After a mad Friday travelling to Cardiff for lunch with Premier League footballer Craig Bellamy (of whose Foundation we would start working for the following day) Laura and I arrived in Sierra Leone on Saturday 31st August, delivered safely by 'Gambia Bird', an airline which has just celebrated it's 1st year anniversary. The in flight card made me laugh, clearly the overstating of the role of their parent company 'Germania' was in response to their anticipated a lack of trust by some customers with an African airline. They were probably right.
We were collected by the whole team from the Foundation in a minibus which could have been a little intimidating if Laura or I were of a nervous disposition but thankfully we're not and it was great to feel part of the team so quickly. We arrived at the Academy in the dark, had some dinner (all our meals and accommodation are included) and got aquainted with our new house.
It's fair to say it hammered it down with rain in the night - rainy season runs July to Sept - and although a little cloudy on Sunday morning, we saw what a beautiful place we have found ourselves.
Work- Education
I have been blessed with the team of teachers I have although we have no Science teachers which means that Laura (Communications) and Sophie (Fundraising and Partnerships) have been cajoled into teaching Science. This will undoubtedly have an impact on their work but I am so pleased to have their support. We are really starting from 'ground zero' which means setting up an assessment framework, lesson plans, schemes of work and a professional development framework for starters. Happily we've managed to get quite a lot done in this first week while the students have returned from their holidays and are settling in again. Lessons start next Monday.
Barrie's Magic Boots
It is not easy leaving friends and family and moving to a different country and Laura and I have both had moments where we have asked "what are we doing here?" Skype has enabled me to have video chats with my family which has of course helped us settle.
Playing football on Tuesday with the boys and some of the staff was another experience that really helped me settle. I can't think of a more picturesque setting. To my left was the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and to my right were the myriad of greens of the mountain forests. In front of me was the goal and thanks to Barrie's magic boots I managed to score a goal in the game.
Come Thursday and I scored another in the House tournament. Now just 3 stone to shift.
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| Our new home |
It's fair to say it hammered it down with rain in the night - rainy season runs July to Sept - and although a little cloudy on Sunday morning, we saw what a beautiful place we have found ourselves.
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| Canteen and Offices to the left. Boy's dorms and staff accommodation to the right. |
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| The classroom block with our house in the background. |
Work- Education
I have been blessed with the team of teachers I have although we have no Science teachers which means that Laura (Communications) and Sophie (Fundraising and Partnerships) have been cajoled into teaching Science. This will undoubtedly have an impact on their work but I am so pleased to have their support. We are really starting from 'ground zero' which means setting up an assessment framework, lesson plans, schemes of work and a professional development framework for starters. Happily we've managed to get quite a lot done in this first week while the students have returned from their holidays and are settling in again. Lessons start next Monday.
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| Team Education |
Barrie's Magic Boots
Playing football on Tuesday with the boys and some of the staff was another experience that really helped me settle. I can't think of a more picturesque setting. To my left was the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and to my right were the myriad of greens of the mountain forests. In front of me was the goal and thanks to Barrie's magic boots I managed to score a goal in the game.
Come Thursday and I scored another in the House tournament. Now just 3 stone to shift.
Oh Steve...........I'm soooo tempted to come. You make it sound so exciting!
ReplyDeletelast job....Ass Head Primary school Senco. Secondary trained in PE and English. Any good?
Janeen xx Best wishes to you all x