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!
Friday, October 30, 2009
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#
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