Babies!

Well, there goes another term and another term break. And here I am, with only eight months left in the village-- two school terms. I've been busy running around having too much fun. Mom and Meaghan came in July and we had a great time in the village, camping, hitching, and visiting Victoria Falls.



When I got back from vacation, I was welcomed by a new baby sister! Loveness Sampa was born on Saturday July 21--- the sixth girl of seven in the Sampa family.

My co-teacher also just had a baby girl and my GLOW teacher also just had a baby girl. I am thinking I can make a mini- GLOW club of under-one's.

I'm quite sure that my family's decision to expand is motivated by the hope of another boy to take up the family name. Gender balance is important here. Another important factor in the family structure is birth order. The most popular getting-to-know-you phrases seems to always be "what number in your family are you?" One always seems to get a nod of approval if you respond "first born."  They usually ask me how many boys, girls, and in what order. If my birth order matches up with their birth order-- we automatically have something awesome in common and we're best friends because Hey! We're second-borns!

Also, parents are selective with what name they give their first born.  By giving their child a name, they are also actually giving themselves a new name as parents. Once a mother gives birth to her first child---for example; her first child is named Chanda---- she is then referred to as mother-of-Chanda, (in Bemba Bana Chanda). Father-of-Chanda; BaciChanda. This is a Bemba thing and most Bembas have an English name which they use more formally and at school. Their Bemba name is primarily used at home and it usually one of the following; Mulenga, Chanda, Bwalya, Musonda, Mutale, Mwansa, Chilufya. My host sister, who was born first in her family has the Bemba name of Mutale but her English name is Prisca. Her mother calls her Mutale but her in school she writes Prisca on the top of her homework. Her mothers name is Matildah- but we call her BanaMutale and her father is Lesho but we call him BaciMutale. Get it?

So the actual nine months of Matildah's pregnancy with Loveness (Bemba name-Chanda) wasn't anything out of the ordinary, at least on the outside. She worked just as hard, carrying firewood on her head, harvesting groundnuts, maize, cassava. Bathing all of her kids, cooking for her family. And as she got bigger, she simply added more layers; three or four citenge now wrapped around her. And the alarming concept about pregnancy here is that nobody talks about it. Call it juju (withcraft), call it jealousy, or call it high infant mortality rate. But we don't talk about the big obvious belly in the room.

And because of all this, I had no idea my host mother was pregnant until the last two weeks before she had her baby.

But anyways, Loveness is here and she is beautiful! We call her Love for short. A little peanut...Groundnut! She just rests gently on the back of all my host sisters, wrapped in piles of blankets and citenge. She sleeps and cries, and we sing "all you need is Love." Esther is a pro at the "do do do do do do" part.

She is just like every baby brought fresh into the world. A canvas, clean of decisions, experiences, emotion, impurities. A little armful of life just waiting to unfold. She'll spend most of her three years perched in a citenge on her mother's back. She'll go to the fields, cook over the brazier, be carried to church- all before she will walk. Then she'll teeter around on the uneven earth, falling and tumbling and roughing up her skin. Reaching for a stick or a finger or a piece of charcoal to put in her mouth. Here there are no pacifiers, no soft toys, no playpens, no baby shoes. The motor skills are neglected and development relies on their limited environment. But they are preparing for the lifestyle they will soon walk and talk in.

I observe Trust, my 2 year old neighbor who has learned how to walk and talk in the same amount of time I've learned how to work and develop and adapt. I actually feel I can relate to him and the baby steps we take as we walk toward success. I am no different from him in some ways. When I arrived he was scarred of me, would scream when he saw me. But as the months went by he took his chances, started crawling, laughing, talking, growing. When I arrived I was just as scared, and have grown just as much.

The coolest part about Trust is how he's started to sit out simple English phrases at the same pace he's learning Bemba. Okay, he's learning Bemba faster but all these words only recently started coming out. And it's so cool! He'll say Muli Shani? But he'll also respond when I ask him "how are you?"

Anyways, I think babies are pretty cool . I'm already jealous of my replacement volunteers who gets to watch Loveness grown up. I wonder what her life will be like 20 years from now.




Hey so check out some pictures from the Linehan girl power vacation at http://s1134.photobucket.com/albums/m603/slinehan7/4th%20wallet%20vacation/#!cpZZ26QQtppZZ16


Only one camera survived the trip but the pictures are still pretty good! Also, here are some pictures of all the babies!!! babies!!


