Romy Friedman

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Sitting on the edge of Lake Kivu waiting for my breakfast to arrive, I am stunned by the natural beauty of Rwanda. Colorful flowers, lush green plants and the soothing sounds of the water surround me and provide a tranquil setting for breakfast. African music blares in the background though it is only 8:30, yet this still cannot detract from the peace I feel. Music is a constant in Africa. I came to Rwanda to get a feel (as much as possible in only four nights) for a country so visible in the media regarding one thing – the 1994 genocide.

I went to the Genocide Memorial and was rightfully horrified by the pictures, stories and evidence of this atrocity. Visiting Yad Vashem in Israel, and Auswitz in Poland, I had seen first hand evidence and testimonial for the Holocaust and was prepared for the emotional toll such a visit would entail. However, I don’t think one can ever be fully prepared for the horrors of war and mass killing. Yet as hard as this visit was, I think it necessary both from an educational viewpoint and as a tribute to those who lost their lives.

Choosing to live and work in Germany was a decision that was met with horror and skepticism by many Jewish friends and relatives as everyone had personally lost or known someone who had lost family in the Holocaust. Yet ironically living in Frankfurt allowed me to learn and feel more about this period in history than I ever had before despite my many years of Hebrew school and books read. I visited the Jewish museum in Berlin, one of the best museums I have been to. I also attended a synagogue in the West End which had miraculously survived the bombing of the city. Questions about this time in history were not asked, yet every so often I would hear stories about the war from the German perspective in the same way that occasionally people have talked to me about living in Uganda during the time of Amin. These confidences come after a long acquaintance and are not easily told. During my two years I found Germans much more aware of history and some of the most tolerant people I have met.

Rwanda is cleaner and has a much better infrastructure than Uganda. It is a strange juxtaposition traveling through Kigali today while reading of events in A Sunday by the Pool in Kigali on some of the very same places I stand in. However, I find the people in both Rwanda and Uganda equally helpful, honest and friendly. Uganda has even more in common with Rwanda as both countries still suffer from a terrible reputation based upon previous events. When informing people of my decision to take a job in Uganda, the only thing people knew or could refer to was the dictator Idi Amin.

The media seems to want to portray a picture of Africa as a tragedy-filled, dangerous place to be. Idi Amin lost power over 28 years ago yet Uganda cannot seem to shake this image, just as Rwanda will always be thought of in concert with  the genocide that happened 15 years ago. Yet remembering previous events is very important. I cannot believe the number of people who are ignorant of these events that happened in their lifetime. However, moving forward and not holding future generations responsible for actions they did not commit is equally important. Talking about forgiveness, aid to countries in need and tolerance is all very well and good, but how many of these people are willing to travel to these places and put their money and bodies where their mouths are?

Technology and education together is a topic that fascinates me. So much so, that when it comes time to enter my Master’s at UBC (University of British Columbia) this coming Fall, I am giving serious thought to writing my thesis paper on a topic within this subject matter. Technology has benefited and revolutionized the way Science is taught in a major way. One reason I am sorry to be leaving my current position is that I ordered a microscope that can be attached to the interactive Smarboard for the upcoming year’s resource order. I can look at a slide or specimen under the microscope, and use my four coloured pens to annotate, circle features and various other teachingactions. However, technology has also led to problems or situations within teaching that need to be addressed.

Cell phones, ipods and various other electronic devices are coming more and more the norm for a student. I own both these first two items and carry them in my purse at all times. Both of these items are banned from my current school, however I would bet that on an average day most students have one if not both items in their possession. These items have caused little headache or problems within my teaching. As I teach the IB diploma students I tend to ignore student’s use of these items so long as it not obvious or detracts from my teaching in any way. Given the lack of landlines and ease of communication within Uganda, I understand the security and safety reasons behind the mobile phone. I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable going anywhere without mine, which is a big difference from how I felt towards this device when living in Canada and Germany. Though I own a Blackberry and pay to have my emails sent to this device, I do not like being accessible to others every minute of every day,The biggest problem for me is listening to student’s complain when they are stolen. However I have heard personal accounts from other teachers of horror stories where students send each other inappropriate pictures taken of themselves while at school. I certainly realize the potential for having “cameras”, a popular feature of most mobile phones, present in a school environment where children are. However, the biggest single item of concern for me is Facebook.

