Keyo Secondary School - "Arise and shine" (school motto)

So, Monday I started school. I am observing this week for the most part. I am at the displaced site for Keyo and am pretty much the only Muno there for most of the day. My school is very close to our house and I walk with the other American teachers who are placed at the original site. Monday I was completely overwhelmed. Not just by the work, but mostly by meeting the children and putting faces with those whose pain I have imagined for so long. Florence has duty this week so we stand and monitor the lunch line to make sure no one gets extra pocho (like really sticky grits) and beans. But as we stood observing, Florence quietly pointed out the students who were abducted during the war and many of them had visible bullet wounds and scars. It broke me. I thought I had prepared myself, but I held it together at school all day and then had a huge cry in front of my group Monday night.
Tuesday was a holiday…“Heroes Day” so we had no school. I went with my friend Daneen to her partner teacher’s house to meet his family. It was wonderful. Having conversations with Acholi’s is quite exhausting just because you have to be “on” all the time, even if nothing is being said. It may sound confusing, but it’s just a cultural barrier. But we made lunch and I learned how to make “boo”, which is a traditional African dish pronounced “boh”. It was kind of tough to make. They laughed at me. They asked if this was my first time to cook and I said, no I do now and again back home and Alex (Daneen’s teacher) looked at me completely shocked. He said, “No, Lisa, are you sure? All Americans have people that cook for them, I know this to be true.” It took us about 15 minutes to convince him that there was not a hired cook in every American household. I think he still doesn’t believe us.
They also think that when I say I live in the south that I mean I live in South America. I have to talk very slowly in class. It’s funny. I feel ridiculous, but it helps them.
Today was an excellent day at school. Still very long, but I am getting to know Florence and she is wonderful. I met her husband today because he teaches at the neighboring school, Gulu High. I even got to teach a class. Florence and I were walking to one of her classes and she said, “Lisa, what do you know about figurative language?” And I said, “You mean, like similes and metaphors…I know lots.” And she said, “Good, you teach this class”. So I had to come up with an 80 minute lesson plan in a span of 5 steps into the classroom. Good times. It went really well. Florence said I am already wonderful J. At one point, the students were not answering a question so I said, “What’s wrong? Are you afraid of the Muno???” They laughed and then started answering. They are starting to get comfortable with me. They wrote some short stories which make me appreciate the writings of my students back home, but it was a sweet start for them. They love to write about Obama.
Oh, STUDENTS! Do you remember when I showed you the video in class of my school, Keyo Secondary? Remember Irene the girl that hosted the video…well, she is in one of my classes. I told her that I would have to take a picture with her to show you when I get home. It made her day when I told her that you were all so happy to see the video back in the states. She felt like a celebrity J
Friday we will have sports day which is like field day but with track events. So that will be great to see. I am going to have to work some event and I really hope they don’t have me running because we all know how ridiculous that will be. I’ll keep you posted.
Saturday and Sunday we are going on the rhinoceros safari…exciting! I hear it is peaceful. Hope so.
Oh, and about 6 of us started a Bible study group last night. That helps for sustaining power.
Sunday night we went swimming at Acholi Inn and we ate there. It was amazing! I had fried fish fingers and chips (French fries)…it was the best thing I’ve eaten here yet! That is sad and just shows how Americanized I am…or Southernized…all the fried goodness.
Dong maber! (Stay well/Have a good day)