I was supposed to volunteer at a small community hospital in Lamhjung, Nepal but because I couldn't speak English and there were only 5-10 patients a day, I spent my time sitting all day. Also, the walk there was a one hr trek by myself each way and involved forging rivers and wandering past endless corn fields. So, I began teaching at a nearby secondary school that is government-funded which means they have English language cassettes but no cassette player, and have to keep the chalk in a small bucket in the office as there is not much to begin with.
On my first day I met the principal, other teachers, and students. I was then thrown into teaching - in one class the teacher simply handed me the textbook and left! What?! I teach three classes: English (year 9), grammar (year 8), and health/population (year 7, the subjects are on alternating days). During breaks, I chat with the teachers who want to improve their English - they don't always understand me so I am never sure how much the kids can follow me!
Teaching is fun but terrifying. The kids are so sweet -outside of class, ha!- and like to teach me simple Nepali phrases. I can now name the animals on the farm and the foods we eat -dhal baht- and I'm working on basic conversational phrases. I like the kids and the environment at the school but I'm never sure if what I'm doing is getting through to them or not. It's quite an experience.
Also I'm the only volunteer/white person in the village so if I walk somewhere people are constantly telling me namaste, or hello.
On my first day I met the principal, other teachers, and students. I was then thrown into teaching - in one class the teacher simply handed me the textbook and left! What?! I teach three classes: English (year 9), grammar (year 8), and health/population (year 7, the subjects are on alternating days). During breaks, I chat with the teachers who want to improve their English - they don't always understand me so I am never sure how much the kids can follow me!
Teaching is fun but terrifying. The kids are so sweet -outside of class, ha!- and like to teach me simple Nepali phrases. I can now name the animals on the farm and the foods we eat -dhal baht- and I'm working on basic conversational phrases. I like the kids and the environment at the school but I'm never sure if what I'm doing is getting through to them or not. It's quite an experience.
Also I'm the only volunteer/white person in the village so if I walk somewhere people are constantly telling me namaste, or hello.
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