving and don't claim any historical fact to what I am about to say. But my understanding of Thanksgiving is that it was a day when two groups of people, formerly enemies, set aside their differences - at least for one day - to come together and celebrate that which they both needed and received... food from the harvest. I imagine, like many Thanksgivings all across America, there were akward moments at the dinner table. I imagine there were some people who didn't get as much corn as they wanted, or whose favorite kind of pie was gone by the time they got through the serving line. Perhaps some people wished they could be present for the meal but were kept away for one reason or another.
I certainly missed Thanksgiving, and missed being with my friends and family (and delicious food) on this special Thursday. But maybe it's a good reason for me to think about what really makes Thanksgiving day a day of thanks. If it is about setting aside differences and finding common ground with people, perhaps I'm celebrating Thanksgiving each day I am here in Liberia. If it is about being grateful for what you have been given even in the absence of things you wish you had, this is a lesson I am being taught daily. If Thanksgiving is an occasion to look for the goodness in others and celebrate possible alliances, shouldn't we all be celebrating every day?
I miss turkey, and mashed potatoes, and stuffing, and green beans, and warm rolls and pie... but maybe this year will help to make Thanksgiving each year to come a bit more meaningful and help me to remember the true spirit of Thanksgiving every day in between.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Applying Myself
Pausing from updates about my Liberian adventure for a moment, I wanted to update you all on another part of my life that has been on my mind quite a bit lately... what happens after Liberia. Many people hesitate to ask me the "what comes after Liberia?" question for fear that I have no idea and will be stressed out by this question. But fear not, I have an answer!! This plan has actually been in the works since before I found out I was even coming to Liberia.
Here's the plan: I'm going back to school... "because I want to know what the 19th grade is like." I knew when I entered the Master's program at Wake Forest that getting my PhD would be the next step; it was just a matter of figuring out where I wanted to go and what exactly I wanted to do. I'm happy to say that I did get this "all figured out" during graduate school, so my decision to take a year off and come to Liberia instead of continuing on to school immediately was a hard decision to make. I know I did the right thing, and know that Liberia is where I am supposed to be right now. But, I also feel confident that being back in school is where I need to be next year.
Sadly, going back to school is not as easy as just deciding to go. It seems you actually have to apply to go back and then hope someone actually accepts you... go figure ;) Right now I am in the midst of the application process... I am applying to nine schools and have completed 5 applications. Over the half way point! At times I really enjoy the application process - it's fun to think about all the different places I could end up next year and the various things I could be doing. At other times, however, the process drives me crazy, as it does everyone who goes through it. Between application fees (ouch!), internet outages, and endless writing and re-writing of personal statements, it can be a bit stressful. Thankfully I have my mom back home helping me mail all of my "hard copy" materials (thanks mom!). But thankfully the light at the end of the tunnel is growing closer and closer... then it's time to let the waiting begin!
At this point you may be asking, "OK, so what do you want to do?" I am applying to community psychology and applied research programs. Basically, community psychology goes beyond the individual level to examine more contextual factors - cultural, economic, political, environmental, etc. - and to attempt to address social problems and promote positive development through working with individuals, organizations, communities, governments, etc. So in my future career, I could take an issue such as poverty, conduct research to answer questions about poverty (what puts people in poverty, what keeps people in poverty, how can people get out of poverty, what effect does living in poverty have on individuals) and then apply the knowledge I gain from research to actually help people and try to alleviate poverty and its detrimental effects. I could work in a government, social service, or even public policy setting. I know, it's pretty exciting!!
As far as the schools I am applying to go, here's the rundown: University of Virginia, Georgetown, University of Michigan, New York University, Michigan State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Vanderbilt, NC State, and Penn State. I have some favorites in there, but I would be happy to go to any of those schools! So, although I certainly have a plan of sorts for next year, I have no idea where in the world I'll end up. Applications due dates range from Dec. 1 to Jan. 15, and then I should start hearing back sometime late February or March. I love where I am right now, but am also excited to see what the future holds. I will keep you all posted as I begin to hear back from schools and make some big decisions!
Here's the plan: I'm going back to school... "because I want to know what the 19th grade is like." I knew when I entered the Master's program at Wake Forest that getting my PhD would be the next step; it was just a matter of figuring out where I wanted to go and what exactly I wanted to do. I'm happy to say that I did get this "all figured out" during graduate school, so my decision to take a year off and come to Liberia instead of continuing on to school immediately was a hard decision to make. I know I did the right thing, and know that Liberia is where I am supposed to be right now. But, I also feel confident that being back in school is where I need to be next year.
Sadly, going back to school is not as easy as just deciding to go. It seems you actually have to apply to go back and then hope someone actually accepts you... go figure ;) Right now I am in the midst of the application process... I am applying to nine schools and have completed 5 applications. Over the half way point! At times I really enjoy the application process - it's fun to think about all the different places I could end up next year and the various things I could be doing. At other times, however, the process drives me crazy, as it does everyone who goes through it. Between application fees (ouch!), internet outages, and endless writing and re-writing of personal statements, it can be a bit stressful. Thankfully I have my mom back home helping me mail all of my "hard copy" materials (thanks mom!). But thankfully the light at the end of the tunnel is growing closer and closer... then it's time to let the waiting begin!
At this point you may be asking, "OK, so what do you want to do?" I am applying to community psychology and applied research programs. Basically, community psychology goes beyond the individual level to examine more contextual factors - cultural, economic, political, environmental, etc. - and to attempt to address social problems and promote positive development through working with individuals, organizations, communities, governments, etc. So in my future career, I could take an issue such as poverty, conduct research to answer questions about poverty (what puts people in poverty, what keeps people in poverty, how can people get out of poverty, what effect does living in poverty have on individuals) and then apply the knowledge I gain from research to actually help people and try to alleviate poverty and its detrimental effects. I could work in a government, social service, or even public policy setting. I know, it's pretty exciting!!
As far as the schools I am applying to go, here's the rundown: University of Virginia, Georgetown, University of Michigan, New York University, Michigan State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Vanderbilt, NC State, and Penn State. I have some favorites in there, but I would be happy to go to any of those schools! So, although I certainly have a plan of sorts for next year, I have no idea where in the world I'll end up. Applications due dates range from Dec. 1 to Jan. 15, and then I should start hearing back sometime late February or March. I love where I am right now, but am also excited to see what the future holds. I will keep you all posted as I begin to hear back from schools and make some big decisions!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Chill Bumps
Also known as goose bumps. They happen when you get cold. And I had them today, for the first time in a long time :)
Today has been a busy day already, and it's only 3:30! The morning started out with my final two periods of teaching before we go into second period testing next week, so I was trying to cram about 2-3 days worth of material into 40 minutes. Whew! As soon as class ended, I headed to the van and we left to go into Monrovia for a town hall meeting at the US Embassy.
Before beginning our trip, Ann Elizabeth and I both registered our stay with the US State Department, so we occasionally get emails with information about events, etc., in Liberia. A few weeks ago, we received an email about this town hall meeting - open to all American citizens, used as a forum to get information and ask questions. We decided it would be good to go, at least to see the Embassy (we had not been there before). So this morning we were able to see the US Ambassador to Liberia for the first time. I really enjoyed hearing Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, her passion for US-Liberian relations, and her firm conviction that Americans will never again have to be evacuated from Liberia (all non-essential Americans were evacuated during the civil war in the late 1990s). US personnel in Liberia are working hard to support the Liberian government, help them in being a democratic state, and reducing the problems of the past (corruption, etc.) that sent the country into violence time after time. After the Ambassador spoke, we heard from the Head of Consular Services, Mr. Steven Harper. His role, at least as portrayed in the meeting, is to help with relations between the Embassy and Americans in Liberia. He was also very friendly and welcoming. Although we didn't meet too many people at the meeting, it was fun to go to the Embassy, hear from the Ambassador, and feel like we were part of yet another community here in Liberia.
After the meeting, we decided we needed to take advantage of our time in town. We had someone from Ricks drop us off before the meeting started, and he's not picking us up until later this afternoon, so we decided to walk down the road to a hotel we had dinner at once and treat ourselves to a delicious lunch. As I type this, I feel totally full (and happy!) after having a cheeseburger, french fries, a cup of coffee (yes, another one!), and a chocolate dessert of some kind. Mmmm-mm!
Now Ann Elizabeth and I are both sitting on big comfy couches in the hotel in the air conditioning. The chill bumps happened while we were at the Embassy this afternoon, but it's nice and cool in here too :) It has been fun to just take a day to relax and enjoy ourselves. This is also the first time we have gone anywhere without someone from Ricks with us, which somehow makes the whole experience feel more "normal" and like something that could happen any day at home. It was been another wonderful day; another chance to experience more of Liberia and appreciate another amazing and unique day.
Today has been a busy day already, and it's only 3:30! The morning started out with my final two periods of teaching before we go into second period testing next week, so I was trying to cram about 2-3 days worth of material into 40 minutes. Whew! As soon as class ended, I headed to the van and we left to go into Monrovia for a town hall meeting at the US Embassy.
Before beginning our trip, Ann Elizabeth and I both registered our stay with the US State Department, so we occasionally get emails with information about events, etc., in Liberia. A few weeks ago, we received an email about this town hall meeting - open to all American citizens, used as a forum to get information and ask questions. We decided it would be good to go, at least to see the Embassy (we had not been there before). So this morning we were able to see the US Ambassador to Liberia for the first time. I really enjoyed hearing Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, her passion for US-Liberian relations, and her firm conviction that Americans will never again have to be evacuated from Liberia (all non-essential Americans were evacuated during the civil war in the late 1990s). US personnel in Liberia are working hard to support the Liberian government, help them in being a democratic state, and reducing the problems of the past (corruption, etc.) that sent the country into violence time after time. After the Ambassador spoke, we heard from the Head of Consular Services, Mr. Steven Harper. His role, at least as portrayed in the meeting, is to help with relations between the Embassy and Americans in Liberia. He was also very friendly and welcoming. Although we didn't meet too many people at the meeting, it was fun to go to the Embassy, hear from the Ambassador, and feel like we were part of yet another community here in Liberia.
After the meeting, we decided we needed to take advantage of our time in town. We had someone from Ricks drop us off before the meeting started, and he's not picking us up until later this afternoon, so we decided to walk down the road to a hotel we had dinner at once and treat ourselves to a delicious lunch. As I type this, I feel totally full (and happy!) after having a cheeseburger, french fries, a cup of coffee (yes, another one!), and a chocolate dessert of some kind. Mmmm-mm!
Now Ann Elizabeth and I are both sitting on big comfy couches in the hotel in the air conditioning. The chill bumps happened while we were at the Embassy this afternoon, but it's nice and cool in here too :) It has been fun to just take a day to relax and enjoy ourselves. This is also the first time we have gone anywhere without someone from Ricks with us, which somehow makes the whole experience feel more "normal" and like something that could happen any day at home. It was been another wonderful day; another chance to experience more of Liberia and appreciate another amazing and unique day.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The Best Part of Waking Up...
Is Starbucks in my cup!!
This morning, for the first time in about 2.5 months, Ann Elizabeth and I each enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee. We both became fairly addicted to coffee within the last couple years (me because of graduate school, Ann Elizabeth because of early teaching mornings), but had not had the opportunity to have any since we arrived in Liberia. Yes, there is a coffee maker in our house, but I've heard rumor that using it is apt to trip the power for multiple locations on campus, so we'd rather not use it than take that risk! In any case, it's good to have a reason to kick the habit... although I'm sure I will pick it up again when I'm back in the States :)
This week has marked the first arrival of another group from the US at Ricks since our arrival; 4 men from El Dorado, Kansas. They arrived at Ricks late Wednesday night, left early Thursday morning to travel to another county, returned early Sunday morning (just in time to go to 2 church services after a sleepless night on the road!), and will be here until Wednesday afternoon. They certainly have a busy schedule while they are here, but we were able to have lunch with them on Sunday afternoon. While we were eating, they presented us each with a gift - Starbucks instant coffee mix (enough for 3 cups!!), jellybeans, and some hand sanitizer/lotion from Bath & Body Works. These small gifts made a big impact, and it was nice to have a little taste of home (literally!).
