Office practice

One mouth before the school year will finish, five new teachers were hired. Their influence on the school is positive. Some of the classrooms were split up, it means less pupils in one class. My Grade 1 stayed as a whole but got a new teacher.

            I moved back to my sunny office to continue the paperwork – copying, typing and printing. My one or two offices has electronic equipment specially from Germany. I suppose, they came to Africa as a kind of charity help. Like most of these presents, it lives here in really different terms than it should be. People here can scarcely use it and do not care for it correctly. I think, this is fate for all electronic equipment, which is sent to Africa. African people are happy to get it, but unfortunately they don´t have as big a relationship to it as the people who bought it. Always we value more the things which we bought ourselves than the things which we received. In the same way work all the offices in City of Hope – for example the German endings are plugged in the British sockets.  

 For more fun sr. Prisca took from my office one of my two extension cables and put it in the conference hall for a new fridge. For the one which is left I had to plug my two copying machine, the computer and the monitor. My office is a square and from each of the three sides are coming cables which meet in the middle of the room. Here the extension cable continues to the socket on the left wall. Moving around the office is more interesting now, because one wrong step and my computer or monitor will fall down on the floor. Some days the situation is more critical, because the floor is waxed. I still don´t understand why African people wax the stony floor, probably only to have some fun to watch people fall down. 

Fortunately my difficult situation was solved. In one day the computer was stopped working and the copying machine added on three lines to every copy made so you couldn´t read anything. The second copying machine I can not use it, because the toner for it is really expensive.

Both of the machines were checked by a local IT technologist. With each he spent some time, but nothing changed. The computer was installed again, but he forgot to back-up the data and all of my three months work was gone.

Because the school year is ending the African secretary is busy. I type and print exams for all school. During this work I learnt a lot about Zambian history and geography, and also I improved my English vocabulary and studied really original African English. For example in all documents they write numbers by numeral and next it lexical form.

Typing minutes of a meeting is really popular in Africa. There I can read every detail which was discussed during the meeting. Also I´m fascinated of the number of copies which I have to print for these reports. Seem like it is a really popular reading for the teachers.

Also local tradition is morning roll call of the pupils in front of the school, where they sing the national anthem. We have two groups of pupils. First primary education – they have roll call in front of the school. And second secondary education – they have roll call in the school yard. There they listen to morning talks of the teachers and singing the national anthem. My office is located exactly between these two places. Both groups are singing the same song, but each in different time. Often they sing the anthem twice, because first time it was not loud enough or not correct. Its mean I have a music accompaniment for my typing and the Zambian national anthem I already know very well.

A few days ago the printer joined the equipment mass strike. It decided to print only one page from each document again and again. This situation continued a few weeks. I think, here is nobody who can repair it. In my offices already were all European male volunteer, because computers and electronic stuff is only for man (African opinion), but nobody fixed it.

Sometimes is may be better, let Africans go their own way. For example they cut the grass, which started to grow quicker with rain season, by scissors. It is rally useful -  the scissors they can repair and if not, you can buy a new one everywhere.    

  

           

Hard week

At  the end of November Zambia celebrated Independence Day and this year it was forty nine years. In this important time we had off days and we decided to see Livingstone city with the nature around including the Victoria waterfalls. Exactly in Independence Day – 24^Th November we did the trip to the Falls. My company wished to swim in devil pool on the top of the waterfall and see the big water falling from height. I hesitated about it, but finally I joined my friends – two Irish people. In the national park we met with other members our expedition – the American family and young American couple, and as well as our guide. He took us through dry river really close to the point when the river starts falling down the side during the rain season. We walked until Livingstone island, where we took off our clothes and only in our swimming suit we continue our adventure. We swam until small rock´s island next to the main stream of Victoria waterfalls and in this stream we saw the devil pool. When I saw the small pond finishing with rocky wall and the big canyon behind this I was sure I will not go swim there. But faith thought something different and finally I went in and I even looked from the wall down on the waterfall. For me it was one from the biggest experiences in my life.

            After a wonderful time in Livingstone we come back to Lusaka and here was waiting for us really hard week. Immediately on Monday I learned the teacher from Grade one will not come anymore, she found another job, and now I will teach grade one alone. I couldn´t do anything only to go to grade one and start. There already was my colleague which was reading something from leaf of paper. Children had the same papers and they had to fill in everything by his instructions. I started walking around the classroom to see exactly what the children were doing – by the way - this activity African´s teachers never do. I found out the children were writing exams. Although they can´t read, write and count, madam teacher prepared the tests for them, because this week all classes are doing tests. My colleague was reading the questions and the answers – structured a) b) and c), but my children don´r recognize any letters. Pupils were circling everything  - the capital letters of words, all three possibility or the word, which they knew.

