My Fulbright Experience Coming to a Close: Final Work Projects & A Fulbright ETA Portfolio.

It is amazing how nine months can just fly by, especially in a place you've grown to love so much.  Completing my Fulbright fellowship in Dakar, Senegal has allowed me to grow both professionally and personally.  Being able to collaborate and work with people so interested and invested in the English language, in the promotion of language learning in general, and cross-cultural education has been a dream for me.

A number of events/trainings were held that reaffirmed my love of language learning and working with teachers (a few pictures below):

For ATES' English Language Day, Michelle and I were asked to conduct a training on Instructional and Management Strategies in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. 

One of my last meetings with one of my favorite Dakar English teacher cells.  They decided to break out into song, singing John Legend's "All Of Me." Hahaha! 

I was asked to help coach and judge a competition for MYouth Mobile Camp Senegal.  Six teams were chosen to participate after vetting of their applications, and they were asked to pitch their mobile app (on education, commerce, environment, health, etc.) to a group of judges in both French and English.  These were some incredible apps!  Ultimately, an education app won, and they were given the opportunity to compete in another global competition. 

ATES also hosted the Dakar Students' Day, where Michelle and I helped out with the Spelling Bee. There was so much buzz around this whole day, and it was great to work with students! 

One of the biggest projects we at Senegal's Ministry of Education's Bureau d'Anglais (Office of English Teaching) wanted to accomplish was a Central Region Teacher Training.  Ngouye, my boss, identified a couple of areas of Senegal that requested and wanted more professional development training due to a lack of resources, etc.  With generous help from the U.S. Embassy, we were able to plan and execute this Central Region Teacher Training with much success!

For a week, we traveled to four specific areas/towns: Diourbel, Kaolack, Kaffrine, and Fatick. The teachers in each of these towns/regions requested different professional development themes and we wanted to make sure that we were able to understand their teaching context, address them, and provide appropriate strategies that they can implement directly in their classrooms/in their professional careers.

Some of the topics/themes addressed were: Project-Based Learning; Strategies in Preparing Students for the BFEM National Exam; Incorporating Culture in English Language Teaching; Teaching Grammar Communicatively; and Teaching Vocabulary Communicatively. 

Because we were heading to the central region of Senegal, it was very hot and the schedule was quite grueling, but we kept pushing through.  In total, we worked with about 120+ English teachers who effectively disseminated the information they gained with their respective English teaching cells.  As is customary in West Africa, Certificates of Participation were given as a token of our appreciation for their attendance and participation -- and hopefully to encourage them to use these strategies soon!

I will say that I was impressed with the caliber of English teachers, their passion and drive, and their active participation.  I almost wish I recorded all of the discussions to be used in some other way for future professional development trainings!  But this kind of zeal motivates me...and makes me wonder if I should come back again soon in another capacity...

Ngouye and I, stamping and signing the various Certificates of Participation for our 120+ English teachers! 

Our first training in Diourbel. 

 

We were lucky enough to stay Adjana Hotel, a new complex in Kaolack.  The rooms were absolutely beautiful!  A nice little break from a busy day of teacher training. 

Ngouye and I about to start our training in Kaolack. 

Some wonderful participants in Kaolack! 

Kaffrine had some great discussions on incorporating culture in English language teaching...and I forgot to mention that the U.S. Embassy provided us with prizes to give teachers.  We used them at the end for mini-quizzes to see if teachers were paying attention during our presentations, haha! 

Our last group in Fatick was very dynamic and had some of the best discussions.  If only we were there longer to keep it going! 

Saying farewell is never easy, but it eventually needed to be done at the Ministry of Education, my work home for the majority of my Fulbright fellowship. 

Since formalities are essential, I had to say farewell to Mr. Joseph Pierre Ndiaye, Director of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Education (second in line after the Minister of Education).  A very funny and intelligent man! 

As I had mentioned before, my last thing was to create a sort of institutional memory piece so that future Fulbright ETAs can continue the work and collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Office of English Teaching -- and also so that we're not constantly reinventing the wheel.  For my last few weeks, I worked on creating and compiling a Fulbright ETA Portfolio: Professional Development Presentations & Other English Language Activities.  It felt like quite the accomplishment and great to put this all together!  