Also are some pictures of the preschool project. For those of you who aren't aware, my preschool is currently held in a large open insaka (like a gazebo). With the generosity of some of the lovely folks in America, several unexpected donations have allowed us to build a real building! Where we can store our teaching materials, hang up posters without them getting blown away, and upgrade from the dirt floor. We've also been blessed with books, toys, and learning materials from family and friends back home. What a special thing you've all done for us. I will keep you updated at the project progresses. Right now-- the parents have molded the bricks, cleared a plot of land, and dug a foundation. Our hopes are that the building will be up and ready before the rains come. And learning will start inside the building itself ASAP.

Prisca and baby Love

All you need is LOVE

                             

Our dog, Jungle

THis is what happens when you give kids stickers

                                    and baby chickens too!

sticker masks

Bamayoo's carrying the bricks that have been burned for preschool construction

Burn season. A not-so-effective method of setting fields of fire to clear for planting season.

Using tree branches to put out fires

Madam Nsofu and baby Judy

My old co teacher, Sharon and her newborn Judy

Carrying water from the river to make bricks with

thinking about critical thinking...

I recently went to my midterm conference in Lusaka where I was able to see my intake for the first time since August. It was good to see the old gang --a lot has happened to us individually and as a whole over the past eight months. Many ups and downs, issues in the village, progress in our schools... we've come a long way. Now, with tougher skin and having had grown in so many different ways we are second-years! Yet nothing has changed. Still playing our same undercover games during mandatory training sessions, still have that family like bond and still supporting each other regarding our position as a change agent in our communities.



One thing we talked about was critical thinking. We dissected this topic in every which way in order to analyze how to implement it more into our roles in the schools.


Critical thinking: being able to look at a problem and figuring out how to solve it. It's the question "why." It's drawing conclusions by recalling information or experience from different topics and figuring out how they work together. It's how you learned in grade school. It's a "question of the day," comparing/contrasting, brainstorming. It's planning your future, it's mapping out a route when you are lost, and it's used in our every day lives.


Yet in Zambia, or in the Zambian classroom, it's hard to find. Sometimes it is not used at all. For example, in a Civics class, pupils learn about human rights. I found this to be a popular topic. ANd it seems to me that the teacher could pull information from history class, teach on human rights from the civics perspective, and have pupils use the information to evaluate how human rights may effect them through a writing assignment. But in Zambia, it's like this: a teacher writes the notes on the board and the pupils copy, memorize, memorize, memorize, write word for word on their test paper, and then wipe that information from their mind, This isn't news and I think I've shared this before. But this term I am solo teaching English for grade eight and it is so hard to explain new ways of giving "exercises" without my co teacher here to say "okay kids, you are not going to do the same old questions from the book, Madam Shannon has something weird and different for you today." If I write a question starting with "In your own words..." they are unsure about how they are supposed to answer. After all, where is "their own words" in their notes? If it's not something that they can't put on paper using your photographic memory, they get confused. For reading comprehension I taught who, what, where, when, why, how. The first four are easy to scan through and spot and write down, But the "why?" and the "how?" No, it is not spelled out in the passage .



Why is critical thinking not emphasized? This is what set off a hefty discussion at our midterms. For one, it's the Zambian culture. There is less validity put on what our children think or say. The elders are often relied on for the answer, and believe me, even if the elders are grabbing the answer out of thin air (or hot and humid rainy season air), they are always considered right and it is rude to question them. It is also rude to question the teacher (you may get punished) and it's better to just say "Yes, Madam I understand" than to speak out and ask "Why?" because then your friends may laugh at you because it means you are the only one who does not get it. It's that fear of standing out, challenging something to create an answer or idea, and the safety of having one clear cut answer that matches one clear cut question. As if information is not presented as a puzzle piece, but rather a card in a memory game.