It would seem pretty obvious that anyone and everyone should not view certain pictures; there should always be a filter in place. This goes for any professional, such as teachers, but also for the general public. I firmly believe not everything in one’s life needs to be shared. With this in mind, I have always been careful of what I have posted on Facebook. However, since qualifying as a teacher I have been even more vigilant, especially after my Law class at teacher’s college where we were given many real life cases of teachers being prosecuted for unprofessional actions. This message was reinforced by my wonderful career counselor who also advised me to publish “positive” information on the Internet; I now own my own name as a .com web address, and have created this very website where you will reading this blog. I was told that I cannot prevent or control the “filth” that is put into cyberspace about me, however, I can have control over what comes up when people Google me by adding this positive content. However, as of yesterday I have decided to remove myself from Facebook completely.

Unfortunately an incident occurred where a teacher published pictures on their Facebook account that showed a situation that was not appropriate. Did it involve school or anything that impacts their professional integrities or capabilities? The answer is no.These photos were printed off and shown to the school director by another teacher. In my opinion personal life and school life should be kept very separate. Can I always follow my own advice? No I don’t and living within the city of Kampala, although large in population, does not make it very easy to do so especially when most of the school community lives within a small radius of the school itself, including me. The small expatriate community and lack of facilities like bookstores, shopping centers, coffee shops, bars, clubs and various other places I enjoy spending time make this even harder. However, I would never think that personal feelings and opinions should lead to professional consequences despite any lapse in judgment over their posting.

Students often request me to be their friend on Facebook as I did not choose a pseudonym. I have turned down many such requests despite not having anything of concern in my profile. I have added friends from my previous school once I have left and I do find it a very useful tool to keep in touch with these people whom I would not necessarily email.  Sometimes I wonder at why students would want to be my friend on Facebook and ask myself to they even realize at what I can see in their photos?

A friend from teacher’s college had her own problems regarding Facebook. Her account was somehow accessed by a parent of a student, and pictures and emails were sent to the Superintendent of her board. She subsequently was reprimanded. She is braver than I as she has reopened a Facebook account under another name.

Technology has the potential for both good and bad. It is the same technology that was used for the nuclear bombs in the Second World War and nuclear warhead that today gives us an important source of energy. Facebook is just another technological tool that is subject to the user, however currently I feel Facebook has become too much a tool for bullying, exclusion and the publication of derogatory comments. I am saddened that teachers do not adhere to a higher purpose; it has been my experience that teachers are just as problematic in this regard as students. So in the near future, please email me rather than sending a Facebook message because as you will see, I have disappeared!

1. I get to live in a totally new, unfamiliar and exciting places
2. I can travel to many places I couldn’t otherwise afford or access
3. The students are usually very interesting, coming from many different cultures and backgrounds
4. You get to meet some cool people including other teacher, professionals and locals
5. It is excellent life experience in so many ways and makes me a better person
6. You can experience and do a lot of things you wouldn’t be able to do at home
7. Most parents helpful, thankful and nice
8. There is always at least one staff member with interesting stories to tell and great work/life experience to learn from
9. Your friends and family thinks you are adventurous and cool
10. The various ecosystems, cultures and local resources greatly improve my teaching

Top 10 Reasons I HATE International Teaching  

1. Often times people in power get their position due to being a long-term resident and not because of any qualifications or experience
2. You often feel disconnected from friends and family at home
3. Your students often speak way more languages than you (especially as I only speak English!)
4. As teachers are mostly transitional and there is a high turn-over rate, it is much easier to take advantage of teachers; there is no union or organization for protection like state/public schools
5. A lot of your co-workers have a poor work ethic because they are there to travel and party, more than work: “professional tourists”
6. You are exposed to many more potential medical problems
7. None or very little professional development is often offered or required
8. No world standards can lead to things like poor or varying housing conditions despite what is stated in a contract
9. No long-term financial security (pensions etc)

$500US for the permit alone and worth every cent!