New School, New Things (Day 18)

The GoGo School
Hungry Kiddos Watching Us Serve Lunch
Condom Contest

It is funny how different things can be, and also how similar. Here in Malawi things seen to be as different as night and day as they are in the states. When I get past my first glances I realize how similar things really are. I think this is what I am going to take away from this trip. In the United States the location of the school has a huge impact on the materials available. When we arrived on the dusty road, after bumping in the bus and chocking on dirt for well over an hour I was able to witness the differences in schools here in Malawi. The school we are at this week in GoGo village is much smaller. There were a total of 6 classrooms. On the outside the buildings were very similar. But the inside was vastly different. These rooms were full of desks and multiple chalk boards. There were not countless holes in the floors and garbage strewn about. But differences in the school systems also became apparent when we began teaching. Question after question has been meet with blank stares and confused faces. After reviewing a topic a second time the students are still having difficulty connecting the information. It is true that to learn a new concept that most people need to be exposed to it 5-7 times. At times I feel that this school is more frustrating. When I teach a concept, and ask a review question I want them to answer it correctly. But I am happy that I am in this village. These are the places that we can make a bigger difference because these students have no prior knowledge.

Yesterday, while teaching I noticed that a few of our students had written something on their clothes in pen. The writing was either on their pockets, right over their hearts or on the back directly under the collar. At first I didn’t look very closely at what it was but there more I noticed it, the more I wondered. Finally after closer examination I noticed that one of the boys had the name “ Christan Ronaldo” and the number “23” written on the back of his shirt. I think it is great how creative they are in solving problems. They wanted a football jersey and since they could not afford one, they made one themselves. I noticed that other students had drawn Spain’s logo on their shorts and even a crude version of the Adidas symbol.

Speaking of clothes. I wonder when I look around the classroom where the students’ clothes have come from. They have t-shirts that say things like “crack is whack” as well as shirts with popular logos. Some even have people’s last names on them. It makes me wonder about my old clothes that have been donated. Where did they end up? Somewhere is there a child in a impoverished country walking around with a shirt with “Walcott” and the number “21” on the back?

Our empowerment groups is much different this week. The kids are absolutely adorable. But, they are 10-12 years old. They are so EMBARRASSED when talking about their bodies and sex. Mostly they stare at us, brown eyes wide open and unblinking. Some students begin to ask questions but then hide their heads in their heads or explode into giggles with their friends.

The hardest thing about being here is saying no. Last week it was only giving the students in my class a pencil even though there were hordes of children all clamoring to get one. Today it was watching the throngs of students stand around our lunch line. Inching closer the pressed in upon on our line and gave us hopefully smiles. How can it be? Imagine a group of Americans who have everything they need and come barring food telling hundreds of hungry faces below the ages of 6 "NO" we do not have food for you. It breaks me heart to chase these little ones away.