Over the past six months, while living in Lubumbashi, DRCongo, I have noticed several cultural and lifestyle differences between the United States and Congo. I have also taught a full term at The English Speaking-school of Lubumbashi (TESOL) and experienced Christmas and New Year’s in Africa. Through this article I hope to give you a better picture of what my life here is like.
When I first arrived in Lubumbashi it was the middle of dry season, which is from May-October or November. During dry season everything is covered in dust. Most people carry around a small cloth with them to wipe the dust off their feet, foreheads, and the chairs before they sit down. It is also very hot during the dry season. Now it’s rainy season and the dust has turned to mud. When it rains, it is usually a thunderstorm and rains almost every day. Most of the time the thunderstorm will last anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. When it isn’t a thunderstorm, it is usually a light rain and can last anywhere from 15 minutes to all day.
Another cultural difference is football or soccer. The people of Lubumbashi are crazy about soccer. The local club soccer team, Mazembe, won the African World cup for the second year in a row this season! It is amazing to watch the games on TV. It is like the entire city is watching because whenever Mazembe scores, the entire town cheers. Whenever the other team scores, you can hear people shouting. It is a lot of fun to see how the whole city comes together to cheer on their team.
There is no public transportation system in Lubumbashi, but there are taxies and taxi busses. The taxi bus is just a bit larger than a standard minivan in the US. They put two bench seats in the middle and two bench seats along the back sides. A taxi bus could hold about 12 or 14 people comfortably, but most of the time they carry anywhere between 20 and 25 people. It takes two people to run a taxi bus, the driver and the money taker. The money taker usually hangs out of the sliding side door, jumping in and out to let people on or off the taxi bus. He also signals the driver to stop by tapping on the roof of the taxi bus.
I have been teaching at TESOL for 22 weeks now. I teach 6 classes and 8 subjects. My first class of the day is beginning ELL (English Language Learners) and is from 7:30-8:20. I have seven ELL students. Beginning ELL is for the students who are new to TESOL and have never been to an English-speaking school before and do no not know English very well. In Congo, French is the official language. Seeing as how I am in the beginning stages of learning French, teaching English to French speakers was quite terrifying. Through the help of some of the students who know quite a bit of English and games like charades and pictionary, we have made great progress as a class.
I teach grade 5 for second and third period. I teach reading and composition from 8:20-9:05 and social studies, and Christian Education on Fridays from 9:05-9:50.
I have nine 5th graders. Because I have this class for two hours a day, I have gotten to know these students, very well. As with most 5th grade students they are very talkative and are full of stories. They are a fun group, but difficult to keep focused.
Fourth period I teach second grade math. I have 8 second graders. I now have a new appreciation for elementary teachers. Keeping 8 second graders focused on telling time, addition, and subtraction from 9:50-10:35 is my biggest challenge of each day!
From 10:35-11:00 we have a break! Usually during break, the boys play soccer. There is always a group of giggly girls on the swings or sitting in a circle eating their snacks, and the pre-k and kindergartners are running around.
At 11:00 I have grades 6 and 7 for social studies. This class is combined because there are only two 6th graders, there are 10 students in this class. One thing I’ve learned by teaching at an international school is that middle school girls are the same everywhere. They are all talkative and giggly. I enjoy teaching this group of students a lot. This is my oldest group of students, so I am able to have more discussion with them.
My last class of the day is 4th grade science which is from 11:50-12:45. This group, like the second graders, is challenging because of their short attention spans. In addition to their short attention spans, they are very silly and like to play and ask random questions. Despite the silliness, we somehow manage to get all our work done.
In October I was invited to stay at TESOL for another three or four years. After weeks of prayer and discussion with those close to me, I came to realize that one year at TESOL isn’t enough. I believe that God isn’t finished using me for his purpose at TESOL.
I will be returning to TESOL August 2011. While I am home this summer I will host a fundraiser, “A Taste of Africa.” This fundraiser will be a silent auction of various items I’ve purchased in Congo, Egypt, and Zambia. There will also be a dinner featuring Congolese food that I have learned to make during my time here. The event will be held on August 14, more details to come.
To keep up with me and read about my adventures, please follow my blog. discipleofgrace.blogspot.com
Au Revoir!
Stacey
