And now that elections have come and gone...

"For the fortunate among us, the fourth danger is comfort, the temptation to follow the easy and familiar paths of personal ambition and financial success so grandly spread before those who have the privilege of education. But that is not the road history has marked out for us.

There is a Chinese curse which says "May he live in interesting times." Like it or not we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. And everyone here will ultimately be judged - will ultimately judge himself - on the effort he has contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which his ideals and goals have shaped that effort."

-Robert Kennedy

The first paragraph explains pretty much exactly why I decided to get on this crazy ride in the first place-- eight months ago. THe second paragraph describes how I feel about my service up to this point, a summation of my thoughts each and every day when I am in the village. Questioning it I am making any sort of difference... and a cocktail of fear, accomplishment, excitement, doubt, and lonliness.

Last week was Zambia's national election. For a young country of 47 years, the majority of Zambia was demanding "change" --- an all too familiar slogan from another election- in another country. THey wanted change from the current ruling party-MMD - who had run the country for the past 5 terms (20 years). For security purposes we were instructed to stay in our villages as the towns and BOMA areas had commotion and small rioting. Everything was fine in the end. The opposition won and the ruling party stepped down peacefully. Horay for a Christian, passive, friendly nation! But of coarse-- there was no learning and no school for the entire week.

Co-teaching is semi-successful. Although exhausting, it pays off when my teacher thanks me for all she has learned and discovered by working together. What I am ultimately woring into each lesson is trying to build up a concept of creativity and critical thinking- I think I have to break down these walls of rote memorization before I try any drastic jeapordy-type review games or colorful acrobatic learner-centered teachin methods--- its way too over thier heads. A success story: in comprehension I have been teaching pupils to try to break apart passages by simply asking the questions Who, What, Where, When, and How. After a few classes...when they realized they have to do a bit more in-depth thinking since Who, What, Where, When and How are not words that are actually spelled out in each passage.. I tried something new. I've got a lot of American newspapers sent from mom. I cut up some articles and brought them to class and had them work in groups and answer the four W's and How regarding the article along with what they learned, and what questions they have regarrding words they didnt understand (they are too embarrassed to ask out loud because the teacher may make fun of them, so by putting it on paper I was able to answer them when correcting). It was a surprisingly smooth lesson because they were genuinly interested, and it wasn't the same boring story from thier text books about "The different types of Teeth in your Mouth," which is actually one of the passages they had to read...twice.

Anyways. Thanks everyone for your continued support. I miss you all more than you know. ANd Owego keep your head up. I heard about all the flooding.... your a strong community with a good support system of families.

until next time... twalamonana!

...And here's my world map progress...

Painting during election week...since there were no classes

My grade nine's!

My senior teacher's wearing thier Patriot Front icitenge's on the day election results were announced. That's the new President Michael Sata that you see on there

Trust, Esther, and Oksillia

And Jessica pushin them around

THe biggest spider I've ever seen. It had hair. And was about to crawl on me before my friend Jenny killed it

A teacher and grade nine pupils painting the whole wide world!

haha soooooo serious

Keeping on

It’s strange getting a new intake in-country. The new fish farming and the new health volunteers are in training now and are already coming out on site visits—events that seems like only days ago for me. I went into Chongwe to visit my host family from Pre-Service Training while I was just in Lusaka for In-service training and I was able to meet the “newbies” at the training center. They were asking all sorts of questions- about language, solar chargers, provinces, everything. And I surprisingly knew all the answers with ease… and I thought- when did this happen? When did I move out of the newbie spot. Anyways- I am not writing about the new volunteers—I am writing about how far I have made it thus far and how awesome it feels to have gotten some momentum going. There are still challenges- I have not really started any work yet and it gets overwhelming going from village to hanging out with a bunch of Americans to going to town where it’s busy to speaking Bemba, English, Bemblish – social confusion overload. Zambians dance around problems… or deal with them through a hierarchy of people. Nothing seems to ever get solved. But I am still taking life here day by day. Thinking about two years is overwhelming. Panono panono (bit by bit).

