A small request...

I really tried to avoid posts like this, but please consider donating to Gugu to help with the costs for the remainder of the school year (teacher's salaries and rent mainly). We have a month and a half to go but there are some things that need to be paid in order to make the end of the year really successful. Please let me know if you are interested in donating asap.

It's Almost May!

So it's time for a general update on what's been going on in Cairo. This weekend is Coptic Easter so I have some much needed days off from teaching. However, I can't believe next week will be May!

- Gugu School is starting to plan for their exams. The school year will officially end now on June 5th with the celebration on June 7th. That means only 6 more weeks! I can't believe how quickly time has gone by! The teachers are back (they were on strike for awhile because of no salary) and we are working on gaining sponsorship for the next academic year and it looks promising. We face some financial challenges for the end of the school year but I am hoping it will work out until the end.

- The shipment for Books for Africa is finalized. We were given a deadline last week but we now have an organization to sponsor the shipment and help with distribution. MCC, the largest international church here in Cairo, is willing to take over responsibility for everything and I will give them the money donated to support the customs fees and transportation. Unfortunately, I will not be here when the shipment comes, but it's great to know that the schools will get the books.

- I received my shirt order from zazzle.com. I had ordered something just to check the quality and ensure that the pictures will turn out. The shirts are great so I will have the zazzle site up soon so you can start ordering your Gugu products and we can start raising some money for the school.

- I have been asked to be the guest speaker at the National Honor Society induction for Pemberton Township High School. Of course, I will not be able to be there because I will still be in Cairo, but I am in the processing of making the video to present. I will post the video on my blog as well. It's been a good chance to process everything here and make myself something to have when I leave here.

As I start to make plans to come home, I'm still excited to see what is left for my time here in Cairo.

Bring a piece of Gugu home!

These are some of the images that will be used on clothing and other items to raise money for our school. We had the kids draw anything they think of when they think "Gugu." I will keep you posted about the items we will be selling!

A trip to the zoo...

This update is much later than I intended, but still worthy. Last Sunday we took the kids from my Sunday school program to the zoo. I rented a tour bus to take us from Hadayek el Maadi to Giza. I think the bus ride in itself was worth the trip. The kids were so excited at every small thing out of the window and it made me realize that they never leave our small community. They would tell us to look at the cows, the Nile, anything that was somewhat new. One girl told me that the buildings were like what she thought New York City would be like. They sang songs and played games all within our short 35 minute trip to somewhere just across the Nile.

I wasn’t sure if they would be as excited at the zoo as the bus ride was hard to top. Fortunately, they loved it. We had some problems at the very beginning. Some Egyptians told the kids not to enter the zoo because they would make it “dirty and dark.” However, the kids handled it really well and were an example to me. It is so sad to think that adults would say that to children and that this is not the first time to hear it.

However, that bad incident was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. The kids were so happy to see the different animals. It was ironic that the kids were looking forward to seeing lions, giraffes, crocodiles and other animals that are native to Sudan but they have never seen before. The giraffe had apparently died so it was hard to tell the kids that one. They tired quickly because they are not used to doing something active that requires so much walking in the heat. However, they were rejuvenated after watching a 3-D movie in a small theater. Overall, it was a great experience of all of the kids and me.

The Adult Education Program

Teaching is a gift. I don't mean it is a talent. As much as it benefits students, it is a gift for the teacher. I feel so blessed to be able to be in the classroom with my adult students. Some of my favorite moments have taken place with my English classes.

Our adult education program began it's second 10 week term on April 1st. During the first term, we had approximately 40 students within the 4 classes. Now we have 110 students, 7 classes and 5 teachers. I had to divide the program into two sessions- 5:00- 7:00 and 7:00 -9:00. Each class has at least 15 students. The majority of the students are Sudanese, but we also have students from Egypt, Algeria, Burundi, and Iraq. It's remarkable how the school has grown in such a small time. I can only hope that it continues when I leave.

I started teaching "Level 3." This is not the first time I have taught to sessions, but I forgot how exhausting it can be sometimes. I think it's more exhausting because I teach the kids during the day and then come back to the school in evening. However, the most tiring thing is trying to teach English creatively to those who lost their creative abilities with their childhoods during the war. They haven't been in classrooms for years, making it difficult to teach those who haven't been taught since being in their home country.

However, I find it so eacy to teach my advanced class. I'm teaching something that is so familiar in American classrooms, but so far removed in classes in the Middle East: The Holocaust. Not only is this tragedy not taught, but if it is mentioned, it is to teach that it didn't happen. While I was out to dinner with an Egyptian who is a doctor, he asked me if the Holocaust really happened. He is one of the most educated people who I have met in Egypt, but he didn't know about the Holocaust.

I've had a few lessons and the students are really interested. We are reading the book, The Cage, and they have had great insights. On the front cover is a picture of the main character, a skinny girl with a shaved head and sorrow on her face. On of my students remarked, "She looks Sudanese, but only with white skin." This profound statement is exactly what I want to teach- the comparison between the Holocaust and what is currently happening in Sudan today. I will keep you updated as I work on this lesson. I hope that it will be eye-opening for everyone.

Other than the Holocaust, I will also be teaching modal verbs, algebra and anatomy.

Please pray for the school and all of its students.

Time goes by so quickly!

This Saturday is the end of the third marking period here at Gugu. It’s hard to believe that we are now in the home stretch of the school year and that I’ve completed two terms with my students. Exams will be this week. Time is going by so quickly!

We’ve moved all of the classes to the morning session now (8am -12pm) because of a lack of teachers. This means that one of my classes is now in the lobby with an old chalkboard propped up on the wall. However, it seems to be working for now. I will be teaching science for the last term as well. Not really my specialty, but I’m sure I’ll pull something together.

The after school program is going well as we gain more and more students each time. I want to expand for the rest of the school year, especially since all of the children have nothing to do after 12pm. I am going to have the older girls come for a separate program on Tuesday. There are two reasons for this: the girls are too advanced for my current afterschool program and there is a great need to focus on the self-esteem of these young women. We are also looking to start an “after school movie” program once a week. If we get the funds to buy a DVD player, we will show children’s movies once a week for 1 L.E. for the students. This will raise some (not a lot of money) for the school, but it will also give the chance for the kids to have something to do.

Keep in mind that the school is really struggling. The administrator of Gugu said he will be surprised if we can even finish the fourth term because of finances. The teachers are still lacking a consistent salary and are threatening to not come back for the next term. There’s definitely no teacher union here! Also, the school has been having a hard time raising the money for rent. I think there has been some mismanaging of finances, but I don’t want to see the children suffer because of this. Please pray that we receive what we need to have the school function until June. We’ll tackle whether or not to open the school for the next academic year once we get through with this one! There is a parent, teacher, and staff meeting on Friday to discuss these problems.

Needs for the Remainder of the School Year:

- Teachers’ salaries- approximately $300 per month

- Rent of the building- approximately $400 per month

- Committed teachers

- A DVD Player ($40) for the new movie program

- Classroom supplies (markers, chalk, paper)

I’ll keep you updated as we work on these problems. I’m confident that things will work out as they should!