Tania made the trip back to Cuamba with us after our trip. Just like after any trip, I was not ready to go back to work. So I decided to take advantage of having Tania there and we would do some activities with her. Another PCV was coming to Cuamba to give some classes on Sexual Reproductive Health as well but I was not sure if she would make it to my classes or not. I figured if she made it in time, Ariel could give the reproductive health lessons, because that is very important for these students, otherwise Tania and I would do some activities with my 11th graders.
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| My students and Tania... they loved her |
The next day came and Ariel had gotten to Cuamba late the night before, so she wasn’t going to make it for my first class. So it was all Tania. I decided we would let them ask her questions and just practice speaking English. Right before we got to class we decided it would be fun to pretend that Tania does not speak any Portuguese, so they would have to work and only speak English. This was fun. We got there and they questions began. Started with the standard, how old are you, are you married, where do you live, what do you do, what do you like to do in your free time, etc. Then what kind of music do you like, her and I gave a little beat and did a little dance… my students got to see a new side of me. I am usually pretty serious in my classes because one of my classes does not listen to me if I joke around; this first class is not the same. I think I’ve gained a little more respect over the last few months with them. Part way through the questions we decided we wanted them to “teach” Tania a little Portuguese. So we started having them translate some of the things that they were asking and some of her answers. This was great, until one point when I wasn’t listening and someone translated what she said wrong. I didn’t hear it, but Tania handled it well… she was like, is that really what I said and looked at me. I had them repeat it and I realized it was wrong. She said her response again and this time someone got it right… I should really pay attention more haha.
Toward the end, after Tania and I talked about how much she liked to dance and how much she liked music, one of my students raised his hand and asked…. “Can we have a dance contest?” Tania said she would, so I said it was fine. We put on some Michael Jackson and had 5 of my students and Tania as contestants. I knew, in general, Mozambicans are very good dancers… but these students were amazing. They were pulling some serious Michael Jackson moves. Luckily, I got a short video of some of them, you cannot see great because most of the students ended up standing up. When Tania disappears, she is doing the worm. At the end, we voted it was a close one, but Tania ended up winning. I’m not sure if I agree, Tania was great but these kids have some skills.
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| The dance-off.. |
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| The dance contestants |
For the next class, Tania talked to them for about 15 minutes and then Ariel came. She taught about the reproductive systems of both a male and a female, talked about pregnancy and answered several questions. These kids did not know a whole lot. I wish she would have had more time, but the next teacher was ready to teach his class. The next day she did the same thing for my other class. Again, they had so many questions for her that she only got through a fraction of her material. That was ok, because it is important to answer their questions and address the wrong information that they have been given, but they need more classes like this. I hope that she will be able to come back sometime, maybe for a week and give lessons for the entire week. We talked with the director and she was able to give these classes to some 9th and 10th grade classes in the afternoon for teachers who were either sick or who did not show up. Each time, she said she got through only a fraction of her material, due to students questions. All of my students said that they wanted her to return some day and teach them more.
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