End of the first week
Good morning from an overcast Nairobi
Well, I have finished my first week of teaching and I feel exhausted but also very happy!
I had probably the most enjoyable day of teaching on Friday, I decided that Fridays would be sweet day.. so I bought two big bags of lollies and I went through revision of our weeks work in Mathematics for the Standard 5s. The principal has told me a few times that the students are really grasping the concepts I am teaching them in Maths, which is really pleasing. This is also slightly disappointed as they have so much potential and I have to leave on Friday, I really feel like I am abandoning them as we are making some progress.
Anyway, I should have realised that 11 year olds and sugar based lollies just dont mix! Its amazing how much more attentive the students are when there are lollies on offer for getting the right answer. In the end I had the whole class right in front of the blackboard yelling out answers..many were just wild guesses hoping that they were right! :) It was heaps of fun and it showed me how much they have learnt and how much more work they need to do, especially in their free time. (I should add that as soon as you have lollies, word travels very quickly around the school yard as every class I went to wanted to be tested with sweets as the reward) I had to continually explain that Fridays were only 'sweet day'. Hopefully they are this attentive on Monday.. but I think not !
We left the school very satisfied of our first week, it has been tiring and exhausting but totally worthwhile and rewarding. Its amazing you might be in an average mood before you get to class but as soon as you walk into the class the kids just brighten up your day.. (especially mornings, as this is normally not my favourite time of the day)
On Friday night, I did what I think the rest of the world was doing - watching the World Cup.
On Saturday, we went to the local post office to post a box full of gifts back to Australia. This is never an easy job and two hours later it was posted.. lets just hope that it actually arrives!
In the afternoon, I went to the Masai market in town which is full of bargins. Like any markets in Africa, you have to have your wits about you and be very firm. Ive been to so many markets I enjoy the challenge of trying to get a good deal, but saying that I still get ripped from time to time.. (though in the context its only a few dollars here or there)
Later the afternoon we caught up with the guys from our tour that arrived back from Uganda. They had been on the 10 day guerilla trek, which by all reports was just phenomenal.. though I wouldnt swap anything for the last week Ive had at the school.
After catching up with them, I met a teacher from the school who was going to the local rugby ground to watch the World Cup Qualifier between Kenya and Tunisia. It was heaps of fun, the crowd were right into it, though the standard from my limited knowledge of rugby was fairly sloppy. But Kenyans know how to support their time, at one point I caught myself on my feet cheering for them when they scored a try. (For the record Kenya won 24-21 in a tightly fought game).
The tour group went out for dinner at a local pizza restaurant before we all went back to their hotel bar to watch the World Cup. It was when we left the hotel to catch a matatu in town back to our hostel that all the 'fun' started. Leaving the hotel, the streets were eerily quiet and very dark (street lighting doesnt really exist!) . We had barely walked 100 metres when out of the blue three young guys ran from a shop enclave and snatched Nats bag.. they were so quick I barely noticed them until I heard her scream and the guys went running into the park.. It was a scary experience but that wasnt the end of it, we still had to get to our matatu... we decided after that to walk in the middle of the road and before I knew it another guy was following us (he was much older so I thought I had him!! ha ) He ended up walking off and we got into the more 'safer' part of town and besides being heckled by prostitutes along the way and getting asked for money from every beggar in town we found our matatu. He overcharged us but I didnt really care I was just keen to get home.. I didnt lose anything and Nat just lost $10USD and some loose change in a old bag she was carrying. (Basically nothing, just shoke us all up..) I guess it was only a matter of time before Nairobi became Nairobbery...
Anyway, it was just another 'African' experience and I think we all need to be more aware but sometimes like last night there isnt much you can do.. (don't stress Mum!!)
Anyway, its about lunchtime and Im going to a guy from works place for a traditional Sunday lunch...
I hope everyone is well.
Cheers
Troy
Well, I have finished my first week of teaching and I feel exhausted but also very happy!