            I decided not to continue with these exams and I prepared for children lots of activities  with letters and numbers.  The next day my colleague came to my class with more tests. I tried to explain to her, the children can´t write exams they don´t understand, but she assured me she will help them in their language. Other than it was not helping so much and finally I went to speak with head teacher sr. Prisca. I showed her the tests and told her, the children can not write exams – they don´t understand. She answered me with a smile, they have to – because we want to see what the children know. I wanted to roar, but with a gentle smile I answered her it would be enough to ask me – they don´t know anything. And finally I was right, because this test still laying on my desk – it´s nobody who will correct it.

            Time between tests I should have filled up with some activities, but the children were making terrible noises and they didn´t want to listen to me, because they don´t speak English. And when I succeeded to keep them quiet for a while, somebody came to my class and asked me about key from some room, or photocopy something. Finally I went to sister Prisca to tell her I could not be secretary and teacher together it´s not working very well and also I need somebody to help me to translate to the children. She answered me really baldy – don´t worry on Monday new teacher coming to teach this class. And on Monday the new teacher really came and she is nice. First think she has done – she has changed positions of desk in classroom – children are sitting in small groups around the class. They can share books, pencils, sharpeners and eraser. Also she started to teach them reading. And the most important thing – during lessons she can keep quiet!

            Funny thing on this story is, exactly on the same Monday like my old teacher left I met at home my Irish flatmate, she was really tired and told me, her colleague physiotherapist just left the clinic in Chilanga and Mairead stayed there alone to help people which could not speak any English. It is probably normal here.

As well as being a physiotherapist in Chilanga clinic Mairead helps twice a week in a clinic in Linda. There she does everything what is necessary to do and her story from the medical surroundings are unbelievable and sad. For example doctors didn´t take care about a two month old baby with wrong heart and with high temperature because it was 4 p.m. and at this time they finish, or wrong storage of vaccine and they use it. And about people with AHV who don´t tell true about their situation to their wife and mistresses I will not write more, everybody know story like this. These stories make me sure the people in Africa need to improve they educational system. To be a teacher in Zambia its enough to take a six week course in Zambian university.

             

Work, celebrations and travel

October has started and nature is more parched than has been, everything is waiting for the rain season, when the nature will be green and dust will not fly through the landscape. Slowly I become accustomed to Africa and life here. I´m stopping to be wound up at many things which work differently here.  Maybe it is because I have a new flat mate from Ireland who is  sharing all my troubles and she is obliging me to do some crazy trips.

            On Monday I came to school as every day, I unlocked the classrooms and sat down in my office to wait for teachers who are coming to pick up keys from theirs departments. After I went to grade one, but there was not anybody, except pupils. After some time Sr. Prisca came to tell me madam teacher will not come today and I should teach grade one this day. Why exactly madam was missing I don´t know, but she missed two days and I wished that she would miss two weeks. Although I felt like commander of army at war and coming every day to enemy area to speak about terms of peace, I was happy.

            I spent so much energy to keep the children quiet “don´t shout out, don´t walk around classroom”, to work with copy of materials and mainly to hold back many fights. During these fights I realized how much children here are hard on each other. During one month here I saw children cry only twice but they are beating and kicking each other every day. Children from Europe would be hysterically crying in this situation, because they know teachers or parents will help them. Children here know if they will not help themselves nobody will help them. Unfortunately this hardness and obstinacy they use against teachers. Sometimes I had to strain my muscles to move children to stay in corner or go out from class. The biggest fight I experienced was when I wanted the children  to finish work before they will go for break. Finally I took a ball and wanted to go to play football. I´m not sure now, I will have courage again to do this, If I would know how much energy will take me to move my pupils to school play ground. I tried to line up in pairs of 40 children almost twenty minutes, but finally I gave up my effort and I let children go in one long line, they copy soldiers but unfortunately they roar some march song.

            On Wednesday madam come to school again and I had to see how my effort to teach children discipline and work is going out the window. When I saw Madame handle almost fiveteen  phone calls  in first two hours, I left the classroom.

            On Thursday was for pupil nice day, they can wear to school normal clothes and left uniforms at home and they learnt on Friday would be day off. Because teachers will celebrate word teachers day, but I think 5.10. is teachers day only in Africa. 

            Teachers invited us volunteers too. They told us many things we can see on this day in nature reservation –  white lions, which you can stroke, swimming pool and president of Zambia, which will have speech there. Speeches we hear a lot of, but no from president, lions, zebras and giraffes run away far from the big noise of party for almost twenty primary and secondary schools in Lusaka. Finally we have only swimming pool, grilling, drums, dance and beers it equals a nice day. And also one of the teachers offered me to marry her son – doctor 24 years old, I can say I enjoyed this day.

            Evening we went to bed early, we were tired from the day. Saturday we woke up at 8 a.m. for trip to Linda village with one of the teachers, who lives there. He invited us to see a mountain and a river there. Mountain was hill, but there was nice view and a river only stream, but trip was amazing. Possibly only for the happiness of local children when could see 8 muzungu – white peoples in their village. I tried to image 8 black people in local dress in some small village in Czech – I think it will be the same excitement.

