Ami Ingreji Shikkhika: My Experiences Teaching English in Shaturia

Hello again. First off, I would like to apologize for failing to update my blog. It was truly my intention to document this year by writing at least once a month, but alas, I have learned through this experience that my expectations and reality are two very different things. I am currently just 2 weeks away from finishing my grant and leaving Shaturia (about 5 weeks from leaving Bangladesh).

A lot has happened since I last wrote. In April I took a trip to southern Bangladesh to see Chittagong and Cox's Bazar (the Bangladeshi beach on the Bay of Bengal). Mostly the last 3 months I've been teaching a lot, spending a little time with a local Hindu community, and going to Dhaka on the weekends. I also went to Bali for a short trip at the end of May. It was absolutely gorgeous and so much fun to play in the ocean and eat amazing food. Bali was exactly the vacation I needed. (Both of the pictures below are from Bali.)

The title of this post "ami ingreji shikkhika" means I am an English teacher. This is the actual reason why I'm in Bangladesh, and I figure it's time to start talking about what I've been doing these last 5 1/2 months. I'm currently teaching at Shaturia Pilot Girl's High School, which is a school of about 500 girls.

I teach Class 7 (about 13 years old) and Class 10 (about 16 years old) by myself and I team teach Class 6 (about 10-12 years old) with Lauren. I teach 3 classes a day for 3 days a week. Outside of class I've also attended various events at the school such as athletics competitions (the girls are great at badminton), debate competitions, the Bangla New Year celebration, and our school's Cultural Weeks, during which we got to see the girls sing and dance (adorable!).

Teaching in a rural setting has presented tremendous challenges. Firstly, I came into this experience with absolutely no teaching experience. I learned how to do basically everything through trial and error. Teaching is also absolutely exhausting! I now have a more profound respect for my teachers and professors throughout my entire education. My classes range from 20-70 students on any given day. "Luckily" absenteeism is so common among students that it makes class sizes a bit more manageable. The heat is unbearable and the fans are practically useless (that is if the power is even on). I teach for 3 hours in these extreme conditions with absolutely no break in between classes.

The other big problem is that there are no technological resources available in Shaturia (i.e. computers, printers, photocopiers, projectors, CD players etc.). I cannot print or photocopy handouts, which means that I am unable to bring in outside materials to the classroom. It also means that I must write every assignment on the chalkboard, which is incredibly limiting. Basically, I mostly teach directly out of our very mediocre textbook called "English for Today," supplementing lessons when I have the energy or time. The book is often irrelevant, with whole units on going to restaurants and travelling outside of the country when most of my students haven't done either of those things.

Another huge challenge is how little English most students actually know. Many of the Class 6 and 7 students cannot really read or write. Even if they can read, many students don't actually comprehend what it is that they're reading. By Class 10, students seem to be reading more proficiently, but many of my Class 10 students have trouble writing complete sentences. I think the situation is especially bad in Bangladeshi villages, where often English teachers themselves are not even fluent in English. Also, English is usually taught in preparation for the Public Exam, which students take at the end of Class 10. This means that students are encouraged to memorize passages for their "writing" as opposed to using original thought. Because conversational skills are not tested on the Public Exam, many students have incredibly poor spoken English.

I have done my best to bring in creativity and encourage more conversation in the classroom. I had the idea to create Participation Charts with my classes to increase the amount of students speaking in class. Once students realized that if they talk in class they get a sticker next to their name on a board, I had no problem finding volunteers to speak in class. Now every time I ask a question I hear a chorus of 45 girls yelling "Ma'am" and jumping out of their seats to volunteer. It's very cute. I've also had various Art Days throughout the semester with my different classes. The girls are incredibly excited to have access to construction paper and art supplies, which are very limited in Shaturia. They all love to draw the gram (Bangla for village) and typical village scenery.

Seeing how much they appreciate and enjoy simple art supplies makes me feel really sad that I don't have the resources to bring things like music, DVDs, the internet, and outside books into the classroom. I think it would have been really nice for them.

My most innovative teaching has been with my Class 10. As I mentioned earlier, they will take a huge exam at the end of the year which will determine if they will continue their education and go to college, (grades 11 and 12 in the American system). My goal for the last 6 weeks or so has been to help them prepare for the test by creating lessons on basic test taking skills and working really closely with them on their writing skills. I have made classes on how to answer true or false questions, how to summarize a reading passage, how to find the main idea of a reading, how to write a letter, how to write a paragraph, how to do basic brainstorming (this one was truly a foreign concept for them), and how to write an essay.

It has been incredibly challenging for me to try and meet their needs, because they really need a ton of help. Had I had more time I would have loved to set up a writing center where I could help students individually with their writing. I start feeling overwhelmed by how much help these girls really need, but then I realize I'm not in a position to give them everything. I've given them as much as I can given my limited time and means and it appears that some students are benefiting, so I consider it a success.

