Kids all around today! What fun! Right now, most of the kids are surrounding me. Almost. Getting ready to start a movie now...
So this morning escaped me, as far as getting phone calls. I ended up going shopping and then the space shuttle blew up. So things were a bit crazy! People were also on the phone most of the morning.
Anyway, feel free to call me Sunday morning until about noon or Sunday evening. I left my phone at home and won't be taking it with me, but made the mistake of not getting the numbers off it first. So I don't have many people's phone numbers!!
But hopefully I get to talk with a few people before I go. Tuesday night might also be good, since most of the orientation group will be gone by then.
Saturday, February 01, 2003
Friday, January 31, 2003
So I've been trying to think about my feelings -- about going to Egypt, now that my flight is 4 days away and also about leaving.
A wise friend told me recently that it's easier to be the one leaving than it is to be those left behind. I'm still processing this statement, but when I shared it with the other volunteers in my orientation group, they seemed to agree.
Last week, I cried when 2 people from my orientation group left to go home. These weren't people that I got really close to, but they were the people who shared of themselves and really brought something unique to the group. One young woman was always smiling, joking, talking about her husband, how happy she was, etc. She felt like a sister, the way we goofed around. This young guy Will was a punk. Literally. He's into the music scene, the hair, and everything. But here's doing amazing work with kids in North Carolina. Kids in leather, kids with piercings, kids who don't have enough people to care about them and care for them.
I feel a sense of loss in being separated from these people who I knew for just a few days...
Think how I must feel about leaving those of you who are reading this...
A wise friend told me recently that it's easier to be the one leaving than it is to be those left behind. I'm still processing this statement, but when I shared it with the other volunteers in my orientation group, they seemed to agree.
Last week, I cried when 2 people from my orientation group left to go home. These weren't people that I got really close to, but they were the people who shared of themselves and really brought something unique to the group. One young woman was always smiling, joking, talking about her husband, how happy she was, etc. She felt like a sister, the way we goofed around. This young guy Will was a punk. Literally. He's into the music scene, the hair, and everything. But here's doing amazing work with kids in North Carolina. Kids in leather, kids with piercings, kids who don't have enough people to care about them and care for them.
I feel a sense of loss in being separated from these people who I knew for just a few days...
Think how I must feel about leaving those of you who are reading this...
Hiya...
Friday morning here. Not really much going on. Lots of people are gone for good, or leaving for the weekend. Today is also a quiet day with just some tours of the facilities around here and nothing with the "heavy topics" that we've been having lately. Sexism, racism, finance, and culture in the past 2 days has been pretty intense!
It looks like a bunch of us are getting together to cook on Sunday evening and before that, I'l be going to a birthday party for Carmen, the other English teacher going to Egypt. Tonight we're going to dinner at the home of our new Country Representatives (CR's) who will join us in Egypt this June. We have been emailing the current CR's, but it's good to get to know these folks too.
Saturday looks free. Still trying to figure out what's going on there.
But if anyone wants to reach me by phone this weekend, call:
717-859-1152 x104
I think it goes to a voice system when you first dial the number and then you do the extension when prompted. This will ring at the house where I'm staying, then if anyone is around, they'll answer and take a message. As of now, Saturday morning is probably the best time to try. 9-11:30 or so. I think that I'll try to have a nice, quiet morning...
Well, our first session is about to begin.
Thursday, January 30, 2003
Culture shock! That's what we've been talking about today. This morning, it was the ways we've dealt with it before and now this afternoon we're going to get some strategies for coping I guess.
Next Monday we have a talent show. I'm having trouble thinking of things that I should do. Any ideas? I guess I could write some poems this weekend... Other suggestions?
I was just in a snowball fight. It was with this guy Roger and 2 of his young sons. Roger was born in India, but was in Laos the past 3 years. Before that, he was in California. So, the boys are having so much fun in the snow! There are now a few inches of snow on the ground and it's above freezing today. Perfect for having lots of packable snow!
Hmmm...4 minutes until the next session.
I haven't really been writing much about my feelings here, have I? Mostly just things that have been going on, eh? I guess I should get some thoughts together and write something meaningful here in the next few days.
Next Monday we have a talent show. I'm having trouble thinking of things that I should do. Any ideas? I guess I could write some poems this weekend... Other suggestions?
I was just in a snowball fight. It was with this guy Roger and 2 of his young sons. Roger was born in India, but was in Laos the past 3 years. Before that, he was in California. So, the boys are having so much fun in the snow! There are now a few inches of snow on the ground and it's above freezing today. Perfect for having lots of packable snow!
Hmmm...4 minutes until the next session.
I haven't really been writing much about my feelings here, have I? Mostly just things that have been going on, eh? I guess I should get some thoughts together and write something meaningful here in the next few days.
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
More acronym help:
CELTA is a certification course I'll be taking at some point. I'm not actually sure what it stands for and I don't have the time to look it up right now. Essentially, it's through Cambridge University but I will take the course in Egypt. It's intensive preparation for teaching English as a Second Language.
More tomorrow, hopefully. Off to dinner now!
CELTA is a certification course I'll be taking at some point. I'm not actually sure what it stands for and I don't have the time to look it up right now. Essentially, it's through Cambridge University but I will take the course in Egypt. It's intensive preparation for teaching English as a Second Language.
More tomorrow, hopefully. Off to dinner now!
