My first day on the job

Part of the Peace Corps experience involves being attached to a school in your community. This means you go once or twice (or whenever) a week and do needs assessment work. Needs assessment is a tricky subject here, considering we are Americans and haven't even yet integrated into the community. We are expected to find the need in the school and fill the gaps. This can be viewed one of two ways: a challenge or a nightmare. I chose the more positive route, and entered my first day of on the job work as a chance to explore the possibilities of my work here.

As i approached the school i noticed kids roaming the yard, the chatter of school students excited about the school day, and no adult to be found. What do you do? Your the strange white girl walking up to a new school as a million school kids stare at you as a foreign object. This is when your Peace Corps survival skills come in the picture (thanks Margo and Elizabeth). I quietly walked up to a group of girls, maybe 5 of them, who were whispering and giggling. I kindly said "where can i find the principal?" The girls burst out in laughter and took me to the "office." And by office i mean a closet with a fridge and a table.

There waited a lady, who i assumed was the principal of St.Paul's Government School. We introduced ourselves and had a short talk about expectations, interests, needs, etc. I was quickly thrown (softly) into a 1st grade classroom. In America we show great concern for the number of students in a classroom, but with limited resources and teachers, its not unusual to see up to 45 students in a class. Thankfully i was blessed with a class of only 40. hahaha. yes...40 first graders in one class, with one teacher a delusional Peace Corps Volunteer. I thought to myself, "this is gonna be a great day."

Schools in Grenada are based around religion. Yes folks, no separation of church and state here. We started off the day with a prayer, something of "God let my seed of knowledge grow through your guidance today," whereas my prayer in the back of the class was "God, why are you testing me like this? 40 first graders? Really? Thanks!" No I'm kidding, kinda. The morning went very smooth for the amount of children, and i give mad props to the teachers of these students who are faced with constant challenges. Not only are they teachers, they are second mothers, counselors, cooks, babysitters, pastors and clean up crew. As i observed today i noticed that the kids all had notebooks they wrote everything in, no hand outs. I asked later in the day why there were no handouts and the teacher laughed and said, "we don't have a copy machine, it broke a month ago." That's why the true test of teachers here in Grenada really makes me respect these women and men.

I cant wait to jump in and see where i can help this community. They opened their classrooms to me today and seemed so excited to have new ideas in the school. The school day ended with another prayer and me walking out saying to myself...I can do this!