The 1st Couple Classes

I've had my first couple of classes by now. I have no previous training in teaching. My limited knowledge of the profession comes from the examples I saw during my K-5 years of college education (it's hard to believe I have 20 years of knowledge, I feel like I should know more for 20 years worth of learning, no?). Impressively, I forgot 95% of the grammar rules I was supposed to be teaching. Like a large chunk of my 20 year education, I forgot such things as modals, non-count/count nouns, antecedents, and the proper uses of articles as they relate to proper nouns. Shame on me. So, I spent the first week relearning the rules of grammar that I unknowingly use everyday, and figuring out how to explain one of the most complicated languages to people who speak one of the most simple languages, Kreyol. I have found it to be very challenging, not only to explain English, but to teach. In my new found appreciation for teaching, I almost feel compelled to write apology letters to the teachers I surely tortured over the years. But, it is fun and very rewarding to see the look on someone's face as they finally understand such crucial concepts as when to use "the" or "a". Sounds crazy, but it is.

I have a class of 25, ranging in age from 13 to 35. I have never seen people so interested in English. I spent 15 mins in my class yesterday explaining what the difference between "may" and "might" is. What American cares about this question? Certainly I did not. But, if you examine it, there are differences, and they did care. Amazing! The students are amazing. They are fairly well behaved, and want to learn English because they need it. They see it not as a class but as a better future. A possible link to something else. A job, a paycheck, a future education at a university, money for their family, a better place to live in other than a tent or a one to two room shack.

One of my best students was forced into English by her mother. After being in previous classes she now loves English. She is so proper and so nice and sweet. I didn't even know she lived in the camp until someone told me. Even with nothing, though, she keeps her self pride, her dignity and perseverance. She dresses well, behaves perfectly and studies hard. She is a top student in the class, and speaks great English. She is very shy though and almost too respectful.

All of them have a story to tell. They lost a parent or a brother or a sister, a family member is sick, they have never seen their father or mother, they need to work to eat, they are stuck in the camp, etc. etc. You can only imagine what they endure. And still, they walk to class, through one of the roughest neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, with their notebooks, caring about their future, and usually with a smile on their face. They are inspiring to me.

The younger ones are still kids though, and not without their quirks. The other day, I caught one of them cheating, and fairly obviously. He and his buddy were laughing at his inability to take the test. The students are notoriously late, and their attendance is spotty. A lot of their attendance issues, though, have to do with whatever is going on in their life, ie. one girl can't attend for the week because she needed to help her brother in the countryside with family issues. I didn't ask, but likely someone was sick or something. This is pretty common. But, their tardiness on the other hand, I think is cultural. They definitely do not have the same concept of time as Americans do. Whether it's a meeting, class, or even church, nothing is on time. I actually took my watch off because I found it to be a frustratingly useless reference point.

I've also heard one of the funniest questions I think I will ever hear in my entire life. One of the best students in the class is a thirteen year old girl. She is sweet, but very precocious and smart. She is bored half the time, far ahead of the others. I'll preface it by saying, I'm a pretty good gauge on sarcasm, and I don't think she was being sarcastic or trying to make a joke. Even if she was, it would be a hugely bold move for any 13 year old, especially a young Haitian girl. They are typically pretty respectful of authority, at least the kind they like, ie. teachers & priests. Anyways, she stopped me mid-class raising her hand as if she had a question. I asked her what it was and she responded with what sounded like, "I have to make shee". I said, "What? What's your question?" She was talking very quietly so I couldn't tell what she was saying. She replied again, "I have to make shee." I said, "sh, shee? What is it you're asking?" She replied, "I need to make shee." And, as she held up two fingers like a peace sign, she finally clarified, "like feces." It was immediately obvious what she meant by "shee". I almost fell over. I could hardly control my laughter. Only a few students heard her and they were laughing a little too. I dismissed her and tried to control my laughter as I continued with the lesson. What was worse, is that she returned to class about a minute later. Possibly the fastest "shee" ever.

The 1st Week

So, I have had my first week here in Haiti. I arrived last Monday. There is a lot to process, and as such, I am somewhat careful with my words for fear of portraying inaccurately a situation I am still so unfamiliar and uneducated with. As such, I really can't write much about the political or historical sense of the situation. It's too much to cover and I am not one to speak on it. I think there is enough in my small experiences that will tell the story. Out of respect for my organization and the people I talk about, I will keep them anonymous.

I am located in a slum of Port-au-Prince, next to a camp that was set up after the earthquake. There are several thousand people that live in the tents here. The tents house anywhere from several to a dozen people. They are made out of tarps provided by the aid process after the earthquake and sticks sold on the streets. Typically they contain one to two beds and whatever other belongings they can fit into the tent. You may think, like I did, why have they not moved? Over a year-and-a-half ago now, it seems like the earthquake could have been less than a few months ago. There are so many reasons.

Regardless, they live in extreme poverty and not because they want to. I met some of the mothers and their children over the last few days. One in particular, has the most precious 3 year old boy and a couple daughters, all young in age too. She knows she needs to get out of the camp. There are violence, health, sexual abuse, education, and other issues that she knows hurt her ability to raise her children. If you watch her explain and see her children it's hard to judge the situation, in fact nearly impossible. Especially when most of the time, rather than sulk, they carry a smile. Sure, they have lived in extreme poverty for a long time, they're used to it, and perspective means a lot in life, but still...She has nothing, and she has little skill. The earthquake destroyed her home. And, now she can't even get a home to try to raise her kids. But, she continues to watch her children closely and do her best. For most of these mothers, their whole life is their children. Their own lives they seem to accept, but for their children they hold out hope.

The focus on the children raises a parallel in my mind I can't help but think of. Tent, house, or nothing at all, the mothers want everything for their children. If they do nothing else with their lives, even if it is on the dirt floor of a tent, they will raise their children every day the best they can, success or failure, they try. I have been told of cases where mothers will live in the tents in lieu of purchasing a house or land, to afford school. Some even live in a tent to rent their house or land, in order to receive an income they would otherwise have no way of earning. They would rather their family live in the dirt and be educated with food, than live in a house and risk their children's future. All their hope and sacrifice is in their children. Everything is spent on securing something better than what they had. It's quite something to see, and causes you to pause and reflect...

Can I say the same for my life? Would I be willing to sacrifice as much for the most important things in my life, the irreplaceable things like Faith, Family, and Friends? Would I show the same courage as these mothers do, on the dirt floor of a tent, never losing hope, exhausting all options? How far is my faith capable of taking me? Could I hold out hope and a smile, everyday, against odds seemingly stacked against me like they do?

Sending off...

Hello all. I have had several requests to receive updates during my stay in Haiti. So, I set up this blog. Feel free to share it with anyone. I am looking forward to this new opportunity, and will be thinking of and praying for all my family and friends.

Take care and God bless.