After buying some sugar and milk at the store yesterday, we woke up this morning, boiled some water, and each made a cup of coffee. We didn't have school today (county-wide holiday for the Montserrado county senator elections), so we were able to have a leisurely morning, sipping coffee and just sitting in bed. It was lovely. It's the little things that help us feel connected to home and brighten our days!
I can't believe I just wrote an entire blog post about a cup of coffee.
This morning, for the first time in about 2.5 months, Ann Elizabeth and I each enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee. We both became fairly addicted to coffee within the last couple years (me because of graduate school, Ann Elizabeth because of early teaching mornings), but had not had the opportunity to have any since we arrived in Liberia. Yes, there is a coffee maker in our house, but I've heard rumor that using it is apt to trip the power for multiple locations on campus, so we'd rather not use it than take that risk! In any case, it's good to have a reason to kick the habit... although I'm sure I will pick it up again when I'm back in the States :)
This week has marked the first arrival of another group from the US at Ricks since our arrival; 4 men from El Dorado, Kansas. They arrived at Ricks late Wednesday night, left early Thursday morning to travel to another county, returned early Sunday morning (just in time to go to 2 church services after a sleepless night on the road!), and will be here until Wednesday afternoon. They certainly have a busy schedule while they are here, but we were able to have lunch with them on Sunday afternoon. While we were eating, they presented us each with a gift - Starbucks instant coffee mix (enough for 3 cups!!), jellybeans, and some hand sanitizer/lotion from Bath & Body Works. These small gifts made a big impact, and it was nice to have a little taste of home (literally!).
After buying some sugar and milk at the store yesterday, we woke up this morning, boiled some water, and each made a cup of coffee. We didn't have school today (county-wide holiday for the Montserrado county senator elections), so we were able to have a leisurely morning, sipping coffee and just sitting in bed. It was lovely. It's the little things that help us feel connected to home and brighten our days!
I can't believe I just wrote an entire blog post about a cup of coffee.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Hitting the Trail
I like to consider myself a runner. Although more avid runners might disagree with that title, I tend to think that I have run for enough years and with a decent amount of consistency to label myself a "runner." Hey, I even subscribed to Runner's World for 2 years... that's automatic entry into "runners' club" right? I ran competitively for 3 years in high school and have run for fun ever since, sometimes signing up for races, but mostly just getting out and getting moving because I love it, it makes me feel good and stress-free, and it's a darn good workout. There have certainly been lulls in the 10 or so years since I started running, sometimes due to injury, sometimes due to the craziness of my schedule, and sometimes because I just didn't have anywhere to run. But in every place I have lived, I have run: Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and even the Netherlands. Running is a definite stress relief for me; I feel more like myself when I am running regularly.
When I moved to Liberia, I didn't know if I would be able to run. I wasn't sure if I would have a place to go or if it would be too weird - do people just run for fun and exercise in Liberia? For about the first month I was here, I lived in a no-running phase of life. I started to feel quite out of shape and was frustrated when I was winded after climbing a flight of stairs. But then basketball season started, and I had a chance to begin running again... but this time in the dark at 5am, and only for about 10 minutes total. Although it felt good to have some running in my life, it just wasn't enough to get me that "runner's high" I was missing. I wanted to run, but there were some things stopping me. First, the heat. When you're sweating most of the day every day, it's hard to convince yourself to go for a run and raise your body temperature even more. Well, the heat is really my main excuse... I came up with others too, but in the end I was just hot and tired.
In the last month and a half or so, however, I decided that I needed to be like Nike and just do it. I've now been on about 4 decent runs (20 minutes or more) in my time here. It's always hard to motivate myself to go, but each time I do it I am so glad I did. First, it makes me feel better. I feel normal and happy when I am out running, and I feel a pleasant tiredness in my body when I am done. It also keeps me in shape... I ran three suicides (sprints on the basketball court) with the team on Friday, and I thought I might fall over by the end, a wake up call that I need to keep myself in better shape! Running is fun, and rather than feeling weird and estranged when I do it, it actually makes me feel somehow connected with the people around campus.
But I think my favorite thing about running is the little interactions I have with people while I am out. People's reactions are mixed when they see me. Some look at me like I'm a little crazy. Some encourage me. Some smile and wave. Some ask, "are you taking exercise?" and say "fine!" when I tell them I am. Some just say "thank you." Almost everyone waves. Some come and run along side me. One day I ran past a soccer game in progress and one player just left the field and started jogging with me for about 5 minutes. Today I had two little running buddies. One, Blamah, lives in the village back behind Ricks and is one of the boys who regularly hangs out by the dining hall, hoping to have the chance to help out in exchange for a little food. Blamah ran with me for about 10 minutes total - I was in my nice, hot pink Aasics... he was wearing one sock and no shoes. He kept up, and talked to me the whole way... I kept telling him how strong he was, and he would say, "oh yes." My other friend Leah (I think Leah's about 10 years old) came and ran with me for about 5 minutes too... Leah was wearing plastic flip-flops. We ran all the way back to my house and then we walked together about halfway back to where they had joined me on my run when it started to rain. We parted ways and said we would all run together again soon.
If staying in shape and feeling good aren't reasons enough to keep running, I hope that having the chance to run alongside kids like Blamah and Leah will be. I wish each of you could come and run with me - it really is a special experience.
When I moved to Liberia, I didn't know if I would be able to run. I wasn't sure if I would have a place to go or if it would be too weird - do people just run for fun and exercise in Liberia? For about the first month I was here, I lived in a no-running phase of life. I started to feel quite out of shape and was frustrated when I was winded after climbing a flight of stairs. But then basketball season started, and I had a chance to begin running again... but this time in the dark at 5am, and only for about 10 minutes total. Although it felt good to have some running in my life, it just wasn't enough to get me that "runner's high" I was missing. I wanted to run, but there were some things stopping me. First, the heat. When you're sweating most of the day every day, it's hard to convince yourself to go for a run and raise your body temperature even more. Well, the heat is really my main excuse... I came up with others too, but in the end I was just hot and tired.
In the last month and a half or so, however, I decided that I needed to be like Nike and just do it. I've now been on about 4 decent runs (20 minutes or more) in my time here. It's always hard to motivate myself to go, but each time I do it I am so glad I did. First, it makes me feel better. I feel normal and happy when I am out running, and I feel a pleasant tiredness in my body when I am done. It also keeps me in shape... I ran three suicides (sprints on the basketball court) with the team on Friday, and I thought I might fall over by the end, a wake up call that I need to keep myself in better shape! Running is fun, and rather than feeling weird and estranged when I do it, it actually makes me feel somehow connected with the people around campus.
But I think my favorite thing about running is the little interactions I have with people while I am out. People's reactions are mixed when they see me. Some look at me like I'm a little crazy. Some encourage me. Some smile and wave. Some ask, "are you taking exercise?" and say "fine!" when I tell them I am. Some just say "thank you." Almost everyone waves. Some come and run along side me. One day I ran past a soccer game in progress and one player just left the field and started jogging with me for about 5 minutes. Today I had two little running buddies. One, Blamah, lives in the village back behind Ricks and is one of the boys who regularly hangs out by the dining hall, hoping to have the chance to help out in exchange for a little food. Blamah ran with me for about 10 minutes total - I was in my nice, hot pink Aasics... he was wearing one sock and no shoes. He kept up, and talked to me the whole way... I kept telling him how strong he was, and he would say, "oh yes." My other friend Leah (I think Leah's about 10 years old) came and ran with me for about 5 minutes too... Leah was wearing plastic flip-flops. We ran all the way back to my house and then we walked together about halfway back to where they had joined me on my run when it started to rain. We parted ways and said we would all run together again soon.
If staying in shape and feeling good aren't reasons enough to keep running, I hope that having the chance to run alongside kids like Blamah and Leah will be. I wish each of you could come and run with me - it really is a special experience.
The Super Cup is Coming to Ricks!
That's right... our girls' basketball team won the Super Cup Championship yesterday!! But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself...
Ever since our win last Tuesday, we have been practicing as much as possible. The Super Cup was all the girls could talk about. Last year they lost by about 10 points to Don Bosco Technical High School (a local Catholic school) in the Super Cup finals, and we knew that is who we would be facing again; there was a lot of anticipation, excitement, and nervous energy leading up to the big re-match.
Thursday we had one final practice and then invited the girls to come up to the school that evening to make some posters for the game the next day and have a chat via Skype with their coach from last year (and my friend from Passport) James, who is now in college in the U.S. It was a fun night of hanging out with the girls and re-living the excitement I used to feel with my teammates as we anticipated a big softball game or cross country meet. We also spent a good bit of time helping the girls set up email addresses and Facebook accounts. It is fun to see them learning how to use the computer and getting used to all the fun social tools of the internet! After making lots of signs and hats (little paper hats the fans wear during the game), we said goodnight and awaited game time the next day.
After an inauguration ceremony at the school on Friday morning for the newly elected student council president, the girls all got dressed in their uniforms and loaded up in the vans (this time only about 18 people in a 12 passenger van... haha). We arrived at the Sports Complex and waited for Don Bosco's arrival and the starting whistle. While we waited the school was able to provide snacks and drinks for the girls this time - juice and... mayonaise sandwiches. No lie. Bread with just mayonaise. As a mayo-lover, this was fine for me, but I had to laugh as I ate my mayonaise sandwich at how many of my friends would find it totally gross. Hey, the bread was very good and fresh (more like a hoagie roll) and the mayo gave it just a little bit of flavor :)
Around 2:30 the game finally began. I have to admit, the girls were not looking their best at the beginning... it felt like our offense was off and Don Bosco kept getting around our defenders to take an early lead. But our girls never gave up... they kept playing hard all the way to the end. At the end of the first half, we were down by 2 baskets - not a big deficit at all. By the last 3 minutes of our second 15 minute half, we had finally tied the game and then taken the lead - now we were the ones up by two baskets! Unfortunately, Don Bosco rallied and came back to tie up the score. When time expired, we were tied, 36-36.
Overtime. We had 5 minutes... and what an exciting five minutes! Don Bosco scored, then we scored, then they got some foul shots, then we scored... until finally we took the lead. We were up 41-39 with about a minute left... Don Bosco almost made another basket, but then our defense took over, recovered the ball, and we scored again. When the buzzer sounded, we were the winners, 43 - 39!!! All of our fans rushed the court and everyone was jumping up and down and yelling and hugging and singing and taking pictures. Members of the press were running over to try to get pictures and interviews. The girls were so happy!! We even sang the school ode with more gusto than I've ever heard it sung during our morning routine!
Don Bosco was a tough team, but our girls played hard and had a lot of heart. It feels good to have helped lead them to Super Cup victory, although the win is definitely all theirs! It was certainly an exciting day in the history of lady dragon basketball... winning a super cup championship in only their third season of play.
I'll conclude with the cheer we do just before the beginning of each game; "Dragons! Dragons! 1, 2, 3, 4... fire!"
Ever since our win last Tuesday, we have been practicing as much as possible. The Super Cup was all the girls could talk about. Last year they lost by about 10 points to Don Bosco Technical High School (a local Catholic school) in the Super Cup finals, and we knew that is who we would be facing again; there was a lot of anticipation, excitement, and nervous energy leading up to the big re-match.
Thursday we had one final practice and then invited the girls to come up to the school that evening to make some posters for the game the next day and have a chat via Skype with their coach from last year (and my friend from Passport) James, who is now in college in the U.S. It was a fun night of hanging out with the girls and re-living the excitement I used to feel with my teammates as we anticipated a big softball game or cross country meet. We also spent a good bit of time helping the girls set up email addresses and Facebook accounts. It is fun to see them learning how to use the computer and getting used to all the fun social tools of the internet! After making lots of signs and hats (little paper hats the fans wear during the game), we said goodnight and awaited game time the next day.
