The Beginning - The Gambia

I would like to start with saying, expect the unexpected. Although I took so much time to write out a lesson plan, it was a bit pointless. I think I failed to forget that the 5000 odd miles that separate Canada and The Gambia may have meant that some information may have change by the time we reached the country. We got there and the way we had thought we were going to teach was changed. Instead of two people to a class, we were each going to be one teacher to 25 kids. Anxiety starts to set in now. I have no idea how to teach. How will I teach these teenagers when I don't feel I am the expert. I learn right away that they know so much more than I ever thought possible. My perception was that they didn't know a lot about water and sanitation. It's not that they don't, it is just hard to change the way people have governed their lives for years upon years. I think on this trip, I learned how to adapt to change. Adjusting, modifying, teaching. It is what I need to do as a nurse back in Canada, it is just stressful when you are in a new country and don't know the language or culture.

I'd like to hear your stories on your first encounter teaching or volunteering in a foreign country! So go ahead and post your experiences : )