A Badger Abroad

My name is Cam and I am a Peace Corps education volunteer serving in Malawi, Africa. Here I will be sharing pictures, stories, and other happenings from my journey. Let's check it out!

[africaam33]

A Badger Abroad 2.0

Yo! I moved abroad again! This time I am teaching English at the American International School in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. I wanted to keep blogging like I did when I was in Malawi, but I’ve kind of outgrown Tumblr as a platform. If you are interested in keeping up with my new journey, check out my new blog at: https://abadgerabroad.weebly.com

[africaam33]

Moola 4 Malawi

(Moola means money)

In a world where self-actualization is measured by Facebook likes and re-tweets, and a major portion of our brain waves are used to decide on that emphatic hashtag which will perfectly punctuate our latest post (#whatthewhat #wowisoundold #getoffmylawn), it’s always refreshing to hear stories about people who look beyond the black mirrors that captivate so much of our eyeball stamina every day and see some real work to be done. People that don’t just share the link to a webpage supporting a noble cause, but actually go out there and share some of their real-life time to advance something that they believe in.  People that can not only heart an instagram picture, but demonstrate real heart in how they approach life. People that lead by example and show us firsthand that any one of us can have an impact on the world. People that prove inside each one of us we hold the potential to generate a spark that can ignite a flame that can spread like wildfire and warm the iciest, curmudgeonisest soul. That inside each one of us we possess the strength to stand up when everybody else is sitting. That inside each one of us there exists a voice that is not just another drop in the bucket, but a voice that has the potential to pierce through the otherwise droning ether like an Adele high-C tearing through the middle of a passage in a Donald Trump self-narrated audiobook…if we just choose to belt it out. These people remind us of what we as people are capable of.

And when those people are 5th graders, well that’s just even more impressive.

This post exists because of two students at Lakeshore Elementary School who heard about a problem, and decided to help. The problem was something that had no direct effect on their everyday lives, was happening half a world away, and involved issues way bigger than any 5th-grader should have to contemplate. And no, I’m talking about Zayn Malik quitting  One Direction.

Full disclosure: the black is the fifth grader writing, the red is mine (but I had to use photoshop) #penmanshipgoals

The Cause:

Throughout my time in Peace Corps Malawi, my mom shared a lot about the school I worked at (Luwazi Community Day Secondary School in Nkhata Bay district, Malawi) with her students and co-workers of the school she works at (Lakeshore Elementary School, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA). This sharing started with facebook posts which led to converstions (mombrags) which evolved to pictures which eventually culminated in a couple of amazing fundraisers put on by Mom with the help of her school community.

One fundraiser was a Pie Sale! Sorry, all sold out!

The fundraisers went to help buy Luwazi books, aid with school repairs and the refurbishing of equipment and supplies, and to the purchase of solar panels, light bulbs, wiring, and other hardware needed to light the classrooms of Luwazi on dark rainy days and provide a place for students to study at night (beats studying by candlelight...you know what I’m talking about). Throughout this time period, a lot of students grew very interested in Mrs. Stanley’s Cam’s students and school. Some became pen pals with my Malawian students. Some helped tie-dye tote bags to send over for our nationwide Peace Corps education camp Camp Sky. And two fifth grade girls wanted to find out how they could do even more. Nobody asked them to do anything. But Emma and Nicole wanted to.

Artist rendering of their idea for Luwazi, pretty close to reality I’d say...maybe less sparkles IRL

The Solution:

So Emma and Nicole decided to rally their fellow classmates to help their cross-world colleagues in Malawi, with a fundraiser called “Moola for Malawi” (name credit=Kelly Stanley. Nailed it). They orchestrated a coin drive fundraiser for all of the classes from grades 1-5 at Lakeshore Elementary to participate in, and went around to each room to explain the cause and give their pitch as to what each one of them could do to help. They talked about why they wanted to help Luwazi, and why their fellow Lakeshore-ians should too.  They created an awesome display to anchor in the main hallway to further illustrate the fundraiser.

No free cat with every donation...sorry

The promise of a pizza party lingered over all as incentive for the class that raised the most spare change at the end of year (shoutout to Mrs. V’s class!), but really every class was the winner. Emma and Nicole may have created the fundraiser, and are rockstars for doing so, but so is everybody who contributed to the fundraiser: the students and their families that donated their hard-earned change, the parents of the girls who volunteered to collect the coins from the classrooms every month and paid for the pizza party to boot, the teachers and staff of Lakeshore that encouraged students to bring in their change and welcomed me to come in and give a presentation to the 5th grade classes about the life of the average Malawian student (Peace Corps Goal 3, represent!), the teachers and administration of Luwazi CDSS who will work hard to ensure that the money is used well, and the students of Luwazi who organized and wrote a number of skits, songs, and poems to deliver at their year-end assembly to say thanks and praise the efforts of the students at Lakeshore (Youtube link at end of post if you want to watch some of those).

