Undergoing In Country Training

Well, i've been in training for a couple of days so far and I can manage a couple of things in Tigrinya, the local language. Yekanyelay- thankyou, aythazelay- sorry, kemay hadirka?- how'd you sleep, but I still haven't learnt 'Can you keep an eye on my camel while I drop in to pick up some bannanas?' I'm hoping it will be covered in subsequent lessons.

Training has held some interesting information. Considering what the teachers can go through here, they are basically national heroes. Some of them get paid as little as 125 Nakfa a month (this is the equivalent of about 12 Aus $). Unfortunately, this isn't enough to even cover rent, let alone food, and most rely on family members or the community to help support them. Nobody seems to be starving though, so I guess the community really helps each other out. In addition to this, most teachers are working far from their home towns, away from their family. Basically, they don't have a choice. For most, if not all, their career is dependent on how well they do at College, which they attend after a compulsory stint in military training. The lowest achieving pupils become soldiers, the next lowest teachers...

So, it will be interesting to say the least when I begin working in an Eritrean school with the view to help develop the skills of the teachers to provide an education for the Eritrean students. With minimal training, it seems that some of these teachers are already doing some amazing stuff! Others, of course, resent even being there. Basically, life is fairly tough, but we've got to make the most of it.

Hope all are well, I look forward to the day I can make it to the British council to post some pictures for you all to see.