Exploring Senegal: Kedougou, Touba, Saint-Louis, Cap Skirring & Ziguinchor.

With the constant busyness of work -- working with teachers, collaborating with folks at the Ministry of Education, observing classes, giving classes -- I can get caught up in everything, especially since a nine-month fellowship can fly by quickly and it's important to make the most of every moment.

But there should always be a work-(social) life balance, and when living abroad, seeing the actual country where you're living should be a priority!  So for the past few months, we've made the most of it -- traveling around Senegal for pleasure but also for work (with a couple of side trips as well).

In April (before our Guinea-Bissau and South Africa work trips), we (Michelle, Kaylin, Eura, and I) decided to explore the other side of Senegal -- specifically, the eastern side where Kedougou is.  It's a lot greener on that side but also very long and difficult to get to.  I would highly recommend asking Peace Corps Volunteers for advice, places to stay, and things to do, as they are very knowledgeable since they live in these areas.  Another great resource are the Bradt Travel Guides, which I live by!  Incredibly detailed; just double-check and call ahead for accurate information (as you would with any guidebook).

Niokolo-Koba Park is the highlight of this part of the southeastern region of Senegal, where we spotted some lions, warthogs, antelope, water buffalo, monkeys, hippos, and many other animals.  It makes you rethink how we view zoos back home, and how animals are truly meant to live out in the wild.  We also got to see Dindefelo Falls, which seemed to come out of nowhere as we were hiking (though you could hear the water from a while away).  It looked like Frank Lloyd Wright had constructed something like this!  I can only imagine what it's like when there's more water.  And of course, we hiked...a lot (which I loved but also realized how out of shape I was).  I had to channel my inner Peace Corps Volunteer again!  All in all, a great trip with dusty bus rides, great company, gazing at the stars, and getting my tan on because the sun was a-beaming!

All of us at Nikolo-Koba Park.  Too bad you can't see the hippos in the back (wayyyy in the back). 

Dindefelo Falls in the background.  Can't believe something like this is here in Senegal! 

 

Hiking in this blazing suns with nature's toothbrushes.  

 

When you make it to the top -- sweaty and full of bugs around you -- it's well worth it.  Especially with a beautiful sunset! 

To travel to this part of the country, you need a driver/guide to take you to certain places.  We were recommended this guide by other friends and it was quite incredible.  We stayed on top of a plateau,  and I remember bucket bathing and sleeping underneath the stars.  Really takes me back to when I lived in Burkina Faso au village...

In the beginning of May (after South Africa), we took a day trip to Touba, a town about four hours away from Dakar.  This place is of particular importance because it is the host of an annual pilgrimage (called the "Magal") for the Mourides, one of four Islamic sufi orders in Senegal.  We needed to see this mosque because it is one of the biggest in all of Africa and quite a site to behold!  As a non-Muslim, I've gained a great appreciation for Islam and all its intricacies.  

The Grande Mosquée de Touba, which is in Senegal's second largest city. 

In the middle of May, we killed two birds with one stone and made our trip up to Saint-Louis in the north of Senegal.  This place is of particular importance because of the remnants of French colonial architecture.  Isabella, another ETA, works at the all-girls' high school on the island of Saint-Louis, and the teachers there wanted to do a professional development training on teaching writing and assessments.  They invited Michelle and I to conduct this, which was great, as we've done these trainings before and were excited to see yet another part of Senegal.  

Fortunately, it became a sort of mini-reunion for some of us Fulbright ETAs but also for some of our Dakar friends as it was the annual Saint-Louis Jazz Festival, an international event that attracts folks from all around the world.  The city of Saint-Louis itself on the island is quite charming and it was interesting walking along the dusty road lined up with old French colonial architecture.  We also got to take a day trip to Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary/Park, though there weren't many birds due to the time of year. 

The teachers and us at the end of a successful professional development session.  Super receptive and they had some great ideas! 

On the boat before heading through the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary/Park.