And, oh yeah, Moola For Malawi raised $530.

The Impact:

So based on some of my past observations and discussions with former co-teachers at Luwazi as well as my Peace Corps replacement there, Jaryt (whatup J-dawg!), we decided the primary use of the fundraiser should go towards upgrading the female hostels (dorms) located at the schools. The purpose for the dorms being there (as it is in many Malawian Secondary Schools), is that many students have to walk a very long ways to school. Those extremely rural, unlit, winding paths can be dangerous at night for all students, but especially for young girls who are susceptible to predators of the male human species and otherwise (see more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2552195/The-sex-initiation-camps-Malawi-ten-year-old-girls-sent-families-lose-virginities.html).

So Luwazi has female dorms, but they’re not in very good shape. The money from this fundraiser is going towards fixing up these hostels and improving their conditions. Girls often marry/are married off young in Malawi if the family doesn’t have the means to send a girl through school, so not only will this improve the safety for the girls at Luwazi, but it will also motivate them and their siblings or friends to finish their schooling.  If you want to learn more about the Peace Corps’s efforts to expand education to girls across the world, check out this site: https://letgirlslearn.peacecorps.gov/

This is currently Luwazi’s kitchen with two students on the left, and the two patrons on the right who cook, clean, and supervise all the girls

The Takeaway:

So now, I just wanted to point something out. This fundraiser happened during the school year AFTER I returned from Malawi. I wasn’t there anymore. The Stanley to Stanley link between the two schools was, in a direct sense, gone. While I had a limited role in the fundraisers the year before, I was  still there at Luwazi and somewhat benefiting from them, and could see firsthand the results. This fundraiser was totally the idea and brainchild of these two awesome girls. I barely did anything (I did have to go to the bank to wire the money, and going to the bank is terrible, so I guess I did lot now that I think of it...).  The idea, the execution, the results....that’s all them, and they did amazingly.  It all started when these two seemingly shy girls approached my mom, told her that they wanted to do something for the students of Malawi...their pen pals, their fellow learners, their friends, their co-citizens of Earth...and that they had an idea of how to do that. The initiative, the creativity, and the sheer will and desire to help out other learners  from across the globe inspires and humbles me. With their drive, they have truly made a difference in the lives of Malawian students. And not only that, but they have inspired their classmates to do the same. Nicole and Emma have proven that helping others is something that is contagious.

It’s a “sickness” that, like these amazing 5th graders have proven, we should all try to catch as young as possible.

Thank you Lakeshore!

Belt it out.

Link to more videos from Luwazi’s End of year assembly/celebration/thank you:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjujdEKS12Zrw5yHl1bXI8FUIIrZixBhQ

NOTE: whenever they thank me (Cameroon Stanley) they are really thanking the community of Lakeshore “Primary” School (primary=elementary), I was just the face that they knew/recognized! Shoutout to Jaryt, current Peace Corps volunteer at Luwazi for working with me to make sure that the money made it safely to Malawi (also to Donna at the bank, who helped me wire that money to him like a boss). I know him and his fellow staff can't wait to get started on using this monetary and spiritual gift to improve the school!

Also wanted to give a shoutout to the momz, Kelly (below, posing with M4M sign), who not only helped to make this event (and other fundraisers) happen directly through her organization and collaboration with other teachers and families as well as her oversight and assistance with the girls, but also makes things like this possible in a more indirect manner by inspiring her students, like Emma and Nicole, to be caring individuals that dream big! Love ya!

UPDATE:

Earlier today, teachers from Luwazi traveled to Mzuzu, the largest “city” in the area, to purchase mattresses for the Girls dorm. The boarders had previously been sleeping on handmade wooden bedframes, using straw as their only cushioning. Now when these girls return home after along day of studies and activities, they can finally achieve the rest the deserve. It takes a good night of sleep in order for you to be able to dream big!

Mr. Chinula: I’ll take these mattresses to-go!

[africaam33]

A Title That Does Two.Five Years Worth of Peace Corps Service Justice *AKA* A Cop-Out Title If I Ever Heard One

“In Malawi, we….” Hey everybody I’ve reconnected with or met in the past few months, you’re probably used to me saying this!  You may think that when I do this I’m trying to explaini-brag, or one-up, or whatever weird thing you think I’m trying to do (you’re the one with the insecurity problem bro!), but really I’m just not used to this whole “America” thing again yet, and I’m probably just trying to justify why, say, I’m eating mashed potatoes with my hands, or yelling to the DJ at the bar to play P-Square, or driving into oncoming traffic. 

