Last English Class before Christmas

12/22/09

Today was our last English class (secondary level) before Christmas. So, I wanted to teach them vocab for the nativity, and to talk about traditions and things people do in Rwanda to celebrate Christmas. Likewise, I shared some American traditions. I introduced the word "snowman," with a demonstration of how you build one. Felicien asks, "Do you sell the snowman?" I bursted out laughing and said "No, no! There's no money involved, its just so people can walk by and look at it." Earlier he had asked if people give you money when you go caroling. I had to reinforce that these traditions are just for fun. In America, not everything has money attached to it. Man oh man.

During our after-class party I taught them a new zumba song, "Run the Show." Wasn't even planning on doing this one, but it came on next in the queue and they all apparently really liked the beginning beat because they all nodded and pointed to the radio and said "This one, this one!" So I taught the moves, and we did it and it was awesome. They liked this song a lot. I wish you could have seen Dieu-Donné's face…really you should see his face during any zumba song. He puts so much emotion into every move. Fantastic.

Well, it was already past 5pm, when we usually call it quits for the after-class party. So our song ended, Sr. Charlotte remarked that it was time to go, and I announced that everybody had to go home. Instantly, about 5 of the guys ran up to the boom box and pressed play to start the song again, all the while shaking their heads and saying "No no no. We do again!" Pretty much the entire class was like "Nope, absolutely not. We are doing this song again whether you want to or not." They just started it on their own, doing the best they could to remember the beginning moves of a song they had only learned 5 minutes ago. I couldn't let them have at it without solid direction, so I went back up there and led it again. It was stellar. I was very sweaty, but fortunately the Fathers couldn't come tonight so I didn't have another lesson right after. They really really liked this song, and I like it too :)