Whats it all about . . .

My name is Rachel Talbot and from September 2011 to July 2012 I will be Volunteering for Project Trust, a charitable organization which sends young adults from 17-19yrs overseas to do charitable work in a range of projects. I raised 5000 pounds for this opportunity through a range of events and would like to thank everyone who donated! This year i will be working in a center for children with disabilities while immersing myself in all things Mauritian! Hopefully i can update here what i am up to, may not update religiously . . . Thanks for visiting :)

Sunday, 17 June 2012

From UHS to CEDEM


REASONS WHY MY MAURITIAN SCHOOL IS A FAR CRY FROM SCOTTISH ONES -

Having been here for eight months I'm completely in a routine and my jobs and day to day tasks are second nature, but heres what I'm giggling at that couldn't be more different from my school days:

1.       Here, if you’re off school for sunburn, you would be met with a sympathetic nod and understanding.  At home you’d get “waaa you total spoon!”
2.       For lunch you’d get Macaroni cheese with a bit of salt to liven it up.  Here, “what did you bring in for your lunch today Ahmed? A chili sandwich, hmmm? Just green chilis in some bread?” Now that’s what I call a packed lunch - hats off to these kids.
3.       Language slip ups are so much funnier; to the question “how are you?” a student wrote “I am tinky, thank you”.  I don’t even know what she was trying to say . . .
4.       When there is sun in the playground the kids dive for the shade while I’m starfished on the grass, soaking up the Vitamin D
5.       Surely I wasn’t this cheeky in school: there was a boy sleeping on his arms in class so I gently woke him up and handed him a book.  He looked at me in surprise, then gratefully said “Merci Miss Rachelle” and used it as a pillow!
6.       At home it’s not like you’re playing Russian roulette every time you go in the toilet: “will there be tissue, will there not?”
7.       Sometimes it will just start with someone tapping on a desk or a chair but then, before you know it, the girls are singing traditional Sega while swinging their hips around and dancing. Never seen someone just whip out a set of bagpipes in the classroom and others burst into the Highland fling!


What else is making me laugh at school:
A new rather amusing nickname the kids made up for me, “Blanche Neige” A.K.A “Snow White”, and I thought I was tanning!
Here none of the kids in my school have heard of the Second World War. So when the teacher was explaining there was a bad man called Hitler who wanted the whole world to look a certain way. “White Skin, Blue Eyes, oh wait, pretty much exactly how Rachelle looks . . .” cue lots of kids turning in their seats to look at me like I was responsible for the first world war . . .

I can’t believe I have only five weeks left at work :( It has been the toughest most challenging test I’ve been put to, and by far the hardest job I've ever had but maybe that’s not saying much as I’ve on had summer jobs in shops . . . but I feel like I’ve really thrown myself into it. At times it was been tough dealing with the tantrums of the girls in shelter or the fights breaking out between children with behavior problems, but I couldn’t be more sad to leave them! Having to deal with teenagers with difficult backgrounds who are in that moody stage of they're life makes you have to act a lot older than you are, when you're not even sure you're past that moody teenager stage in your life! they are like my younger sisters, its hard not to become fiercely protective of them! on top of that caring for the children with dissabilities who are the same age as you if not older, it truly puts your life in perspective. how much you can achieve, how you owe it to yourself to push yourself. but also how rewarding it can feel to help others!

Next week we have English Week and also Music week. Cue lots of excitement and dressing up in silly costumes. Each day we are having a different theme, English, Indian, Chinese and traditional Creole. I’m planning on throwing some ceilidh dancing in there for fun, kilts at the ready! J We also have a Creole singer coming as a surprise for the kids on the Friday, but I won’t say anymore as its top secret . . . even I’m excited!!

Only forty more days till my flight . . . hmmm my visa is valid to September however, how tempting . . .

Love
Rachel

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