Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living

I’m Going Crazy Getting Ready For the Peace Corps

September 12, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 13 Comments

AHNU SHOE — The waterproof hiking shoe I ordered from REI to walk to my school in Lesotho.

I’m Going Crazy Getting Ready For the Peace Corps as I only have three weeks left before I board a plane to Philadelphia for “staging.” Staging is the word the Peace Corps uses for “meeting and training” prior to boarding our flight to our host country.

I’m getting nervous, not because of leaving the U.S. for 27-months, but more to do with packing the “right stuff.”
I’m worried about whether I have the right solar panels, the sleeping bag for snow and frost, the right clothes for teaching (not too Amish, yet still keeping my own style,) the right waterproof hiking shoes, which I still want to “look reasonably good.” I’m sorry, but I still like a little bit of style, so I ordered black leather waterproof shoes that REI recommended for rain and snow.

Since the Peace Corps wants us to dress appropriately to teach, I still have my “desire to look slightly stylish in Lesotho.” Can I give up make-up? face cream? perfume? Not sure yet, but ask me in one year, and I might be a completely different woman.

Lesotho is known for it’s blankets, which the Basotho wear. This is what I call “stylish”and I’ve heard that Peace Corps Volunteers, buy local fabric and have dresses made. Here is one beautiful model wearing a Lesotho long jacket made from a Lesotho blanket.

Africa textile | Young South African fashion designer Thabo Makhetha uses 'traditional' Basotho blankets to make high-end coats. — Africa textile | Young South African fashion designer Thabo Makhetha uses ‘traditional’ Basotho blankets to make high-end coats. Click on photo to go to Pinterest.

I just finished my two-week working in a U.S. Kindergarten experience; learning how to manage thirty Kindergarteners from one of the best teachers in Orange County, California. Mrs.Irwin managed her class with positive reinforcement, and I am so impressed with her skills. She managed to get thirty Kindergarteners to listen to her and follow directions on her first day.

I have no idea what it will be like to co-teach in Lesotho, until I’m in the classroom,, but I shall always remember how the Mrs.I. taught me to be positive and always upbeat with the Kindergarteners.

Mrs Irwin — Mrs. Irwin. An amazing Kindergarten teacher who deserves the best teacher of the year Award.

On my last day, the children hugged me, and several cried. “Will you come back Miss Sonia?” they asked. I cannot believe how close I became to these children. I truly loved getting to know them, and I hope to develop a relationship between the children I shall be teaching in Lesotho, and Mrs. Irwin class.

If we can Skype one day, between both classes, that would be awesome! I hope to connect them in some way.

Getting Rid of My “Stuff” For the Peace Corps

September 4, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 12 Comments

IMG_20150903_195112830 — I was considering a storage unit for my Riccar vacuum cleaner

I never thought it would be this difficult to decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away, before I leave for the Peace Corps.

I only have one month before I leave for Lesotho, in southern Africa, and I’ve debated whether or not to rent a storage unit.

The cheapest storage unit I found was a 5’x5′ unit for $1, 950 for 28 months. Do I want to pay that much to store my clothes, shoes, and some files?

My mother’s silverware is going to my cousin’s house tomorrow, but since my cousin doesn’t have room for my files and my clothes, I decided to box everything, and store it with a friend for 3 months. If I’m not back before then–(I don’t plan on that,) my friend can either keep or donate my stuff to charity.

At first I contemplated a storage unit because I’m attached to my (old/expensive) vacuum cleaner, but then I asked myself: “Are you crazy Sonia? Are you really going to get a storage unit because you’re in love with your old vacuum cleaner?”

I have a thing about good quality vacuum cleaners, and spent a fortune on my Riccar, ten years ago, It still works well, and for some reason, this is one of the items I’m having a hard time releasing. (Any psychologists have an analysis of what this means?)

I started looking at all the “love letters and poems,” I received from my ex-husband when we dated, and during our marriage. That is a hard decision for me right now. Should I get rid of them? Part of me is tempted to, as my new life in Lesotho is starting, and I need to move on.

What about my sons’ Kindergarten and school papers? I cannot throw those away, even though they tell me they don’t want them.

Any advice from my friends? Have you had to make decisions like this?

Disclosure: The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Differences Between Teaching a Thai and a U.S. Kindergarten

August 27, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

IMG_20150826_122729797 — The wonderful and enthusiastic Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. I.

What a difference between my volunteer teaching in Thailand, and what I’m observing and learning in a U.S. Kindergarten. I’m sure I shall be in for another surprise in Lesotho, southern Africa, where I am co-teaching in January 2016.

Sometimes I wonder how I can use the skills I learned from teaching elementary school in Koh Samui, Thailand, with those in Orange County, California, while I serve in the Peace Corps during my two years in a school in Lesotho.

Each country is so different, especially the cultural differences, the expectations, and the rules and discipline procedures.

In Thailand, the children are so loving. They come up to you for hugs, even in fifth grade, and unlike the U.S., the teachers use a thin bamboo stick for corporal punishment.

In the U.S., the Kindergartners are adorable, but there is no hugging and fewer smiles than I experienced in Thailand.

100_3088 — No chairs in Kindergarten in Thail class where I taught

I feel the “stress” on our children in the U.S., to be high achievers and to obey the rules. In Thailand, the children are often distracted, and I accepted this. We had to get their attention with games; standing up and sitting down and touching their toes, etc. We often shouted and got them to do the same while teaching them to repeat new vocabulary words.

In the U.S. Kindergarten, I observed the expertise of the teacher in how to apply “classroom management” skills which are so important in establishing order and guidelines for children to follow during the school year.

As stated in the well-known book by Harry and Rosemary Wong, The First Days of School, How to be an Effective Teacher.

