What does it mean to make a difference and change the world? I think that it starts with following your passion. You can do much more good in the world if you are passionate about what you are doing. I don’t care what it is you are passionate about. It could be anything. Follow your dreams and don’t shy away from something that seems too far out of reach. Wouldn’t it seem too far out of reach for me to travel to Africa for a year to teach? I’m writing to you now from Africa where I am currently volunteer teaching. Think about it, if I can be in Africa and fulfill my dreams, why can’t you? You need to follow your passion and see where it takes you.
I think I was meant to be here and have this experience. I followed my gut feeling about where I was supposed to be and what I needed to be doing. I could have taken the easy route and applied for grad schools and stayed home trying to get a job. For the time being, that is not what I’m meant to be doing. I’m not saying that doing all of this is easy or even pleasant all of the time…this following your passion stuff. It’s challenging and exhausting. However, wouldn’t you much rather be doing something that you know you want to do than be stuck doing something you hate? We only have one life to live (yes that is a soap opera name) and we should try and live it so that in the end we have no regrets. I can say with confidence that I have no regrets thus far and I do not plan on having any for as long as I live.
Make a bucket list. Tick things off the list when you can. Make a plan; set a goal.
Now that I have that thought out of the way I can fill you in on the past week. I had a much better week teaching my learners. I’ve been planning my lessons like crazy to make sure that there isn’t a moment for my learners to be talking or disrupting. They are busy little bees in Ms. Chelsea’s class now! I think that being bored contributes to a lot of talking in class.
This weekend I went to Ondangwa with my housemate Indila to her restaurant and bar that she owns. It was cool to see how she runs her business here in Africa. We brought Hunter along with us and he hung out with some of the young boys that Indila looks after. She has so many responsibilities at only 25 years old. She runs a business, looks after some young boys that stay at the house, looks after her cousin and her cousin’s baby, and looks after the girls that she employed to work at the bar. She pays for everything herself and still gives them a salary. She also teaches at the school with me. Talk about being able to multi-task!
When we were all coming back from the weekend I had Hunter in my lap in the car. The driver drove so fast through the village to drop us off that when he stopped the car, Hunter threw up on his back seat. I think that’s a little bit of karma. Stop driving so fast and maybe my dog won’t vomit in your vehicle J
Yesterday we had a staff meeting called. Staff meetings here are announced mid-day when someone decides there should be one. So around 12 when I was passing by the office I saw the notice on the chalkboard that we need to report for a meeting at 2:30 when the last class ends. I rushed out of my last class to get a chair to bring to the staff lounge and sat for the meeting. Business went on as usual as one of the teachers was explaining that parents were coming in and complaining about students being kept late after school. The students are staying late and playing and then blaming it on sports. They say that they are being kept by the teachers. Really they don’t want to go home and do chores and look after the animals so they lie to their parents.
Another issue as my colleague so kindly blamed me for was that learners keep coming to my house and visiting me. He turned to me in the middle of the meeting and called me out specifically. I then informed him that I have a housemate (and pointed to her) and asked why he was not addressing her as well. He then kept saying do you understand me and Chelsea they shouldn’t be over there because that’s teacher’s housing. I then told him that I never asked the learners to come over and I agree that they shouldn’t be there. I also informed him that he should not be attacking me specifically.
After school I went over to him and explained that it is unprofessional to address someone in such a manner during a staff meeting. He should have come to me privately and discussed it with me first. A staff meeting is not a time to point fingers and bring things like that up. He said he understands and that he was sorry. I think that it’s important to stand up for yourself. I do not feel bad for what I said. Life goes on.
Peace and Love,
Chels
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