I spent almost my entire 2.5 year service telling people in Malawi about how we roll back home: “No, in America, we are not all rich.” “No, in America, we don’t really wash our clothes by hand.”  “No, in America, being fat is not a sign of wealth and actually it is kind of frowned upon by most.”  “No, I am not Chuck Norris.” And after spending a lot of time in Malawi trying to correct perceived inaccuracies about America, now that I’m back stateside I’m trying to do the same about Malawi. “No, I don’t have Ebola.” “No, I don’t speak African, that is not a real language.” “No, I do not ride zebras now.” “No, I have not been to Dikembe Mutombo’s house.” 

It’s not exactly surprising that people from both places have misconceptions about the other. But when you weigh the availability of information at the fingertips of the average citizen in each country, an interesting discrepancy develops. A lot of children and adults in Malawi only have exposure to America in very fleeting doses: a story in the newspaper that references American troop movements, an old Chuck Norris movie shown at the boma (market center)’s movie house, a Justin Bieber “song” on the radio (deal with it, he’s everywhere. God help us). So I expected questions, and embraced questions about America from my students, co-teachers, and friends, and I did my best to explain that these things don’t necessarily define what it is to be an American. But they were genuinely interested in finding out about my country. It wasn’t their fault that their perceptions of America were almost always skewed, if not laughably wrong (I had a student once reference the flying cars of American in a composition about technology), because the average Malawian doesn’t really have a lot of avenues to learn about other parts of the world. As one of the poorest countries in the world, how can they (http://www.nyasatimes.com/2015/02/17/malawi-now-ranked-poorest-in-the-world-president-talks-of-desperate-need-for-aid/)?  Coming back to a society with crazy access to internet, T.V., and news, I’m pretty disappointed with the general lack of interest in and knowledge of other parts of the world on the part of Americans. I don’t know if it’s laziness, I don’t know if it’s apathy, but Internet!  24/7 news channels with graphics! Maps! Libraries! You can LITERALLY find anything!

I don’t expect the average American to know where Malawi is (heck, I didn’t two years ago), but I do kind of expect that when I tell someone that I was living in Africa, they should know enough about the world to understand that Africa is really really freaking big, and that it would be nice if their go-to response was something asking about what I was doing there, or what country I was in, or what I learned, and not asking if I have Ebola (spoiler alert: I don’t!!!). And I bet if I ever decide to go back to Africa, these same people won’t be following up to make sure that I’ve been screened for measles before leaving America.

I’m glad to be back home, I’m overjoyed to be back with my family, I’m pumped to share my stories with people. But life seems too chill, and too simple. Washing machines are way too easy. Refrigerators have to be black magic. Banks have to be hiding something for the suspicious efficiency it takes one to cash a check. And I don’t have to hold my breath when I plug something into an outlet? Too easy. My mom has been yelling at me for always leaving the lights on in the house, but when you’re used to lighting candles with matches and blowing them out when you leave the room or go to bed, you kind of forget that those on/off switches are even there. 

I miss the adventure that came with just the normal, average day in Malawi. You never knew when a snake would invade your chim, or a tire would blow on your bus and leave you stranded on the side of the road, or a neighbor would drop by and ask you to go pick oranges with them. Basic things turned into interesting narratives. Traveling into town to go shopping in the Peace Corps is an interesting experience.  Running to the store in America isn’t (unless it’s a ghettofab Wal-Mart).

There are a lot of things I miss about Malawi. The competing trees and earth and sky, rising and falling and drawing a jagged line that pulsated as the heartbeat of the horizon. The innate innocence and welcoming nature of the average person that has so little but is willing to give so much. The lake. The lake. THE LAKE. There’s a lot that I don’t miss, mostly backwards gender expectations and over-reliance on the past. There are also a lot of things that I deeply missed about home that I now have the chance to experience again, which also come with warts once I tried to forget. I’m glad with where I am at the moment, and I’m proud of where I’ve been. As I look out my window now at waves of Wisconsin snow, I can also see ice caps of Lake Malawi waters. 

I’ve been meaning to write something here on this blog ever since I got home: a grand, sweeping, eloquently worded encapsulation of my experience in Malawi…but I haven’t. I could say that I’ve been busy. Busy getting lost in grocery stores…receiving dirty looks when I maneuver my cart down the left side of the aisle, spending too much on things that “I haven’t had in two years and I need it,” forgetting that I can’t barter at the checkout. Busy substitute teaching…marveling at the SMART boards in every room, discovering that students are allowed to use their phones in every class now for research (AKA snapchat), trying to reach students that seem to be less motivated than my students in Malawi that walked two hours to get to school, had no school lunch program, and stared at a chipped away chalkboard all day. Busy getting re-acclimated to American life… if devouring sandwiches and pizza, getting caught up on Netflix, and voraciously taking hot showers count as that. I guess that’s kind of true, that I have been “busy”. But the real reason I haven’t written anything like that yet is not because I’m too busy, but because I’m afraid. 