 

Dakar's finest (with our signature pose) along our makeshift Senegal/Mauritania border (that's how far north Saint-Louis is!). 

Obligatory jumping short along the beach.

We decided to take a 4x4 along the beach from Saint-Louis to Dakar.  About 30 minutes in, we were so cold that we wanted to just stay inside, haha! 

In the beginning of June, with our time in Senegal slowly coming to a close, we realized we didn't get to see another part of where our fellow Fulbrighters live: in the southern part of Senegal of Ziguinchor.  To get here is quite the journey: you often have to take a boat that takes about a day OR you can fly (which is what we did).  This part of the country is south of The Gambia, and takes significantly longer to cross via land.  

Two of our Fulbright friends, Eura and SJ, have tried to convince us to come down and visit, which we've been wanting to do for the longest time.  And we finally found the time and money to do it!  After flying in, you could see the landscape change dramatically.  Greenery everywhere, it almost felt like a different country.  It was much more humid but there was a more relaxed vibe compared to the busy city life of Dakar.  We spent a couple of days lounging around the beach in Cap Skirring and made our way to Ziguinchor, where we got to experience life down there, hoping to see some dolphins (we didn't, sadly), and enjoying the calmer pace.  We also got to see their schools (they work at a middle school and high school)!  Because there are more Christians down there, the drinking culture seemed much more relaxed.  Quite the adventure! 

When we got off of the plane and landed, this tiny airport greeted us in Ziguinchor. 

Arrived in Cap Skirring to a wonderful dinner (and drinks) with friends.  Mmmmm! 

The water was so refreshing! 

Stray dog lounging on the beach chair next to me in the shade.  He knows what's up! 

SJ took us on a tour around Ziguinchor.  We were at the Centre Culturel Français, which had some incredible painted walls inside.  

The gang on the rooftop of Eura and SJ's apartment building.  Panoramic views of Ziguinchor! 

Taking a rickety boat to try and see the dolphins.  No such luck, but it was beautiful regardless.  Though I'm pretty sure there was one time where I thought we'd have to call for help because our boat got stuck.  

Mafé, their cat, being her cute self.  They recently adopted this cat and she was just too adorable! 

Teacher training & travel in Guinea-Bissau.

If you ever asked me if I'd ever visit Guinea-Bissau during my time in Senegal (or in the near future), my answer would probably have been no.  Not because I'm not curious -- because trust me, I am -- but because it wasn't necessarily on my radar.  And for geography's sake, Guinea-Bissau is the country directly to the south of Senegal.  Sure, one of my life's goals is to visit every country in the world, but I'd like to be brought to each country for one reason or another.

It's amazing how travel opportunities can present itself when you least expect it.  Rewind to December 2015 during the ATES National Convention in Kaolack.  One of the honored guests was Ali, Secretary-General of the English Language Teachers' Association (ELTA) in Guinea-Bissau.  English language teaching/teacher training was largely supported by Peace Corps Volunteers in Guinea-Bissau, but after some civil unrest, Peace Corps left in 1998.  ELTA was founded, in part, to continue supporting English teachers in their professional development -- and they wanted to use ATES as an example to further strengthen their organization.

After Michelle and I gave our ATES Pre-Convention Workshop on "Teaching Writing in English Language Classrooms," Ali approached us and said he would love for us to come down to Guinea-Bissau and give teacher training sessions to their English teachers...and then it started to unravel (in a good way) from there!

With a grant from the U.S. Embassy and collaboration with the ATES National Board, Michelle and I boarded a short flight to Bissau.  I always find traveling in West Africa to be such an interesting experience.  Flying here is very convenient but also very expensive!  When we arrived, comparing Dakar to Bissau, Bissau is so much calmer and even has a Latin America feel, perhaps because it's a former Portuguese colony.

Michelle and I arriving all sleepy-eyed on our flight to Bissau.  The statue is in downtown Bissau, and the picture on the lower left-hand corner is at the Azalai Hotel. 