I do think that I have done the best that I can given the circumstances, but I have felt incredibly frustrated with the lack of support and resources throughout this process. Had I had more support and a less stressful living situation I feel I would have been able to devote much more energy to the school and I probably would have accomplished more. This was the pilot year for English Teaching Fulbright grants in Bangladesh, so hopefully they'll improve the program in years to come.

This experience has been a huge learning process for me. Teaching and living in Shaturia has been one of the most difficult things I have ever done. It has pushed me to confront insects (including flying cockroaches and giant spiders!), endure illness, frustration (inside and outside the classroom), and daily physical discomfort. It has also pushed me to make the most of what I have, and has helped me to cultivate patience and a profound appreciation for my privileged life at home (AC, my education, the freedom to wear and say what I want, I mean everything).

While I must admit that I am rather thrilled to be leaving Shaturia (to say otherwise would be a lie), I have come to value the experiences I have had here. I now know what it is like to wake up to birds chirping at 5 a.m. and go an entire day without hearing a single car or plane. I have lived surrounded by green wide open spaces in a place of beauty. Never again do I plan to live in this rural of a setting, but I do appreciate having had the opportunity to live so differently. Okay, that's all I've got for now. I will do my best to write at least one more post in my remaining 5 weeks here in Bangladesh. I promise!

Dui Mash Shaturiai: 2 Months in Shaturia

Hi Everyone! So I've been living in Shaturia now for almost 2 months! It has been a struggle, to say the least. I think that I put off writing, because I didn't want to be completely negative in my first village post. I wanted to be able to say that things are at least improving, which they are.

I'm not really sure where to begin. I guess I'll start by saying that life here is difficult. There is no mistaking that fact. Life is also incredibly different from my life in the U.S. and even my life in Dhaka. Village life is slow. I'm constantly fighting my impatience at every turn. Nothing happens on time and nothing happens quickly.

Shaturia is beautiful. On my rickshaw ride to school I pass rice paddy after paddy field, other crops, green open spaces, ponds, countless tin huts (the typical home of a villager here), a gorgeous variety of trees, 2 rickety bridges, and a collection of absolutely adorable baby goats hopping around on the side of the road.

I live in an apartment with my friend Lauren. Our apartment is spacious, with concrete floors and 2 balconies. The conditions are the best Shaturia has to offer, but are a far cry from what I'm used to. For example, power is out anywhere from 5-12 hours per day. For the first month and 1/2 we would do everything by candlelight (which is charming at first, but quickly becomes old). We finally purchased an incredibly costly backup power supply (IPS), but before that we would sit in the heat with no fans and no ventilation (windows here have no screens and mosquitoes swarm at all hours of the day and night, so we mostly keep them closed). Things are better now that we have our IPS. We can use a fan all night as long as we don't use lights (so strange to be rationing power!).

Another struggle is water. The groundwater here has an incredibly high heavy metal content (with iron and arsenic at the top of the list). So, we get distilled drinking water from a nearby town, but must boil it for 30 minutes to ensure it's free of parasites etc. For the first month our tap water would run out every other day, so we had to pump the tube well in order to start the motor that brings water to our rooftop tank (although, the motor only works if there's power, so we sometimes end up with no water AND no power). I must say that pumping that tube well for 10 minutes, I can't help feeling like I am a frontierswoman (think Little House on the Prairie).

The other noteworthy difficulty is the bathroom (I'm sorry if this is crude or disgusting, but it's worth mentioning). I'll say it in 5 words: squat toilet and bucket showers. I've included a picture in case anyone has not had the pleasure of being acquainted with a squat toilet.

Okay, so the living situation has made up a huge portion of my struggles these last 2 months. I am finally getting used to doing things here and hardly notice how different things are anymore. I can't imagine what a shock it will be to return home and find AC, a normal toilet, unlimited power, fast internet, and a hot shower waiting for me! While I know it will be glorious, it is actually difficult to conceive of going back to my comfortable life at home knowing that half the world (or more?) lives in such destitute poverty. 60% of Bangladeshis never have power in their homes. It is a very humbling (albeit miserable) experience to sit in the dark in the heat and realize that this is the reality of many people's existence all around the globe. Understanding what it means to live without light and fans (not to mention food and water) is something incomprehensible until you have actually done it. I certainly did not realize the full implications when I read about these conditions in the past. I feel guilty and uncomfortable with the idea of going back to my sheltered and privileged life, unsure if conditions will ever improve for people here.