After an inauguration ceremony at the school on Friday morning for the newly elected student council president, the girls all got dressed in their uniforms and loaded up in the vans (this time only about 18 people in a 12 passenger van... haha). We arrived at the Sports Complex and waited for Don Bosco's arrival and the starting whistle. While we waited the school was able to provide snacks and drinks for the girls this time - juice and... mayonaise sandwiches. No lie. Bread with just mayonaise. As a mayo-lover, this was fine for me, but I had to laugh as I ate my mayonaise sandwich at how many of my friends would find it totally gross. Hey, the bread was very good and fresh (more like a hoagie roll) and the mayo gave it just a little bit of flavor :)
Around 2:30 the game finally began. I have to admit, the girls were not looking their best at the beginning... it felt like our offense was off and Don Bosco kept getting around our defenders to take an early lead. But our girls never gave up... they kept playing hard all the way to the end. At the end of the first half, we were down by 2 baskets - not a big deficit at all. By the last 3 minutes of our second 15 minute half, we had finally tied the game and then taken the lead - now we were the ones up by two baskets! Unfortunately, Don Bosco rallied and came back to tie up the score. When time expired, we were tied, 36-36.
Overtime. We had 5 minutes... and what an exciting five minutes! Don Bosco scored, then we scored, then they got some foul shots, then we scored... until finally we took the lead. We were up 41-39 with about a minute left... Don Bosco almost made another basket, but then our defense took over, recovered the ball, and we scored again. When the buzzer sounded, we were the winners, 43 - 39!!! All of our fans rushed the court and everyone was jumping up and down and yelling and hugging and singing and taking pictures. Members of the press were running over to try to get pictures and interviews. The girls were so happy!! We even sang the school ode with more gusto than I've ever heard it sung during our morning routine!
Don Bosco was a tough team, but our girls played hard and had a lot of heart. It feels good to have helped lead them to Super Cup victory, although the win is definitely all theirs! It was certainly an exciting day in the history of lady dragon basketball... winning a super cup championship in only their third season of play.
I'll conclude with the cheer we do just before the beginning of each game; "Dragons! Dragons! 1, 2, 3, 4... fire!"
Friday, October 30, 2009
Dragons Roast the Competition
The Ricks Institute Girls' Basketball Team, the fighting lady dragons, had their first basketball game this past Tuesday. Each year, the season begins with a tournament called the Super Cup. The Super Cup is both a playoff/final game from the previous season (only players registered in the league during the previous year can play) and a pre-season/kickoff game for the upcoming season. Whatever its official purpose, one thing is for sure: the Super Cup is a big deal to the girls. Last year they came in second, and this year they are determined to win it all.
Tuesday's game was one we have been anticipating for a while. Because the court we play on is outdoors, the tournament has to wait until the rainy season is fading out before it can begin. So, after much anticipation, we found out last week that our first game would be on Tuesday. We were pumped!
Tuesday we loaded up in the vans - about 20 people in a 12 passenger van - and headed into Monrovia to go to the Sports Center for the game. The arena reminded me of an outdoor tennis stadium - court in the middle and seating all around. After a short wait for the other team to arrive, we began our warm-up. The girls were finally looking like a team, decked out in their maroon and gold jerseys running drills together on the court. We ended the warm-up with our new team song: "Everywhere we go... People want to know... Who we are... So we tell them... We are the dragons! The mighty might dragons!"
The game against Len Miller soon began. The other team was big, and definitely had the height advantage. But our girls were tough competition. The game stayed close the whole time - at one point we were up by 8, and at some points we were tied or down by a few. After two exciting fifteen minute halves, the game ended... AND WE WON! The final score was 35 - 29, advancing our team to the finals! The girls were so excited, and everyone from Ricks who was at the game ran down to the court to congratulate us. We will play next Friday, November 6th for the Super Cup Championship... c'mon DRAGONS!
PS - Pictures of the game soon to come!
Tuesday's game was one we have been anticipating for a while. Because the court we play on is outdoors, the tournament has to wait until the rainy season is fading out before it can begin. So, after much anticipation, we found out last week that our first game would be on Tuesday. We were pumped!
Tuesday we loaded up in the vans - about 20 people in a 12 passenger van - and headed into Monrovia to go to the Sports Center for the game. The arena reminded me of an outdoor tennis stadium - court in the middle and seating all around. After a short wait for the other team to arrive, we began our warm-up. The girls were finally looking like a team, decked out in their maroon and gold jerseys running drills together on the court. We ended the warm-up with our new team song: "Everywhere we go... People want to know... Who we are... So we tell them... We are the dragons! The mighty might dragons!"
The game against Len Miller soon began. The other team was big, and definitely had the height advantage. But our girls were tough competition. The game stayed close the whole time - at one point we were up by 8, and at some points we were tied or down by a few. After two exciting fifteen minute halves, the game ended... AND WE WON! The final score was 35 - 29, advancing our team to the finals! The girls were so excited, and everyone from Ricks who was at the game ran down to the court to congratulate us. We will play next Friday, November 6th for the Super Cup Championship... c'mon DRAGONS!
PS - Pictures of the game soon to come!
A Moment in the Sun
Hello faithful blog readers! Sorry it has been a while since my last update. Between a busy week and patchy internet access, I haven't had the chance to update. No worries, my friends, I've got two for you today :)
The first update takes us back to last weekend. All week Ann Elizabeth and I had been planning a trip into Monrovia with two of our friends from the Ricks staff. We were finally going to do some site seeing, learn about Liberian history, have lunch in town, and make a day of it. We were really excited about this as it had been a while since our last trip into town for anything other than groceries. So you can imagine our disappointment when we found out late Friday afternoon that our friends would be unable to go. The reasons were legitimate, and we understood, but were disappointed nonetheless.
After an uneventful Saturday, we stopped by the Menjays' home to talk to Ottolee for a few minutes. Somewhere in the conversation, Ottolee mentioned that she would be going into town the next day to go to a hotel pool and enjoy the sunshine and buffet all day, and asked if we would like to go. Um, yes please!!
The next day, we headed into town as planned. Although it was rainy all the way out to the hotel, we pressed on, girly pop music blaring, anticipating a day of fun, whether or not the sun decided to show its face. It seemed to stop raining almost the minute we arrived at the hotel. We enjoyed an all you can eat buffet (and I really feel like I ate ALL that I could!) and then decided it was time for a swim! Ann Elizabeth, myself, and Mia (2 years old) hit the pool and had a blast. It was so relaxing (and cool!) to just be in the water, floating around and having fun. We even had a chance to walk down to the beach... our first moment stepping out into the Atlantic from "the other side." The beach was beautiful... the sand seemed to be a little "thicker", with a little bit of a clay-like quality. It was different from the white sand of Florida I am accustomed to, but it was great all the same. After more swimming, more eating, and even some delicious ice cream, we called it a day.
One part of the day that amazed me was the weather. It literally rained the whole drive out to the hotel, and the sky was a dark, ominous gray all around us the entire day. Yet we never felt a drop of rain, and the sunshine stayed out for us the whole time. It felt like a little gift to us. We needed a little break and a day to relax, and that is exactly what we got on Sunday. I can't exactly put it all into words, but it was the perfect Sunday - a true day of rest and restoration.
The first update takes us back to last weekend. All week Ann Elizabeth and I had been planning a trip into Monrovia with two of our friends from the Ricks staff. We were finally going to do some site seeing, learn about Liberian history, have lunch in town, and make a day of it. We were really excited about this as it had been a while since our last trip into town for anything other than groceries. So you can imagine our disappointment when we found out late Friday afternoon that our friends would be unable to go. The reasons were legitimate, and we understood, but were disappointed nonetheless.
After an uneventful Saturday, we stopped by the Menjays' home to talk to Ottolee for a few minutes. Somewhere in the conversation, Ottolee mentioned that she would be going into town the next day to go to a hotel pool and enjoy the sunshine and buffet all day, and asked if we would like to go. Um, yes please!!
The next day, we headed into town as planned. Although it was rainy all the way out to the hotel, we pressed on, girly pop music blaring, anticipating a day of fun, whether or not the sun decided to show its face. It seemed to stop raining almost the minute we arrived at the hotel. We enjoyed an all you can eat buffet (and I really feel like I ate ALL that I could!) and then decided it was time for a swim! Ann Elizabeth, myself, and Mia (2 years old) hit the pool and had a blast. It was so relaxing (and cool!) to just be in the water, floating around and having fun. We even had a chance to walk down to the beach... our first moment stepping out into the Atlantic from "the other side." The beach was beautiful... the sand seemed to be a little "thicker", with a little bit of a clay-like quality. It was different from the white sand of Florida I am accustomed to, but it was great all the same. After more swimming, more eating, and even some delicious ice cream, we called it a day.
One part of the day that amazed me was the weather. It literally rained the whole drive out to the hotel, and the sky was a dark, ominous gray all around us the entire day. Yet we never felt a drop of rain, and the sunshine stayed out for us the whole time. It felt like a little gift to us. We needed a little break and a day to relax, and that is exactly what we got on Sunday. I can't exactly put it all into words, but it was the perfect Sunday - a true day of rest and restoration.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Amidst the Chaos, Peace
I am always glad when Friday arrives, but this week I am happier than usual to say "TGIF!" This week was surprisingly long, with moments of frustration and general uneasiness beyond what I've experienced so far. It's hard to put into words the frustrations of the week... some frustrations deal with circumstances beyond our control, some are due to normal work-place tensions you would find anywhere in the world, and some probably stem from our continual adjustment to a different way of life. Whatever the cause, I felt myself dealing with more frustration this week than I have felt in a very long time.
Thursday, however, was a better day for no apparent reason. My students were less talkative (perhaps because they were taking their first quiz of the semester...), the morning seemed to pass by quickly, and we had a break from basketball practice due to rain. That evening, we were invited to attend a women's Bible study on campus. Somewhat randomly, I had actually taught this Bible study last week, and really enjoyed the meeting. On this particular Thursday night, however, I was feeling so tired, and thought about not going. But after mustering up the will-power, Ann Elizabeth and I made it to the meeting. I am so glad I went.
Amidst a week of frustrations, I found a peace among this group of women. There were only six of us there (as opposed to around 12 last week), but it felt comforting to be spending the evening with these women. We open by singing some songs of praise - just voices and a sasa (a small shaker-type instrument) - sang from the heart, upbeat, and celebrating God's presence. Next Monen, the first-grade teacher here, taught the Bible study. The gist of her lesson was that God uses ALL people, that God can and will use anyone. The key, however, is that each person must make himself/herself available to God. No matter who you are or what circumstances you face each day, God is wants to use you for good if you want to be used.
This message provided me comfort and a challenge. I find comfort knowing God will use me. Even in moments where I feel like I'm turning into this mean, crazy teacher, God is using me. But the message was also a challenge to continue to make myself available to God. It is not enough for me to be here at Ricks; I must make myself available each day. Whether I'm frustrated beyond what I feel able to control or I am content beyond words, I must continue to make myself available, knowing God is using me and will continue to use me. This message was not one I realized I needed to hear, but it seemed to be exactly what I needed last night. I am trying to see each day as a new start and a new opportunity to make myself available to be used by God to work for good here in Liberia. The work I get to do here each day is a privilege, and although it can be easy to forget this fact, I am determined to remain grateful and available each day.
Thursday, however, was a better day for no apparent reason. My students were less talkative (perhaps because they were taking their first quiz of the semester...), the morning seemed to pass by quickly, and we had a break from basketball practice due to rain. That evening, we were invited to attend a women's Bible study on campus. Somewhat randomly, I had actually taught this Bible study last week, and really enjoyed the meeting. On this particular Thursday night, however, I was feeling so tired, and thought about not going. But after mustering up the will-power, Ann Elizabeth and I made it to the meeting. I am so glad I went.