It's also the infrastructure in our classrooms. It is noisy and difficult to set up a debate or an open discussion 1) because it would mean to break the mold and for a teacher that can be scare and new and 2) with one hundred pupils it will be a bit chaotic (at first) to organize themselves and get over the excitement of a fun active exercise



Lack of critical thinking skills emphasized in middle childhood can influence a person forever. I recognize it in my staff room. Grown educated individuals who have gone through the same basic schools that they are teaching at now, cannot comprehend creating a lesson plan without a teacher's manual, page number, etc. etc. Yes, a teacher's manual is important and useful. But I was recently going through the syllabus with my co-teacher (who left already) and pointing out concepts that we should use in our lessons but tailor them more toward the actual level of our pupils, And she kept focusing on --where in the teacher's manual was the step by step lesson for such a proposal? I explained that there isn't one written out but we can go through the book to guide us and come up with a plan on our own . The teacher's manual bases it's lessons with the presumption that the grade 8 pupils are actually at the grade 8 level. And in our rural villages that simply is not the case. And it would do no good to assume so because then these lesson would be completely over their head, so Hey! Let's be creative. Let's make a class exercise of our own.
Teacher: "But there are no written out exercises for the lesson you have in mind"
Me:  "So- we'll make exercises up."
 ...... total confusion.



That's the difference between Zambian and American education system. Here I am sitting with a woman who went to college for teaching. Yet never gained the critical thinking skills that would make her teaching much more effective. And I, obtaining nothing of a teaching degree and being able to see that structuring a lesson plan based on observations of pupils' performance and a few different sources is much more effective. The reason being these skills need to be taught at middle childhood... it's needs to be part of your immediate thinking pattern. And that is the way that I learned at Apalachian elementary. Doing a science project, creative writing, Math puzzles.



Critical thinking goes a long, long way. It's 2012 and I think Zambia's old-school, black and white culture is adapting to the changing world. It's not everywhere, but I can see bits of it panono panono (slowly but surely). People are starting to take in information as a puzzle piece rather than a memory game. People are starting to question why. I know this from listening to the radio, listening to my head teacher, spending time with my girl's club, witnessing the change of government. People are opening up their minds and asking, questioning, challenging, rising up against corruption, standing up for their rights, demanding change, creating change, and fostering confidence. This is what it takes to develop a country. And it starts in the classroom.

In my Play Therapy internship we were taught not to ask questions with our clients (children) or to give praise. But to reflect, reflect, reflect. Instead of "Oh that's a beautiful picture" we would say: "You are spending a lot of time and using a lot of red in that picture," basically acknowledging what they are doing with the intention of prompting them to question themselves. This method of getting children to speak up and say: "Yea, I did a good job. Look- I used a lot of red because it's the color of my dress today" builds self-awareness and gets those wheels turning. But it requires patience, trial/error, and time. Lots of times I'll have my kids coloring in my Insaka and the older sister or brother may point out to her younger sister "Dogs are not red, your picture is wrong," and the small child will believe it and scribble it all out.



The truth is kids HAVE critical thinking skills . But they feel most comfortable with them outside of the classroom. I mean they'll dig through my garbage pit and find whatever they need to make a toy car, or they will compile a handful of D sized batteries and a bungee and some wire to get a tiny bulb- the size of a pea- to provide light at night.

I am trying my best to promote these skills in the classroom and the staff room. I've had the most success in my GLOW club. For example, I gave them a scenario of a teenage girl with a bright future, a boyfriend, high grades, etc. etc. The club members had to decide the future of this girl; what sort of decisions does she make with her boyfriend, what sort of friends does she hang out with, does she go to university? etc. etc. etc. And then I had them apply the same exercise to their own lives; where will they end up? How will they get there?

It's a slow process but if I can just work on that one concept in all my programs for the rest of my service I'll be happy.









Check out some snakes!

They are dead FYI. Found on my neighbors compound

GLOW club making friendship bracelets

Maayo's getting water to make bricks for the new preschool

YOu can carry just about anything on your head

Cinco Bamaayo!

Host mother. Ba Sylvia

THe new puppy--- Obama

Preschool! I gave them stickers and they all put them on their head

My new tattoo. It is the symbolic bemba crocodile with my given village name- Mulenga, which means the creative one.

Every Child Deserves a 5th Birthday

World Malaria Day is April 25. 

FYI: 

Malaria is one of the top reason children do not reach their 5th birthday.

Over 90% of all deaths from Malaria occur in  Sub-Sahara African countries.

It is estimated that less than 5% of children in sub-Saharan Africa currently sleep under any type of insecticide-treated net.

There are an estimated 247 million cases of malaria each year.

Malaria costs an estimated $12 billion in lost productivity in Africa.

When insecticide-treated nets are used properly by three-quarters of the people in a community, malaria transmission is cut by 50%, child deaths are cut by 20%, and the mosquito population drops by as much as 90%.

