Week 6 teaching english... nearly time to come home

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Most of this week I have been teaching computer skills, with just a couple of English lessons thrown in, and I even did one-and-a-half lessons of basic accounting with the Culinary & Baking group (how much should they sell a cake for - how to work out the cost, what other things to consider etc). 7 out of 14 girls actually understood, which I think is a pretty good success rate - at least those 7 have learned a brand new skill they wouldn't have otherwise learned.

Of course it was another eventful week in terms of poor communication! I had planned a week of English lessons, and had talked the new volunteer through how everything was going to run. Then at 8.30am on Monday we walked into our first class to find someone else giving a lesson! While we were waiting for the office staff to come in to check what was going on, some other girls from the Healthcare group (who I had not taught before) came to find us to say they were waiting for us to give them a computer class! Anyway we finally managed to communicate with the staff, and then got on with it... I suppose it keeps things interesting! We are now teaching separately, covering a total of 15 classes between us (although I did the normal 10, 2 per day) and both doing the games room activities in the evening.

On a positive note we also got a really friendly chat from the main lady at the project on Friday, she was thanking us and apologising for something (although I am not sure what exactly!). Obviously they are learning too, and it has taken as long for them to get used to having overseas volunteers there with our different style of working, as it has for us to adapt to their style of working!

When I came back from Singapore I was actually intending to just stay 1 week to handover to the new volunteer, and to have the last few days off for a final bit of holiday. But anyway it hasn't quite worked out that way (mostly because they have split the two volunteers into separate classes, so it causes a gap if I go a few days early, and also the new volunteer is still settling in so it is too much to take on). I am kind of enjoying my last days anyway. Of course the teaching has got easier (whereas at the beginning I had no lesson ideas, now I have too many for the number of lessons left!). And of course I will miss lots of the girls that I have got to know so well now!

Now I will teach up to Tuesday, and I have asked to have Wednesday off, as an easy day to pack and do final things before heading to the airport in the evening (all in all it will take about 27 hours until I am home so it will be a long slog). I am really looking forward to getting home on Thursday, being back in London and seeing my sister. But it has been such a worthwhile 3 months, and I am already thinking of where I will be able to travel next!! ... Only once I have had a job and earned some money for a while of course.......

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