Anyways- I guess this is a benchmark. I have made it through community entry and I am confident this is where I am supposed to be. I have really become attracted to the Peace Corps philosophy and design. There is much controversy about NGOs and aid programs. Do you ship a bunch of food supplies to Somalia? Do you send a bunch of money to help children you have never met? It’s aid and it’s helpful. A lot of NGOs here in Zambia concentrate on one thing or another while Peace Corps stretches itself (some may say too thin) across the country targeting practically anything across all four sectors (health, agriculture, fish farming, education). And I don’t see anything wrong with focusing on a specific goal for a specific population. But what really works about Peace Corps is we are the only organization in the world that helps the people in the rural areas and are living with them too. I see white people or Asians in Kasama town and they are amazed that I survive in the bush and even know the language. And when the Zambians ask how the hell I know Bemba I have to explain--- it’s because I am living in the rural areas—to help develop your country—because people from the top trying to make changes in Lusaka city are not doing enough—and THAT is why I do not live in Lusaka city or Kasama town with the rest of the Musungus (white people).

So yeah—Peace Corps gets stuff done! It is probably the toughest job in the world. But the coolest too.

And we also have tons of fun when we're together::

 ANd this is at Lake Bangweulu in Samfya, Luapula Province

 

THere was a missionary couple who had a beautiful dog named copper. Fun , playful, healthy, and not scared of humans-- unlike ordinary Zambian dogs. Reminds me of Mac!

community entry completed

If my feet could talk- they would write this entire post. They would tell you how I stepped on a piece of burning coal cooking eggs for breakfast, cut the side of my tow with a "icikwakwa" -- that is a slasher- clearing grass in making a netball grounds, have blisters on my heels from teacher shoes, and have cracked heels from walking around the vill. But they would also tell you how I walked out of my village yesterday having completed my three months of community entry- marking a new phase of PC service. Woot woot!








Things are well- my house is getting ready for an extension while I am at IST in Lusaka. I have completed drawing fyonse ifylao (all the countries) on my world map -- and we are getting ready to paint next term. I am also prepared to tech next term and dive into English and Civics for grade 8 and 9. I've also been attending football games on Sundays- which is an awesome time to watch awesome football and hang out with the community.




I've learned a lot in community entry. As it turns out, most of my observations stem from the interesting dynamics and behaviors of the children here in the village. I can't help but notice how similar they are to American children - yet how polar opposite they are trained by their elders. Families here have an average of six children or more per household. Everything in Zambia is built on a hierarchy. You have to work your way up to the top, and a lot of it has to do with age... and gender. The children, or "iwes"(literally meaning "you" in Bemba but without the added respect --"imwe') are used for fetching water, taking care of the younger siblings, cooking, sweeping, to speak when spoken to, and to listen and respond to whatever the elders have to say. And this becomes particularly a problem at school. In school- the grade 8 and 9 pupils are the respected pupils- with their classrooms in the better block of the school, with their nicer uniforms, and with their authority given to them by the school staff. The younger pupils sweep, water, and are more often than not (certainly more often than grade 8 an 9) cut short of proper education.  They knock off around 10 hours, meaning they get about 2 and a half to 3 hours of learning per day. If there is a teacher absent in grades 1-5, those pupils are sent home or told to do yard work around the school. If there is a teacher absent in grade 8-9, a teacher from grade 1-5 will step in to teach, leaving her class behind. This could have to do with the nationwide tests that are given at the end of term three for the grade 9. But mostly what I've noticed is the is simply no emphasis on lower level learning.

This is such a problem. The pupils learn so little in these lower grades, are pushed through year after year, and by the time they reach grade 8 where they are old enough to get paid some sort of respect and old enough to hold a teacher accountable for their education, and old enough that English is supposed to be used daily, routinely, and consistently- they have no background skills. It sure is hard to teach solving the degrees of certain angles when a pupil does not know his times tables that he was supposed to have been taught years back. And it sure is hard to learn English grammar when a pupil's entire English vocabulary is "Good morning Madam, How are you?" And so it sets lessons back, and puts a whole class of pupils in varying levels of understanding, and makes it harder to teach what need to learn this year, as well as what they were supposed to learn in the past years.