I’m afraid that if I do, I’m officially closing the door on that 2+ year chapter, and starting to pen a new one. I’m afraid it would mean that that phase of my life is totally over, that it’s time to focus solely on what lies ahead. I’m afraid I’ll forget the lessons I learned, that the memories and friends will fade away, and that I’ll revert to the person I was before I left. I’m afraid of feeling like I just woke up from the strangest, sweatiest, most frustrating, longest, fever dream ever. I guess I’m afraid to say goodbye.

I may never again feel the ache creep into my bones as I take my final steps over the steep hill that led to Luwazi, and walk across the football pitch that welcomed me home. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t experience the same sense of accomplishment that I felt then whenever I climb off of the elliptical after a 2 hour workout and my legs are screaming at me. I may never again sip a Kuche Kuche beer with my feet buried in the Chikale beach sand while basking in the warm Malawian sun. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t close my eyes, Spotted Cow in hand, sense the warmth pour over me, and feel the same carefree way that I did on the shores of Lake Malawi as I do floating down the Chippewa river. I may never again witness the pure, unadulterated joy in the faces of my students when I told them that we had the money to buy new books for our school. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t feel the same contentment and pride when a student tells me that the Kurt Vonnegut book I made them read changed their life.

So I’m not going to close that door. Why should I?  I’ll keep that door slightly ajar, so I can peer through and look back, to keep an eye on my students that I adored. To remember the failures, and the insights that came from them. To heed the lessons I learned, that could not be taught anywhere else.  To actually make sure that everything behind that door actually happened. 

I don’t want to write a final chapter. I don’t want it to be over. I don’t crave closure, I don’t yearn for a full circle (or flat….just finally caught up on True Detective), I don’t want to feel at peace, to peace out, to feel like that part of my life is behind me.

I don’t want to say goodbye.

So I won’t.

Cheers, Malawi. Until we meet again? …..

[africaam33]

There's a Malawi-shaped hole in my heart right now. Thinking of all those affected. Here's one way you can help: http://www.gofundme.com/ke5uv4

[africaam33]

I’ve talked before about the gule wamkulu, a traditional dance in Malawi, and here’s a great article about it! I for one, am freaked out by it, but this is still a pretty cool read. Check it out!

[africaam33]

Luwazi? More like LuWOWzi!

I've been back stateside for a little bit over a month now, but Malawi is never far from my mind, or my heart. So said mind and said heart were elated this week to hear of the success of my former students at Luwazi Community Day Secondary School on their MSCE (Malawi School Certificate of Education). Now I've talked a little bit about the education system in Malawi, but let me refresh you. The MSCE is a national exam that Malawian students take after their final year (Form four) of Secondary school. Students must receive high marks to be competitive in their applications to University. They must pass the English portion of the exam, as well as 5 other subjects like Life Skills, Agriculture, Maths, or History, for example. It is only offered once a year, unlike the ACT or SAT that is available to take multiple times a year. And it's all in English, their second language. And from looking at some past exams, it's pretty tough (can you draw a dichotomous key??). Basically, the MSCE will determine the future of every Malawian student. From working with teachers in America, I know that a lot of them hate the concept of "teaching to the test" in regards to national examinations. To those educators here who are avid opponents to national testing: don't come to Malawi. This exam means virtually everything. Universities don't really possess a holistic admissions approach that looks at extracurriculars, essays, community service, work history, or other facets of a student's identity. Bottom line: if you don't do well on this exam, you won't go to University. And if you want to take it again, you can't just retry again in a few weeks, you have to wait a whole another year for your chance (and if you do do well enough, you still have to score well on an University Entrance exam to get into a good school!). It's not ideal at all, but that's the reality. School success, teacher bonuses, funding and aid,community support, entire futures....all of this is measured or dictated heavily by the MSCE. Yeah, it's kind of a big deal.

Which makes the accomplishment of my awesome students so monumental. Yeah, they're kind of a big deal too.

