First Week

Monday was a nightmare.  It was my first full day at school.  The power was out the first hour of school and it was dark and warm in my classroom.  I pulled the carpet over by the window and played games until we could see to write at the tables.  None of my copies I needed were ready because of the power outage and I discovered I really don't have morning prep because parents start dropping off kids at 7:30.  My aide was sick so I was alone all day.  I had a runner and a crier.  I have taught long enough now to know it gets better but wow today was horrible. I didn’t get a chance to look for more of the curriculum so I punted all day with writing and activities I made up as the day progressed.  I discovered there are two sets of stairs to get to the second floor of my building but when upstairs the second floor has a wall in the middle.  You go up one set of stairs to get to one side and the other set of stairs to get to the other side.  I was so confused and thought the art teacher was in the other building because I did not find his classroom upstairs.  Well, I took the students on a tour of the buildings before I finally found it.

My aide was back today but two of my boys were really pushing our boundaries.  I have set-up procedures for everything and most of the students understand and are following them.  I assigned a line order and seating chart to keep the three boys apart from each other.  The principal arranged for Clint and I to stay at school until 5 pm so we could get more done in our classrooms.  Unfortunately, to organize and find materials requires tearing things apart first.

At our school guns are allowed because they protect the school.  It is a bit alarming but I am glad we are safe.

 The staff driver takes us to the market after school on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  On Thursday we went looking for things for our classrooms.  I wanted to find some plastic tubs for organizing.  I picked up one and the merchant told me it was 1,000 Naira ($7 apx).  I thought that was high but wasn’t sure.  I Nigerian lady came up and asked the price of another piece about the same size and she was told 150 Naira.  At that point I knew she was charging me the white tax so I walked on.  I found another one for 700 Naira and purchased it even though I knew it was still too much money.  Now I understand why teachers ask the driver to make purchases for them.  I thought it was kind of rude of them at first.

On Friday my students were so much better behaved.  Only one of the boys was giving us fits.  My aide told me he repeated pre-school because of his behavior.  Now that I know his behavior is more than just getting used to a new class my goal is to find out what he really likes and use it as a privilege for good behavior.  I need to study him and learn what his triggers are and then find a balance.  I also want to make sure he knows I care about him even though he spends time in the lonely place for short bouts during the day.  My aide asked me an embarrassing question today.  She wanted to know why I never use the bathroom during the day.  She asked if it was because I sweat so much.  It is going to take awhile for my body to adjust to this humidity.

Finally the weekend and we were able to sleep in.  Today, the principal and his wife took us to the stores in the other part of town.  It is a ghost town of a shopping center with a resort next door.  We were basically the only patrons.  Most of the stores are empty shells.  A developer built it but only 10% of the people drive up here to shop.  We were told the largest store is the equivalent to a Target store.  It was dimly lit and had very little variety in the departments.  There were a lot of empty shelves.  Clint and I both purchased canvas bags for carrying groceries or school books.  The bags have a map of the city on them.

I wonder why the Playboy stools were in the baby section?

Next we went over to the resort for lunch.  The hotel had a nice dining area and there was a large buffet.  There was only one other group of people eating.  None of us ordered the buffet.  We were warned that the waitress will try to tell us our total was different than what the menu said.  That didn’t happen but one of the teachers ordered one meal for his two girls and they received two separate meals.  We heard him ask for two and the waitress repeated what he said but after we ate she told him he had to pay for two.  It got a little uncomfortable.  The white teacher said she could get the manager but he asked for one meal and that was what he was paying for.  It all worked out.

This was the craft shop down by the water at the resort.

It was a warm rainy day today.  I didn't mind getting wet because it does cool you off for awhile.

We walked down to the waterfront and there were boats you could pay to ride in around the river and some little craft stores that looked like tribal huts.  It was so dark in them it was hard to see the merchandise.  I purchased my first souvenir.  It was a handmade wood necklace.  It was raining really hard today so we didn’t stay long but I would like to go back another time and take the boat trip.  On the way back we stopped at a monkey rescue center.  This is the second one we have been to.  Their natural habitat is shrinking as the population of Nigeria increases.  They are also hunted for bush meat.  Often the poachers leave the babies alone in the forest and if they are found they are brought to a rescue center.

I think this one is a mona guenons.

We finished the day attending a birthday party.  One of the teachers is in the process of adopting a 3 yr old from the orphanage.  She was allowed to take him out for the day.  He started attending the pre-school at our school last spring.  He is still pretty much none verbal and still wears diapers.  It is so special she is adopting him.  She is from Chile and her fiancé is from Bangladesh.  Our staff is really international.  We have someone from China and India too.