Amidst a week of frustrations, I found a peace among this group of women. There were only six of us there (as opposed to around 12 last week), but it felt comforting to be spending the evening with these women. We open by singing some songs of praise - just voices and a sasa (a small shaker-type instrument) - sang from the heart, upbeat, and celebrating God's presence. Next Monen, the first-grade teacher here, taught the Bible study. The gist of her lesson was that God uses ALL people, that God can and will use anyone. The key, however, is that each person must make himself/herself available to God. No matter who you are or what circumstances you face each day, God is wants to use you for good if you want to be used.
This message provided me comfort and a challenge. I find comfort knowing God will use me. Even in moments where I feel like I'm turning into this mean, crazy teacher, God is using me. But the message was also a challenge to continue to make myself available to God. It is not enough for me to be here at Ricks; I must make myself available each day. Whether I'm frustrated beyond what I feel able to control or I am content beyond words, I must continue to make myself available, knowing God is using me and will continue to use me. This message was not one I realized I needed to hear, but it seemed to be exactly what I needed last night. I am trying to see each day as a new start and a new opportunity to make myself available to be used by God to work for good here in Liberia. The work I get to do here each day is a privilege, and although it can be easy to forget this fact, I am determined to remain grateful and available each day.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Another Somewhat Belated Update!
This weekend we finally had our first cooking lesson!! Miss Jennie, our neighbor, friend, and life-skills teacher at school, gave us our inaugural lesson. Saturday morning Miss Jennie went to the market and bought all the supplies we would need to make potato greens, one of our favorite Liberian dishes: potato greens (obviously), vegetable oil, fish, shrimp, chicken, onions, peppers, salt, and another spice we can't figure out a name for. That afternoon she came over and we began the learning process.
First, clean the fish: clean out the innards, scrape off the scales and the fins with a knife, remove the head, then cut the rest into 3 sections (yes, bones and skin are still intact!). Next, prepare the chicken... aka, rinse and put aside. Third, clean the shrimp. Then, fry all of the above in the oil. Let's just say that a large amount of oil in a relatively shallow frying pan over an open-flame gas stove that sits directly above our large gas tank made for a few tense moments for Ann Elizabeth and I. At one point, we looked at each other and said, "If there's a fire, we just run." When you don't have a fire extinguisher, the thought of an oil/gas fire is a little daunting! However, Miss Jennie is a pro and successfully fried the meats without incinerating the house... whew!
Next it was time for the potato greens. Cut them up and stick them in a big pot with some oil, peppers, and onions. Cook for a while, add water and the meats, and boil until it looks ready. Serve over rice and, voila, potato greens! It was nice to have the smell of food cooking in our house... we cook, but it's all rice and beans, noodles and tomato sauce, or cans of ravioli, so the smells of cooking don't normally hit us like they did on Saturday, and it was lovely! We enjoyed sitting down to a meal with Miss Jennie and her grandson Ben (4 years old).
Hopefully we will have more forays into the world of Liberian cooking in the near future, including some trips to the market with our teachers so we can learn where to buy the good stuff!
First, clean the fish: clean out the innards, scrape off the scales and the fins with a knife, remove the head, then cut the rest into 3 sections (yes, bones and skin are still intact!). Next, prepare the chicken... aka, rinse and put aside. Third, clean the shrimp. Then, fry all of the above in the oil. Let's just say that a large amount of oil in a relatively shallow frying pan over an open-flame gas stove that sits directly above our large gas tank made for a few tense moments for Ann Elizabeth and I. At one point, we looked at each other and said, "If there's a fire, we just run." When you don't have a fire extinguisher, the thought of an oil/gas fire is a little daunting! However, Miss Jennie is a pro and successfully fried the meats without incinerating the house... whew!
Next it was time for the potato greens. Cut them up and stick them in a big pot with some oil, peppers, and onions. Cook for a while, add water and the meats, and boil until it looks ready. Serve over rice and, voila, potato greens! It was nice to have the smell of food cooking in our house... we cook, but it's all rice and beans, noodles and tomato sauce, or cans of ravioli, so the smells of cooking don't normally hit us like they did on Saturday, and it was lovely! We enjoyed sitting down to a meal with Miss Jennie and her grandson Ben (4 years old).
Hopefully we will have more forays into the world of Liberian cooking in the near future, including some trips to the market with our teachers so we can learn where to buy the good stuff!
Head for the Hills - Bomi Hills!
First, sorry it has been a few days since my last post - the internet has been a little finicky - but no worries, I'm back with lots to share!
The sports teams here play some games within a league, and then some games are just arranged by individual schools. We were recently invited to travel to another school to play, so Friday we ventured out on our first trip out of Montserrado County and into another part of Liberia - Bomi County! The process leading up to the trip had been quite interesting - up until the beginning of last week we were told that the school we were playing did not have a female basketball team, so we would not be going. Wednesday, however, we found out that the school was going to put together a team, so we were set to go (in the end it turns out the school was not able to put together a team, but we got to go with our girls anyway!).
Friday morning we loaded up into Ricks' vehicles - two 15 passenger vans and Old Blue (the school's bus) and headed to Bomi. The drive only took a little over an hour - Bomi is the next county north from Montserrado - but it was a beautiful drive. We saw all kinds of trees, including rubber trees, one of Liberia's many natural resources, and we even saw... hills! Bomi county is apparently known for its hills (the road we took is actually called Bomi Hills Highway), but it helped me to feel a taste of fall to see hills surrounded by low-hanging clouds (in my mind I associate mountains and hills with fall in NC)!
After we arrived at the school and were welcomed by the principal, we knew we had some down time before the games started. So Ann Elizabeth and myself and about 6 other teachers/staff loaded up in a van and headed over to Blue Lake, the major landmark of Bomi County. Bomi used to be a major location for iron ore mining, until one day the miners struck... water! Now, tucked behind a mountain is the Blue Lake, a beautiful lake that currently supplies a bottled water company on the lake. The lake was a beautiful sight, and most of the teachers had also never seen it before. It was so fun to experience the excitement of nature's beauty with a group that was so appreciative. The teachers just kept exclaiming "Blue lake!" and "God is good!" as we drove around. We eventually went down to the water - very clear - and walked around, taking it all in, and taking a few pictures as well. Ann Elizabeth and I wished we had our bathing suits and the whole day to play, but we enjoyed just wading in a bit anyway!
After the lake, we hurried back to the school where the girls' kickball game was about to begin. It was a good game, but sadly Ricks lost to Dewey. From there we headed up to the basketball court where the boys were getting ready to play... then the rain hit!! All day the clouds had been looming, providing some great shade. When the bottom finally dropped out, however, it rained and rained and never stopped. After hovering in a hallway for about an hour, the school brought us in to feed us lunch - potato greens (one of our favorite Liberian meals!).
After waiting out the worst of the rain, we moved to the soccer field. Yes, after about 2 hours of driving rain, we were about to watch a soccer game. Suffice it to say that it was undoubtedly the wettest, muddiest game of soccer I have ever witnessed. Every player was drenched to the core, they all slipped and slid around the field and the ball often stopped mid-roll in a puddle. It was definitely an amusing game to watch. It rained throughout the game, and as I stood with my individually-sized umbrella, I had a few new friends... at one point there were 9 people including myself under my single umbrella - me and a whole lot of little boys! It's amazing how a bond can form with strangers without a word being spoken. Sadly, Ricks lost 2-1 after a last minute score by Dewey.
After the soccer game ended the sports tournament was done. We finished a little early due to weather, so at the students' request, we took them all up to see Blue Lake. This time we spent more time up at the water bottling factory. Who would have thought that I would come to Liberia to see how water is bottled?! It's an interesting process that would be long and boring to describe, but it was a wonderful experience to share with the teachers and students.
After leaving Blue Lake we headed back to Ricks. The formerly short drive was now long and slow... Old Blue was having some issues, so we had to drive about 25 mph all the way back to school. Normally, this would not have been a big deal... but at that point it had been about 12 hours since I went to the bathroom (I still haven't gotten over my modesty enough to learn to pop a squat!) so it was a little torturous! Probably more information than you needed... haha. Finally, we made it back home to Ricks, exhausted but grateful for the adventurous day. It was fun to travel Liberia with our friends and experience something new together. After being up in the hills for the day, I decided that I need the hills/mountains in my life. They are good for the soul!
The sports teams here play some games within a league, and then some games are just arranged by individual schools. We were recently invited to travel to another school to play, so Friday we ventured out on our first trip out of Montserrado County and into another part of Liberia - Bomi County! The process leading up to the trip had been quite interesting - up until the beginning of last week we were told that the school we were playing did not have a female basketball team, so we would not be going. Wednesday, however, we found out that the school was going to put together a team, so we were set to go (in the end it turns out the school was not able to put together a team, but we got to go with our girls anyway!).
Friday morning we loaded up into Ricks' vehicles - two 15 passenger vans and Old Blue (the school's bus) and headed to Bomi. The drive only took a little over an hour - Bomi is the next county north from Montserrado - but it was a beautiful drive. We saw all kinds of trees, including rubber trees, one of Liberia's many natural resources, and we even saw... hills! Bomi county is apparently known for its hills (the road we took is actually called Bomi Hills Highway), but it helped me to feel a taste of fall to see hills surrounded by low-hanging clouds (in my mind I associate mountains and hills with fall in NC)!
After we arrived at the school and were welcomed by the principal, we knew we had some down time before the games started. So Ann Elizabeth and myself and about 6 other teachers/staff loaded up in a van and headed over to Blue Lake, the major landmark of Bomi County. Bomi used to be a major location for iron ore mining, until one day the miners struck... water! Now, tucked behind a mountain is the Blue Lake, a beautiful lake that currently supplies a bottled water company on the lake. The lake was a beautiful sight, and most of the teachers had also never seen it before. It was so fun to experience the excitement of nature's beauty with a group that was so appreciative. The teachers just kept exclaiming "Blue lake!" and "God is good!" as we drove around. We eventually went down to the water - very clear - and walked around, taking it all in, and taking a few pictures as well. Ann Elizabeth and I wished we had our bathing suits and the whole day to play, but we enjoyed just wading in a bit anyway!
After the lake, we hurried back to the school where the girls' kickball game was about to begin. It was a good game, but sadly Ricks lost to Dewey. From there we headed up to the basketball court where the boys were getting ready to play... then the rain hit!! All day the clouds had been looming, providing some great shade. When the bottom finally dropped out, however, it rained and rained and never stopped. After hovering in a hallway for about an hour, the school brought us in to feed us lunch - potato greens (one of our favorite Liberian meals!).
After waiting out the worst of the rain, we moved to the soccer field. Yes, after about 2 hours of driving rain, we were about to watch a soccer game. Suffice it to say that it was undoubtedly the wettest, muddiest game of soccer I have ever witnessed. Every player was drenched to the core, they all slipped and slid around the field and the ball often stopped mid-roll in a puddle. It was definitely an amusing game to watch. It rained throughout the game, and as I stood with my individually-sized umbrella, I had a few new friends... at one point there were 9 people including myself under my single umbrella - me and a whole lot of little boys! It's amazing how a bond can form with strangers without a word being spoken. Sadly, Ricks lost 2-1 after a last minute score by Dewey.
After the soccer game ended the sports tournament was done. We finished a little early due to weather, so at the students' request, we took them all up to see Blue Lake. This time we spent more time up at the water bottling factory. Who would have thought that I would come to Liberia to see how water is bottled?! It's an interesting process that would be long and boring to describe, but it was a wonderful experience to share with the teachers and students.