Anyways, we all know the critical period of brain development and how important education is for child development, but it's frustrating to not be able to work effectively with the younger grades because of the complete language barrier. Of coarse, it is impossible to try to change an entire educational system at the hand of one person, or even one organization....but if I can work with one teacher in the co-teaching model, influence the way she teaches, which may influence one of her pupils' learning--- which may influence her to be a teacher-- which will influence the way she teaches- and the cycle goes on- maybe there will be some impact.

Anyways-- Chopwa for a month and some days. After two weeks in Lusaka is to the beach in Luapula and then a PEPFAR (President Bush's Presidents Emergency Action Plan For AIDS Relief) training back here in Kasama. Busy busy. But check out my pictures-- thanks to Abby who kindly uploaded them for me

http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m603/slinehan7/Zambia%20Part%201/

Also-- here's what my world map looks like so far. But you cannot see the pencil lines of all the countries

Pigs that destroy everything

Memory, Ruth, and Helen

 My best village friend Modester and baby!

 Spending the fourth of July at my waterfall with friends

 She's still scared of me

 Dancing

 Eating nshima

 Grade eight pupils helping make bricks for my house

Thanks!!

Thanks to all you wonderful people for you love and messages and pictures. The summer party looked like a success. But no chocolate fountain? What's that all about?

Well- progress is slowly starting to surface. I'm pretty sure I'll be co-teaching English next term for grade eight and nine. I also want to try to start adult literacy (people keep asking). Which will be a task and a half but hopefully at IST training in August I will obtain more guidelines.  I've also-- as a result of simply getting fed up with 3 and 4 year old not talking- have started teaching my small neighbors and family members basic pre-school stuff. I have three books I brought from home (the very hungry caterpillar) and after work I sit in my insaka and teach colors and shapes. And I've showed the older one's how to teach the younger ones. And what do you know- now they are talking. It's much better than sitting and staring. I've also busted out my ipod ( the time has come) and we do dance parties. It's funny- their FAVORITE song is the Obama Song by Michael Franti. They like shouting "YES WE CAN!" so cute. So anyways- I'm thinking of starting a little library in my insaka- easy-to-read books for all ages would be awesome if anyone can manage to send them.

The world map: the background is finished now I'm drawing a huge grid: 2 by 4 meters. I don't think I'll get done by the time community entry is finished but that's okay.

Community entry is only 3 more weeks! Went by so fast. I'm in town now waiting for my supervisor from Lusaka. We are visiting the DEBS office and then she is coming to my site to see the school and my house. Tomorrow I'm facilitating a teacher meeting on corporal punishment. Thursday I'm visiting a small community school I stumbled upon the other day. It's not in my district but very close. And they only have one teacher. Friday I am meeting with a woman's group. This past weekend I was busy. Went to a birthday party for a grade 5 pupil -- she named a pig after me (not sure if that's a good or a bad thing but I think it's pretty cool). Painted the world, and visited the radio station in town (maybe I'll do another DJ show in Africa). This weekend I'm staying in the village because the weekend after that is a concert in town that I want to go to, then the following weekend community entry is done so I am meeting up with my fellow volunteers in Kasama to celebrate our accomplishments, then the weekend after that I leave for IST.

On a random note- because I am sitting here in the internet cafe with Motown Philly blasting- Zambians have a love for a few American things- Obama (you can find more Obama attire here than anywhere else- belts, bags, shirts, sandals, hats), Mariah Carey, and Boys II Men. Some of these songs that I haven't heard in years come on people's ringtones in passing. It makes me smile since I still know all the words!

I am continuing to learn like crazy... mostly through observation and interaction. One of the most frustrating things is the lack of motivation with the teachers. One of the best things is the intense motivation by the pupils. The desire to learn is really something interesting. Even when I get home from school- there are kids waiting in my insaka for help with homework or just to read a book or magazine. It's pretty awesome because it is the one thing that I think will make my job a little easier.

Happy birthday Rachel and Meaghan! Enjoy the rest of summer

Hello from halfway through community entry!

