All the Disorder

Last week was it, I gave my last test, graded them, filled out report cards, and gave the tests back to the students today. As always, I was bombarded with students saying "Sir, please sir..". Most of the time it is because they do not understand how they got their grade or they have changed their answer and expect me to change their grade. I imagine that some of them are being truthful about the answer and I look at the test, but after so many I get annoyed and ask them if they would prefer to have a zero instead of the 15/20 they recieved. For the most part, that doesn't clear them out until I get out my grade book and start acting like I'm changing grades. It seems cruel I know, but I think cruelty is allowed on my part. My cruelty is minor compared to what I went through the entire year.

As I think about the past year, I can only seem to remember the classes where I never got anything accomplished. Most of the year was trying to keep order in the classroom, I'm not sure that was ever accomplished. When I had site visits from Peace Corps Admin there was order, mainly because I told the students that if they misbehave I will be sent to another town and they will have no English teacher. Ha ha...little two faced punks. I call them two faced because, well, they are. In larges groups they don't listen, don't understand, talk to each other, hit each other, who knows what else. In smaller groups or when another teacher/admin enters their presence, halos are visible over their heads and you can hear a pin drop in the silence of the overcroweded classroom. As the new teacher, I was subject to more of their uhm...let's say unangelic side.

From January until the end of March, the library was in use daily. It was somewhat organized and made sense, students were borrowing books and bringing them back. However, with the advice of the vice principal I stopped loaning books before spring break. Why you ask? Mainly because it is too close to the end of the year and students would keep the books for themselves and they would never be seen again. At least that was the VP's reasoning. Now, the library is still somewhat organized, there are now a couple of computers that the admin was hiding somewhere. I suppose it's a good starting point for next year. I am trying to write a Peace Corps Partnership to get some money to buy books, chairs, tables, shelves, paint, more light fixtures, and computer desks.

The one thing I don't want to be is a babysitter for the library or a discipline agent for the classroom. I think that is one reason why this proposal writing has been delayed so much (by me). The other reason is probably as simple as I wanted to do something else. It's a lame reason, but it's the truth. I had 4 jobs in the states before I came here, and I feel like I do more here than I was doing then (and I don't do much here, lol. I'm not sure what that says about those jobs or this one, but I'm just keepin it real).

I plan on working less teaching hours at the lycee next year because I would like to teach at the teachers training school and perhaps work with some other NGO's teaching an English class. It's possible that I could have the same results this time next year or I could be successful. It all falls on my shoulders really. I think the one thing I need to start doing more of is planning, I've pretty much flown by the seat of my pants since I started teaching (sorry Dylanna, lol). I think maybe I've lived a little too long with the "whatever happens, happens" attitude and maybe it's time to change that. Should I set goals and try to reach them? It seemed to have worked out the other times I've done that, making the Dean's list every semester for two and half years, finishing my last semester in college with a 3.9gpa, and raising my cumulative gpa out of the gutter.

I've practically started my summer vacation already. It will be a fun time I'm sure. I honestly feel like my time here is almost up, even though I still have a year to go. I suppose I have some time to figure things out now that all the disorder is over.

(Check the photo page for some pics of the library and lycee)

Just a Little More

Now that spring break is over, I am on the last leg of teaching. The school system here is seperated into trimesters and those are then seperated into sequences that are 6 weeks long. But, in reality, they are not 6 weeks long. The vacations and holidays take away most of the time and let's not forget the inefficency of the system itself. The sixth sequence for me is actually only 3 weeks long, 2 weeks of review and then a test the following week.

However, for me, 3 weeks is too long. I'm looking forward to the U.S., I can't believe it's almost been a year already.

I really don't have too much to write about...I think the dog is pretty much house trained now (at least at my house he is) and I've been able to make my house look like someone lives here and is comfortable. Recently we've discovered a restraunt that makes pizza (and it's good but expensive).

The rainy season finally started, which was great for a day when all the dust changed to mud. Now, when it rains you are pretty much trapped where ever you may be when it starts. That's mostly been at my own home, but i'm sure it there will be other places. When a big storm comes in they usually cut the power, and that happens just about everyday. I can travel now and my skin won't turn orange, but the road can be treacherous at points and you think you are going to die. They stack things so high on the bush taxi's you think you're going to tip over. They already have a high center of gravity, but all you can do is laugh about it, otherwise you probably shouldn't be here.

I'll write again soon, maybe with something a little less boring.

My 10,000cfa Dog Just Pooed in the Living Room

Wow, what a night after a day of uneventfullness. After dinner I came home and went on a walk with Buddy like I've been doing when the sun sets because it's not very hot and he can make it through with out stopping. So we went down into the quartier and crossed over the river and went back up into a different quartier. It was in this place that I had originally seen Buddy and had asked if he was for sale, he was not at the time, so I went on with my life. Then a couple of weeks later the creepy guy was standing at my door to sell me this dog.

