Teaching

Four days into my teaching gig and they haven’t pelted me with rotten fruit yet, so must be going ok.  Last week I taught 26 doctors from 2 rural provinces at an Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital.  This week I have 30 rehab technicians (assistants) from the same rural provinces and am teaching at a university.

It was a bit startling on day #1 to walk into the classroom and see all of them rise to stand to greet me.  For the most part they are super attentive and engaged.  And, just like when teaching at home, you can quickly spot the really good students.

A number of students have given me gifts of special treats.  Last week I received an absolute bucket load of cashews, as they are grown in the province where some of the students live.  I also received an unusual chewy rice treat flavored with orange (so they said, I couldn’t taste it) and today was given candies made from coconut and durian.  In return I have been giving them small Canadian treats for jobs well done.  Today it was candy canes (thanks MB).  They celebrate Christmas, but had never seen candy canes.

The one thing I can’t quite get used to is returning from the long (2 hour) lunch break to see them all sleeping on the floor, on the desks, anywhere!  It is so hot here, culturally they shut down after lunch to avoid the heat of the day.

So, as usual, due to my “incredible” sense of direction, I have been lost on campus (seven thought it is darn small).  The other day I was discretely looking for the washroom – although one could argue that it is hard to be discrete when  carrying one’s own toilet paper, and a guy started yelling and waving at me.  Turns out I don’t have to use the student washroom, I am entitled to use a much nicer (read cleaner) one in the administration building.  That may have been the highlight of my day.  It’s the simple things in life!