"Aunty Kate! Aunty Kate!"

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That's my name! and it's been so worn out.
so let me explain some things because it would be easier to reference people after they've been explained.
the respectful way to address an authority figure is by calling them Aunty if they're an unmarried woman, Mrs. if they're married, and Mr. if they're a man.
Aunty Bin is my homestay mother and founder of the ABC learning center. two of her sisters are Aunty Fatou and Aunty Ngoneh. Aunty Fatou lives with us and makes food for school lunches. Aunty Ngoneh is the head of ABC 1 (nursery school through grade 2) and her daughter is Fatou Ngoneh.
Jarry is my 20-year-old homestay sister. Aunty Bin adopted her about a year and a half ago. her family lives in some other part of Gambia, but Jarry decided to live with Aunty Bin because they've known each other forever, Aunty Bin has no children of her own, and Jarry works at ABC 1.
Njareh is Aunty Bin's 25-year-old friend and the one who takes me out. Cheron is her brother.
K?
K.
So on Wednesday i woke up, did my morning stuff, and while i was getting dressed there was a car accident right outside our house. if you think massachusetts drivers are aggressive asshole drivers, go to africa.
we got on our sketchy van and got a ride to abc 1. i worked in Grade 2 on wednesday. man, are they clingy. the teacher asked me to teach while she wrote up their end of term exam. i taught them all the material she asked me until there was nothing left to teach. and she still wasn't done. so i stood there awkwardly for a bit and then i told them about where i lived. i talked about boston and the seasons we have. then i had them ask questions about me. for the rest of the day i taught some and corrected a lot.
by 2 i was exhausted. i went upstairs and read my book for about an hour. it was HOT out. then Mr. Gaye, the after school math teacher came in and told me that the seventh grade teacher wasn't there and that i was going to teach the seventh grade math class. he gave me the book and the page number and told me to teach it. so i went down at 4 and started class at 4:30. there were four female students.
first of all, i don't know how to talk to seventh graders. second of all, i was teaching a class by myself. third of all, they already knew the material. so by 4:20 they were done with the learning and classwork i had assigned them. so i decided to teach them how to factor. that took a while, and some of them still haven't gotten it. i have no idea when these kids are going to learn factoring. it was my second day! so finally i went next door and told mr gaye (who was working with the little kids by that point) to switch with me, which he did. i hung out with Aunty Ngoneh and the ABC 1 kids. There was a second grader named Thomson who can barely read. he's the age that he should be in grade 5, but ABC places students based on their skill level, not age. so i took him to another room and realized he has a problem with -et words. let, met, get, set, etc. so we worked on that until he had to leave. as soon as i got home last night i collapsed. so tired.
this morning i got up, had my bucket shower, and took the sketchy van to school. i got there and the driver came and drove me to ABC 2 (grades 3-6). i got a little tour of the school, which is really small and cute. then i met with the head, Mr. Fancondoh to work out my schedule.
Monday: First Grade AM and PM
Tuesday: Fifth Grade AM and PM
Wednesday: Second Grade AM and PM
Thursday: Third Grade AM
Friday: Fourth Grade AM, Drama Club

fun stuff. today i worked with Grade 5, Fatou Ngoneh's class. i talked to the teacher and corrected mostly. i taught the quantitative class. when class was over, i walked with Mr. Gaye over to ABC 1 and went home with Jarry. we took our sketchy van to Serekunda and went to the market. it's a dirty outdoor market that sells fruit, veggies, clothes, fish, and chickens. it reaked of fish and pee. we bought some veggies and and went home. and now i'm here!
tell me what's happening in the US of A.
i miss/love you all.
love, Aunty Kate

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Comments

[Emily]

KATE!
Hey Kate, wow sounds like you've been really busy but i bet you're having the time of your life! well back here in the masshole i think the snow is FINALLY getting ready to leave for the season *crosses fingers* everyone got there letters from camp and so creepin' on the book of faces has been a full time job! haha... i miss you and glad you're partying up with the grade school kids. oh yeah, could you teach ME factoring?! i hate it to the max! well glad to know you're doing swell. get some sleep and stay healthy! -em

[Baba]

What an experience you are having. I love your blogs. It's a little like my experience on the Indian reservation. No matter what you do it is better than what they have. Stay well. Much love Baba