Traveling and teaching

Notification of travel


As a teenager with a license do you remember having to call your parents to let them know you got to your friend's house safe? Or as a parent do you remember waiting for a call that never came and being relieved and angry when you found out that your child is safe?

Well in Ghana it is not just parents that you must tell and it does not matter if you are twenty something or fifty something. You are expected to tell people where you are going and when you expect to return. If you are going some distance you also need to let people know that you got there safe. Historically, people wanted to know in case something happens so they can possibly come to your aid. This type of mutual protection and concern is ingrained in the culture.

Going to the market? Make sure you tell you neighbor. Arrived safely in Tamale – your neighbors and fellow teachers all want to know.  If you don't call them you can expect a call from them to make sure you are OK.

When my neighbor is going to town or to visit someone a few miles away she will let me know. When she returns she lets me know. When I'm riding my bike to town little kids will call out “Nyine na fo kyere” (Where are you going?) and I should reply “In kyere town” (I'm going to town) or where ever.

In American many people don't want to tell their parents much if anything about travel plans. We typically don't tell our neighbors and certainly not the kid on the corner each time we go and come. This is an invasion of privacy and to some volunteers very annoying. However, it is part of the culture and expected in Ghana. It takes some getting use to. I spent the first two months apologizing for not giving proper notification, but now I'm pretty well integrated which includes sharing this information.

So, when I was going to Tamale last weekend I let multiple people know when I was leaving and when I expected to return. I also let those people know I got there safe.



Not teaching much this week.


I left Tamale on Sunday. It would have been better for me to stay over Sunday night and leave Monday and so meet the new Country Director who was visiting the area. But I would have missed a math class on Monday. So as a dedicated teacher I left on Sunday morning.

When I arrived at school on Monday I was told that as preparation for the upcoming Ghana Independence Day, March 6th, the students would practice marching and cultural dance during morning classes. Since Monday math, and most of my classes, are in the morning, I did not teach on Monday or Tuesday.  The school went to town for Ash Wednesday service so no classes until noon on that day.

This past week I taught one period on Wednesday (form 2 ICT) and two on Thursday (form 1 math & form 2 ICT). In a normal week I teach eight periods. So much for being a dedicated teacher.

This would have made me angry or at least frustrated when I was younger. I could have gotten myself worked up about it. Why didn't I know about this ahead of time? Don't they know I left specifically to teach math on Monday? So many other things could have gone through me head.

However, I decided to stay relaxed. I could not do anything about it and getting angry or frustrated would not make anything better. I am a little surprised about how well I took the change in plans. Perhaps I'm becoming a little wiser in my old age, but at least I've been able to reduce my blood pressure medication.


I suppose preparation for Independence Day is as important as math class. I likely will not get though all the topics this term because at best I'll teach one, rather than three periods of math each week until Independence Day. If I rush through the topics the students will not learn them. So I will cover what I can while giving the students time to learn (although not all will learn).


Marching and dancing


I went to four high schools. In my third, Parkview in Little Rock Arkansas, I took Junior Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC). As part of the activities I practiced marching. As someone with problems remembering left from right this was difficult. Although with considerable practice I became good enough for the drills.

Side note: I preferred and was better on the rifle range. Who knows where I would be if I stayed at that high school and then went into college on an ROTC scholarship. My life would have been very different for sure.

Anyway I didn't. Now in a different Corps I'm watching African students march and remembering my practices forty years ago. The marching (steps, turns, arm movement) is different. However, I'm able to help out a little after checking with the teachers on the proper movement.

Girls marching

Boys marching

Percussion group to mark cadence for those marching

Teachers demonstrating cultural dance moves to the students.  Xylophone in the center.

Primary girls watching the white man watching the dancing.

Primary school boys dancing

Other spectators in the shade of some bushes.



I remain healthy. The weather is moving towards becoming hot although we've had a couple of cold fronts move through – more on that next post.



Love always,

John

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