Getting Into a Routine

Last week I started my volunteer work and classes officially got up and going. I am taking four classes at the university and a cultural class through the program. I have International Human Rights Systems, Drama and Society, French Translation, and Sustainable Development. For our cultural class we go on field trips, have guest speakers, and learn Wolof. So far my most difficult class is Drama and Society, because I have to do a lot of public speaking (eek), and my most interesting class is Human Rights, because the Gambians tend to have very different conceptions of many aspects of human rights than Westerners do. I only go to class on Tuesdays and Fridays, since it is an hour trip out to the university and an hour back.

On Mondays and Thursdays, I do volunteer work. I am working at the SBEC International School. Because I do a lot with peace and conflict studies back at Juniata, the school asked me if I would help develop a conflict resolution program for the high school. Based on my startling amount of independence, I am thinking my title should be "Founder and Director of Conflict Resolution Program." Everyone trusts me and thinks I am some sort of expert, although I have tried to explain that I am just a student and have no certifications. So far I am getting great experience with thinking on my feet and "faking it until I make it." The administrators want me to help mediate conflicts between students and develop workshops for the teachers to better handle conflict in their classrooms. We'll see how it goes! Then on Thursday evenings, I am also helping with an English conversational class. It is pretty difficult teaching English to people when you don't speak their language well enough to explain what it is you are teaching them. This also should be an interesting challenge. I think it will be very rewarding to help someone learn English. For example, my student last Thursday knows two or three tribal languages, but learning English can help him to get a better job. Hopefully I will be a good teacher!