            But me, I felt I was in the real Africa -  clay houses, straw fence, children, hens, cows and dogs altogether in one stack, small stands, satellites and of course Coca-cola. J

           

Let´s bulid a school in Africa – education and rubbish

I´m in Africa already three weeks now and  first time I´m writing  about my feeling from school in City of Hope. Except, my not a popular secretary at work, which include opening every classrooms in school, it´s mean being the earliest to come in and also the last to leave, I´m an assistant in Grade 1. It takes all of my energy.

            Today we got a new  schoolgirl and we have an unbelievable forty children in one classroom. Although we are two teachers in one class it is really difficult to keep their attention. They are always shouting, fighting, chatting, taking stuffs away from other children, throwing  objects which they have at other children, pulling at hair and taking off their plastic´s school shoes, which are not really good for African climate.

            Sometimes I teach a lesson, but although English is the official language in school they  also use another lanuage out of seven accepting Zamia´s languages and children can speak only this one. I try to use all teaching methods –  for example poetry, songs, games, fairytales, but it´ s not working, because they don´t understand me. It is difficult to say they don´t undrestend me or they only pretend not to understand, because when  I threaten to take them to director (Sr. Prisca) they know very well.

            The biggest problem is acute shortage of teaching materials. Desperately missing school books – the few copies we have are really good, but unfortunately it is only this book which can provide the inspiration for teachers to work with children. For writing they use only pencils which are really often too small for sharpening. Anyway sharpener is big luxury and no everybody has it, but everybody is fighting for it. Pupils carry in their backs packs  something – sharp blade – which they use for sharpening their pencils. Invention is not lacking in different ways to sharpen their pencils, example to bite. They do everything during class time, such as sharping their pencils everzwhere because there is no bin. And why in Zambia there doesn´t exist any waste incineration plant or some company for it. You can buy  everything here, everywhere you can see  foundations for future mountains of rubbish. But here there are places, including City of Hope, which  take care of their rubbish. Everybody has to burn their rubbish…. including me! Me a big ecologist activist, I have to burn all my rubbish including plastic bottles, empty cartons of milk, plastic bags, aluminium and cans. When the red wheel of the Sun touches the horizon from everywhere you can smell smoke from the burning rubbish.

            Deficient  school materials make my evenings funny. I draw school posters – types of transports, shapes, food, materials etc. –  to hang in my classroom. My teaching influence is good, because my teacher has started to do some posters too, and other volunteers also. Step by step classrooms are getting more colourfull.

            Before I thought about sending some school materials to Africa, it is not important. Every year I want to buy a cow or a goat for African people, but now every year I will send some school materials here.

I´m in Arfica

It is unbelievable, but finally I´m here. After all my trying I´ve done and I packed my suitcase and I went.

            I arrived to Prague airport with big suitcase and big backpack and both luggage I repack several times there. Finally I gave my suitcase to the check in they putted on it tag “heavy” and sent it to plane. Big hand back, exceed allowed weight, I took on my back and boarded to the biggest and the most luxury plane I´ve ever traveled.

            The first flight finished in Dubai one minute to midnight. There I tried to sleep on floor between shops and morning I continued in next plane to direction black continent.

            When I sow our plane is closing to Lusaca I started to feel some filings I didn´t feel before – worry, fear, nervousness and happiness. We started go down and from window I sow pictures like from geographic book – yellow grass, branching small trees, blue sky and hot sun. I´m in Africa! That I´m not wrong show confirmed my first breath hot air. I remembered something about ongoing winter in Zambia, ok African´s winter is really different.

            After one hour waiting I get on to check-in desk for the visa to Zambia and after scanning all my fingers and paid 50 dollars I could go to hall with my suitcase. Again with my heavy suitcase I leave the hall and immediately I sow the label: City of Hope – selesian center, which has in her hand small girl. Behind her emerge three other girls and all wanted help me with my heavy suitcase. I was thinking witch from them will drive but finally come to driver and I almost sit to his knees, before I sow the wheel on left side.

            The cart was going on really good ways, absolutely better then in Czech. We met a big department stores but also on crossroads between cars were going salesman of all sorts and also many walkers. Cross the rout will be one of the biggest problem here.

            That I´m, right it was confirmed next day. I went to shop with two other volunteers and it was really curious. When Jakub came to ask me about shopping I asked him about check my zambian´s money, because I got some old from my friends and I knew it was reform in Zambia.  Jakub made me sure I have lot of money and I was happy and we went out from City of Hope. I bought especially water and beers but on the cash desk I found out, this money they don´t use any more. It was silly situation, Jakub was calling and finally he didn´t have enough money to lend me. Credit cart I couldn´t use. The situation was solve by manager of this shop, he let me pay in dollars with the wrong course, of course. I could not trust Polish people any more, but I have my purchased.

            Now I´m waiting for tomorrow, girls will have party and also will be meeting for teachers, because on Monday school year beginning. Ok let´s go.