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It’s bittersweet that this is my last week in Dakar because the 1st three-week teaching session is coming to an end. For the 2ndthree-week teaching session I will be moving to Lac Rose, Senegal and instead of a traditional classroom setting, it will be a summer camp.The week ended with sadness and hugs because Thursday was the last day of classes, and I will most likely never see these students again. For the 2nd three-week session, it will be an entirely new group of students, so I will be starting all over again, but this time not as nervous and hopefully less shy. On Thursday the students filled out an exit survey to evaluate how much they learned. Originally I was a little sad about the survey results. They weren’t bad. Many of the students enjoyed the session and felt like they’re English improved, but a small amount of students thought the classes weren’t challenging enough. After processing my thoughts more, I was pleased with the survey especially because it gave me more insight and suggestions that I will take to the next session.However, the week started off rough when teaching didn’t go well for me on Monday. I’m very passionate about what I do, and when I feel like I’m not reaching every student I feel a little discouraged. I just want my students to learn and get the most out of these English classes, but sometimes I feel like they aren’t getting the most out of it, which bothers me sometimes. Some days they are more engaged than others. But today was not one of those days. I try to make the classes as fun and interactive as possible, while still making sure they are learning. Today every game I introduced they just weren’t engaged. Maybe I’m being too hard on myself. I know every teacher has their good and bad days, and today was one of my okay days. It just wasn’t the best.On the bright side my day did end well. Mouhamadou and I walked to the Monument de la Renaissance. I went to some shops to pick out some things for for myself. This was my 2nd time at the monument, so it felt familiar. There are over 100 stairs to get to the top of the monument. I think this will be the last time I climb up to the monument because each time has been rough. I like the monument because it is facing and pointing at the Statue of Liberty in New York and it represents the progression of Africa, not just Senegal. After taking some pics we got ice cream and I went home.On the other hand, this week was the first time I got lost. My family has a driver that picks me up and takes me home from the school I work at every day. The driver couldn’t pick me up one day, so my host mom gave me money to take a taxi home. She told me to take it home with one of the other volunteers, which I did. But that did not prevent me from getting lost because she was dropped off before I was.Once she was dropped off I used the little French that I knew to tell the driver where to go, and I showed him the region and area on my Google Maps app. Unfortunately, Dakar does not have addresses, but only regions, so you have to explain specifically to the taxi driver where to go. I was trying to explain to him that I lived near a middle school in the region Sacré Coeur, but he didn’t understand that. So, he dropped me off at the middle school instead. I could see he was impatient with my inability to speak French or Wolof, so I didn’t bother to try and explain to him this was not where I wanted to be dropped off. So, I just gave him the money and got out of the taxi. I figured at least I was close, so I looked at the map on my phone and started walking, but in the wrong direction. A group of three men saw I was lost and started speaking to me in Wolof. I just stared at them because I didn’t know what they were saying. I told them in French that I don’t speak the language. They then proceeded to speak to me in French, so I told them in French that I speak English and that I don’t understand French either (lol). Luckily they spoke a little English and were able to help me find my way home safely within 15 minutes. God bless them.Even though this is my 3rd week here, I still have not picked up on as much Wolof and French that I would have liked to. I thought it would be easier to learn French since I know Spanish, but for me that is not the case. The languages are similar, but the sound throws me off. I can read French better than I can listen and understand it. It makes it even more confusing for me learning French in Senegal because they mix Wolof, French, and Arabic. Sometimes I can’t even tell which language is being spoken. I’ve been using this app called Duolingo on my phone to help me learn. It has been helpful, but I wish I could get around better with what I know.The end of this week marks the longest I have been away from home in another country and surprisingly I’m not even feeling homesick. I’ve been gone for a total of 24 days and those days feel like they’ve passed by quicker than I can say “slap ass.” My longest abroad trip has been 22 days, but I’ve been away from parents and family for longer periods of time while I’m in college because I rarely come back home even though I live an hour away. I still love them; I just never come home. I don’t really miss America, but I think I miss the taste of it. I walked to an American food store to buy some American snacks like Oreos, Pringles, and Cheez-Its and it was very satisfying to eat them. The food here in Senegal is way cleaner and not processed, but I still miss American food. This week I’ve been craving American brand cereals and burgers, but I know my body is better off without it. This week was bittersweet. So now I'm counting down to less than a month before I’m back home. I’ve made it to the halfway point, now I just have to make it to the final stretch.
This is a part of the Teaching in Senegal Series.