It's days like today that make my time here so worthwhile. Although I am not here to teach English, I was approached the past two years by an active youth group to do so. And I have to say that I would definitely count it as one of my most rewarding projects. Seeing 40+ students of all ages put in the effort to come to class 4 hours a week for 3 months is absolutely amazing, especially when so few people speak English here. There's always those few you know will succeed. In this case it is Barry, Mamadou, Amadou, and Abdrahmane. All of them are exceptionally bright and dedicated. They truly love learning and I can see now that their futures are full of hope, something which is particularly rare here.
Tonight, we had our class photo and graduation ceremony. Everyone was so proud to be recognized individually for their hard work. To see their faces light up when the class applauded each of them was something they never experience in the school system here. And the real kicker was when we busted out with a showing of "Matrix 2" in English with French subtitles. This was the first time a lot of them had ever seen an American film on the big screen. Imagine our pride when we could hear them repeating English phrases along with the actors. They also got to enjoy the classic American movie snack--popcorn! Just a small slice of American life for a night. Even though the heat caused some technical difficulties with the equipment, I know this was a night they will never forget.
Their kindness and generosity and spirit are things I will definitely never forget. Just one example is a student named Cheikh (who I later found out is actually my Mauritanian uncle--small world!). Cheikh is a middle-aged man who does not understand basic English at all. Yet, he came to class regularly and tried his hardest. His first time there he rode his horse named Alex. I jokingly told Cheikh that I was so happy that he brought me a beautiful horse as a gift. Knowing Alex is Cheikh's main source of income, he politely told me that I couldn't have Alex, but I would be able to ride him around the schoolyard. Weeks and months passed with nothing. Lo and behold, tonight Cheikh came to class with Alex in tow. I thought nothing of it until he told me that he only brought Alex to fulfill his promise to me. Of course, I was not dressed for riding a horse so I had to decline. But, I have to admit that it was probably the nicest gesture anyone has ever made to me here. Having him remember that event so many months ago made me feel as if we really are special to them. I will really miss those guys. They've certainly made my life here something unforgettable.
Until next time,
Janine