I had probably the most enjoyable day of teaching on Friday, I decided that Fridays would be sweet day.. so I bought two big bags of lollies and I went through revision of our weeks work in Mathematics for the Standard 5s. The principal has told me a few times that the students are really grasping the concepts I am teaching them in Maths, which is really pleasing. This is also slightly disappointed as they have so much potential and I have to leave on Friday, I really feel like I am abandoning them as we are making some progress.
Anyway, I should have realised that 11 year olds and sugar based lollies just dont mix! Its amazing how much more attentive the students are when there are lollies on offer for getting the right answer. In the end I had the whole class right in front of the blackboard yelling out answers..many were just wild guesses hoping that they were right! :) It was heaps of fun and it showed me how much they have learnt and how much more work they need to do, especially in their free time. (I should add that as soon as you have lollies, word travels very quickly around the school yard as every class I went to wanted to be tested with sweets as the reward) I had to continually explain that Fridays were only 'sweet day'. Hopefully they are this attentive on Monday.. but I think not !
We left the school very satisfied of our first week, it has been tiring and exhausting but totally worthwhile and rewarding. Its amazing you might be in an average mood before you get to class but as soon as you walk into the class the kids just brighten up your day.. (especially mornings, as this is normally not my favourite time of the day)
On Friday night, I did what I think the rest of the world was doing - watching the World Cup.
On Saturday, we went to the local post office to post a box full of gifts back to Australia. This is never an easy job and two hours later it was posted.. lets just hope that it actually arrives!
In the afternoon, I went to the Masai market in town which is full of bargins. Like any markets in Africa, you have to have your wits about you and be very firm. Ive been to so many markets I enjoy the challenge of trying to get a good deal, but saying that I still get ripped from time to time.. (though in the context its only a few dollars here or there)
Later the afternoon we caught up with the guys from our tour that arrived back from Uganda. They had been on the 10 day guerilla trek, which by all reports was just phenomenal.. though I wouldnt swap anything for the last week Ive had at the school.
After catching up with them, I met a teacher from the school who was going to the local rugby ground to watch the World Cup Qualifier between Kenya and Tunisia. It was heaps of fun, the crowd were right into it, though the standard from my limited knowledge of rugby was fairly sloppy. But Kenyans know how to support their time, at one point I caught myself on my feet cheering for them when they scored a try. (For the record Kenya won 24-21 in a tightly fought game).
The tour group went out for dinner at a local pizza restaurant before we all went back to their hotel bar to watch the World Cup. It was when we left the hotel to catch a matatu in town back to our hostel that all the 'fun' started. Leaving the hotel, the streets were eerily quiet and very dark (street lighting doesnt really exist!) . We had barely walked 100 metres when out of the blue three young guys ran from a shop enclave and snatched Nats bag.. they were so quick I barely noticed them until I heard her scream and the guys went running into the park.. It was a scary experience but that wasnt the end of it, we still had to get to our matatu... we decided after that to walk in the middle of the road and before I knew it another guy was following us (he was much older so I thought I had him!! ha ) He ended up walking off and we got into the more 'safer' part of town and besides being heckled by prostitutes along the way and getting asked for money from every beggar in town we found our matatu. He overcharged us but I didnt really care I was just keen to get home.. I didnt lose anything and Nat just lost $10USD and some loose change in a old bag she was carrying. (Basically nothing, just shoke us all up..) I guess it was only a matter of time before Nairobi became Nairobbery...
Anyway, it was just another 'African' experience and I think we all need to be more aware but sometimes like last night there isnt much you can do.. (don't stress Mum!!)
Anyway, its about lunchtime and Im going to a guy from works place for a traditional Sunday lunch...
I hope everyone is well.
Cheers
Troy
posted by Troy Aitken | 1:35 AM
1 Comments:
hey troy,
sound like you are having a most fulfiling time, unlike coachies
where is the personal email.
benw
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