It's hard to believe my first journey to Africa begins in just a few days. My excitement is immeasurable!
These last few days we've been in Ann Arbor for what I guess one could call orientation. We've been preparing our lesson plans and I must say I'm super excited for everyone's courses they are teaching as there is an array of diverse lessons filled with creativity and passion! Some of courses being taught: Diversity Education, Nutrition (as their daily meals consists of corn and beans), HIV/AIDS awareness, an educational wall mural, Beka's class that incorporates mathematics with basketball, and Andy's Chinese yoyo/physics/magic class!
Then there's Sophie and I: She had an idea to start a photography project in which Dr. Clauw donated money for 2 digital cameras, ink and photo paper. Since I really wanted to do an art project with the children, we plan to combine ours into a photography/art scrapbook project that the children can bring home with them and have for the rest of their lives. Since most families in that region do not have cameras or even photos of themselves or their families, this will be something of value that they will never forget! We are also donating the cameras and printers so they can continue to use them after we leave!
As our main goal is to teach technology and help them to use the computers available to them we will be incorporating this into all of our lessons! Picnik, Flickr and Online Scrapbooking! I couldn't be more excited for everyone's projects! I really hope we can give these children interesting learning experiences different then their usual lecture/note taking school life.
4 more days till departure and I'm getting more and more restless with enthusiasm. I just can't wait to be on the plane on my way!!!!!!
Some crazy truths:
-It is hotter here in AA: 96 degrees, than it will be the whole three weeks in Africa: Mid 70's! Yayy for winter being in June/July!
-We're told our students are super obedient. Apparently a class room of about 50 four/five year olds left in a room alone are often found sitting in a single file line in perfect posture. Picturing my child care center kids I can't even imagine a good five students behaving that way here. FASCINATION.
Some of my favorite word combinations associated with our trip:
- Elephant Orphanage!
-Overnight Safari!
-18 hour flight. (Strangely enough i'm a fan of long flights. Thank God for my ability to sleep anywhere and everywhere although sometimes it can be a curse. It will be a great time for reflection, good movies, and getting lost in music :)