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Me installing some software
just another shot of me helping out with a computer Hello, folks. It’s been a long time since I posted a blog, and I’m sorry about that. As I mentioned in my first blog, I intend to post every two weeks, but our internet access has been interrupted, so I wasn’t able to post in the last cycle. Thanks to all of you for being patient, and thanks to all of you who reminded me to put up a blog by email, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to read email, either.
When I post blogs, I usually try to write about important events because I think they are more exciting, but at the end of the day I think that my most important work with the Peace Corps happens when things are calm, and I’m running my routine.
I’ve been asked several times what it’s like here, and what I do. I do my best to answer, but I always feel like I leave a lot out. So, with this blog, I’ll try to share the experience I get every day, and the little things that happen.
My first appointment in the day is usually with a teacher at the CFPP, a local trade school which teaches people skills that are needed in the community. They teach metal work, carpentry, sewing, cooking, and gardening. They also have a group of people learning computers. Every week day, at 9am, I teach computer lessons to a woman named Zena. Zena is a secretary, who a previous volunteer taught a computer class with. She now teaches lessons to new computer students herself. In exchange for her watching over people learning to use a mouse and type, I give her lessons in more advanced concepts for one hour every morning, except Friday. Zena and I often frustrate each other, and we’ve had a hard time working together. Surprisingly, though, she’s always willing to come to class.
After my meeting with Zena, I often head over our local public library, called a Dar al Kitab, or “house of books”, for an Arabic-English exchange with the librarian. The one story building is a startlingly clean white, bleached by the sun, with 2 simple but commanding columns in front. Inside it is all tile and concrete, clean and bare. It has a large room with books neatly shelved, but in no particular order. From time to time people come through to type something on a computer, or to study. Every day, though, there is a huge crowd of people huddled around the TV screen, watching an American movie or Arabic music videos.
In our exchanges, Amina, the librarian, and I alternate days. On one day I’ll instruct her in English, on another she’ll instruct me on Arabic. I’ve now gotten to the point where I can read words out loud, but have no idea what those words mean. Arabic is still exciting because it is so new, and Amina is a very good teacher, an academic at heart, and a bit of a kindred spirit. When I get to teach her English, I get to share the beauty of the English language with samples of great literature, film, and song, and at the same time revisit them myself. Amina is always willing to help me out in any way she can, and always welcomes me to her office.
After my exchange, I often go to teach a class on computers at the office of the Director of Education for our area of the country. The office has about 15 employees, who manage schools at various levels, from grade school to High School. I teach about 7 of them around one computer from noon to 1:30. I really enjoy this class, because everyone in the class is very motivated to learn, and use their computer skills at work every day. They are all men, and even though they’re professionals at work, they love to joke around about anything they can. I think they find the idea of taking lessons from a 23 year old a pretty comical situation to begin with.
After this class, I head to our local High School to train physics and math teachers, or the high school Director with some French teachers. These students are a joy to work with. They are curious about computers, and the training comes easily to them. These folks are more serious about the work, and these classes have both men and women, which makes them very enjoyable. Because they currently have 3 computers, and will receive 8 more next year, they are trying to teach the staff all they need to know in order to be proficient on computers, so they can teach the students as soon as the appropriate number of computers arrive. These are my most professional students. They want to learn how to use the computers so they can empower their students to face an increasingly globalized world, and they’re serious about their intentions.
At the same time during the weekends, I give a class to a man named Mohammed Omar and another named Ahmed. The two give out micro loans with grants from the government to local women’s cooperatives, and are learning how to use computers, starting from scratch. I often get frustrated with them, because they have so long to go and the progress is so slow, but I really believe that computers could help them in their work. Outside of class they always say hi to me when we pass each other on the street.
At 6 pm, on weekdays, I go to a French class for 2 hours. My classmates are all Mauritanian students, who range from very young boys to old men, and sit (without being asked to) in gender-separated groups. My classmates and I have a good time, talking about life and practicing our French on each other. Most nights when we pause for prayer, they ask me to come and pray with them, and when I refuse they ask why, disappointed. I say I’m not a Muslim, and they ask why not, I just shrug.
At night, I usually eat at a restaurant, and go home, sometimes to watch a movie or hang out with other volunteers, and sometimes to spend time alone. I prep for the next day’s activities, look over emails, or watch movies myself. Every day I feel like I inch closer to progress with my students, to having them understand why this computer stuff seems so cool to me. With any luck, and if there really is an appeal to computers that exists outside of western culture, when I leave I’ll have inspired some students to get into computers, and lead their community in joining the computerized world.
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Arash
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A day in the life of... Looks like you're keeping busy man, and good to see you making a difference a person at a time. People still offering brides for you? :)