Donne moi un bonbon? September 5, 2009

If there’s a french phrase/statement I’ve mastered in Mauritius, this would be it. Everyday before, during and after class, I’d have students coming up to me, eyes twinkinling, best smile ready and all, asking me for (more) candy. It was cute at first, then got a little too much, then towards the end I wished I had more to give them. Now that I don’t get to hear this everyday, I’m showing withdrawal symptoms whereby I furiously go through a whole box of chocolate, in one sitting.

Anyway. I would describe my experience in Mauritius as sweet, like candy. Our students were the CUTEST kids ever: picking all the flowers in the church to give to us, drawing pretty pictures of us. In fact I thing they probably gave us more gifts than the prizes we gave them! Another sweet experience would be with my host family. They were AMAZING: overfeeding me, making sure I finished my 7th cake in a row, showing me around Bambous (where I stayed) and making sure that everyone in Bambous knew this Asian girl walking around their streets, and really adopting me as their 5th child. The island was obviously GORGEOUS as well. So yeah, I had a pretty sweet summer this year and for all of you waiting to go, I have no doubt that you’ll also have a SWEETTTTTTTTTTT time in Mauritius!

You will remember me? August 25, 2009

This was one of the more poingant things that our students wrote on our good bye cards. Next to the flowers, butterflies, and fairies our charming 8-11 year old girls drew were sentences that when I look back at them in a couple of months will probably bring tears to my eyes, and maybe a laugh or too because of the broken English and unintelligeble phrases written in there as well.

For me, my experiences in Mauritius are probably life-changing even if I can not see the effects right now. I will remember my students and my host family for a very long time to come because of their generosity and how the entire community took us into their hearts and their homes. I don’t really know what more to say than LE has given me an experience that is so once-in-a-lifetime that I will remember it for the rest of my life!

Hugandkiss,

Amanda

Pictures (if you’re on Facebook)

Mauritian Map

Volunteer Notes August 23, 2009

Hello World!

Over two weeks have passed since my return to the USA. I still am adjusting to this side of the world. Memories of children laughing during soccer matches, munching on curried chicken sandwiches on the way to class, and bronzing on the beach linger. I am fortunate and thankful for the wonderful experience LE provided me and that I could provide for the children. LE Mauritius embodies sustainable, quality development work at the grassroots level. It not only improved my life, but improved the lives of the children we taught. Mauritius remains a magical tropical island full of inspired children (and mean dogs who enjoy chasing Americans) that I will hopefully have the pleasure to visit again.

Cheers!

Cascade

Reflection on trip August 20, 2009

Hello to everyone out there who is interested in Mauritius and Learning Enterprises-

I have recently returned from Mauritius where I served as an English teacher to children in Bambous.  I feel so lucky to have had this experience.  To me, the trip was entirely about living with a host family and teaching English.   My host family was Indian, they cooked amazing food, they were incredibly generous and caring, and I miss them dearly.   I really felt like a part of their family, and I will keep in touch with them, as I know how much they’ll appreciate hearing from me.  Living with a family provided a personal and intimate view of Mauritian culture.   I feel like I experienced so much more than the common traveler because of my opportunity to live with my Mauritian family. Teaching English was also amazing.  I loved planning lessons, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that teaching became easier with time.  Once my teacher partner and I figured out the swing of things, we were able to teach in what I believe to be an effective manner.  The biggest challenge in teaching was the varying English levels of our students.  And that is my brief reflection; overall the trip was an amazing experience!

Best, Lydia Armstrong

Hostels and Shots August 13, 2009

Hey LE Family!

I figured I’d post (make Harry happy, you know) about what Sarah and I have been talking about today for hours on end.

Well, we are taking a little excursion after LE to Johannesburg, South Africa and have been having a killer time figuring out where we’re staying and what we’re doing, including tours of the city and possibly a safari. There are so many hostels to choose from with so many different options (one good site we were using was hostelworld.com).  It’s all a little bit frightening – making plans online to do things half way around the world.

Another thing I’m struggling with is deciding to get shots or not. Today my doctor told me I probably should be getting Hep A, Hep B (which I already have), typhoid, yellow fever, and malaria pills. Gah. That’s alot of shots. So I guess I’m off to the travel clinic next week.

And a final fun thing I did today was buy travel insurance off of worldnomad.com. So that was a relief, especially for my mother.

Talk to you all soon,
Amanda

Language and Education in Mauritius June 9, 2009

I am posting a series of links to articles concerning language and education in Mauritius. Hopefully this will give an idea as to the current linguistic situation in the typical Mauritian classroom. Upon reading you will notice the great need for children to learn English. Comments and questions are greatly appreciated.

1) Language of Instruction and Instructed Languages in Mauritius

The first article posted here notes the fact that there is a 40-50% drop out rate of students after primary school. The author argues that this is because children are intellectually overburdened due to being taught in 3 languages (French, English, Creole). She uses the current educational state to support her argument that recent policy reforms appear to be politically motivated, instead of pedagogically motivated.

2) Mauritian Creole and Language Attitudes in the Education System of Multiethnic and Multilingual Mauritius

This article discusses possible reasons why Mauritian Creole is not included in the Mauritian education system. The author examined public opinion toward the inclusion of Creole in primary education and found no consensuson the issue. The article highlights Creole’s role as national language and that of an ethnic language associated with Creole identity.

3) The Politics of Language Equilibrium in a Multilingual Society: Mauritius

Welcome to LE – Mauritius June 4, 2009

Greetings everyone and welcome to the official 2009 LE – Mauritius blog. My name is Harry Wodehouse and I am the Program Director for this year’s trip.

Learning Enterprises is an easygoing, education-focused nonprofit that, since its founding in 1992, has recruited hundreds of college-age volunteers to spend their summers teaching conversation-based English in developing countries around the world. LE is entirely staffed by volunteer alumni who return to continue serving its mission of expanding horizons and spreading volunteerism around the world. LE programs are currently located in twelve countries, and volunteers teach approximately six thousand students each summer.

This summer 8 volunteers will be coming from The George Washington University, Georgetown University, and the University of Wisconsin at Madison to teach with the Mauritius program. We will be working in 4 different towns located on the southwestern coast of the island. Class sizes will range from 15-40 students, effectively reaching nearly 100 students during their winter vacation from school.

The program schedule is as follows:

• July 1: Program Director arrives in Mauritius
• July 8/9: Volunteers arrive in Mauritius
• July 10/11: Orientation in Flic en Flac
• July 12: Volunteers move-in with host families
• July 13: Classes begin
• July 25-26: Mid-Point Break, Fancy Fair in Chamarel
• August 7: Last day of classes, closing session
• August 8/9: Departure from Mauritius

I will be using this blog on a weekly basis this summer to update the world on our adventures. Volunteers will also be using this blog to log feedback about the program and to communicate with friends, family, the rest of the LE community, and anyone else who happens to read. I encourage all readers to leave comments, questions, and suggestions to be taken into consideration for future posts.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more news about our adventures on the blessed island!

LE Mission Statement June 4, 2009

The mission of Learning Enterprises is to expand people’s horizons through conversation-based English language classes taught by American and international volunteers.

Our mission is guided by five principles:

• Fostering creativity in children and adults
• Expanding horizons through access to the English language as means of communication
• Promoting understanding through cross-cultural exchange
• Spreading the spirit of volunteerism
• Providing substantive and rewarding work experience for young people

Our program benefits the children in developing countries who take part in our classes, the host families who open their homes and minds to LE volunteers, and our volunteers who work as teachers for the summer.