After leaving Blue Lake we headed back to Ricks. The formerly short drive was now long and slow... Old Blue was having some issues, so we had to drive about 25 mph all the way back to school. Normally, this would not have been a big deal... but at that point it had been about 12 hours since I went to the bathroom (I still haven't gotten over my modesty enough to learn to pop a squat!) so it was a little torturous! Probably more information than you needed... haha. Finally, we made it back home to Ricks, exhausted but grateful for the adventurous day. It was fun to travel Liberia with our friends and experience something new together. After being up in the hills for the day, I decided that I need the hills/mountains in my life. They are good for the soul!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
As One Week Ends, The Next is Almost Over
It has absolutely amazed me how the time has flown by since our arrival here in Liberia. Tomorrow (Thursday) will mark 8 weeks since we left home - EIGHT weeks!! Last week we had our testing week, and I meant to write a blog describing it to you all. Somehow the week flew by and I never got around to it, and then now it's Wednesday afternoon of the following week?! Whoa. Anyway, better late than never.
The school year here is separated into six marking periods, each of which lasts approximately 5 weeks. After those 5 weeks of instruction we enter into one week of testing. Just like I remember "exam week" in high school, this is a serious week dedicated only to taking tests. Junior and senior high students come to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for tests, and elementary students come Tuesday and Thursday. Each day there are one of two tests the students are given 80 minutes each to take. So, overall, it is a very short week! Especially as a teacher - my only obligations are to monitor a class during testing, collect my completed tests, grade them, and turn in my final grades. As you can imagine, last week felt like a bit of a vacation in the midst of the semester - a welcome one if I do say so :)
At the end of period 1 I calculated my grades for the first time. When I arrived here, I believed that every one of my students would pass... I would pull them up out of their misery in math, make it a fun, exciting class they loved and succeeded in. Let's just say things have not gone exactly according to my plans. In my 7th grade classes, I have about 10 students (out of 30) failing in each. In my 8th grade classes, I only have 3 failing in one class (!!!!) and about 8 in the other. It's hard for me to see this happen. I want so much to be able to go to each student and say, "OK, what do we have to do to get you to pass?" But I physically can not do that when I have almost 30 students failing, and 150 others I'm still looking after. I tell them on an almost daily basis to come ask me for help if they don't understand, but they only rarely come for help. It is a source of frustration for me.
In the meantime, we are back in the full swing of things this week. After realizing how amazingly quickly one period can pass by, I feel myself pressed to try to really focus my time during each period. There is so much material I want to cover in each of my classes, but I feel like there will never be enough time. In reality, I know that much of what I want to get done will not happen, so I am trying to focus on the important things. I am trying to go back to the foundations of math - times tables, addition/subtraction and multiplication/division, and make sure my students are confident in each of these. I am trying to teach my Bible students better writing skills.
As we cruise through period 2 here, I ask that you remember my students. Pray that they have the drive to succeed, that they have the humility and the courage to ask for help when they need it, and that I have the patience demanded to help each person I can. Although I realize that expecting each student to pass first period may have been a bit naive, I am hopefuly that maybe, just maybe, by the end of the year we can accomplish that goal in each of my classes.
The school year here is separated into six marking periods, each of which lasts approximately 5 weeks. After those 5 weeks of instruction we enter into one week of testing. Just like I remember "exam week" in high school, this is a serious week dedicated only to taking tests. Junior and senior high students come to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for tests, and elementary students come Tuesday and Thursday. Each day there are one of two tests the students are given 80 minutes each to take. So, overall, it is a very short week! Especially as a teacher - my only obligations are to monitor a class during testing, collect my completed tests, grade them, and turn in my final grades. As you can imagine, last week felt like a bit of a vacation in the midst of the semester - a welcome one if I do say so :)
At the end of period 1 I calculated my grades for the first time. When I arrived here, I believed that every one of my students would pass... I would pull them up out of their misery in math, make it a fun, exciting class they loved and succeeded in. Let's just say things have not gone exactly according to my plans. In my 7th grade classes, I have about 10 students (out of 30) failing in each. In my 8th grade classes, I only have 3 failing in one class (!!!!) and about 8 in the other. It's hard for me to see this happen. I want so much to be able to go to each student and say, "OK, what do we have to do to get you to pass?" But I physically can not do that when I have almost 30 students failing, and 150 others I'm still looking after. I tell them on an almost daily basis to come ask me for help if they don't understand, but they only rarely come for help. It is a source of frustration for me.
In the meantime, we are back in the full swing of things this week. After realizing how amazingly quickly one period can pass by, I feel myself pressed to try to really focus my time during each period. There is so much material I want to cover in each of my classes, but I feel like there will never be enough time. In reality, I know that much of what I want to get done will not happen, so I am trying to focus on the important things. I am trying to go back to the foundations of math - times tables, addition/subtraction and multiplication/division, and make sure my students are confident in each of these. I am trying to teach my Bible students better writing skills.
As we cruise through period 2 here, I ask that you remember my students. Pray that they have the drive to succeed, that they have the humility and the courage to ask for help when they need it, and that I have the patience demanded to help each person I can. Although I realize that expecting each student to pass first period may have been a bit naive, I am hopefuly that maybe, just maybe, by the end of the year we can accomplish that goal in each of my classes.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Your Support
First, I want to say, "thank you, thank you, thank you" for taking the time to read my blog. I can not tell you how comforting it is to know that so many of you are sharing in my journey with me. It's overwhelming to think about experiencing all this and then coming home and trying to somehow summarize it all. Your willingness to follow me here and read my stories makes me feel like you all are here with me in some way. I know some of you check in daily, some of you take an hour a week and catch up on all you missed, and some skim for the good stuff. Whatever you do, I am grateful for your time and your support.
I have been amazed throughout my journey leading to and in Liberia by how many people have supported me. People I have never met write me encouraging, kind notes. Friends I haven't talked to nearly as much as I should in recent years suddenly appear in a Facebook post or as a follower of this blog. It's truly humbling.
As many of you know, Ann Elizabeth and I have been raising funds for this experience since the beginning of the summer. I was, again, overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and family. I raised almost all the support I need, although I still need to raise a bit more to cover my basic living costs (food and phone mainly) for the rest of the time I am here. I can't imagine needing more than $1,000 for that. However, I would love to raise additional funds to be able to contribute something to Ricks when it is time for me to leave. Ann Elizabeth and I have been thinking for a while about what we might be able to leave at Ricks, and we are still not sure. Some possibilities include providing scholarships for students in junior and senior high or contributing to one of many building projects in the works here. Whatever the case, we want to give something to the Ricks community when we go because we have already been given so very much.
That's one way you can help. If you would like to make a financial contribution, I can accept donations throughout my time here (or even after I get home). If you would like to donate, you can do so in a couple ways. First, you can send a check to my parents' house in FL. The checks should be made payable to "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" and you need to put a note in the memo line that reads, "Holly Wegman Project #87602". Checks can then be mailed to:
Holly Wegman
25385 Dan Brown Hill Road
Brooksville, FL 34602
My parents will take care of getting the funds to me (through CBF) from there!
The other way you can donate is online. Passport (the youth camp I work for each summer that we will be having here in January!) has offered use of their online donation. Simply go to the following website and be sure to write in my name under "designation":
https://www.networkforgood.
Any and all funds collected will go towards my basic necessities here and/or directly to the school. Let me know if you have any questions. And please know how very grateful I am for all the ways you all already support me - I can not say thank you enough!
I have been amazed throughout my journey leading to and in Liberia by how many people have supported me. People I have never met write me encouraging, kind notes. Friends I haven't talked to nearly as much as I should in recent years suddenly appear in a Facebook post or as a follower of this blog. It's truly humbling.
As many of you know, Ann Elizabeth and I have been raising funds for this experience since the beginning of the summer. I was, again, overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and family. I raised almost all the support I need, although I still need to raise a bit more to cover my basic living costs (food and phone mainly) for the rest of the time I am here. I can't imagine needing more than $1,000 for that. However, I would love to raise additional funds to be able to contribute something to Ricks when it is time for me to leave. Ann Elizabeth and I have been thinking for a while about what we might be able to leave at Ricks, and we are still not sure. Some possibilities include providing scholarships for students in junior and senior high or contributing to one of many building projects in the works here. Whatever the case, we want to give something to the Ricks community when we go because we have already been given so very much.
That's one way you can help. If you would like to make a financial contribution, I can accept donations throughout my time here (or even after I get home). If you would like to donate, you can do so in a couple ways. First, you can send a check to my parents' house in FL. The checks should be made payable to "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" and you need to put a note in the memo line that reads, "Holly Wegman Project #87602". Checks can then be mailed to:
Holly Wegman
25385 Dan Brown Hill Road
Brooksville, FL 34602
My parents will take care of getting the funds to me (through CBF) from there!
The other way you can donate is online. Passport (the youth camp I work for each summer that we will be having here in January!) has offered use of their online donation. Simply go to the following website and be sure to write in my name under "designation":
https://www.networkforgood.
Any and all funds collected will go towards my basic necessities here and/or directly to the school. Let me know if you have any questions. And please know how very grateful I am for all the ways you all already support me - I can not say thank you enough!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
A Letter of Inspiration
I just received an email from Mr. Varney Sherman, Academic Supervisor here at Ricks. Mr. Sherman works tirelessly to try to improve Ricks, the performance of each teacher, and the life of each student here. I was inspired by his email, and thought I would share it with you all. I think it gives you a good idea of what it's like to teach here at Ricks and the heart of the mission of the school.
"Many thanks for your hard work that brought us to a successful conclusion of the first marking period. Administration genuinely appreciates your efforts and hope that you will continue to do your best as we strive to distinguish ourselves from others by what we do here at Ricks...
Talking about distinction or the way we are different from others, please see attached a little story that I stumbled over on the internet that tells about some of the challenges involved when people venture to do things different from the status quo.
The story is about a farmer who decided to plant a different crop (bamboo) instead of the traditional one (corn and wheat). The bamboo tree is a very delicate plant to grow. No matter how rich the soil and fervent your care, it doesn't grow the first, second, third and sometimes even in the fourth year. But when it finally comes out it grows exponentially in height in a very short time; sometimes sixty meters in just ninety days.
The reason for the delay in growth of this plant is simple; it needs to develop the necessary root system to support its tremendous height. In the story, the farmer has to wait for three consecutive years before the bamboo could sprout. But during the period of the three years, he never gave up on his crop; he cred, supported, and protected it. He was indeed patient.
My friends if you read this story with an open mind you will find out that it is much akin to our situation and commitment here at Ricks. We have decided to do many things differently in order to meet teaching and learning needs of students and so must exercise patience for the desired result. Like the farmer in the story you are about to read, first and foremost love and care and support your students in a way that will help them develop the firm foundation needed to support their educational growth. To do this, we must be patient, accommodating and invariably do the right things. We will eventually see results in our kids if some of us are not already seeing results.
Please remember this as we commence the second marking period: with a very firm foundation your students will do amazing things, they are able to grow to the highest peak of their god given potential; but it takes time, patience, perseverance, trust and hard work to build this foundation. Know that your students are kids and you are adults and kids depend on adults for their success. This is a huge responsibility but I know that we can make a difference in the lives of our students because we are special and different from others in the way we cater to them.
Thank you again for the hard work."
If you would like to read the story Mr. Sherman included, send me an email (holly.wegman@gmail.com) and I can send it your way.
"Many thanks for your hard work that brought us to a successful conclusion of the first marking period. Administration genuinely appreciates your efforts and hope that you will continue to do your best as we strive to distinguish ourselves from others by what we do here at Ricks...
Talking about distinction or the way we are different from others, please see attached a little story that I stumbled over on the internet that tells about some of the challenges involved when people venture to do things different from the status quo.
The story is about a farmer who decided to plant a different crop (bamboo) instead of the traditional one (corn and wheat). The bamboo tree is a very delicate plant to grow. No matter how rich the soil and fervent your care, it doesn't grow the first, second, third and sometimes even in the fourth year. But when it finally comes out it grows exponentially in height in a very short time; sometimes sixty meters in just ninety days.