One thing I really want to work on is befriending more villagers. My interactions with villagers have been quite limited, unfortunately. It is incredibly difficult to have meaningful interactions with people. So far I have chatted with 2 or 3 women, befriended one rickshaw-walla (I'm a regular customer now), and have gotten to know a few local shopkeepers. Most people here have never seen a foreigner before. Some people are afraid of us, some laugh, and some stare. Others are overcome with excitement and yell out any random English words they know or various other noises. Many people stare and point and yell, "BIDESHI!" (which means foreigner). Most women our age spend most of their time in the home so we rarely get a chance to talk to them.

Unfortunately, many of our interactions are with either young men (often sleazy) or older creepy men. Many of the men take pictures of us on their camera phones as we pass by (surprisingly common here) or try to follow us, desperate to have a word in English or Bangla and find out where we are from. While I fully understand their curiosity, it is difficult not to become weary of being treated like a spectacle. I try to take it all in stride, because I know that my being here is incredibly unusual and that we are all learning how to get along with each other. I must say, though, that every time I go to the market a crowd of 20 men will form within 2-5 minutes. They stare at me with fascination as I bargain with the shopkeeper and they fill each other in on the action as each new observer arrives (just like people watching a sporting event). It's actually quite funny, because I can understand what they are saying (it's moments like these that I feel as though I live in a David Sedaris novel):

Villager 1: "Where does she live?"
Villager 2: "She lives in Shaturia."
Villager 1: "How many months will she live here?"
Villager 2: "6 months."
Villager 1: "Which country?"
Villager 2: "America."
Villager 1: "What is she buying?"
Villager 2: "Eggplant and tomatoes!"

All in all village life is interesting. I must say, one of the most difficult parts of being here is the boredom. I only teach 2-3 days a week, which leaves 4-5 days of doing nothing. There is literally NOTHING to do here. No cafes or restaurants, no places to go shopping, only one road on which to walk, no friends to talk to (besides Lauren, and thank God she's here with me). I've been doing plenty of reading, watching TV on my computer etc., but these activities get old after a while. I've tried drawing and doing yoga, but there are still too many hours in the day. As someone who thrives on leading a busy life, the boredom is truly challenging for me. I am looking into volunteering at a local NGO about 45 minutes away, so we'll see if that works out. I also end up going back to Dhaka for many weekends (which is a hellish trip on 2 different hot and crowded buses that takes about 3-4 hours in total). All in all I'm making do with what I have, but I'm constantly looking for things to keep me busy (thank God for the internet!). Also, I'm totally open to suggestions for new hobbies/activities. Any ideas?

In January I Went to India

Once again, I have been incredibly delinquent with my writing! Now that I’m living in the village I should have ample time to write. Before I recount the enthralling details of village life (I know everyone is anxious to hear), let me first give a quick recap of my January trip to India. Basically, I went to India with my friend Lauren (also an ETA in Shaturia). Let me preface this by saying that North India in winter was not the brightest idea, but it was definitely worth it. We flew into Delhi and left the next morning bright and early at 6am for the Taj Mahal. The Taj was huge and magnificent and even though we were distracted by the cold, it was certainly a sight I will always remember.

The next day we were happy to be on our way to Jaipur (Agra is nothing special). We took another long bus ride and arrived in the Pink City. Jaipur is a vibrant city and is characterized by its unique architectural style. We explored many beautiful places including Old Jaipur, the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Galta (aka Monkey Temple), and Amber Fort.

After Jaipur and a bout with strep throat, we made the absurdly long and hellish journey from Jaipur to Amritsar (via Delhi) by 2 separate trains. By this time we began to realize how ambitious our itinerary was, given the state of Indian public transport (kind of a nightmare). Amritsar was very cold, but I fell in love with Punjabi music, people, and food. The Golden Temple was absolutely spectacular (a rival to the Taj in my book) and we walked barefoot for over an hour in the cold and fog as we circumambulated the complex (once again, so worth it!).

From Amritsar we took another long journey to Dharamsala (the home of H.H. the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile), where I studied abroad during college. Dharamsala has begun to feel a bit like home to me. It was amazing to be up in the mountains again, away from the sounds of the city (especially after living amongst Dhaka crowds and traffic). In Dharamsala we ate and shopped. I was also able to see my homestay family and one of my dear friends from study abroad. I left Dharamsala feeling refreshed and reenergized. Next came the epic 12 hour winding bus ride back to Delhi (they actually handed out barf bags). Back in Delhi we shopped some more (I was a dutiful little consumerist) and ate A LOT. We also went to Old Delhi where we saw the Red Fort and Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India).

Old Delhi was also my one time venture into street food, for the infamous Jalebiwalla (jalebis are my favorite Indian sweet –fabulous fried and syrupy goodness). After Delhi we flew back to Dhaka, and one week later Lauren and I moved to Shaturia –our village.