This Week In

The following is a list of my observations at Maalim Dawud:

1. When the school library finally opens, it will be only available for students to read books inside the library. If a student wishes to borrow a book, for any length of time, they must pay a fee.
2. Very private questions such as "Are you married or single?" and "Where do you live?" are common questions I get asked by my students on a regular basis.
3. There is not a single computer at my school.
4. Before the war, the uniform for girls and boys attending school were very similar; they both wore pants and shirts. After the war, however, the girls must all wear long hijabs, called diilayaads, regardless of their age, as well as a long skirt.
5. There are no public playgrounds for children in Hargeisa. At Maalim Dawud, there are two high bars, presumably an incomplete basketball court.
6. In the mornings, the girls clean the classroom floors with buckets of soapy water and old pieces of clothing. Once the floors are dry, the boys rearrange all of the chairs and desks. The janitor in the school is responsible for cleaning the Principal's office and the staff room.
7. It is only in recent months that the Ministry of Education in Hargeisa abandoned school fees for children. As a result, almost every child is enrolled in school. However, there is a substantial difference in the ages of the children in a single class. For example, my grade 7 class ranges from ages 10 to 16. This is due to the fact that several children, following the war, did not attend school for several years.
8. Only 1/3 of the students in all of my classes are female. Furthermore, when I ask them to answer a question in class, they cover their faces with their hijabs and speak very softly.
9. Physical beatings, or the threat of physical punishment, is the primary form of punishment implemented at my school. After this punishment, the teachers may shut the door and, since there are no lightbulbs, the classrooms become very dark. The students are then asked to put all of their heads on their desks.
10. The kids at my school aren't really kids; most havn't had the luxury of a childhood because of the struggles they've experienced at a very young age.

Thank You

         Initially, my goal was to reach 1,000 views over the course of this entire journey. To my surprise, less than a month into my trip, I've reached over 3,000 views. In light of this, I'd like to say thank you to my family for their support, both emotionally and financially (seriously, lol). Also, to the people behind the scenes that make suggestions, proofread entries, post the link on their Facebooks and recommend the blog to their friends, many thanks. Interestingly, the idea to teach in Hargeisa was a suggestion from a close friend - Fatima. To her, I owe immense gratitude. Finally, here are a few pictures from my blog improved by one of the best photographers I know; he's the one behind the new banner for the blog. Again, thanks to all!

My Ride

     After two weeks of riding in crowded taxis (up to eight passengers at a time at a cost of $0.30) and sitting on empty water jugs on buses (approximately $0.20), I had finally proven my commitment enough to get a car. After visiting a few dealers with minimal selection (almost all of the cars are white) and becoming frustrated with incompetent dealers (it took three days to get a receipt for the purchase), I finally had my car. Before driving on the rocky roads of Hargeisa, however, there are a few essential precautions to take. First, all of the windows must be tinted to avoid glares from people walking by - particularly useful in my case as it's not uncommon for my students to run up to the driver's window to greet me. Also, there must be bolts in the headlights and rearview mirrors to avoid theft. Overall, I hope this new addition will further enhance my experience by allowing me to travel to the outskirts of the city and capture Africa in all its beauty. Feel free to check out the few corny pictures below to mark this occasion.

City Shots

Local convenience stores

 The newest gas pumps in the city

Garbage dump. A man, thinking I was a journalist, asked me not to take pictures of this part of the city.

 Auto repair shop. There's one on every neighborhood corner.

I went to pay Bambi another visit.

A new hospital being built near downtown. The city is still rebuilding critical infrastructure since the war.

A trip to Hargeisa wouldn't be a trip to Hargeisa without visiting this historic monument. This fighter jet from Somalia was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Somaliland people. Interestingly, this plane, a product of Siad Barre's regime, took off from Hargeisa International Airport. Following the deadly attacks, the fighter jet was shot down. Presently, it is used to symbolize the struggle for independence and provides a sense of unity for the people of Somaliland. 



Subaax wanaagsan

     This is the morning ritual of the school children at Maalim Dawud. They line up in the playground, row by row. The girls line up by grades, from tallest to shortest on one side, and the boys do the same. This routine is usually led by the Malmulaxaa. If you listen carefully, you can hear the students reciting verses from the Qu'ran, alternating the ayats between the girls and the boys.

