Philosophy to Development

Go to the people,
Live with them,
Learn from them,
Love them.
Start with what they know,
Build on what they have.
But, with the best leaders
When the work is done,
The task accomplished,
The people will say
"We have done this ourselves."
Lao Tsu


I will teach my first class tomorrow night with two other literacy volunteers.  We will talk with a class of 20 literacy students ranging in age from 10-65.  Last night we observed their class and were astonished by a couple things we witnessed, and we definitely have our work cut out.  


A couple things I saw and hope to change: 

• The teacher and students would answer their phones in class and have casual conversations.
• The atmosphere was very distracting, besides the 3 mothers brought their children.  
• Students are given a number so when role is called to respond to a number, not their name.
• One-by-one students came up to read the words and sentences on the board in front of the entire class.  It was obvious the students were nervous and embarrassed . 

We will receive our Official Project Site Assignments on May 3rd.  The following day we meet our Project Partner, an individual from our community who has agreed to become our mentor, and travel to our site with this Project Partner to spend the weekend in our new communities before being sworn in on May 11th.  I can't wait to find out where I will live the next 2 years!