First Day of School

     I’ve now been in Sudan for one month and I have barely scratched the surface of this place.  A couple weeks ago Rachel and I moved into our own apartment in Khartoum North. We are getting to know our neighbors one of which is an 11 year old boy named Omer who is very friendly and even knows a bit of English.

Sometimes we watch Bill Nye the Science Guy

     I have started teaching this week at the University of Bahri in Khartoum North. It used to be Juba University before South Sudan became its own country. Right now all of the first-year students are taking a mandatory intensive English course. So I will be acting as a guest lecturer in 16 classes of 40-100 students seeing each class only once a week (teaching  4 classes a day) for the month of November. At first I was really intimidated by the idea of teaching such large classes. The first day Rachel and I sat in classes and observed. What we discovered was that the students had disparate abilities. We also realized that it wasn’t our job to teach from a text book but to give supplemental instruction so students could listen to a native speaker. When we introduced ourselves and said “Hello” everyone started laughing.

     I think my first day I tried to cover too much. I tried to tell the students about my hometown Boston. I talked about the ocean, lobsters, cranberries, sports (including awkwardly trying to explain hockey and how football was soccer), and even a brief history lesson about the Pilgrims. I’d look up and see blank faces and repeat what I had said again and ask Ok? But at some point you have to keep going and push through the lecture. Throughout the week I’ve had varying success. The following is a list of questions the students have asked me:

Are you married?

How old are you?

Where are you from? (after my entire lecture on Boston)

Are you a Republican?

How can you like Sudan if you are from America?

What do you know about Muslims?

How can I get a visa to go to America?

Do you think Sudanese people are lazy?

Tell us about the relationship between the US and Sudan.

How is British English different from American English?

Are you Christian?

     Frankly I’ve had it easy compared to some of the questions Rachel has gotten. The weather is getting better too. As we wait and wait for our ride to school Rachel says, “Look on the bright side its nine in the morning and I haven’t started sweating yet.” So there’s that. Hamdalallah!