Top ten

Here's a list of the top ten events of my first week:

1. As the Somali language teacher quit and Khadar was forced to fill this position, so I went from being a teacher in training to a full-time English teacher with 7 classes, 6 days a week.
2. I broke up three fights in one of my classes, all of them boys.
3. I was almost stoned; the rock landed near my feet.
4. I introduced a conversation portion in each of my classes. I ask my students a question (for example, "What do you want to be when you grow up?") and they answer in English.
5. I've also introduced a competition between teams in the class. They are instructed to formulate a sentence using a specific word (for example, the word "towards") and write their sentence on the board. The students then vote on whether the team's sentence is correct or incorrect.
6. One of my grade eight students told the class he spent Valentine's Day with his wife.
7. I donated all of the school supplies I collected and bought to the school.
8. I have yet to come up with a solution to the street children (children that literally grow up on the streets) that disrupt my students by talking to them through the windows during class.
9. My female students frequently show up late to class. When I ask why, they respond they were busy making canjeelo at home.
10. I've noticed the huge discrepancy between the public and private schools in Hargeisa, both in terms of the income and education levels of teachers, as well as the lack of funding (for example, our school's chalkboard eraser is an old piece of clothing).

"An Initiative Worth Supporting"

     The Somalilandpress, an online news source from the horn of Africa, recently wrote an article about my journey to Hargeisa. I'd like to thank Mohamed Sougal, the writer behind the article, and the Somalilandpress for their recognition of my efforts in the Motherland - acknowledgement for which I am very grateful. Please read the article at the following link: http://somalilandpress.com/an-initiative-worth-supporting-20187.

 

Maalim Dawud

A few photos of the school that I have the honor to be volunteering at. It's located only a short walk from my  Mother's childhood home. 

Morning Assembly

Paintings on the walls of the school and classrooms.

Classroom door.

A few Somali Americans from the University of Hargeisa raised money to build this school library. It should be completed in the next few months, hopefully while I'm still here.

These women sit outside of the school and sell candies and sweets to the children.

Kids playing games after school.

My tour guide. I paid him in cookies.

Staff washroom

The Fox and the Crocodile

     I arrive at the school at around 7:15, after stopping in the middle of a main road to wait for a pack of bulls to cross to the other side. I sit in the office with the Malmulaxaa and Khadar, the English teacher at General Daoud. Both men carry meter long wooden sticks. After a short assembly in the school playground, during which students recite a verse from the Qu'ran, classes begin.
     6A. 8A. 8B. Recess. 7A. 7B. My schedule for the day. A few minutes before my very first class, Khadar explains the first lesson plan: to write, read and explain the story of the Fox and the Crocodile. He assigns an Alifla; a male student in each of my classes to tell him if other students are being disruptive.
     Crowded on wooden benches, the boys, which constitute two-thirds of the class, sit on one side of the classroom while the girls sit on the other. The lessons go surprisingly well although the occasional drop-in by Khadar, wooden stick in hand, may have played a substantial role. After running out of chalk halfway through one of the lessons, I asked my students if they watched the news. Most nodded and began whispering to their neighbors. A girl in the back of the class explained the victory in Egypt. The bell rings for recess. I walk around the school looking for a school library, to no avail.
     The seventh graders proved to be the toughest group. One student yells what I presume to be an insult from the back of row and the Alifla runs out of the class. Khadar arrives, calmly walks to the back of the class, and begins repeatedly hitting the student. Having heard stories of discipline in African schools, I was unphased by the commotion and continued with the lesson.
     At eleven o'clock, the school day is done and I'm introduced to a few teachers in the staff room. Over sambuusas and tea, a former English teacher tells me not to be discouraged. I thank him for his advice and walk through the playground, camera in hand, with a group of children trailing behind me.

Edna Adan University Hospital

     The Edna Adan University Hospital is a health care facility in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Edna founded the hospital to meet the needs of mothers and children, and to tackle health problems including maternal mortality rate and female genital mutilation. In fact, her dedication to this hospital is apparent as she lives on the top floor of the hospital, along with doctors and volunteers from around the world.

Edna Adan Pharmacy; one of the few legitimate pharmacies in the city

Edna Adan Maternity Hospital

 Rooftop view: Nasa Hablood (Women's breasts)

The Mosque 

Edna Adan and Kofi Annan

 Newly-built operation room

 Outpatients Department

           SOFHA information board inside the hospital encouraging mothers to breastfeed their children up to two years of age.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ednahospital.org/