We checked in to our fancy hotel, the Azalai, and spent the day catching up on sleep but also preparing for our presentations in the next two days.  For lunch, Michelle and I decided to venture out and find a bar/get some fresh seafood.  Interesting here in Bissau, almost everything seemed imported.  Beer, bottled water, and the like all came from Portugal.  I forgot to mention that Michelle and I speak no Portuguese nor Créole and it was a trip trying to order (which ended up being some of the best fish I've ever had!).  Fortunately, the waiter found an Ivorian guy, Alhusseine, who's been living in Bissau for a couple of years and speaks French. What was just a simple encounter ended up becoming a great thing, as Alhusseine was our sort of social guide/translator for the rest of our stay in Bissau.

The following day on Thursday, Ali and Baio (President of ELTA) had a whole day planned: visiting Tchico Té Teacher Training College to meet the English department; touring a few middle and high schools; seeing a number of private English language institutions; taking a tour of the U.S. Embassy's Liaison/Representative's Office in Bissau (as the Embassy is in Dakar); and walking around Bissau to get an idea of the city.  It was a packed day, but it gave us a better idea of the Bissauan context, particularly as we had our presentations the following day.  Later that evening, our fellow Fulbright ETAs in Ziguinchor (Eura and SJ) as well as some ATES National Board members came down to join us!  Reunion, for sure!  And with Alhusseine, we were able to grab some drinks and he was able to show us around a little bit.

The top picture is at Tchico Té Teacher Training College with some ELTA members and English Department professors.  The bottom picture is 

Fun picture of all of us in a toca-toca, typical public transportation here in Bissau. 

Friday was the big day -- ELTA's National Seminar with about 70 English teachers from all throughout the country.  I'll be honest, there were a couple of differences from how an event in Senegal would've started.  First of all, they started (for the most part) on time and almost everyone had shown up by the stated start time.  And while formalities and long introductions/speeches are the norm here in Senegal, it wasn't the same in Bissau.  Quick and to the point, so we could start with our presentations immediately.  Michelle presented on "curriculum development," I presented on "lesson planning," Eura and SJ presented on "English Clubs," and the other ATES members presented on "professional development and organizational leadership" as well as "writing grant applications."

Michelle, Eura, SJ, and I before the ELTA National Seminar Day. Looking fly, per usual! 

Me presenting on "lesson planning." 

I was impressed at how receptive the teachers were and they were asking some great questions, especially when it came to how they could implement these ideas in their classes!  We had a delicious meal afterward, and had a great night planned -- a dinner and concert out at the national soccer stadium with Alhusseine and his girlfriend, Annabella.  I will say that here in Guinea-Bissau, the rules are a bit more relaxed socially.  Dress is less conservative and there are more instances of PDA with couples, versus here in Senegal.  And the drinking culture is much more liberal here in Guinea-Bissau!  But it was a great night just to enjoy life here in Bissau and celebrate after a successful seminar.

Michelle and I after a long day of presentations.  But still smiling!

 Out with Alhusseine and his girlfriend, Annabella.  Awesome night with good people! 

The following day was spent exploring Bissau with Eura and SJ.  Like I said, it's a very walkable town so we were able to wander and get lost.  Highlights included finding a random Chinese restaurant and exploring the nightlife in Bissau a little more!

However, what Michelle and I didn't anticipate was that it would be a lot more difficult to return to Dakar.  You see, flights are few and far between here in West Africa, but especially to Bissau.  Because Senegal Airlines, our company, happened to dissolve during our time in Bissau, the next flight to Dakar wasn't leaving until a few days after our intended departure date!

The inside of the Guinea-Bissau International Airport. 

Long story short, we were stuck in Bissau but by then, Michelle and I knew how to get around by foot (very walkable and accessible town) and fortunately, less hassle from people trying to sell things compared to our experience here in Dakar.

Overall, a great trip to Bissau.  I would come back again -- in large part because of the delicious food and the hospitality of folks.  I'm quite jealous of the English Language Fellow they'll be sending to Guinea-Bissau next year, as there is a good bit of collaborative work that can be done.  But I know I'll return to Bissau soon!  Até a próxima! 

Working at Senegal's Ministry of Education and as a Fulbright ETA.

