I'm in an internet cafe, but I think the computer is so riddled with viruses that it won't let me add to my blog, or even see it. So here is what I would have written on my blog if it would let me...
I made it! No problems with the plane or being picked up or anything. Dominic, KAASO’s director met me and we did some errands in Kampala before driving to the school. I didn’t exactly arrive in style - the dirt road was in such a terrible state that I had to get Dominic to stop and let me get out to be sick. In front of the five people in the car, and others on the road. Not great! So we pulled into the school driveway and I was feeling and looking very green, and very teary. Not a great start at all!
I wish I could say it improved quickly but I have to admit it has been very slow. I’ve been feeling very homesick and the most lonely I have ever felt, with frequent bouts of tears and wondering what the point is and why I ever thought coming on my own was a good idea! I must stress that this has had little to do with the people here, just the fact that life, people and accents are very different here. The culture shock has been severe, but the last week has been better.
The school grounds, I think would be considered normal for a primary school at home, and I think few UK primary schools have 600 pupils! The age range is about 6 to 17 as children start school later here and are held back until they pass their exams, so the size range in each class is large. Most classes a have about 80 pupils, and the classrooms are smaller than at home, so they are pretty crammed in. The being crammed in applies to the dorms too, with most having three-tiered bunks with only just enough room to walk between them. Each dorm has a matron who oversees the 100 or so kids washing themselves and clothing, their health etc. etc. The children are very independent as you would expect, and very hard working. Lessons start at 8 am and finish at 9 pm, with half an hour for break, an hour for lunch, and two hours for supper. Despite this hard life they do seem happy and complain very little (well, in English at least).
The accent/language barrier is a problem. They speak the local language, Luganda, except when teaching, being taught or specifically talking to me when they speak English. Not only do they use words differently and often put them in a strange order, there is also a strange habit og inserting a random vowel sound between words/syllables, which can be quite funny. I marked some RE books yesterday and almost every child thought there was a taxi collector in the Bible. Who knew?! Very funny.
I’ve been allocated to teach computer and library lessons. For many of the children it is the first time they’ve used a computer, and they’ve no concept of a library, or even reading books really. I’m getting each child in classes 4, 5 and 6 (maybe a little higher standard than years 4, 5 and 6 at home) to type a sentence, but progress is very slow. There are four computers we can use, and 80 children per class. Each class has two hours of lessons a week (the solar power doesn’t even really stretch to that), and each child takes about 10 minutes to type their sentence. Soooooo sloooooow. But they do enjoy it, and it is often a challenge to stop them from crowding and having multiple turns etc., especially when they look identical from behind with their shaven heads. The library has books, but an odd selection, and the kids don’t understand that each book has a certain place, but with some serious colour coding it should get better.
The food is very repetitive, but nutritious and balanced. I’ve tried many new things, some good and some bad. The accommodation is basic, but I do have my own room, flushing latrine and a comfy bed. The weather is warm, and it rains often but I’m inside most of the time so getting wet or sunburnt has not been a problem. The bugs are not as bad as I expected - I’ve only seen one mosquito so far and the only thing that has bitten me was an ant!
There is plenty more I could say, but time is very short. So, in summary, it has by no means been easy, I miss everyone very much but things are looking up. I’ve started to think more about what to do in the next few months, rather than concentrating on thinking up excuses to come home!
I made it! No problems with the plane or being picked up or anything. Dominic, KAASO’s director met me and we did some errands in Kampala before driving to the school. I didn’t exactly arrive in style - the dirt road was in such a terrible state that I had to get Dominic to stop and let me get out to be sick. In front of the five people in the car, and others on the road. Not great! So we pulled into the school driveway and I was feeling and looking very green, and very teary. Not a great start at all!
I wish I could say it improved quickly but I have to admit it has been very slow. I’ve been feeling very homesick and the most lonely I have ever felt, with frequent bouts of tears and wondering what the point is and why I ever thought coming on my own was a good idea! I must stress that this has had little to do with the people here, just the fact that life, people and accents are very different here. The culture shock has been severe, but the last week has been better.
The school grounds, I think would be considered normal for a primary school at home, and I think few UK primary schools have 600 pupils! The age range is about 6 to 17 as children start school later here and are held back until they pass their exams, so the size range in each class is large. Most classes a have about 80 pupils, and the classrooms are smaller than at home, so they are pretty crammed in. The being crammed in applies to the dorms too, with most having three-tiered bunks with only just enough room to walk between them. Each dorm has a matron who oversees the 100 or so kids washing themselves and clothing, their health etc. etc. The children are very independent as you would expect, and very hard working. Lessons start at 8 am and finish at 9 pm, with half an hour for break, an hour for lunch, and two hours for supper. Despite this hard life they do seem happy and complain very little (well, in English at least).
The accent/language barrier is a problem. They speak the local language, Luganda, except when teaching, being taught or specifically talking to me when they speak English. Not only do they use words differently and often put them in a strange order, there is also a strange habit og inserting a random vowel sound between words/syllables, which can be quite funny. I marked some RE books yesterday and almost every child thought there was a taxi collector in the Bible. Who knew?! Very funny.
I’ve been allocated to teach computer and library lessons. For many of the children it is the first time they’ve used a computer, and they’ve no concept of a library, or even reading books really. I’m getting each child in classes 4, 5 and 6 (maybe a little higher standard than years 4, 5 and 6 at home) to type a sentence, but progress is very slow. There are four computers we can use, and 80 children per class. Each class has two hours of lessons a week (the solar power doesn’t even really stretch to that), and each child takes about 10 minutes to type their sentence. Soooooo sloooooow. But they do enjoy it, and it is often a challenge to stop them from crowding and having multiple turns etc., especially when they look identical from behind with their shaven heads. The library has books, but an odd selection, and the kids don’t understand that each book has a certain place, but with some serious colour coding it should get better.
The food is very repetitive, but nutritious and balanced. I’ve tried many new things, some good and some bad. The accommodation is basic, but I do have my own room, flushing latrine and a comfy bed. The weather is warm, and it rains often but I’m inside most of the time so getting wet or sunburnt has not been a problem. The bugs are not as bad as I expected - I’ve only seen one mosquito so far and the only thing that has bitten me was an ant!
There is plenty more I could say, but time is very short. So, in summary, it has by no means been easy, I miss everyone very much but things are looking up. I’ve started to think more about what to do in the next few months, rather than concentrating on thinking up excuses to come home!
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