So I don't totally understand the how the MSCE is mathematically weighted exactly (mabes I wouldn't even pass it....), but I do know that the lowest score is better. So 1 is a better score than 2, 2 better than 3, 4 better than 3 (haha JK just seeing if you were paying attention lolz), you get the deal. Well, in the past, you needed a cumulative score of 26 to earn a certificate. This year that was bumped up (so made more difficult) by needing a mark of 24 to pass. Last year, 16 Form Four students at Luwazi passes with a certificate. This year, with the harder score needed to earn a certificate, 26 passed! Yeah, it got harder, and 10 more got their certificate ( I think that we had between 35-40ish students sit for the exam)! This is the most students that Luwazi Community Day Secondary School has ever had get a certificate. That's historic. Yeah. That's what you call a BOOYAH. I taught these kids when they were in Form Three, I know how much potential they have, and I couldn't be prouder. They go through so much on a typical day, and have so much to worry about outside of school (check out http://africaam33.tumblr.com/post/73322573176/a-tale-of-2-students to read more on that), and although sometimes in their lives school may seem secondary to other things they have to go through, they really care about their education. And it shows. So congrats Bernadetta. Kudos Angella, Mwayi, and Alice. Cheers to Sophie and Daniel, the two students who I also had the privilege to see shine at Camp Sky the week we were in Lilongwe together. Thumbs up to Fwasani, Patson, James, and Jester. Big ups to John, Sam, and Wanangwa (which of these three names is not like the other?). #like to Parton, Blessings, Sacranie, and George. High-five to Richard, who always kept stats at football matches, wrote articles to post on the school pin board, likes to act and write skits, and who I think has a future in sports broadcasting. Fistbump to Uchizi, who sold me most of my Airtel phone units in the village. Tip of the hat to Aggrey, Joseph, Ruth, and Felanie. Finger snaps to Vanessa, Jeremiah, and Green. I couldn't be smiling bigger right now. Well I could, but I may pull a face muscle. Y'all are rockstars.

Muchita umampha kusukulu mose. I think that means "you all do well in school" in Chitonga. But it probably doesn't. Congrats to all students in Malawi that got their certificate, and best of luck to you as you follow your paths into the future. Chop that money.

Some of these cool cats just earned their MSCE certification! Picture taken when they were still babies in my Form Three

[africaam33]

Cam Lemon

Explore Cam Lemon's photostream on Flickr. This user has 2819 photos on Flickr.

if you want to see all of the pictures that I took on my travels.........let me know if you have any questions about them

[africaam33]

This was made at an amazing Peace Corps girls camp in Malawi called Camp Glow. Check it out, ya knucklehead!

[africaam33]

In Northern Malawi, boys enjoy a ride on the only truck in their village and pretend to be men, as they help their fathers shovel tons of sand from the river to make bricks.

[africaam33]

A Primer to Dealing with Crotchety Cam AKA Africa is NOT a country AKA I'm Back!!!

This Badger is back in Wisconsin! Today is actually my weekiversary being back in Sconnieland. So far, I’ve:

-been to a Badger game/slaughter (poor Bowling Green….)

-eaten 4 types of cheese

-been to the dentist and the eye doctor (still cavity-free suckas!! Pass the caramel corn! Mt. Dews for everyone!)

-drank ice cold milk

-done a load of laundry consisting of only red clothing (ps-washing machines are amazeballs! What powerful sorcerer created these magical boxes….Dumbledore?!)

-drank a Spotted Cow (or several) -drank a PBR tall boy (hipster alert!)

-been disappointed by a Packers performance

-eaten gooey cheese curds

-been asked “Don’t cha knooow?!” countless times

-spied a deer on the side of the road

-witnessed the culmination of another Brewers collapse

-walked along a rushing river

-met my parent's dog, Luwie, for the first time, who was named after my village of Luwazi

-been to a dive bar with a jukebox

-chilled on the terrace in Madison

-been sneak-attacked by some old friends (which most def didn’t scare the crap out of me…)

-made fun of Minnesota

-lol-ed at the diabolical lies and lunacy of Scott Walker political commercials

-seen my whole family, some of which it’s been 2 years since doing so

-survived a visit to the mall

-piloted a moving car (and accidentally driven on the left side of the road for about a block)

-eaten Taco Bell up to (and past) bursting point

-felt home

It’s good to be back.

Soon I’ll write more about the traveling I did on my COS trip, as well as write a long in-depth, super-poignant, tear-jerking analysis of my 2 year service, but before I get to that let’s get one thing clear……

AFRICA IS A (RATHER LARGE) CONTINENT!!!!!!