Nearing the halfway point of my Fulbright fellowship, and it has been quite the ride!  I never expected to grow so much professionally, and to enjoy Dakar as much as I do.  That said, the blog posts have been lacking but I hope to truly describe working here at Senegal's Ministry of Education, with various Senegalese English language professionals, and being a Fulbright ETA in general.

As I've mentioned before, I've been sent to work and collaborate with the Bureau Technique Pour l'Enseignement de l'Anglais (the Office of English Teaching) at Senegal's Ministry of Education.  Ultimately, this office provides professional development support to current English teachers throughout the country -- working closely with pedagogical advisors in different regions and with English teaching cells in Dakar.  It's a very unique experience as a Fulbright ETA as I'm the first one to be posted here at the Ministry, and I can already see how this is a great place (and partnership) for future Fulbright ETAs to develop and flourish.

Ngouye, my boss and English Language Teaching Technical Advisor to the Minister of Education, and Aminata, Assistant Technical Advisor, are two wonderful women (where I jokingly call them my "Senegalese aunts") and colleagues.  They themselves were English teachers in the past, served as pedagogical advisors for English teaching cells, and have lived abroad in Anglophone countries.  I'm learning so much from them and how the Senegalese education system works, particularly in relation to English teaching.

With Ngouye and Aminata after the Access Graduation at FASTEF, the teacher training college.

First arriving in mid-October, I didn't know what to expect.  Ngouye and I had been in contact via e-mail prior to my arrival, and she mentioned that the first couple of months would be pretty dead since the school year will just be starting, and professional development sessions do not kick in until well after that.  I often forget that in countries like Senegal, the importance of meeting people and maintaining those connections is paramount.  So I did just that -- meeting people from all ranks in the Ministry of Education, English teachers, teacher trainers, folks at the U.S. Embassy, and the like.

I met Israel, Master's candidate in International Education Policy from Harvard, by chance.  Through this, he invited me to meet Mr. Amadou Mahtar M'Bow at his lovely residence.  He was the first Minister of Education in Senegal and was a former director-general of UNESCO. Very accomplished, and he had a true fascination for the Philippines and the Filipino people! 

And the view from the office isn't too shabby.  Downtown Dakar, also known as "Plateau."  And look at all those English language resources -- even if they might be a bit dusty.  =)

While I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso and was exposed to the French education system in a Western African country, no two countries are the same.  So I insisted that we did classroom observations so I could get a better idea of the realities of the English classroom, and could help me understand what the professional development needs of the teachers are.  We even created a type of classroom observation feedback sheet to guide our observations and provide valuable feedback to teachers.  And, truth be told, it was a way for me to learn from fellow language teachers (even if in a different context) because I, too, plan to continue teaching after the Fulbright.

One of the teachers I observed was Mr. Guèye.  What a fun teacher who truly cares about his students!  They're all engaged and it was such a pleasure to watch. 

I realized that language teaching and learning is the same regardless of where you go in the world -- the only difference being the language taught and the context.  In that same vein, I've been fortunate to be able to use my Master in Education from Notre Dame, particularly what we've learned and practiced in our foreign language education classes (merci, Lori!).  CLT!  Integrating the four skills with culture!  Rubrics and grading!  Classroom management!  Assessment!  The list goes on, and it's been great to incorporate what I've learned and used in the past with the work I've been doing here.

Collaboration is huge, and one of our first projects of the school year (November 2015) was to get together motivated English teachers in Dakar for a day-long professional development session on classroom management and CLT teaching strategies, hosted by the Yavuz Selim Turkish schools with an expert from Oxford University.  It was a comprehensive presentation, but also made me realize that the sessions we'll be giving need to not only meet the needs of our teachers, but also need to remain cognizant of their context.

This was after the classroom management and CLT teaching strategies presentation by an expert at Oxford University.  We invited select English teachers from throughout Dakar to attend and afterward, disseminate the information to their respective schools and teaching cells. 

