The Glass is Half Full

So now comes the time to test all the skills that we were supposed to be developing during our PST. Model school starts next week and this week we watched Burkinabe teach a class then PCVFs teach a class. Becky is teaching 6eme algebra, which is equivalent to 6 th grade math. She has a class of about 30. I am teaching intro to computers and have 14 in my class. Taking attendance is going to be a treat trying to pronounce the students names. Trying to come up with a lesson plan is also hard because I don't know where to start teaching kids how to use a computer. Some of the stories that the other teachers have are pretty funny. And I have to team teach an advanced course for people who already have some experience with computers. Advanced is a very general term though cause the test that we gave to check for basic knowledge would usually only take about 5 minutes for me to do took the better part of 45 for them if they were able to do all the tasks. The lab that we are using is a piece of junk. We went in on Saturday to try and get it running a little better but that didn't work at all. There are 12 computers of which 9 are functional if slow, 2 more take over a half hour to boot, and 1 that makes for a large paper weight. Next week though we are changing labs and the new one is supposed to be pretty nice with 20 machines.

Becky's chef de class is probably close to 16 and she had already seen a kid kicked out of class in just the second day for falling asleep in class. Speaking of sleep the Burkinabe can sleep anywhere. I saw a lady sleeping on the ground using a wooden foot stool as a pillow. When we go shopping it isn't unusual to find the vendors asleep in their stalls. Eating lunch the other day there were a couple of women sleeping on broken concrete and gravel under a hanger. I don't know how that could be comfortable, but it is to them.

REFLECTIONS AT MID-STAGE

Language—We both feel very strongly about French as a language. As of this moment, I can understand why the French have never succeeded in winning a war, everything sounds the same. I have asked my LCF (Language & Culture Facilitator) how people can understand what is being said when a conjugated verb is pronounced the same exact way. Not to mention the fact that he is pronounced the same way as they/them. The only answer I have gotten thus far is that you can tell by context. My feelings on this answer is a rather naughty response. We only hope in time that we will be able to tell the difference. On the flip-side, we both are in love with Mooré. This is one of the oddest sounding languages I have heard. The grammar is wonderful and easy. I will admit that the nasal vowels are extremely difficult to pronounce. Tim loves to make fun of me because I have to scrunch my nose to get a nasal sound.--Side note- Coming back to our families house one day this week, there was little girl probably 5ish standing outside of the courtyard gate. She pointed at us and said “Nasaare.” I decided to give my Mooré a try and so I greeted her with “Ne y zaabre.” The little girl stared me down for a few seconds and then proceeded to cry and run away. Tim and I have decided that if this is how all kids here react to us speaking Mooré we will greet them all the time in Mooré.

Food—The food in Burkina Faso is very palatable. However, there are only three choices: carbs, mystery meat with bone fragments, and mango or banana. So those of you who are on the Atkin's Diet, don't even think about stepping foot in Africa. Becky has lost over 22lbs, but now has a belly due to the excessive carbs. Tim has lost close 25lbs with no gain in belly jiggle ability. The food in Ouaga is excluded from the previous statement due to the fact that you can get anything in Ouaga as long as you are willing to pay the price.

Weather—Its hotter than Hades!!!!!!!!

People—They are very friendly here and always willing to help you, even if you don't want their help. I will say that the vendors do have a little bit of a pouting problem. Side note—The vendors here due not believe that white people should get to pay the actual retail price. Today Tim and I badgered a vendor into selling us a power strip for half his asking price and telling him we could buy the same one at another boutique for less when he wouldn't lower the price. The vendor was quite putout with us because he didn't make a huge profit. I also think we made his brain hurt with our poor skills. Then again we got exactly what we wanted at the price we wanted :)

Country—Its hot here! Otherwise the landscapes are gorgeous. So is the sky for that matter. I have never seen so many stars in my life. You would not believe how big Orion is here in the night sky. He is probably 2-3 times as big as he is in Illinois. We love to just sit outside and gaze at the stars. This country is very dusty. If you do not care for the color “African Red” then don't come here. Inevitably, everything you own and your feet with be some shade of this color no matter what you what you do.

P.S. Sorry for any confusion on the timing of this post. We wrote this post on Sunday, but due to the rain we had to delay putting it up on the blog.

So the first two days of model school are done :) Thank god too! I was so nervous about teaching in a language that I don't fully understand. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback though! Today, David, a PCVF told me that once I master French I'll be a kick-ass teacher. I am having a little trouble with one or two students not standing up when I enter the class so tomorrow, I am going to make them stand for the entire class if they do it again. I know mean teacher, but they have to learn to respect me even if I am a white woman teaching them.

Oh I am also feeling a million times better! Thanks for all the get wells.

Love
Becky and Tim