The reason for the delay in growth of this plant is simple; it needs to develop the necessary root system to support its tremendous height. In the story, the farmer has to wait for three consecutive years before the bamboo could sprout. But during the period of the three years, he never gave up on his crop; he cred, supported, and protected it. He was indeed patient.
My friends if you read this story with an open mind you will find out that it is much akin to our situation and commitment here at Ricks. We have decided to do many things differently in order to meet teaching and learning needs of students and so must exercise patience for the desired result. Like the farmer in the story you are about to read, first and foremost love and care and support your students in a way that will help them develop the firm foundation needed to support their educational growth. To do this, we must be patient, accommodating and invariably do the right things. We will eventually see results in our kids if some of us are not already seeing results.
Please remember this as we commence the second marking period: with a very firm foundation your students will do amazing things, they are able to grow to the highest peak of their god given potential; but it takes time, patience, perseverance, trust and hard work to build this foundation. Know that your students are kids and you are adults and kids depend on adults for their success. This is a huge responsibility but I know that we can make a difference in the lives of our students because we are special and different from others in the way we cater to them.
Thank you again for the hard work."
If you would like to read the story Mr. Sherman included, send me an email (holly.wegman@gmail.com) and I can send it your way.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Schmoozing with Politicians
Also known as going out to dinner with the 5 seniors who ran for student body president!
Last night Olu and Ottolee Menjay, Ann Elizabeth, me, and the 5 seniors who ran for president all loaded up in one of Ricks 12-passenger vans (they have 2, one donated by Brookstone School in Columbus, GA and one donated by First Baptist Church in Columbus, GA) and headed to Monrovia for dinner. The van ride on the way into town was unusually quiet for a van full of seniors! We eventually got into a conversation with one of the students (he grew up in the states but moved here when he was 15), but overall the van was strangely quiet.
When we first arrived at dinner, there were a few awkward moments where everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to make the first move. We eventually sat down and began to look over the menus. At that point Olu asked the students, "Do you know how to read the menu or do you need help?" Several of them admitted to needing help reading the menu. And just like that I became aware of knowledge I didn't realize I had: that going to a restaurant requires certain social rules be followed, and that reading a menu is much easier if you've read a menu before. I clumsily began to try to explain risotto and various pastas to one of the students. Seeing how unnecessarily arduous the task might be, Olu eventually just asked, "What do you want to eat?" Before long, the students decided: two orders of boneless chicken (chicken without bones is not something often seen here!), one order of fried chicken wings, one order of chicken fried rice, and one pizza (clearly the menu had a variety of offerings!). Ann Elizabeth and I both went with our new favorite meal to get out: a big ol' cheeseburger and healthy portion of french fries! I ate every bit of it. After dinner we had a real treat... I scream, you scream, we all scream for... ICE CREAM! I am undeniably an ice cream addict, and this was my first taste of it in over a month and a half... needless to say, I ate every bit of that as well :)
Throughout dinner, the conversation gradually became more comfortable. Before we knew it, the students were excitedly debating with one another just like they had in front of the whole school in the presidential debate. Although they were still challenging one another and genuinely debating, there was also a feeling of solidarity among the students. Although opponents, they are all clearly still friends, and ready and willing to work together. The president elect Mohamed Dukuly said that his government will be one of inclusion and unification, and invited the other candidates to apply for positions within his government. There was more talk of a Ricks FM radio station, of how money made at the Saturday night movie would be spent, and who would be involved in the government.
In the van on the way home the students talked about their desire for a legitimate debate team (we are hoping we can find the movie "The Great Debaters" to show on one Saturday night here). They talked about their dream of college, medical school, and law school... but how both med school and law school are nearly impossible to get in to unless you know someone, have an inside connection, or have some money that can casually exchange hands. We laughed about the upcoming Inauguration Ball for the newly elected president, laughed about some Liberian expressions I didn't know (e.g., "sour belly" = upset stomach), and laughed for sheer happiness of being out and spending time together. It was a fun night, getting to know some students a little better. Of all the places I could be in the world, I was especially glad to be here in good company and enjoying some needed laughter last night!
Last night Olu and Ottolee Menjay, Ann Elizabeth, me, and the 5 seniors who ran for president all loaded up in one of Ricks 12-passenger vans (they have 2, one donated by Brookstone School in Columbus, GA and one donated by First Baptist Church in Columbus, GA) and headed to Monrovia for dinner. The van ride on the way into town was unusually quiet for a van full of seniors! We eventually got into a conversation with one of the students (he grew up in the states but moved here when he was 15), but overall the van was strangely quiet.
When we first arrived at dinner, there were a few awkward moments where everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to make the first move. We eventually sat down and began to look over the menus. At that point Olu asked the students, "Do you know how to read the menu or do you need help?" Several of them admitted to needing help reading the menu. And just like that I became aware of knowledge I didn't realize I had: that going to a restaurant requires certain social rules be followed, and that reading a menu is much easier if you've read a menu before. I clumsily began to try to explain risotto and various pastas to one of the students. Seeing how unnecessarily arduous the task might be, Olu eventually just asked, "What do you want to eat?" Before long, the students decided: two orders of boneless chicken (chicken without bones is not something often seen here!), one order of fried chicken wings, one order of chicken fried rice, and one pizza (clearly the menu had a variety of offerings!). Ann Elizabeth and I both went with our new favorite meal to get out: a big ol' cheeseburger and healthy portion of french fries! I ate every bit of it. After dinner we had a real treat... I scream, you scream, we all scream for... ICE CREAM! I am undeniably an ice cream addict, and this was my first taste of it in over a month and a half... needless to say, I ate every bit of that as well :)
Throughout dinner, the conversation gradually became more comfortable. Before we knew it, the students were excitedly debating with one another just like they had in front of the whole school in the presidential debate. Although they were still challenging one another and genuinely debating, there was also a feeling of solidarity among the students. Although opponents, they are all clearly still friends, and ready and willing to work together. The president elect Mohamed Dukuly said that his government will be one of inclusion and unification, and invited the other candidates to apply for positions within his government. There was more talk of a Ricks FM radio station, of how money made at the Saturday night movie would be spent, and who would be involved in the government.
In the van on the way home the students talked about their desire for a legitimate debate team (we are hoping we can find the movie "The Great Debaters" to show on one Saturday night here). They talked about their dream of college, medical school, and law school... but how both med school and law school are nearly impossible to get in to unless you know someone, have an inside connection, or have some money that can casually exchange hands. We laughed about the upcoming Inauguration Ball for the newly elected president, laughed about some Liberian expressions I didn't know (e.g., "sour belly" = upset stomach), and laughed for sheer happiness of being out and spending time together. It was a fun night, getting to know some students a little better. Of all the places I could be in the world, I was especially glad to be here in good company and enjoying some needed laughter last night!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Hold My Hand... I Want You to Hold My Hand
I hope that this blog title inspired a few lines of Hootie and the Blowfish to play in your mind... that was certainly my intent!
Hand holding is something I've observed and experienced a lot here at Ricks. First, I'll start with some observations. Hand holding here is not limited to little girls holding hands as they walk the halls at school. Here, hand holding is done by students of all ages; girls with girls and boys with boys. Of course, there is also the girl-boy not-so-platonic hand holding that happens, although technically PDA of any kind if not allowed here at Ricks! Aside from the typical boyfriend-girlfriend hand holding you would find among any junior high students, I have been surprised by the amount of older students who hold hands on a regular basis with members of the same sex. Older boys hold hands with boys, and older girls hold hands with girls in much the same way I'm used to seeing little girls do. It's as if the hand holding says, "c'mon, I have something to show you!" or "Hey friend, let's go!" There is nothing self-conscious about it; it seems to be a natural expression of friendship and camaraderie.
Perhaps all this hand holding is so striking to me because of my own experiences surrounding hand holding. Those who know me best know it is not something I have done much of in my life. It is certainly something I have wished for, and I still look forward to the day I find that hand I'll be holding when I say "I do" (etc., cheesy and cliche, yet true). So hand holding is something special to me, something that shows love in a very visible way. Yet, I find that, even without that special hand to hold, I am not short of hands in mine here. Each time I walk down the hall I am surrounded by children grabbing for my hands or my arms. I always felt special holing the hand of one small child at home; here I feel I could be an octopus and still run out of hands (assuming an octopus had 8 hands to go along with its tentacles...). I have been amazed my the number of little hands that can simultaneously be held in mine. I think 4 or 5 hands at the same time might be my record so far.
And I love it. I love holding two little hands as we walk all the way back to my house, even when doing so means we are all sweating just a little bit more. I love that with my hands I can greet the kids around me, those I know and those I don't. I love that I don't even think about what little hand it reaching for me; I just instinctively take the little hands in mine and continue walking. I love that holding so many hands feels natural, normal, instinctive. I love the way Steven (age 4) always plays with the skin between my thumb and my forefinger when he holds my hand. I love the way the little girls look at my fingernails as if they are foreign objects. I love the shock expressed by one child when she looked at my palm and exclaimed, "it's red! you're red!" In short, I love holding hands.
Ann Elizabeth took the picture I've posted here, and I think it's a great summary of my daily hand-holding experiences. Multiple little hands, never enough of mine, but, somehow, we make it work. This is something I know for sure I will miss when my time here is over.
Monday, October 5, 2009
There's a Snake in My House! And Other Random Tales of Hilarity...
Yes, that’s right. One night this weekend I walked into our kitchen late at night. The light doesn’t always work, but luckily it did on this night, and as the light flickered on I began to slowly scan the kitchen for unwelcome visitors (as a good arachnophobic does upon entering each room when living in an open-air house). No spiders on the wall – whew. Wait, something moving on the floor. Wait… wait… Oh, Lord, that’s a snake! A little one, similar to this guy (see above) I took a picture of on our porch one day. But all the same, a snake in our house. “Oh Lord! Oh Lord! There’s a snake, Ann Elizabeth there’s a snake in our kitchen” I began to yell to AE. Just then we heard a voice outside, “What’s that? What’s there?” It was Mr. Kalubah (I might be totally wrong on the spelling of his name…), one of the security guards at the Menjays’ house. He happened to be walking by when I had my freak out, and stopped to see what was wrong. Ann Elizabeth wasn’t sure what he was talking about, so I just yelled from the kitchen, “let him in, whoever it is!” We needed help, pronto. A few moments and some solid “thwacks!” of his umbrella later, this little snake was being carried out of our house on the end of the umbrella like a body on the end of a bayonet. I think it would have been appropriate to have Taps softly playing in the background.
Remember that time when it was raining, and Ann Elizabeth and I were walking to the dining hall, then all of the sudden we saw about 8 boys, probably around 8 or 10 years old, in nothing but their birthday suits dancing and playing in the rain? Yeah, that happened on Sunday evening. In the midst of a downpour, these little boys were frolicking around butt naked on the basketball court, looking like this was the best thing they could imagine doing at that moment. Ann Elizabeth and I just kept looking at each other and saying, “Really? This is happening.” As soon as the dinner bell began to ring, the boys scattered, although not seeming to feel too anxious about the oncoming student body, or our presence there before them. They grabbed their clothes, and then stayed around the dining hall. As dinner was ending, they snuck around asking the students to dump their leftover food in plastic bags so they would have something to eat for the night. They seemed to enjoy this daring game as much as they enjoyed being naked in the rain… but of course this time success meant dinner and failure meant going without.
Remember that time, right after we saw the naked boys, when we saw about 8 senior high boys from the school playing musical chairs up on the patio of the dining hall? They started out with 1 chair, and eventually found a total of 3. A few boys would stand there singing, and when they stopped, the boys would fight and push until only 3 butts were in each of the 3 chairs. It was definitely musical chairs, but without recorded music (all a-capella), and with senior high boys.
