It's so hot.

The first few weeks of teaching has certainly a learning experience for both me and the students. As I have mentioned before, I am working with four different groups of students- 3 groups of children and one for parents. Each group presents its own set of difficulties for me. I am very happy that all of the students have been patient with me as I learn how to best help them learn.

Here is a description of each of my classes:
Group one is 1st-3rd grade students. They arrive each morning eager to get started. Some take diligent notes of what I’m writing on the white board while others try and repeat everything that I say. It is fun to watch each style of learner do what they do best whether that is listen, repeat, write, or simply read. All of the children that I work with during the day, have had or will have English in school. This group has not yet started their formal English education so I’m trying to provide a base for them to be successful once they begin more structured classes in the elementary school.

The second group in 4th-6th graders. These students have begun to learn English in their classes but are at different levels of comprehension and ability to communicate orally. This is one of the difficulties of having such wide age groups- some students not only are more advanced or further behind than their peers; the students in my class span three grade levels. Since this is the case, I have decided that the best thing I can provide these children is speaking in a native voice and with correct grammar and encouraging them to engage in conversation. I’ll try and help with the actual mechanics of the language, but I think that I am best able to help the students become comfortable with speaking in English.

The third group of students are 7th and 8th graders. They have had formal English instruction in school for the past 5 or 6 years. Some of these students are very good at English already. Others are intimidated by their peers’ success. I am struggling to have those who are not as comfortable to speak up and join our conversation. This is a very fun class to have. The students would like to practice their speaking skills and don’t want much written work. Who can blame them, it is summer time and they are coming in for extra help.

We have decided to make this class a conversation session focusing on using various verb tenses. It is fun to talk about what everyone likes to do. One difficultly I am having with this class is overcoming what Americans like to talk about and what Bosnians talk about. I know what Americans like to talk about, especially in language classes- where they have been, what they have done, what their hobbies are and those sorts of things. These conversations are particularly short with these Bosnian students. Many of them have not traveled much. They don’t have many hobbies beyond playing soccer or volleyball and talking to their friends.

When I hear all of this, I realize how much we take for granted the many activities that Americans partake in to fill their free and idle time- for better or worse. I’m amazed and inspired by what makes these students happy and I wish many people in the states would be content with the many gifts that they have.

I have had several obstacles in addition to the language barrier. First of all, since this is a drop in center, the same group of kids don't show up everyday. This is understandable since it is the summer and kids enjoy having their free and definitely need to play. But on the other hand, it is very difficult to prepare a lesson plan and I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing previous days vocabulary.

Another major obstacle is the heat. It has been really bad the past week, seriously it has been terrible. It has been so hot that parents won't let their children go outside or even to our center. This makes the days at the center go by very slowly. Air Conditioning would be nice. Luckily, I have been getting some research done for grant preparation and helping the Center for Balkan Development begin their initial assessment on kicking off the "Youth Initiative" for all of Bosnia. So at least I have felt productive.

I also enjoyed a little R&R last weekend with some friends from college in Croatia and Montenegro. Thanks Pottsy, Diana, Angela, and Ashley for a little Croatian Vacation.

Teaching is scary

Yesterday was the big day; the day that I began teaching formal classes with the students at Bolje Sutra. We ended up breaking the students and parents into 4 different groups based on age. It was certainly difficult. I’m though excited to continue the challenge. It will mostly be a challenge because I am still struggling with learning Bosnian. I wish that I could help the students more by offering some directions and instructions that they understand, but we shall see how it goes. I know that I will be having help from the staff and other volunteers at Bolje Sutra so that encourages me. I’m glad that there are so many online resources available for ESL teachers and I plan on taking full advantage of the techniques and tips that they offer.

Things are going pretty well for me here. I’ve been trying to get everything ready to apply for my residence permit and that has been a pain. I had to spend half of a day at the hospital to make sure I didn’t have any high-risk diseases. That was certainly an ordeal. This is about how it went…

One of the animators at Bolje Sutra, Arnell, and I arrive at the hospital at 7am when they open. We have to pay the nurse extra for my forms; I don’t know why it isn’t included in the fee for the exams. She also gives me a list for all the steps I must go through in order to get the certification. I had to complete the following: blood test, urine test, chest x-ray, visit a psychologist, a neural-psychologist, and a physical.

During my blood test the nurse stopped to take a drink of coffee and a drag off her cigarette. The guy who took the x-ray of me thought I spoke German and insisted on giving me directions in German. I tried to tell him I didn’t understand in German, but that didn’t really seem to help. I failed to mention that before each exam I have to wait 20 minutes or more for the person to be ready to see me.

Next, Arnell and I headed to the first psychologist. When I entered the office I notice there are many charts to test for color blindness and other little ink-blotchy things. I thought that this exam was going to be fun and I started to practice the colors in Bosnian. The psychologist came in, she looked strangely at the two of us and sat down. She was about 28. Arnell explained to her what I was doing and why I was there. She turned to me and asked me how I was. I said, I was doing well. She then pulled her stamp out the drawer and stamped and endorsed my forms. She made sure to write that “He is not too crazy to be in Bosnia”. That was the end of my exam. I particularly liked how she emphasized that I might be crazy but not too crazy for Bosnia.