To all my friends and family I have yet to see since returning: I wanna see your faces. I want to tell you about my life for the past 2 years. I want to answer all of your questions. I want to share stories about my awesome students. I want to make you nsima. I want to teach you proper chim-nastics (pit latrine technique). I want to hear about your life. I want to do none of that and just chill and pretend like I never left, if that’s what you want to do. But please, please PLEASE do one thing for me before this happens. Look at this picture:

Finished? Cool. So as you can see, Africa is a big place. Look at all those countries inside of it! My home in Africa was one tiny, small sliver of a massive CONTINENT (not country….Sarah Palin….I’m looking at you). Yeah I lived in Africa (and traveled a bit of it too), but asking me what Africa was like is like asking a Honduran what it’s like to live in America (spoiler alert: there’s differences). I’d be more than happy to tell you about Malawi, and the small glimpses I got to see of Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, and Morocco, but PLEASE PLEASE do a reverse Joe Biden (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/6/biden-wants-nation-africa-prosper/) and know enough that Africa is not a single nation, and that the FIFTY FOUR sovereign states of Africa are not homogeneous. On my post-service expedition, I was able to travel from about as far South as you can get in Africa (The Cape of Good Hope in South Africa) to about as far north as you can get (I took the ferry from Tangier, Morocco, to Spain), and the differences between those two distinct cultures was vast and staggering. I only was only in each country for a limited amount of time, and both seemed like 2 different worlds, but both are in Africa. I hope I’m not coming off as aloof or militant or snobbish, it just bothers me when people don’t take the time to look at Africa for what it is. I’m overjoyed to teach you about my part of Africa and spread Malawi awesomeness around, and here’s you’re first lesson: Africa be LAAARGE. I was in a small part of it. Historically, Africa has been represented as one singular piece, and it’s not your fault for thinking that way (I did), because that’s what we’re taught to know about it. We’re exposed to Disney-fied versions with lions everywhere, or see the infomercials on TV of the kids with the distended bellies, and think that that’s all there is to it. But it’s way more complicated than that. Africa is not one culture, not one nation, not one mind, not one entity…..it’s a diverse arena of so many peoples and backgrounds, religions and mindsets, languages and cultures, histories and stories. We think of the US as “melting pot” of so many peoples, and it’s just one country…..imagine how diverse Africa, with it’s 54, must be?! So keep this in mind if I happen to get a little short with you if you ask me how Africa was. I apologize in advance. It’s not your fault. Just keep this in mind: Yeah, I’ll tell you about how “Africa” was. If you can tell me about what “the Americas” have been up to these past 2 years. Not so easy to explain, is it?

So NO:

I was nowhere near Ebola. Actually, if you were in Europe recently, you were closer to the outbreak than I was.

Africa doesn’t need you to save it. They are just as capable as anywhere else to grow and flourish, and also equally as capable to shoot themselves in the foot.

Semi-related tangent-rant: Dumping icewater on your head for the “sake” of charity is NOT a good use of clean water (a rarity in many, but not all, African countries) and if somebody in my village, saw you doing that (including me) you would get the stinkiest of stink eyes. I guess what I’m trying to say is that, no, I don’t accept your ice bucket nomination, Tall Pat.

I don’t know African. There’s no language called “African.” There’s like 3,000 languages in all of Africa, dude.

I can’t tell you what the African flag looks like. Because there isn’t one. But there are a lot of beautiful ones across the continent (shoutout to Swaziland. Yours rules).

I did not see any tigers. They live in Asia.

The rising sun of the Malawian flag, one of 54 in Africa!

[africaam33]

#whereintheworldiscameronstandiego

[africaam33]

#whereintheworldiscameronstandiego

[africaam33]

Hey people who read this, I’m on total #nomadmode and not posting a lot of schtuff, but here’s a sample of pictures of my post-Peace Corps travels so far! So the question is: #whereintheworldiscameronstandiego

[africaam33]

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in the Peace Corps Malawi office in Lilongwe for the (most def probs?) last time. I’m saying goodbye, which is tough, but I’ve said a lot of goodbyes to outgoing volunteers over the last two years. But the thing is, now I’m the one that’s actually leaving. I’m not just saying goodbye to people, I’m saying goodbye to a place. A place with so little, that has given me so much. A place that has tested me to the limits of my abilities and character. A place that has taught me so many lessons about life. A place that has become my home. I’m feeling a lot of emotions right now and I’m sure that someday I may even be able to put these feels into something that’s not a rambling mess, but I just wanted to post something quickly on Malawian soil before I say the last goodbye. Thank you to my fellow PCVs. Thank you to my Malawian counterparts. Thank you to my students. Thank you to my family and friends back home who have supported me along the way. Thank you to the people of Malawi. Let’s not say goodbye. Let’s just say TIWONANA

TAWONGA CHOMENE

Cam Stanley, RPCV

Malawi

[africaam33]

More photos from the world map project

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So You Want to Make a World Map

First, you need to decide, "is making a giant world map at my school really an undertaking I want to tackle, and will my school really appreciate it?" Hopefully, the answer is YES!!! Congratulations, you're ready to start. 

Next, you need to make sure that you have a strong team behind you.  You are not God, you can't create a whole world by yourself in seven days. I had a strong backing from my students, my co-teachers, and even the volunteer who will be replacing me at Luwazi, who happened to be on site visit when we started working.  