Perhaps one of the biggest parts of this job -- and in line with the Bureau d'Anglais' overall objectives -- is to provide professional development support to existing English teaching pedagogical cells, especially in Dakar.  It's where I've been able to meet a variety of English teachers, hear their needs, and find ways we can use both of our expertise to further the English language teaching field in Senegal, and to make our students better English communicators/speakers.  Maybe it's different outside of Dakar, but I was impressed with how organized the pedagogical cells were, and how democratic it was in deciding professional development topics for each month.  Everyone has their say, and it makes professional development much more meaningful.  So far, I've given presentations on assessment, project-based learning, teaching writing, and the like -- with many more planned until the end of the school year.  It's been wonderful, and the learning is definitely mutually inclusive.

This is after a co-presentation at the biggest English teaching cell in Dakar with over 100+ English teachers!  Aminata was doing a dissemination presentation from our "Teaching Writing" one at the ATES National Convention. 

The English teachers at Cours Sainte-Marie de Hann, a very reputable and beautiful private school in Dakar, invited me to come and present on Project-Based Learning. Of course, there were certificates!

The U.S. Embassy Dakar has many outreach activities to promote the learning of English and American cultures/values.  Every Wednesday, Michelle and I lead the conversation clubs and film discussions.  It's part of what makes me miss the classroom, in that we have candid discussions on a variety of set topics with university students and English language professionals who come to the U.S. Embassy to participate and use the (many) resources at the Information Resource Center (IRC; think Embassy library).  Keeping in line with professional development, we've also helped facilitate bi-weekly webinars with current English teachers that are hosted by the State Department and are broadcast all around the world.  We're all always learning!  The Embassy also has this great initiative with different schools throughout Senegal called the Access program, which caters to economically disadvantaged students that would like to further improve their English but perhaps lack the resources to do so.  Thanks to Ngouye, I've been invited a few times to give cultural enhancement activities on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Black History Month.

One of the Access cultural enrichment presentations I gave was on Thanksgiving.  And what do ya' know -- someone decided to throw a random turkey into my room.  Oh, Senegal...

One of the greatest strengths of the English teaching world here in Senegal is their English teachers' association, aptly named "ATES" or Association of Teachers of English in Senegal.  I haven't seen anything quite like it in West Africa, just by the association's sheer number of members and structural organization.  It really is a model organization for other countries wanting to start an English teacher's association and continually find ways to improve and enhance the teaching of English.  The current president, Sadibou, saw that I had this blog and asked that I guide them to start theirs.  You can check it out here.

Their pinnacle event is their ATES National Convention, which takes place in a different part of the country every year.  Hundreds of English teachers from around the country participate.  This past year, it was held in December in Kaolack (central region of Dakar), and was a great experience for us Fulbright ETAs and English Language Fellows -- especially since we came from all corners of the country for this.  Michelle and I were able to collaborate and play a big role in the convention.  We led the pre-convention workshop on "Teaching Writing in English Language Classrooms" for about 150 teachers, which has highly successful and engaging.  I was also able to give my own workshop on "Project-Based Learning through Assessment, Culture & Student Engagement," though it was cut short due to time constraints.  Overall, a really wonderful experience and gave us the right footing to continue our respective work in our cities.

Perhaps one of the most epic selfies: Michelle and I with our 150 participants during our Pre-Convention Workshop on "Teaching Writing in English Language Classrooms." Couldn't have asked for a better co-presenter! 

Michelle and I in action. Photo credit goes to the U.S. Embassy Dakar RELO's Office! 

With most of the Fulbright ETAs and English Language Fellows in Senegal.  We clean up nice, with Senegalese outfits to boot! 

In addition to the Pre-Convention Workshop, the following day was filled with workshops which participants could attend.  Mine was on "Project-Based Learning through Assessment, Culture & Student Engagement."  Lots of fun, but definitely tons of work preparing - especially when it's both a presentation and a workshop. 

Whew!  If you've stayed with me until now, bravo!  I look forward to many other events ahead, such as the Bureau d'Anglais' week of professional development sessions in the central region of Senegal, working with the English teachers' association in Guinea-Bissau, and potentially, a mid-year retreat/seminar in South Africa.  I love it when working, professional development, and travel can come together!