Today's teaching experience was a little rougher than last week. This is the first week where I am scheduled to teach for 40 hours. So I have been a little anxious about occupying 40 back to back hours of the students time. In theory I'm supposed to keep them occupied with one class module for eight hours a day five days a week. I was to begin lecture at 7:30 AM this morning. I did not know if I had a classroom or where it was until about 7:15 this morning. I went to the same classroom that I was assigned to last week, hoping that it was same, but when I got there it was full of students from a different class. I didn't know where to go psyching back to my office asked my department head what my classroom was and he said I have been assigned to the "skills lab" for my classes all week. Of course, I have no idea where the skills lab is located so I had to ask around to get pointed in the right direction. When I arrived to the class room home at the floor was completely flooded there were two maintenance workers in there was clear she squeegeeing the water out into the hallway… I also found that the "skills lab" is a room dedicated to the nursing students. The entire room was arranged and set up just like a hospital room with a bed, two chairs, IV hangers, the sliding curtain rooms, etc. There was no place for a lecture, no tables for students or chairs for them to sit at… I thought it might have them sit on the floor but it was flooded. All in all it was a disastrous start! I had to come back downstairs and form the department head that the room was flooded there were no tables no chairs no blackboard/chalkboard no place for me to even project my PowerPoint lecture notes… Was a little frustrated! My department had had no solution for me whatsoever other than find a way to make it work this is your classroom for this week. So… The workers had no intention of leaving until their job was done so I just tried to teach around them; I informed the students that they had 10 minutes to go find a chair from somewhere and bring it back. So within about 15 or 20 minutes everybody had a chair and about half the class had some sort of little stool or writing desk to sit at. So my 7:30 lecture began at about 8:30 or 8:45 (who's keeping track of time at this point). Workers were still working around us – incredibly distracting – on top of the fact that they were going to be sitting there for the next eight hours or so listening to me talk was just nothing short of discouraging. So… We got into a groove about 30 to 40 minutes into the lecture and we were clipping right along everybody was making do when someone just totally abruptly walked into the classroom and wondered what we were doing their. It is very clear that the schedule from the main administration building show that we were to have the skills lab… Well, I guess no one informed the nursing faculty. Around 915 or 930 nursing faculty came in and said that the skills lab belong to them and they needed the room for the rest of the day and that we would have to leave and find another classroom. So at this point I just laughed – she was in no joking mood – told the class we would have a few minute recess, I would find a new classroom and we would resume our lecture. Thankfully, I was able to find a new room. I only hope that we are able to have room tomorrow! Situations like this make it very difficult to take things seriously! But, I may do and it turned out just fine. During our first break, around 1030, I came down to my office to get a drink of water and check some email and found the hope physiotherapy department shut down and everybody gone. It was a ghost town – everybody's offices were locked tight and vacant! I had no idea where anybody was or what was going on… Not one to be surprised by much anymore, I just came to my office check and send some emails. I later did find out that the entire physiotherapy faculty was at a conference and that they neglected to tell me about it… My response to all of this – "Acuna Mattia" – no problem!
 |
| Here are the boys enjoying the robes and slippers in their own private luxury suite. It is some sort of national policy or law here in Rwanda that there is a limit to people per room – even families. Therefore all families are required at all times to you to get a sweet or at least two rooms – that's why it was so expensive for the room, not because we had the money to spend. The boys did however, the wonderful time! |
Rainforest Trek
On another note… Me and the family had a wonderful time this past weekend at Nyungwe National Forest. In spite of the 5 Hour drive, on mountainous terrain, and a hairpin turn every 20 feet, we had a great time at the forest. This is Africa's only rain forest and canopy. It was truly an awesome experience! On Friday afternoon we walked on top of the canopy on this horrifyingly scary bridge! Much like the bridge in the Dr. Seuss movie Horton hears a who, where Horton had to imagine he was as light as a feather walking across this bridge that connected to mountains across a bottomless gorge. That was fun! We saw some amazing things! Friday evening we stayed at a five-star resort Lodge which was absolutely beautiful. Of course, it better have been beautiful because it was $875 per night… I won't say that it was worth the money, but it was certainly beautiful and they pampered us in every way! It was a much-needed break from our normal routine! On Saturday morning we took a trek into the rainforest. In this trek we went down to the basin of the rain forest, saw a beautiful waterfall, absolutely stunning and beautiful scenery – just like you would expect to see on any National Geographic show, and several species of very rare birds and a few monkeys. Friday's trek was about three hours that consisted of a 3000 foot elevation change. Saturday's trek was over four hours and was a 7000 foot elevation change – first down and then up. It was like something straight out of Jurassic Park! One of the most physically exhausting things I've ever done – fortunately, the scenery was so captivating that you hardly noticed how bad you are sweating, how thirsty you were, and how exhausted your limbs were. Of course Nathan and Jay didn't think it was hard at all – ohh to be young again! Once we were finished we headed back to the lines for a late afternoon swim in their beautiful infinity edge pool that overlooks the rain forest, some lunch, and a much-needed shower. Then back in the car for a nauseating 5 Hour drive home. All in all it was a great weekend!
 |
| here we are walking on top of the canopy on one of the most horrifying bridges I have ever had the privilege to stand on. This bridge was 95 meters long |
 |
| here is a little break in the canopy… A nice view from beneath |
 |
| here is an awesome view at the basin of the rainforest. Here's a picture of the top half of the waterfall |
 |
These two guys were hunting us on our trek! |
 |
It's hard to tell which is prettier… The rain forest… Or the hot babe on the left of the picture!
Of course on this picture it is very obvious that that stud in the middle is the best scenery.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment