One in the same

                A book, a pencil, a lesson, step by step , all bring someone just a little closer to an overarching goal. Yesterday on a home visit, we met Kaoutar, a single mother, who puts every last ounce of herself into caring for her five children, saving nothing for herself. Being a single mother in Morocco is a huge taboo and is viewed the same as being a prostitute. None the less, Kaoutar was proud to be who she was. She was proud that she was able to get away from her abusive ex; proud that she could give her children dinner at night; and proud that she had a roof over their heads. Through a heart wrenching discussion, and as a pit knotted in my stomach, the mood lightened as she explained this. Through the eyes of an American, one could say that she had not much and would only want more, but Kaoutar was full of gratitude, and she kept reiterating how she was better off that some and she was so grateful for that. With only a Windows 98’ book, she was able to teach herself how to use computers. She read this book, written in French, cover to cover; taking notes and annotating each page along the way. She showed me how just one book could bring someone one step closer to their goal. For Kaoutar, that was to provide and make a better life for her kids. Even to this day she brought out this book, most likely one of the only books in the house. At first glance, one might not think much of it but there is a story so inspirational surrounding that book that is quite impossible to explain in words.

                This year I am teaching the advanced class. Bursting with nerves, I walked into the class with a big smile and sweaty hands. Last year I taught class 1 which consisted of 7-8 year olds, so going from that to teaching 13-16 year olds terrifies me. However, through my experience in these trips I have learned that if you are not willing to try, and possibly fail, then you will not find personal growth. With this in mind, I took a deep breath and started the class. Instantly I was surprised by how well they spoke English. I learned they wanted to be English teachers, translators, astronauts, photographers, and pilots. They have all been in the program for 2-4 years and they all had such a strong desire to learn English, in turn giving me such a strong desire to teach. Each year I travel with CGA, a feeling fills my heart and courses through my veins and all I want to do is to give these kids my all. I want to make teaching fun, while at the same time teaching content that will help them grow. Unfortunately, today when I taught I felt as if my mouth grew dry and thoughts became jumbled. Piper and I had a plan, which I stuck to, and it was not the plan that was the problem, but my inability to think on my feet. I have seen this in my self before, when I get nervous I tend to overthink everything. During hockey, I am always nervous for the first shift, I start to get in my head and have made simple mistakes that could have been avoided if I was more focused on the game and not my nerves. I feel that this is what happened to me today. I got too nervous and stuck in my head and became tongue tied. To improve, tomorrow I will take a deep breath and remember what I am here for, the kids. I know I am prepared and I need to trust and be confident in the work I am teaching. I will learn from my mistakes and grow, thus giving them my best each day.

                Ali, the director of the program, said something that really struck me “just remember that we are all the same.” I believe this to be true. The students in my class have similar dreams to mine, such as being a pilot, they all want to have the right answer, and they all enjoy spending weekends with their friends, just like everyone in America. While there are some cultural differences, we are all still human no matter who says otherwise. I believe in today’s world that this fact is also often forgotten, and I hope through my experiences here in Morocco, through the stories that I will share I hope to break this barrier.