In Kasama this weekend for Provincial meetings in Kasama. There are about 30 volunteers from all four sectors (health, agriculture, fish farming, education) in this province and we had meetings yesterday with updates from headquarters, information on the upcoming election, and specific issues that volunteers wanted to discuss. It went by pretty fast. Tomorrow we are having a special program at the house to celebrate the 50th anniversary of PC.

Things are moving along fast. At school I started teaching. It's been interesting. I like teaching Math for some reason- don't freak out- it's fifth grade so they have no idea how bad I really am in math. But maybe that's why I like it- because I teach it from my perspective- how I've always taught myself Math- a somehow different way from what every teacher has ever taught me. I find myself drawing visuals all over the board- projecting my thought process to forty 9 and 10 year olds. The fifth grade teacher is actually pretty awesome and is the one helping me with the world map. But she went to town yesterday and when teachers are absent classrooms turn into single room jungle gyms. I wasn't doing anything so I stepped in--without a plan or agenda and tackled grade 5- all subjects, all afternoon. I had no idea what I was in for. I felt like those substitute teachers that you know after only five minutes of them in class they have no idea what they're doing. Now I feel bad for all the things I used to get away with when those substitutes taught me as a student. Kids in Zambia are not that different from kids in America when they realize what they can and cannot get away with. Anyways, it was a great lesson about why lesson plans are so important, and I also noted a few things about how I do NOT want teaching to go next term. I played all the substitute teacher game you can think of! Simon says, hangman, head shoulders knees and toes. Though mostly- I taught English because that is what they were most interested in.

I've also started teaching grade 8 and 9 English. It's fun but it's difficult to keep the attention of over 100 pupils when there is limited space, desks, and books. I've been co-planning with the grade 8 an 9 English teacher and I think she is the one I want to work with next term. Although I don't want to make any commitments yet.

With the community I've mostly been surveying people and doing informal needs assessments. However, on Sundays after church- it's an interesting scenario. All the parents meet with their various groups (catholic women's league, women of Christ. UCZ club, Pentecostal association, club for people who go to church, blah blah blah) and I'm usually waiting for my friend Modester to get out of her woman's league club so we can eat lunch together at her house, and the children are usually roaming around and chasing each other with nothing to do while they wait for their parents. Since I refuse to be sucked into a club where they talk about God in Bemba, and gossip about the community- I've started playing games with the kids and doing silly songs (yes- like the tootie ta). Some people have started calling this Sunday School. Not sure if I can commit to a Sunday School program. But it IS what the  community wants and to be honest, what they need (all four churches are in a circle within feet from each other- so you can imagine the number of children between all four churches). It's the only time and place where most of the children from all the villages are together, of all ages.
I've also been helping my deputy head teacher with some papers she is writing for her diploma. By the year 2013 the Ministry of Education is requiring all teachers to have their diploma - a certificate along will no longer suffice. One of her assignments has to do with the theory of evolution. Boy did I have an interesting time trying to explain Darwin (she is the chair for the Catholic woman's league). She was about to go to the library here in Kasama to do research- had no idea all the info was right in her book.

I've also started to hang out at school after hours to work on my world map painting. Some of the grade 8 and 9 pupils also stay after to study on their own for their final national exams. I've been helping them out... I think it might turn into a 'homework club.'

The village life is also going well. I went to a large market the other week and a man gave me free "posters" of American rap artists with Bemba proverbs because he was impressed with my Bemba. I ate rabbit the other day, started to go on runs through the village (although it is nearly impossible when a 'quick run' turns into each neighbor inviting me in for Nshima, giving me huge bags of sweet potatoes, and then two house later I come home with a parade of children running after me-- not as much of a coping mechanism as it was for me in the States). I'm no longer "Musungu" I am "Shannon" or "Mulenga"--my Bemba name (means creator). m The days are getting easier the more time I spend outside of my house. And I'm slowly starting to figure out where I can start

home

family

shower/toilet

house/insaka (kitchen)

neighbors

So I had about twenty more to upload but it takes forever. I think I might burn them to a disk and send then home for Abby or Pat to upload somewhere. miss you all! happy summer party!