Its so hard for me to start writing this post, mostly because I do not know where to start. So much has been going on. I feel my time in country slipping through my fingers and I have been unusually busy this past month. I had my COS (close of service) conference (finally!). 3 months before the end of our service, Peace Corps holds a conference for the group that is leaving. It was almost a week long event where PC staff prepares on leaving Costa Rica, leaving Peace Corps, and entering the US and starting a new chapter in our lives. It was a very bittersweet time. My PC group has grown extremely close over the past two years, and it was hard to know that its coming to an end.
In site, I have been working hard to make my last months of service count. I finally feel like I've got this whole "peace corps thing" figured out, and I've started my last project as a volunteer. My friend Julia R and I have started co-teaching an English prep course for high school students. We meet for 2 lessons a week, for 2 hours at a time. The course is to prepare students for their exit exam in English. Many high schoolers do not get to graduate because they fail this exam. Its a tough exam, even for an advanced student, and passing it is crucial. Holding a steady job in CR without a high school diploma is tough. These students need to pass this exam, whether or not they intend to use English post-high school. Our students are all night school students, mostly women (almost all are mothers), and most are Nicaraguan immigrants. Julia and I are working with an organization in town that is known as la ventanilla, to organize the class. La ventanilla is funded by the UN development program as a way to help immigrant youth get on their feet in a new country. I like working with this program because the students enrolled in it are extremely dedicated, and the leaders of the program help us out with logistics (like finding a classroom rent-free). I'm so impressed so far with the commitment our students have shown. I am used to working with elementary aged students, and I was nervous about working with an older crowd. Our students are between 16 and 27. Our class last Tuesday really left me amazed by my students.
A student had called earlier in the week to say that her English exit exam would be Nov 5th. This was problematic because when we planned the class we thought the exams would be at the end of November; we had the class scheduled until Nov 9th. This meant that the students would be missing 3 lessons. Julia and I decided that we would be forced to cut the course short, we would allow the students pick the themes that were most important to them, and give them work to do at home for the themes we'd have to skip because of the now shortened schedule. I got up at the start of class to explain this to the students and one woman just asked "why can't we just do an extra day of class each week?" I was sure that no one else would want to add a third 2 hour class block to their weekly schedule. These students have jobs, families, night school. They are already so busy. We took it to a vote and 13/16 voted to have an extra class day. 3/16 wanted to just eliminate 3 lessons. I was amazed at how serious and dedicated they were. Julia and I decided to add a 3rd class day/week, but make it optional for them. I think its worth mentioning that we give an hour of homework after every class. We make our students work! I was just astounded at their work ethic, and personally I felt glad that I could offer them something that they so clearly wanted and needed. It was a good teaching moment for me. My students helped ease my self doubts that what I teach isn't good enough, relevent enough, for what they need. I am sure most teachers feel uncertain at times, and all Peace Corps volunteers at one point or another doubt their relevence to their communities. I am glad that my final project can help me realize: yes, I am a relevent teacher and yes, my community needs and wants me! Its a nice thing to be able to say after 2 years!
Well said! I am so proud of you.
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