First visit: Meeting the Dean.

We got to visit Miskaye today for the first time. What a fun experience. The K to gr.7 students were out in the compound playing in their uniforms and when they say us coming they crowded us all yelling out the English words that they knew. A few students could carry on a conversation with us, and were very proud indeed to do so.

Apparently Jemma is a common name in Ethiopia and means “the people”. Three school girls were very excited that I was there and asked my what my names was and then were yelling it around the compound. After speaking with the Dean we left the school and outside the gates. The three girls climbed onto the roof of one of the school buildings and in unison yelled “JEMMA” and proceeded to wave frantically, even though I had been speaking with them moments before.

I will be teaching highschool students, who are taught in English, it looks like they are gr.11. I am excited but unsure how this is going to work out. The young students are care-free and totally excited to have foreigners around. The older kids on the other hand may need some quality persuasion. We shall see. I have yet to meet an un-friendly Ethiopian.

My educational experience is going to be difficult to separate from all the cultural things I am observing. Ethiopia is a world away from Canada, but I feel they have the same “salt of the earth” kind of people. I suspect observing within their education system will be a real treat.

I do not know what to expect, but I hope to learn more about my own teaching philosophies as well as the Ethiopian standard of education.