July 19, 2007
It is interesting to see how friendships develop as we spend lots of time together with our teachers and host families. We hear laughter and have relatively free-flowing conversations during breaks and meals. I talked to a young teacher today as we walked back to the classroom after lunch. She has been in teacher development courses during the past four summers. When I asked her to compare the different courses, she said this one made her feel very relaxed – in contrast, I assume to other training she has received.
Our teachers have also picked up on the strong teamwork focus of our group. They note that we have prepared well, are flexible, and are truly concerned about our students. They seem to really like the games we play and the songs we sing (to help teach English). One of the main organizers told me that he thought nearly all of the teachers would try to implement something in class.
We’ve had lots of good times with our host families as well. Last evening, I went to the Golden Sand Beach with my host and his friend. Often in the evening, we just sit around talking. Communication is a challenge because neither of us speaks the other’s language well. But I am seeing that, as with many things in life, if you put energy into nurturing a relationship, it will grow. My host family has a home on the top floor of a seven-story building. Owning the top floor gives access to the roof (the roofs are mostly flat here) s top-floor families get an extra space on the roof. My family has a lot of plants up there as well as a picnic table under a tarp. The other night, we sat on the roof drinking tea and eating dragon eyes. Even though we struggled to communicate, I had a strong sense that we were building a friendship. The rest of our group says the same about their host families.
