Walking into a Storm

Dust was flying everywhere, people were running down the street, collecting their belongings, and hiding – and there I was on the side of the road, trying to move as quickly as possible to get to the trotro, afraid I might be picked up in the storm. Just as I got to the trotro the rain started to pour down and I knew the next hurdle would be getting into the school building. When I walked into the classroom the children were staring at me, probably saying something about my wet hair or muddy feet, but I realized that in this situation I’m the adult, the one that takes charge, and doesn’t get offended if her students are whispering in the back of the classroom.

Speaking of offending people, I decided that same morning that I would introduce them to “Pictionary” because we had some time before classes started and it was raining outside. I split the class into two teams and then we started to play. I realized things were going horribly wrong when they started to yell at one another and yell to me about the rules, the time, and whatever else they were saying. So I took my piece of chalk and wrote “Sportsmanship” on the board. I asked them to tell me what it was and when none of them knew I gave them a short lesson on it. Although there was still one boy in the back of the class glaring at me, I think that the point came across and perhaps I will be able to try another game again.

This all happened yesterday…on Mardi Gras. And I couldn’t resist celebrating Ghanaian style. So Nikki and I did just that. We had met a couple of other international students the other night and one of the guys said that he would cook Jambalaya for us at the International Student Hostel (ISH). It was amazing! (turned out he had started to cook the previous summer so it was no wonder the food was so good). Also, when I mentioned to Grandma Gritty that I wouldn’t be home for dinner because I would be out celebrating Mardi Gras she went into her room and came out with a bag full of beads! Turns out she’s been to Mardi Gras before because of her son who lives in Baton Rouge. I am clearly with the right family.

A lot has happened in the past few days – asking Grandma Gritty for advice, having Felix gasp when he saw the muscle in my calf and ask me, “what is that?!” trying to control a class of thirty-six fifth graders, starting work on my independent project, attempting to set up a pen pal program, learning forgiveness, realizing my own limits, thinking about my own faults, trying not to get run over by motorcycles racing past, receiving exciting news that my mom is coming to visit in May…it’s crazy what happens in one day.