Then came the Neural-psychologist. There were about 10 people in line. Arnell jumped to the front and stuck his head in the office. I followed him into the office after he motioned for me to join him. Again, Arnell explained my situation. The doctor got out his stamp and stamped my forms. The stamps said that I didn’t have vertigo, epilepsy, or schizophrenia. I’m glad he was able to evaluate me so quickly. Arnell thinks that the psychologists are psychics as well.

At last I was on to the final test. I was sitting waiting to have my physical and another doctor walked by and saw me waiting. He invited us into his office for the exam. We chatted for a little while about my name being Irish and him going to Ireland once. Then the conversation turned towards politics. He was interested in my stance on politics. Arnell told him that I was a nice person and just wanted to help people. The doctor then proceeded to tell me about the needs of his political group he was a local leader of. Something like the Croatian farmers party or something. Apparently they are a really old movement and represent the needs of more than just Croatians. It seemed like a labor union for farmers, carpenters and other people in rural areas.

Finally we moved into the exam. He began taking my blood pressure. Then he realized I had set my water bottle on the floor. He scolded me for placing it there since I could pick up bacteria and get an infection. I suppose his reasoning in logical enough; he is a doctor after all. Next he moved on to finding my heart rate. No, that’s not right, first he offered me a cigarette, then he lit one himself, then he checked my heart rate. I know the medical system might not be up to snuff in Bosnia compared to Western standards, but offering a patient a cigarette during an exam seems a little ludicrous. I’m guessing they might translate a few of the articles from the New England Journal of Medicine. Maybe not though.

Other than that, things are going well. The students are excited that I will be going to the school soccer game next weekend. I enjoy watching them practice on the asphalt field outside of the center. I wish that I could play half as well as these 13 year olds. Well I’m off to administer a little pre-test to the students.

Until next time- Patrick

2 weeks in Bosnia.

I have been in Tuzla nearly two weeks now and I am begining to become more settled here. My understanding of the language is coming along, slowly. I can understand some conversations when they are in simple verb tenses. If they aren’t, I don’t stand a chance. Bosnian, as all Slavic languages, is very difficult. A change in one letter in a noun can change the entire meaning of a sentence.

I am also learning a little more about what my responsibilities at Bolje Sutra will be. Depending on how many people sign up for classes, it looks like I will have 4 or 5 classes. The classes will be separated by age group and we will have one class for more advanced students and one for parents so they can learn some English to better help them in their jobs.

I have already been teaching some to the pre-school students. This is quite an interesting process. It begins with Murveta and I teaching each other a little bit. The communication between the two of us is slow and we need two dictionaries to make things work. After we have learned a little bit, we teach the children.

First Murveta will say what we will teach in Bosnian, then she says it in English. Next, I say the word in English. At this pint Murveta has the kids repeat it in English. The we go around the classroom having each of the kids repeat what was said.

So far we have covered, “Good day”, “How are you?”, “I am fine”, “my name is…”, and the colors. I have been using online resources for ideas of how to be a better instructor. I will also be ordering a TEFL book.

Another way I am interacting with the pre-school kids is by playing with them. When they are playing with blocks on the floor with they will ask what certain animals we are playing with are called English. After I tell them it is a cow or chicken or horse, they laugh. Then they repeat the name. It is really funny to relate to the kids this way, but for now this is one of the few tools I have.

In addition to English classes, I will be teaching a computer class. The basic function of the class will be how to use Microsoft Office. Computer use for kids is minimal since the elementary schools do not have computers. The computers at the center are barely functional but they will have to do the job. I will also try to have DSL access to the internet donated from the phone company since internet access is expensive here. Having internet would be a wonderful way for the students to learn more about the world they live in.

During the past two weeks there have been many thunderstorms. Nearly everyday. Some come in the morning, but most happen in the evenings. Even though there have been so many thunderstorms, we have only lost electricity once.

We were at the center and the kids had all come inside because the winds had picked up. With the influx of children, Brko, one of the staff members, got out the water color paints. Then the thunder and lightning came. Soon there after the power went out.

Binasa told me that during the war Solina was without power for over 2 years. I couldn’t imagine such a thing. She said it wasn’t too bad. They cooked by fire and used candles at night. Since there wasn’t imminent threat in the city, the kids were able to play outside. Binasa said that the worst part about not having electric was not being able to use the washing machine.

This week I also found and moved into an apartment. The land lord echoed a similar message about living without what we in the developed world consider automatic and expected amenities. The day after I moved in he brought up three- 5 liter jugs. He instructed me to fill them up with water and keep them for when there is no running water.

Apparently up until about a year ago, there was only 6-7 hours a day of running water. It was necessary to keep some water around for those other hours to cook, wash and flush the toilet with. I did as he told and just two days later when I woke up and wanted to have tea and take a shower, there was no water coming out of the shower head. I thought it was just something with the faucet, so I tried the sink. Still nothing but a little spit of water. As I was on my way to the kitchen to see if that faucet had any water pressure, I saw the filled jugs and remembered my land lord’s warning. Sure enough the kitchen sink didn’t have water either.

So, I put the water jugs to use and filled a kettle full of water. After it had nearly boiled, I had my tea while the water cooled and then “showered” in the sink. This slight inconvenience made me begin to appreciate the stability and comforts of the developed world. The thunderstorms also leave me with the question, how many kilometers away was the lightning strike if the thunder is five seconds after the flash?