As a Peace Corps Volunteer in a Sub-Saharan African country, I see malaria  everywhere. It's in my village, it's in  Peace Corps culture, it's at the clinic, it's in my preschool class, and it's discussed at my dinner table.

Malaria is a blood infection caused by a parasite spread from one human to another through the bite of an anopheles female mosquito. If it is not treated, malaria can progressively worsen from the simplest of symptoms to coma, or even death. One of the first signs we are always aware of is symptoms that come in waves. For example having a headache last night, but in the morning feeling fine, and then having a headache again in the afternoon. This is a red flag of malaria. Malaria is a preventable disease. Sleeping under a treated mosquito net, wearing long clothing at night, taking a malaria prophylaxis, and spraying with insecticide are key regiments that should be followed in Malaria prevalent areas. 

My experience with malaria: Throughout this past year I've gotten to know Malaria and it's quirks and buttons pretty well. I've been on one form of another of prophylaxis (currently on Malarone) that I take every single day to prevent the parasite from multiplying inside of me. I have have been a lucky volunteer in that I have not fallen ill with Malaria. I have known several volunteers who have gotten sick in varying degrees. Some just had flu-like symptoms, some felt dizzy and exhausted with severe bouts of vomiting. You discover malaria when you give yourself a finger-prick test to see if the parasite is in your blood. If your results are positive you will have to take Coartem. In my village, I have seen people of all ages fall victim to malaria. I have seen elderly women laying on their front lawn wrapped entirely in chitenge  rocking back in forth with high fevers and piercing headaches. I have seen children vomiting outside of the classroom block with zombie eyes. "Go home, you have malaria," is a common sentence used at school. The clinics here have free malaria test kits and free Coartem. The problem is that people do not always go to the clinic because they lack the strength to walk to kilometer and a half. Some just don't understand that malaria does not simply go away on it's own. You can't just sweat it out. Especially if you are a child under 5 years of age. 

On a larger scale, Malaria- being the number one killer in Zambia does not get nearly the same amount of attention as HIV from a political standpoint. There is so much publicity about HIV on the radio, in the classroom, and from Peace Corps. More of a worldly pandemic than Malaria, HIV definitely requires more education and de-stigmatization (I have had real conversations with fairly educated Zambians whose opinions were that HIV came straight from the devil himself and those who are walking around with HIV should strictly be avoided by the "normal population"), and effects more people worldwide than Malaria. Yet Malaria- the number one killer- is not incorporated in classroom lessons or featured in radio shows. Most likely it's because of outside donors, NGOs, foreign aid that comes from countries where Malaria is not an important issue. Not many American know about Malaria or how deadly it can be. So please, share this information I am giving you so that more Americans can be educated.

Why do so many people contract malaria? The big reason is the misuse or mosquito nets. Several households have a net. But several houses also have handfuls of children who sleep on the floor, the couch, etc. Also- many nets may have holes, tears, or no more insecticide left on their net. To be completely effective, nets should be hole-free, tucked in, and undamaged. Currently, a number of Peace Corps Volunteers are conducting a 36 month study in partnership with the CDC to assess the quality of mosquito nets in their village which were distributed in 2011 (number of holes, size of tears, etc.) Results of this study will be used by Zambia's National Malaria Control Center to create replacement net plan. 

What can you do?

GO to this link to find out about events and activities. And educate yo mind!!!!

 

That's my food for thought for the day. I am starting my journey towards year two. This time next year I will be done with my service. Wowie how time flies! 

Enjoy some photos!!

 My kid-os: Brighton, Kellysey, Evelyn, Prisca, Cynthia, Grace, Modecai, Justina, Ester

                                                My Gracie

 

Pounding cassava

                                                       Impashi, the most painful ants in the world

                  Cooking fish for our Sunday lunch meetings

 

                                                             Chipolopolo yeahhh

                                                  Saying goodbyes to my best friend before he moves away

 

Just look at this child's hair

 

Jungle, Mukuka, Cynthia

Preschool! Last day

Saying goodbye to some of our volunteers at the close-of-service party

                                                     Kapishya Hot Springs with the No Pro Crew for Easter

12 volunteers, 1 minibus = a very heavy load

                                       



 

                                                       This is Peace Corps

                                                                   Ancient rock paintings

                                                                         cave exploring

                                                            The whole gang

kumbaya

This is Peace Corps

                                                              It's not a Zam trip unless...

thanks to Tony for most of these photos