Sunday, January 26, 2003
About Saturday and Sunday:
This weekend has been somewhat busy but unstructured. We had a definite break from our learning activities and had more "free time". Saturday we took short trips to a chocolate museum and store plus "Ten Thousand Villages". That's a business connected with my volunteer organization that pays fair labor prices in foreign countries for goods, imports them, and sells them here. The big store is here, but they have them in other states, too.
Last night, we all (30+) of us had dinner at an Amish house. Very intersting to hear stories and do questions/answers.
Sunday morning/afternoon, I was with my aunt, uncle, and their 3 boys. Fun to be with them for church and then for lunch and birthday cake! *grin* This evening, I watched the beginning of the Super Bowl, then most of the orientation group went to a reception at the home of the president (?) of MCC and his wife. They like to have the orienation groups in so they can meet everyone and talk with them. This guy is named Ron Mathies and he is notorious for remembering the name of everyone he meets. Even if he doesn't see any of us again for 10 years, he will remember our name!
Wow! It snowed a few inches here today. Very cool for the 4 little boys who were born in Long Beach, spent their last 3 years in Laos, and now are heading to Bangladesh!
This weekend has been somewhat busy but unstructured. We had a definite break from our learning activities and had more "free time". Saturday we took short trips to a chocolate museum and store plus "Ten Thousand Villages". That's a business connected with my volunteer organization that pays fair labor prices in foreign countries for goods, imports them, and sells them here. The big store is here, but they have them in other states, too.
Last night, we all (30+) of us had dinner at an Amish house. Very intersting to hear stories and do questions/answers.
Sunday morning/afternoon, I was with my aunt, uncle, and their 3 boys. Fun to be with them for church and then for lunch and birthday cake! *grin* This evening, I watched the beginning of the Super Bowl, then most of the orientation group went to a reception at the home of the president (?) of MCC and his wife. They like to have the orienation groups in so they can meet everyone and talk with them. This guy is named Ron Mathies and he is notorious for remembering the name of everyone he meets. Even if he doesn't see any of us again for 10 years, he will remember our name!
Wow! It snowed a few inches here today. Very cool for the 4 little boys who were born in Long Beach, spent their last 3 years in Laos, and now are heading to Bangladesh!
So I just received this email from the "country representatives" in Egypt. They're the closest thing I'll have to supervisors while I'm there. It pretty well describes what is in store for me once I get there, so I'll just past it here.
Some acronym help -- "MCC" stands for "Mennonite Central Committee". That's the organization I am volunteering with.
Oh... and "Tanta" is a city in Egypt. It's the 5th largest in terms of population and is about 1 1/2 hours away from both Cairo and Alexandria.
------------------------------
It is still our plan "A" for you to go to Tanta. Their English program
has been dormant. In our most recent meetings there it was decided to
wait until summer to start it up again with a bang. In Spring it might
just limp along because so many of the potential students are university
students and the period between Easter and university final exams is
not long enough to have a full session. Though everyone that we have
spoken to is very enthusiastic about your coming, words will have to be
accompanied by actions and between now and the summer the church in Tanta
will either demonstrate or not that it really wants to have an English
program. They would of course love you (and MCC) to come and take
charge, but we have learned from experience that that is not the best
situation. The program has to really belong to the church (albeit with us
supplying an extremely important piece, a full time native speaking
foreign teacher). We are optimistic that things are coming together. If not,
there are programs in Cairo that would like to have you help them.
So, even if the February CELTA is a go, the current plan would be for
you to remain in Cairo for about three months after that. We would want
you to teach EFL part time in a Cairo program and give a major emphasis
to learning Arabic.
If there is not an immediate CELTA (or similar) training opportunity,
we would ask our current MCC teachers in Cairo to put together some
training for you. There would be a mix of observation and practice. That
might sound scary but do know that in the past many MCC EFL teachers have
started cold (but alone with a "full" load!) and only later picked up
the CELTA to help them round out their skills. It isn't easy but I think
you might be surprised at how well it would go. Of course it is even
more ideal for the CELTA to happen first and that is still our hope.
Some acronym help -- "MCC" stands for "Mennonite Central Committee". That's the organization I am volunteering with.
Oh... and "Tanta" is a city in Egypt. It's the 5th largest in terms of population and is about 1 1/2 hours away from both Cairo and Alexandria.
------------------------------
It is still our plan "A" for you to go to Tanta. Their English program
has been dormant. In our most recent meetings there it was decided to
wait until summer to start it up again with a bang. In Spring it might
just limp along because so many of the potential students are university
students and the period between Easter and university final exams is
not long enough to have a full session. Though everyone that we have
spoken to is very enthusiastic about your coming, words will have to be
accompanied by actions and between now and the summer the church in Tanta
will either demonstrate or not that it really wants to have an English
program. They would of course love you (and MCC) to come and take
charge, but we have learned from experience that that is not the best
situation. The program has to really belong to the church (albeit with us
supplying an extremely important piece, a full time native speaking
foreign teacher). We are optimistic that things are coming together. If not,
there are programs in Cairo that would like to have you help them.
So, even if the February CELTA is a go, the current plan would be for
you to remain in Cairo for about three months after that. We would want
you to teach EFL part time in a Cairo program and give a major emphasis
to learning Arabic.
If there is not an immediate CELTA (or similar) training opportunity,
we would ask our current MCC teachers in Cairo to put together some
training for you. There would be a mix of observation and practice. That
might sound scary but do know that in the past many MCC EFL teachers have
started cold (but alone with a "full" load!) and only later picked up
the CELTA to help them round out their skills. It isn't easy but I think
you might be surprised at how well it would go. Of course it is even
more ideal for the CELTA to happen first and that is still our hope.
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