As we started on the last leg home, a guy comes up and asks me where I got this dog. So I told him the same story I've told you and he, some of his family, and a small crowd gathered around us (not like for a fight but just to watch). The man said that that is his dog and he wants it back, then tomorrow I will have to go and find the guy who sold him to me and we will go to the police station. I said I have no idea where to find that guy, and I told him that I will gladly go to the police station with him in the morning with Buddy, but I will keep him until then. He didn't want to do that and after a few minutes of arguing, I started to walk off and they grabbed Buddy's leash and wouldn't let go. So to avoid any type of physical confrontation, I went with them to their house and left the dog until tomorrow. Now, this is something that did not sit well with me for more than 2 seconds. So instead of waiting until the morning, I jumped on a moto and went to the police station immediatly.

The Police Commissioner was there as I pulled up and since he is such an awesome guy, I got to explain what happened in English! English! It made things a lot easier. After that, we got in his car and went to the guys house. One thing I noticed is how much respect the people here give the commissioner. Even the angry guy who was a confident asshole and took my dog was a completely different person in his presence. He's definetly deserving of it though, he handled the situation well, listened to both sides of the story, and he never seemed to give off the idea that he had more power than anyone else. Also, he is my neighbor, lives just a few houses down, awesome. Anyways, the Commish decided he didn't like discusssing things at this man's house, it was dark and there were some fools around (crazies), so we went back to the police station.

At the police station, we sat and talked with the original owner who wanted to keep his property. It was a difficult situation, I'm pretty sure buddy was his dog and most likely someone did steal him and sell him to me. However, I've had buddy for a month or so now, cleaned up and made him healthy, he's definitly made life better for me here, so I don't want to give him up. I offered to pay them what they gave for Buddy and then once they found another dog I would pay for that one too, but they didn't want that. Then, they finally said that if I give them 10,000cfa they'd let me keep the dog (equivelant to 20.00USD).

What could have been the case: It could have been that it was a conspiracy to get more money out of me. They told someone to take the dog and sell it to me. Then at a later time they would do exactly what they did tonight and try to take the dog back knowing I would want to keep it and give them more money...so if that was the case then it worked well.

Now, Buddy is asleep on the floor next to the bed as I write this, I don't think I'll have to worry about those guys trying to take the dog or rob me(I mean the Police Commissioner is only 2 houses down), we shook hands when they left the station. They may be a little bitter though and I'll avoid walking past that way for awhile.

The king's a beggar, now the play is done:
All is well ended, if this suit be won,
That you express content; which we will pay,
With strife to please you, day exceeding day:
Ours be your patients then, and yours our parts;
Your gentle hands lend us, and take our hearts.

Meet Buddy

Buddy Reperton is his name. If some of you don't get the reference, then you"ll need to watch Christine. I will tell you that Buddy Reperton was a bully in the movie, but that dog doesn't look like a bully, well he's tough. Plus, Carol and I just started calling him Buddy because he didn't have a name and in the sense of intuition, Buddy Reperton is his formal name.

How did I come across this animal? It was about 7 a.m. and his owner was creepily standing outside my front gate saying, "knock, knock" while holding this dog. What the hell? It's 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning and this guy is just standing there, who knows how long he was there before that.

So, I had seen this dog before but he wasn't forsale, so I just didn't have a dog. But, something changed and that family didn't want the dog anymore and here we are. When I saw him before, he was pretty nonchalant and he still is, you could pick him up and carry him anywhere and he wouldn't make a sound, he'd do nothing except look at you. Now that I've been around him for a minute, he's actually a pretty lively pup....peeing, pooping, tearing things up, the usual puppy things. I've decided to put up my big rug until he's better trained, he's got a small small bladder apparently.

He had never had a bath until yesterday and had a terrible case of fleas and ticks, I mean terrible...yuck. So, we went to the VetAfric and he got a shot for worms, another shot for vitamins, and I bought some flea bath. I acutally had to give him two baths because the one didn't get rid of all the fleas and dirt. He seems to be doing really well though, there are only one or two ticks that are hiding in his ear that I may have the vet get out.

I think that Buddy's around 6 to 8 weeks old, and I'm sure that his entire life was spent fighting for food, because when we gave Buddy and Honey their dinner, soya and potat (basically beef skewers and a type of sugary potatoe), he ate the potat calmly but when the soya was put in his bowl he basically did a head dive into the bowl. Then, Honey finished her meat quickly and went to check out Buddy's bowl, he went nuts growling, barking, biting, basically fighting like he was 8 weeks old and never eaten a meal. After he eats, his stomach gets really big and gets wide. He looks like the pregnant goats I see here. This probably means that he has some sort of worm growing inside (not uncommon here), so I'll have to take him to the vet and see what needs to be done. His time with me has been pretty short, I only got him yesterday but it seems like a lot longer. His presence will obviously complicate my life much more now, I have to feed it, let it outside, and feed it...I think he'll be worth the trouble though. School will be over soon, at the end of this month we have 2 weeks off then I think the middle of May is end of my classes, which will be wonderful!

Side Note: If anyone can send a few tennis balls or dog toys this way I would much appreciate it, I'm already tired him trying to chew on the curtains, rug, my shoes, and anything else he thinks might be fun....however, I'm sure he's getting tired of me hitting his nose for that stuff, lol. Jon, send a shock collar!! His true nature is shown below, lol.

Other pics can be seen at the photo link on the left in the "dogs" folder.