“Effective teachers MANAGE their classrooms.

Ineffective teachers DISCIPLINE their classrooms.”

Mrs. I. is the Kindergarten teacher, and through positive reinforcement, she manages to control her new Kindergarten class with thirty students. She says things like, “We’re here to grow big brains, who wants to learn to read? Who wants to learn to write stories?”

She thanks her students, by name, who sit still and announces, “I like the way Logan is sitting still,” or “Get up, give yourself a hug and walk quietly to the door.”

She says, “When Mrs.I.is talking, your mouth is not,” and when a child answers a question correctly, she says, “Kiss your brain” and they kiss their hand and tap their head. I just love that.

There are playground rules like counting to 20 when someone is on the slide and your turn is next. Then there are lunch rules, about asking for permission to be excused to play,and rules for entering the classroom. It seems the kids have to follow so many rules in the U.S., but I can see the results of how well-behaved the kids are.

As you can see, everything is neatly arranged, including the box of crayons with each student’s name labelled on the box. You can tell the teacher has spent time getting the classroom organized.

I want to learn new skills on how to get young children to listen, and to do so in a calm manner. During my teaching in Thailand, I felt like I was yelling to get the children’s attention, and although they did keep quiet when I put my right hand up, and my left hand to cover my mouth, most of the teaching was done with shouting the new vocabulary words and getting the kids to repeat, and copy from the board. I did not like teaching this way, but followed the curriculum.

I realize that co-teaching in Lesotho, will be a new adventure that will require being flexible. The best part is I love seeing the differences between cultures, and learning to adapt.

Let’s hope that whatever the method, the kids are always learning.

I Leave for Africa with the Peace Corps on October 4th

August 25, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 4 Comments

100_3089 — Teaching Kindergarten at Ban Bo Phut elementary school, Koh Samui

It’s all confirmed; I leave for Africa with the Peace Corps on October 4th. I called to make sure all my paperwork was in order, as I hadn’t received a confirmation in writing, and I have to sell my car and pay for a storage unit.

My recent Bamboo Project volunteering, was the best thing I did to prepare for the next stage of my life: Teaching primary education in Lesotho, Southern Africa, on October 6th, for a 27-month period.

Thailand taught me the importance of accepting that things are done differently, to be flexible, and to understand the local “Thai” way of teaching and doing things.

In the beginning I struggled with the way we had to teach. It was so different from what I learned (t) in British English, at my TESOL course in Greenwich in May. Most of the teaching at our school was based on repetition and copying from the board. I felt like the children did not understand what we were talking about, and asking a question was impossible. The kids would repeat what I said (out of habit) but apart from one or two in the class, most kids could not answer my questions.

The Bamboo Project was about more than teaching. I had to live in a communal (student-style) accommodation, where we shared one toilet and two showers among seven people. It brought back fond memories of college dorm days.

IMG_20150810_162000425 — Our living room

IMG_20150810_162010064 — Living room and kitchen with tiny fridge crammed with our drinks and food

IMG_20150810_162050109 — The downstairs shower became my own. Cold water and a handle that popped off every time I turned it.

I loved my new routine of getting up at 5:30 a.m., making Nescafe, and then checking e-mails and blogging. I realized that everyone else stayed in bed until 15 minutes before we were supposed to be at the pick-up stop for school. I have no idea how young people can roll out of bed and be ready in 10 minutes.

Jeep Bamboo — Ready for our Jeep Pick-up at 7:30 a.m.

I also enjoyed the nightlife with the volunteers at the ARK,a beachfront night club. You’ll see some amazing stuff from 1:50 seconds into the video.

Amazing fireworks from 1:50 onwards.

100_3093 — Having dinner at Zanzibar cafe after teaching.

Now I start teaching in an Orange County, California, primary school, and look forward to learning some new skills, before I leave for Lesotho, with the Peace Corps.

A Lifetime Experience Crammed into Two Weeks

August 19, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 2 Comments

100_3081 — My First Grade Class in Thailand

I’m having a lifetime experience crammed into two weeks, on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand, working as a volunteer teacher in a local public elementary school.

From now on, I’ve decided to take volunteer vacations rather than regular vacations, as a way to immerse myself in a new culture, meet interesting people from different continents, and remain “young” in spirit.

I share a house with six volunteers. There are 3 rooms and 2 bathrooms and fortunately, I’ve managed to tag the downstairs shower as my own. There is only cold water, and a handle that keeps falling off, but who cares; I’m used to both now.

My Czech friend, Veronika, and I were initially shocked by the lack of hot water in the shower, and now we accept it, as the weather is so damn hot and humid in Thailand.

What I love about my experience, is the interaction with people from Australia, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Hungary, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. English is our common language, and the more time I spend with others, the more I realize we are all the same.

Arm, our local Thai advisor, picks us up on in the Bamboo jeep on the main road each morning at 7:30 a.m. We stop at 7/11 for water bottles, and we discovered a French Cafe across the street with chocolate croissants and strong coffee. I enjoy speaking French with the local expat community. We have a routine on our way to the Boh Phut elementary school.

When we arrive at the school, the students are impeccably dressed in school uniform, saying their early morning prayers, while facing Buddha. We wait for them to finish, then head over to our first class. We teach Kindergarten to fifth grade. One of us is the main teacher, and the other volunteers assist, since most of our classes have 40 students.

100_3079 — Sonia teaching first grade with Veronika

At first we were shocked by how the kids are, and how we have to “shout” and make them repeat everything, mainly by shouting louder and louder each time. I was not comfortable with this, but then I realized this is the way the student are taught.

The kids like repetition and copying from the board. I realize that each country has their own way of teaching students, and next week I shall be in a U.S. Kindergarten volunteering with an American teacher, so that will be completely different, and interesting to analyze.