Sometimes we just have to laugh at everything happening around us, and I hope you get a laugh out of some of these too!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
I Heard it at Ricks: Part 2
Friday was another day of sports and fun here at Ricks. After announcing the winner of the student body president elections (winner = Mohammed Dukuly, standard bearer for the Students With An Active Purpose Organization), the school erupted in excitement for those who supported Mohammed, and in sadness for those whose candidates did not win. Yet the afternoon continued with more fun out on the sports field. The afternoon began with a football (soccer) game of staff vs. students. While standing out on the field watching the game, I had a few conversations I thought I would share.Morris (pictured left, top): Morris is in my 7th grade class. I'm always excited when I have the opportunity to talk to one of my students outside the classroom. Seeing Morris's camera, and having mine out as well, I knew we had an instant conversation starter. Morris told me that he is sponsored by a man who lives in NYC. This photographer sponsors Morris and 5 or 6 others, providing them cameras and teaching them to use them. I believe Morris said he will be coming in December when the students are on break to work with Morris more in developing his photography skills. What a great experience - I'm grateful to this person in NYC for helping cultivate the artistic talents of some of the boys here at Ricks!
Fabunde (pictured left, bottom): Fabunde is in the 10th grade class here, so he is not one of my students. However, we had previously met when he talked to me about one of his friends who came with Mercer earlier this year who was interested in knowing more about the opportunity to teach here for a year. I saw Fabunde out at the game, and we got to talking again. We talked for at least an hour, about everything from the sights to be seen in different US States to a medical condition that keeps Fabunde from participating in sports (he enjoys playing table tennis instead). We talked about Christmas, and how it's celebrated in each of our countries. In Liberia, Fabunde told me that many people have a big meal with their families (that part sounds familiar), but the evening is often spent going out with friends to entertainment clubs (places where you can watch sporting events, TV shows, etc... I think, I've not been to one yet). Fabunde was very inquisitive and asked me several questions about life in the US. At one point, he asked me what kind of difficulties I faced in high school. I thought for a minute, and very sincerely told him that I had self-esteem issues, that I didn't think I was pretty, that I was shy and had trouble talking to people, especially boys. He laughed a little. He clarified and told me that in Liberia, common difficulties are figuring out whether you'll be able to go to school; if you can get in to school, you face the difficulty of how you will get to school each day (take a taxi? walk many miles?). He told me how some students come to school hungry and can't afford to buy any food at the school (lunch is only provided for boarding students), and how some students might go a day without a meal. He told me that he has a medical condition that keeps him from playing sports unless he can take a medicine which is too expensive to afford (about $25 for a month's supply).
I felt immediately foolish and absurdly American. What could I say? My biggest struggles were not feeling pretty, wishing for boyfriends and best friends, and being overly quiet. How can I even begin to compare that with the struggles Fabunde described for Liberian students? I simply can not. It really just leaves me speechless. In response I told Fabunde that we were lucky that all children are required to go to school in America, and that we even have busses that will get students to the school each day. "That is why everyone wants to go to America," he replied.
I have always been a believer in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, whether scientifically justifiable or not. Basically, the theory is that the most basic needs (food, shelter, safety) must be met before other needs (intimacy, self-actualization) can be pursued. Yes, Fabunde and I did also talk about friendships and relationships, but these seemed like less of a major issue for him than for most 16 year old boys I know. Is it because my most basic needs have always been met without question that I am able to grapple with these issues that seem trite and firvolous in comparison to obtaining an education or food for the day?
I feel like this entry is a bit rambling; sort of stream-of-consciousness disorganization. But I'm OK with that for now, because that is how these thoughts feel in my head. I think these are issues I will have to continue to think about throughout my time here. Why is it that my needs were so unquestionably met? Why can't we just "fix" all the brokenness in the world so children go to school and bellies are never empty when they go to bed? So many questions and so few answers. But I think they're good questions. Hard. But good, and worth struggling to try to answer.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Why Wait for 2012?
The excitement of the presidential election is in the air now!! Well, at least it is at the Ricks Institute...
That's right - this week is the week of student body president elections here at Ricks. But the elections here are not at all like they are in the US. There are no enormous poster boards or hot pink fliers claiming free coke machines, later school start times, and better food in the cafeteria. There is a real system here; it's a process, and the students are enthusiastically committed to it.
First, students don't just decide to run. The student must first be a member of a political party on campus. From what I gather, new political parties are constantly forming at the school. In the current election, there are 5 political parties: the Students Unification Movement (SUM), Ricks Institute Student Alliance Movement (RISAM), Students with Active Purpose Movement (SWAPO), Ricks Unification Party (RUP), and Students for Democratic Change (SDC). Each of these group names bears a striking resemblance to the names of the political parties in Liberia.
Each political party then elects a student to be their party representative in the presidential election. But before that student's name can be added to the ballot, they must first collect signatures on a petition (either 100 or 200, I can't remember) to run for president. Once the signatures are collected, then that person is officially a candidate on the ballot! The candidate is then given $25 (US) for campaign expenses. They must carefully document each penny of how the campaign money is spent. One of the candidates, for example, spent his money on popcorn and cokes to hand out to the students at Saturday movie night. I was pretty happy with that choice! Some of the students spend their money on t-shirts or posters for their campaign, and many buy paint, pens, paper, etc., to help them do their campaigning.
After all this initital campaigning, the candidates must face off in a debate before the whole school. Each candidate gets 6 minutes to talk, after which their competitors (or their running mates) are given the chance to ask questions (up to 3 total) and then the audience (student body) is given a chance to ask up to 4 questions. The candidates can respond however they want.
The speeches were impressive. Each student formally greeted their audience, introduced their political party including their major beliefs and reasons for formation. Some reasons I heard included: "here to bring justice, peace, and equality"; focus on student leadership; "leading the wind of change in transforming the school"; "elevate standards to complement diversity"; and "grassroots political movement committed to change". Students then discussed their qualifications for being the student body president as well as the changes they hoped to bring to Ricks Institute if they were elected. Dreams included promoting agriculture and sanitation, working toward 2 building projects in the boys' and girls' dorms, providing more student leadership in tutoring and academic assistance, building relationships with schools in Monrovia and in the States, providing a student lounge/game area, creating a web page for students, and even creating a Ricks FM student led radio station. Yet none of these dreams seemed to be empty campaign promises - they all seemed like goals the students would be working toward with or without the title of student body president.
If the speeches weren't impressive enough, the questions asked by the other candidates and student body were equally intelligent, thoughtful, and insightful. Students brought up the candidates records on campus ("how can you lead if you can't keep yourself out of trouble?"), their political histories ("why did you leave one political party and form your own only when you weren't selected as the presidential candidate for that party?"), or their plans for the future ("how will you realistically accomplish such big dreams?").
My favorite question might have come from a boy in the third grade class: "Can you sing the second stanza of the school song and the chorus?" At first his question was dismissed; but Olu fought for the question to be answered. The candidate put on the spot indicated that he didn't have time to answer that question... But we later learned from Olu that the question was actually not as silly as it sounds. It seems that some members of the Liberian government do not know the whole national anthem, and it can be embarrassing to have a representative of the country fumble the country's anthem. So, it would be important for a student body president to know the school's ode (especially when parts of it are sang each morning).
Like any political debate, the 2.5 hours was filled with LOUD cheering, jeering, and overall excitement about the political process. Obviously I was excited to be present and be a part of all of this. For those who don't know, I study youth civic involvement in some of my psychological research, so this is SO in line with my interests! I could go on for much longer, as I'm sure you can tell... but I'll wrap up by saying I am excitedly looking forward to the elections tomorrow and the celebrations of the victorious party that are sure to follow! I can't wait to see how the new president carries out his/her responsibilities throughout the next year!
Check out pictures of all the excitement: http://picasaweb.google.com/holly.wegman/ThingsHappeningAtRicksInstitute#
That's right - this week is the week of student body president elections here at Ricks. But the elections here are not at all like they are in the US. There are no enormous poster boards or hot pink fliers claiming free coke machines, later school start times, and better food in the cafeteria. There is a real system here; it's a process, and the students are enthusiastically committed to it.
First, students don't just decide to run. The student must first be a member of a political party on campus. From what I gather, new political parties are constantly forming at the school. In the current election, there are 5 political parties: the Students Unification Movement (SUM), Ricks Institute Student Alliance Movement (RISAM), Students with Active Purpose Movement (SWAPO), Ricks Unification Party (RUP), and Students for Democratic Change (SDC). Each of these group names bears a striking resemblance to the names of the political parties in Liberia.
Each political party then elects a student to be their party representative in the presidential election. But before that student's name can be added to the ballot, they must first collect signatures on a petition (either 100 or 200, I can't remember) to run for president. Once the signatures are collected, then that person is officially a candidate on the ballot! The candidate is then given $25 (US) for campaign expenses. They must carefully document each penny of how the campaign money is spent. One of the candidates, for example, spent his money on popcorn and cokes to hand out to the students at Saturday movie night. I was pretty happy with that choice! Some of the students spend their money on t-shirts or posters for their campaign, and many buy paint, pens, paper, etc., to help them do their campaigning.
After all this initital campaigning, the candidates must face off in a debate before the whole school. Each candidate gets 6 minutes to talk, after which their competitors (or their running mates) are given the chance to ask questions (up to 3 total) and then the audience (student body) is given a chance to ask up to 4 questions. The candidates can respond however they want.
The speeches were impressive. Each student formally greeted their audience, introduced their political party including their major beliefs and reasons for formation. Some reasons I heard included: "here to bring justice, peace, and equality"; focus on student leadership; "leading the wind of change in transforming the school"; "elevate standards to complement diversity"; and "grassroots political movement committed to change". Students then discussed their qualifications for being the student body president as well as the changes they hoped to bring to Ricks Institute if they were elected. Dreams included promoting agriculture and sanitation, working toward 2 building projects in the boys' and girls' dorms, providing more student leadership in tutoring and academic assistance, building relationships with schools in Monrovia and in the States, providing a student lounge/game area, creating a web page for students, and even creating a Ricks FM student led radio station. Yet none of these dreams seemed to be empty campaign promises - they all seemed like goals the students would be working toward with or without the title of student body president.
If the speeches weren't impressive enough, the questions asked by the other candidates and student body were equally intelligent, thoughtful, and insightful. Students brought up the candidates records on campus ("how can you lead if you can't keep yourself out of trouble?"), their political histories ("why did you leave one political party and form your own only when you weren't selected as the presidential candidate for that party?"), or their plans for the future ("how will you realistically accomplish such big dreams?").
My favorite question might have come from a boy in the third grade class: "Can you sing the second stanza of the school song and the chorus?" At first his question was dismissed; but Olu fought for the question to be answered. The candidate put on the spot indicated that he didn't have time to answer that question... But we later learned from Olu that the question was actually not as silly as it sounds. It seems that some members of the Liberian government do not know the whole national anthem, and it can be embarrassing to have a representative of the country fumble the country's anthem. So, it would be important for a student body president to know the school's ode (especially when parts of it are sang each morning).
Like any political debate, the 2.5 hours was filled with LOUD cheering, jeering, and overall excitement about the political process. Obviously I was excited to be present and be a part of all of this. For those who don't know, I study youth civic involvement in some of my psychological research, so this is SO in line with my interests! I could go on for much longer, as I'm sure you can tell... but I'll wrap up by saying I am excitedly looking forward to the elections tomorrow and the celebrations of the victorious party that are sure to follow! I can't wait to see how the new president carries out his/her responsibilities throughout the next year!
Check out pictures of all the excitement: http://picasaweb.google.com/holly.wegman/ThingsHappeningAtRicksInstitute#
Sunday, September 27, 2009
It's The Little Things...
As I was preparing to move to Liberia, I wondered what kinds of things - the little things of daily life - would be different here. Now that I am here, some things seem surprisingly normal, while others are out of the ordinary for me. So I thought I would put together a random list for you of the little things of life that are different for me here than they were at home. Random, yes, but hopefully also interesting and enjoyable.
