(THIS IS MOM --- I HOPE THIS ISN'T TOO CONFUSING, BUT I RECEIVED SOME PAGES OUT OF DATE ORDER, AND I DIDN'T RECEIVE SOME AT ALL. ANYWAY, I'M POSTING THE PREVIOUSLY MISSING 12/3 - 12/8/02 ENTRIES. ONCE THOSE ARE DONE, I'LL START WITH THE BATCH I JUST RECEIVED - END OF DEC. ONWARDS.)
I gave a test today in model school. I caught one girl cheating, but there was most likely more than that going on, because I received many answers to one of my questions that was literally the definition I gave in clas. It's possible they could have memorized it perfectly, as students here are trained to memorize very well, but they also find extremely creative ways to cheat.
One student was telling us how he used to cheat by writing answers on the inside of his shirt, on the bottom. How ingenious! Most of the volunteers we talk to share the sentiment that if more of their students put the same effort into studying as into cheating, they'd do better on the tests. And, in fact, the students that have the more elaborate systems tend to be the ones who, absent cheating, perform the best.
I find this interesting because it seems to be quite the opposite of American students who cheat. It doesn't require as much of an effort in the States, so it's actually easier than studying. I don't know which is worse yet :)
In other news, a trainer left yesterday. She was probably one of the best trainers that PC has seen here in Mozambique - she was great friends with some of the trainees, and good friends with all. I can't mention why she left, but we will all miss her. F!
As of right now, all 36 of us will be sweating in come next Saturday. I think the only major hurdle left will be site placements. I don't know how people will react to finding out where they'll live and work for the next two years, but I imagine there will be a wide spectrum of reactions and probably a couple of fires to put out.
Considering that there are, more or less, as many sites as there are future volunteers, inevitably some people have to end up in places they don't necessarily want to be. That's just the way it goes, however, and there's nothing anyone can do about it!
I just hope people from the States come and visit me!
Tomorrow's the solar eclipse (best viewed 3 hours north of here in Xai-Xai, but we can't go due to it being dangerous and during training.) I can't wait!
Peace
John