Now, you should read up a little bit on how this will actually happen. The World Map Project is an endeavor that has been undertaken by volunteers in Peace Corps countries all around the world. The first was created by a volunteer in the Dominican Republic in the 80's, and she has shared the blueprint of that process, which involves enlarging a small copy of a map onto a larger grid.  So you'll need to print out the manual, and check out what it entails. Can your students handle this? Maybe, you think? Good enough!

You can't paint a map without paint and junk! So gather that stuff up.  I bought red, blue, yellow, green, and white paint along with a bunch of other supplies like pencils for drawing, markers for labeling, erasers, brushes of different sizes (some countries are small!), a paint roller, cups for mixing paint, towels, a scraper (still not sure why, it seemed necessary at the time), candy to give out to helping students, and some other little things. I wrote a very small and painless grant (APCD grant) to help out with the cost. A larger contribution towards our expenses came from friends back home! To those who donated to the cause: this wouldn't have happened without you.  Really.  Thanks. You know who are.  Once you have your supplies, get at it!

Some of the map "pieces." The manual divides the world into 19 different gridded areas, which will be redrawn on a larger scale 

Now that you have your swag, the first thing you need is to find a location for your map. We decided to construct ours on the side of a school building that holds the staff room and head teacher's office, a high-traffic area that students walk past every day en route to their classes. Choose a place where your map can be admired!

Is your chosen wall location a brick wall? No probs! Hire somebody to plaster a smooth surface over the section of the wall so you have a easier area to draw and paint.  Our area was 2 meters by 4 meters:  

Our blank canvas

Next, you should put down a base coat(s) of paint.  I chose to just put down a layer of white paint, but if you want you can put down a layer of ocean blue over that to make it easier for yourself later when you're drawing ocean borders and small islands.

This. is how. we doooo it

Once the base coat dries, it's time to draw a grid across the space.  Remember those pieces of the world? Well all of the countries on those pages are laid over a grid.  You need to draw the grid system over the larger painting surface, so that you can use the numbered boxes as a reference system for when you replicate the map.  What you see on the pages, you'll be redrawing, larger, onto the wall.  You get it?

  Mr. Mwale helps to draw the grid

Students take over the drawing of the grid

Okay! Nice job! Now it's time for the tricky part....drawing the shapes of the countries.  Using the numbered grid boxes, you'll correspond the sections of the map pieces with the same area on the map, and copy.  It sounds difficult, but with a little practice anybody can do it (there's some sample worksheets in the manual to help).  Check out Thekson here and see how it is done:

Theckson rocking the heck out of South America

  James takes a break from drawing to strike a pose

Master pencil sharpeners Bertie and Sharon make sure no pencil is ever dull!

It's starting to look like an Earth! Yay!

Now comes the messy part...paint! So like I mentioned above I only bought 4 colors of paint, but in case you didn't know....you can mix some colors together to make new colors!

Jaryt, who will be replacing me at Luwazi at the end of August, was on site visit while we made the map.  Here Jaryt, AKA Sir-Mix-A-Lot, mixes up some new colors to differentiate between different countries. 

Now it's time to color the countries.  The more paintbrushes you buy, the more people you can have help! It's a good idea to buy different sizes...some of the countries are really small, whereas a thicker brush is better for the larger ocean areas.  

We be paintin, we be paintin

Luke consults the map to see which color he needs next

Geography teacher, Mr. Chinula (blue pants, painting Africa), embraces every teachable moment

Okay, so now you've finished painting?  All done with the map, right? Nope! How will you be able to tell the countries from each other? Now you need to label the countries...we used a black permanent marker.  This can get tricky, especially with the small pacific islands and tightly compacted eastern European countries. We only had two markers, so not a lot of people could label at once, but we had several "spotters" making sure that the writers followed the map perfectly and had correct spelling.

George attempts to tackle the Pacific islands

Home sweet home!

Wow! Looks good! You're pretty much done! Now, decide if you want to add any designs or finishing touches.  We decided to write the name of our school, a Malawi flag, a compass, and a dedication to our donors in the corners of our map.

Watson working on the compass rose

Thanks to these special people for their generous donations to the cause. We couldn't have done it without you!

(Lebron) James centers up to his Malawian flag

 The finished product

You did it! See, it wasn't that hard! You can work at whatever pace you want to...it's possible to knock it out over a long weekend if you go all-out, or you can go at a more leisurely pace.  Once we actually started physically working on the map, it took about four days.  The work ethic, talent, teamwork, and capabilities of the kids blew me away. They were absolutely fantastic.  What rock stars.  Thanks to them, my co-teachers (especially Mr. Mwale and Mr. Chinula), Jaryt, and the donors for making this all come together!  This was one of my greatest experiences at Luwazi, and a great way to end my time there. 