Sleeping habits. I used to go to bed no earlier than midnight, wake up when I had to, and sleep until at least 10 when left undisturbed in the morning. Now, I'm usually in bed by 9 or 10, awake by 5 or 6:30, and can't seem to sleep past 8 or 9 on the weekends.
Bathing habits. Too much information, I know. But I used to shower every 24 hours without fail (I called it my hair's 24 hour shelf-life). Now it's every other day. And by shower I mean "pour water from a bucket". Which actually is not hard and makes the old shower method seem really wasteful!
Eating. I have always been a creature of habit, eating the same things many days in a row, so that part hasn't changed too much. It's what I eat each day that is different. Breakfast = pop tarts (not toasted, of course). Lunch = peanut butter and jelly wrap (I'll take a picture sometime soon, but it's awesome) and some pringles. Dinner = rice and beans or noodles with tomato sauce or a can of soup or a can of ravioli. Snacks = fruit snacks, granola bars, peanuts. We have the occasional Liberian meal too, but those are the staples!
Clothes. Most days I wear a long dress with a fitted t-shirt underneath and my Chacos (sandals). Some days I wear a long skirt with a polo or one of two pairs of capris I brought with a polo or one of about 5 semi-nice shirts I brought. There's one dress I save for special occasions, and I did bring one pair of jeans. But it's definitely not my typical attire!
No makeup. Which is really not a dramatic change, as that was the norm for me about 2 years ago. But I suppose I had grown used to wearing makeup over the last couple years. The fact that my face is oily and sweaty about 23.5 hours a day has brought some acne back like it's 1999 again, but it's all good. Perhaps it will help me to relate more to my junior high students :)
Exercise habits. Although I've started to get in some workouts with the basketball team, it is strange to go from being a certified fitness instructor to being a mostly inactive person. I feel my myself getting less strong and out of shape, but I am hoping that basketball will help me to get back in a routine of some kind. Something about always being hot and sweaty just reduces my motivation to do things that will make me more hot and sweaty. But like I said, we'll see if this changes :)
Alright, I think that's a good smattering of things for today! I'll try to take some more pictures soon and give you an idea of "a day in the life of...". Hope you all had a wonderful weekend - thanks for all your encouragement and for taking the time to share in everything I am experiencing here - it means so much to me!
Sleeping habits. I used to go to bed no earlier than midnight, wake up when I had to, and sleep until at least 10 when left undisturbed in the morning. Now, I'm usually in bed by 9 or 10, awake by 5 or 6:30, and can't seem to sleep past 8 or 9 on the weekends.
Bathing habits. Too much information, I know. But I used to shower every 24 hours without fail (I called it my hair's 24 hour shelf-life). Now it's every other day. And by shower I mean "pour water from a bucket". Which actually is not hard and makes the old shower method seem really wasteful!
Eating. I have always been a creature of habit, eating the same things many days in a row, so that part hasn't changed too much. It's what I eat each day that is different. Breakfast = pop tarts (not toasted, of course). Lunch = peanut butter and jelly wrap (I'll take a picture sometime soon, but it's awesome) and some pringles. Dinner = rice and beans or noodles with tomato sauce or a can of soup or a can of ravioli. Snacks = fruit snacks, granola bars, peanuts. We have the occasional Liberian meal too, but those are the staples!
Clothes. Most days I wear a long dress with a fitted t-shirt underneath and my Chacos (sandals). Some days I wear a long skirt with a polo or one of two pairs of capris I brought with a polo or one of about 5 semi-nice shirts I brought. There's one dress I save for special occasions, and I did bring one pair of jeans. But it's definitely not my typical attire!
No makeup. Which is really not a dramatic change, as that was the norm for me about 2 years ago. But I suppose I had grown used to wearing makeup over the last couple years. The fact that my face is oily and sweaty about 23.5 hours a day has brought some acne back like it's 1999 again, but it's all good. Perhaps it will help me to relate more to my junior high students :)
Exercise habits. Although I've started to get in some workouts with the basketball team, it is strange to go from being a certified fitness instructor to being a mostly inactive person. I feel my myself getting less strong and out of shape, but I am hoping that basketball will help me to get back in a routine of some kind. Something about always being hot and sweaty just reduces my motivation to do things that will make me more hot and sweaty. But like I said, we'll see if this changes :)
Alright, I think that's a good smattering of things for today! I'll try to take some more pictures soon and give you an idea of "a day in the life of...". Hope you all had a wonderful weekend - thanks for all your encouragement and for taking the time to share in everything I am experiencing here - it means so much to me!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Baller for Life
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but Ann Elizabeth and I are coaching the girls' basketball team at Ricks this year! Those who know me well will undoubtedly furrow an eyebrow or let out a little chuckle upon hearing such a statement. The only "ballin" I've done was a year or two in the ferociously competitive church league and a smattering of intramurals throughout college and grad school. All combined, I've probably made about 5 baskets, and no doubt took the moment to jump up and down and raise a fist in triumph when I did so!
And yet, in addition to becoming Ms. Wegman, I appear to have also become "Coach Wegman." We started conditioning on Monday morning; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we will be working out at 5... wait for it... AM. I'm not really sure when I entered the twilight zone and became a person who goes to bed before 9 PM to get up at 4:45 AM, but it seems that is my life now! The conditioning is definitely the part of coaching where I can take the lead. After being a fitness instructor for the last year, I feel prepared teaching good form in running, push-ups, and sit-ups, and I feel right at home yelling "almost there" and "keep pushing" during our workouts. Despite the absurdly early hour, I really am enjoying the conditioning. And I can do most of the workout with the girls, so I'm finally getting my exercise fix!
Today was our first official afternoon practice. We were supposed to start Monday, but have been rained out each day. The court is outside, and apparently becomes treacherously slippery when wet. But we finally started some real basketball today! Ann Elizabeth heads up the actual basketball parts of practice, as she is a much more legit "baller" than I am or will ever be. We did some passing drills and some shooting - just sticking to the basics!
This is the third year of the team's existence. The first year most had never played before. Last year they came in second place in their league. This year we're hoping to go all the way!! We have our first tournament coming up sometime in the second week of October... the Super Cup. It's a big deal for the girls, so we're attempting to practice every day (Monday - Friday) between now and the big game. Basically, it's a small tournament with a few other schools, but it means a lot to the team, and is sort of like a pre-season warm-up.
Obviously, we're not just in it for the "W" in the game. We're hoping to really develop some meaningful relationships with these girls. A few are in the 9th grade, but most are senior high (10th - 12th), so they're at an age when we can really develop some solid relationships. We're having a party for them on Friday, just watching the movie "Love and Basketball" together and getting some snacks. But the girls were SO, SO excited when we told them about it today - they literally ran around the court whooping and hollering. It was pretty awesome. We are excited to get to know them (even though it means MORE names to learn! haha), and to share many fun experiences over the next year.
Oh, and one of the girls always comes to play in a black shirt she wrote on with white puffy paint; it reads, "Baller for Life." Clearly, it inspired me :)
And yet, in addition to becoming Ms. Wegman, I appear to have also become "Coach Wegman." We started conditioning on Monday morning; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we will be working out at 5... wait for it... AM. I'm not really sure when I entered the twilight zone and became a person who goes to bed before 9 PM to get up at 4:45 AM, but it seems that is my life now! The conditioning is definitely the part of coaching where I can take the lead. After being a fitness instructor for the last year, I feel prepared teaching good form in running, push-ups, and sit-ups, and I feel right at home yelling "almost there" and "keep pushing" during our workouts. Despite the absurdly early hour, I really am enjoying the conditioning. And I can do most of the workout with the girls, so I'm finally getting my exercise fix!
Today was our first official afternoon practice. We were supposed to start Monday, but have been rained out each day. The court is outside, and apparently becomes treacherously slippery when wet. But we finally started some real basketball today! Ann Elizabeth heads up the actual basketball parts of practice, as she is a much more legit "baller" than I am or will ever be. We did some passing drills and some shooting - just sticking to the basics!
This is the third year of the team's existence. The first year most had never played before. Last year they came in second place in their league. This year we're hoping to go all the way!! We have our first tournament coming up sometime in the second week of October... the Super Cup. It's a big deal for the girls, so we're attempting to practice every day (Monday - Friday) between now and the big game. Basically, it's a small tournament with a few other schools, but it means a lot to the team, and is sort of like a pre-season warm-up.
Obviously, we're not just in it for the "W" in the game. We're hoping to really develop some meaningful relationships with these girls. A few are in the 9th grade, but most are senior high (10th - 12th), so they're at an age when we can really develop some solid relationships. We're having a party for them on Friday, just watching the movie "Love and Basketball" together and getting some snacks. But the girls were SO, SO excited when we told them about it today - they literally ran around the court whooping and hollering. It was pretty awesome. We are excited to get to know them (even though it means MORE names to learn! haha), and to share many fun experiences over the next year.
Oh, and one of the girls always comes to play in a black shirt she wrote on with white puffy paint; it reads, "Baller for Life." Clearly, it inspired me :)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hang On, Let Me Get My Mean Face Out...
Today I had to do what I imagine no teacher ever really wants to do... send 5 students to the principal's office. While grading my Bible assignment yesterday, I noticed that I had 3 "sets" of answers. Now, Bible homework is not hard. I ask the students to write one paragraph (at least 4 complete sentences) about a given topic. The present item asked them to write about how they respond to the knowledge that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. How does it change you life to know that God made you special, and loves you just the way you are? Suspicisouly, there were three sets of copies (i.e., 6 students, but only 3 different answers among them). The dead give-away was when two "different peoples'" assignments were done in the exact same handwriting and handed in together. Not good.
Ricks has a very strict honor code, and cheating is grounds for immediate expulsion. I knew my students did not deserve to be expelled, but I knew they must face consequences. I also knew that Olu know when to grant grace to the students. Had this been an exam, they would have been expelled; but for homework... well, expulsion would have been a bit severe. So my students marched straight from class this morning (yes, first period on Monday... ouch!) to the principal's office. Their parents will be called, they will all receive a zero on the assignment, and there will be some other to be determined punishment.
As I'm sure most teachers feel at this point, I am more disappointed than anything. It's an easy assignment, and probably takes just as long to copy someone else's as to do your own. I'm certainly glad the students won't be expelled, and I'm fairly certain no one else in the class will try to copy (especially after a word from Olu with all the "caught" students standing beside him). I had one student raise his hand after they were sent to the principal and ask me, "Can't you just forgive them?" After my heart broke just a little, I told him of course I could, and that as people I did forgive them; however, as my students, there must be consequences for their wrong-doings. I just hope to continue to build relationships with my students, especially the 5 who were punished, despite and maybe even because of these events.
Ricks has a very strict honor code, and cheating is grounds for immediate expulsion. I knew my students did not deserve to be expelled, but I knew they must face consequences. I also knew that Olu know when to grant grace to the students. Had this been an exam, they would have been expelled; but for homework... well, expulsion would have been a bit severe. So my students marched straight from class this morning (yes, first period on Monday... ouch!) to the principal's office. Their parents will be called, they will all receive a zero on the assignment, and there will be some other to be determined punishment.
As I'm sure most teachers feel at this point, I am more disappointed than anything. It's an easy assignment, and probably takes just as long to copy someone else's as to do your own. I'm certainly glad the students won't be expelled, and I'm fairly certain no one else in the class will try to copy (especially after a word from Olu with all the "caught" students standing beside him). I had one student raise his hand after they were sent to the principal and ask me, "Can't you just forgive them?" After my heart broke just a little, I told him of course I could, and that as people I did forgive them; however, as my students, there must be consequences for their wrong-doings. I just hope to continue to build relationships with my students, especially the 5 who were punished, despite and maybe even because of these events.
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