hands, shirt and pants are all covered in chalk. And presumably my
rear end. I don't know for sure, but it seems likely that the chalk
I am using here is actually messier and dustier than chalk in the US.
It is as if a light snow covers each and every class.
2. Speaking English to ESL speakers. I am really good at speaking
English as a second language—that is to say I speak easy words if I am
knowing it is better for other person. I can listen to the words
they do and do not know and modify my vocabulary, and my tense,
accordingly. However, in my university classes I have to speak
proper English in an effort to model it. This is difficult for me
because I know that if I used my normal ESL they would understand me
more. But alas, I am supposed to be showing them the 'right' way.
3. Slow internet. Normally, I use the internet to double check facts
when I am preparing lectures—and in some cases to learn missing facts.
The internet here is so slow here that I often play 5-10 FreeCell
games before a page uploads. I play FreeCell between uploads because
if I don't I get irritated like I am stuck in traffic. The internet
here is also a very mysterious thing—sometimes it works and sometimes
it doesn't. Sometimes it is simply a slow connection while other
times I can wait an entire hour only to have absolutely nothing load.
They say that children raised in alcoholic homes develop irrational
belief systems about life because they are trying to create order out
of chaos. It could be said that the alcoholic internet here is making
me equally superstitious. I often attribute the slow connection to
the number of clicks I make, the speed of the wind outside, the time
of day or whether or not I play FreeCell.
4. Electricity blackouts. Not unlike the internet, sometimes the
electricity just doesn't work. In the US this happens too but it is
generally related to a major storm. Here the weather can be perfect
when it happens. There is no clear rhyme or reason—and I think it is
safe to say that an electrical line was not harmed during road or
building construction. So, sometimes I can use my laptop in class
and sometimes I cannot.
5. Copies. In the US I try to conserve copies for abstract and
environmental reasons. Here it is related more to the fact that the
entire department is using one small printer. In addition to this I
recognize that the cost of an ink cartridge in Malagasy Ariary (the
currency) is extremely expensive. So, I print one copy for myself
and then write it all on the board.
6. Defining English Words. Off the top of my head every day I must
define English words. The problem is this: I really like words and
I think about them too much. I am the type of person who will stop
mid-conversation and search for the perfect word. Even a thesaurus
is an interesting book for me—I can look at the related words and have
a whole conversation about how they are and are not similar to the
original word. Nuance. Context. Connotation. Language is truly
an amazing and complex thing! You can imagine the dramatic classroom
pause when asked to define "internalization" "encounter" "mystery"
"bastard" and "endemic". Sometimes it is difficult to explain because
I am searching for the easiest way to understand the word. And
sometimes, like an idiot, the only word I can think of is the word
itself. "Encounter. To encounter. It means….when you encounter
something." Sometimes the word takes me on a new journey. "To
externalize. To make something happen outside of its original
location. Outside. External. Internal, opposite. There are many
contexts for this word. A company can externalize its costs. A
government can externalize its costs. Let's talk about the global
economy and environmental degradation in the developing countries."
Needless to say, it may very well be only in my own mind that I am
teaching—because I am not speaking ESL and they are probably just
nodding politely. Teaching English is also a great way to realize
how much I do and do not know about my language. I cannot explain
grammar in any meaningful way. And oddly, I know the historical
context of quite a few words. And finally, there are a lot of words
that I consider so intrinsically themselves I can barely define them.
7. Teaching Culture. I am in a position of teaching intercultural
communication to a class made up of Malagasy students (and one from
Comoros). I am the only American in the room and they all share the
same overarching culture. Normally when I talk about intercultural
communication I have the secret goal of helping students to be more
open, more respectful and more receptive of other cultures. Put
another way, I like to challenge the belief that my way is the right
way. Put yet another way, I know y'all are American but sometimes
considering the validity of other countries and cultures is just the
right thing to do. So now I am in a country which has been exploited,
ignored and abused by foreign cultures. I still want to foster
'world peace and friendship' (Peace Corps Citation) of course, but the
Malagasy people have been understanding, receptive and respectful.
Indeed, it may even be the case that less receptiveness to outside
forces is in line. I don't really know—but I do know that aside from
refusing slavery (awhile back) the Malagasy people have been fairly
open to foreigners. Hm. This reminds me of Native Americans and
Thanksgiving dinner which was rewarded by small pox blankets and the
trail of tears. The truth is, historically speaking, being nice to
Europeans doesn't seem to get non-Europeans anywhere except for dead,
exploited or assimilated. But, that's all in the past. Right? For
those of you who think I am insane—don't worry. I promote 'world
peace and friendship' in the classroom. I just do it while asking a
lot of questions about Madagascar and Malagasy culture. I feel that
my sincere interest and respect is the only thing I can offer. And I
make it very clear that intercultural communication is about cultures
respecting each other. It is a two way street.
8. Office Supplies. I have one stapler and it is full of staples.
I use it sparingly. I have never seen staples in Madagascar. I know
they must exist but I don't know where you would buy them and the
chances are that as an imported good they are probably very expensive.
I reuse envelopes until they break. There is no Office Max and
there is no free supply closet. It is one of those things where
instead of being a problem—it simply makes me realize how much I
normally waste.
9. Time. Class starts at 7:30am every morning theoretically
speaking. One of my students has the key to the classroom. On
average I would say that the key holder comes around between
7:30-7:40. The rest of the students arrive by 8:00am. So, instead
of finding this irritating I have started showing up for class ten
minutes late. It's like being a student again! And I figure, when
in Rome. The way I see it, if we all keep coming later and later
eventually we won't even have class we can just meet for a few minutes
and exchange pleasantries. Just kidding.
10. Teaching without a class set textbooks. Or even a textbook for
myself. I have manuals which have been pieced together into an actual
course.
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