Be proud, Luwazi!

[africaam33]

CAMP SKY PRESS RELEASE!!! With Camp Sky, Peace Corps volunteers show Malawian students that the sky is not the limit for their potential On the sixth of April, eighty academically exceptional students from across the Southern African country of Malawi arrived at Mitundu Secondary School, where a week of advanced subject-specific courses, practical labs, test preparation, and other educational activities focused on health, self-expression, and problem solving, awaited them. Camp Sky is an education camp focused on Malawi Senior Certificate Examination (MSCE) preparation that has been an annual volunteer initiative for over ten years. It provides outstanding students from all over Malawi a one-of-a-kind experience to learn from Peace Corps teachers, forge connections with other promising students from different areas or backgrounds, and to realize their own potential and strengths in and out of the classroom setting. Over 25 volunteers from the education, environment, and health sectors in Malawi came together to put on the camp. Throughout the week, campers participated in subject-specific lessons taught by first and second-year education volunteers which focused on problem areas students traditionally encounter on their national MSCE examination. Areas of study included fractions and ratios, vocabulary building and word formation, photosynthesis, and many more. They also participated in labs across multiple subjects, which included composition writing, titration, and graphing, among others. For many students, this was their first experience working in a science laboratory, and their excitement showed. The classroom lessons were supplemented by many other holistic learning experiences. Volunteers from other sectors came to lead sessions on nutrition, creativity and self-expression, Malaria, gender empowerment, and more. Each day featured a theme focused around being a well-rounded individual in all facets of life. These daily themes all tied-in to the overall theme of the camp, which was: “Sky is not the limit.” To fortify this message that the skills and knowledge students gain at camp should stay with them beyond the week of Camp Sky, Malawian role models and professionals in the fields of journalism, education, tourism, government, and health comprised a panel that presented their educational and job experiences and fielded questions from eager campers. Students likewise participated in engaging events such as a physics egg-drop competition, an HIV scavenger hunt, a variety show, and a viewing of a film-version of Romeo and Juliet, as well as much singing, dancing, chanting, morale-boosting, and friend-making. Based on analysis of completed pre and post-surveys, students improved in all areas of instruction, including classroom subjects as well as health-related questions. Camp Sky went mobile for one day as staff and students travelled to the John F. Kennedy Information Resource Center located at the U.S. Embassy in the capital city of Lilongwe. Here, students were given a presentation about the application process regarding schools and colleges in the U.S., and provided information and resources about how to be attractive candidates when pursuing further education. They also had a hands-on session in the facility’s computer lab, where many students created their first word processing document and performed their first internet topic search. Concurrent with Camp Sky was Teach Sky, a teacher development training that consisted of twenty teachers from around Malawi interacting with five Teacher Development Facilitators from the education sector. The teachers had workshops on teaching methodologies, gender equity in the classroom, continuous assessment, differentiated learning, and other classroom management strategies. Attendees also observed lessons taught by Peace Corps volunteers, and gave feedback based on their observations of the lesson. Towards the end of the camp, teachers collaborated with volunteers to lead a joint session about study skills and test-taking strategies. Throughout the week, teachers were welcome to attend or participate in any of the camp activities, and also attended the field trip to the U.S. embassy. All in all, Camp Sky was a major success for all involved. Students enjoyed learning from Peace Corps volunteers, interacting with Malawian professionals, participating in unique labs and activities, discovering how to keep a healthy body and mind, expressing their thoughts and being listened to, and forging lasting connections and friendships. Even in a short week, the growth and leap in confidence in each one of these special students was evident. Malawian teachers gained the experience of collaborating and learning from their colleagues, and of being exposed to new teaching practices. And PCV’s involved accomplished a rewarding and life-lasting week of service. The funding for the camp came from all over the world, as family and friends of those volunteers involved as well as Malawian nationals and expats interested in Malawi’s future contributed to the Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) which helps support volunteer projects worldwide. Without their help, the camp would not have been as successful as it was. Not only was this a life-changing experience for the student and teacher Camp Sky-ers, but for all of the Peace Corps Volunteers involved as well. Throughout the week, it was made evident to all involved that Sky is truly not the limit for these aspiring Malawian students. As Daniel Chakwira, an eighteen-year old student from the Nkhata Bay district, summed up the experience of the week: “The impossible Is becoming possible.” If you want to read more about what we did at Camp Sky 2014, check out our blog: campskymw.tumblr.com Or search for us on Facebook! And stay tuned for more information about how you can help out next year’s camp! Where should I send this? (nowhere is an acceptable answer)