Jonina was able to get an Internet card for her laptop last weekend. She is very busy getting school ready in time for the students. Global Paradigm School is brand new and just received its accreditation from the Egyptian government. Over the next year they will complete the process to get their other accreditations.
Jonina is teaching second grade and currently has 6 students, five boys and 1 girl. The finishing touches are being put on the school as it is being completed around her. The computer system is being installed and they have some external ports to the Internet. Eventually it will all be wired and there will be wireless access and smart boards. The teachers and staff are brand new and they sat down with the California Standards and are writing the curriculum, pacing guides, activities and all the other work flows usually already defined by your school district. The teachers can then start work on their lesson plans.
Because of the heat wave, Ramadan coming early and other factors, classes will not begin until September 12, so she has a little breathing room to get ready. Some of the books are in and they need to decide how to structure the rooms and what will go on the walls. She tells me that it is a lot of work, but the administrators have built a very professional team that are all pitching in to help each other with makes things go easier.
We rented a two bedroom, one and a half bath apartment that is Spartan but functional. When she arrived the air conditioning and on-demand hot water heater weren't working. The TV shocked her when she tried to turn it on and the previous tenant was a German bachelor who wasn't big on cleaning. This gave her a crash course in Cairo time and to remember the things get done just at a more relaxed pace than people in the US are used to. Ramadan creates it's own chaos and makes things take a little longer.
You'll be glad to know that she now had hot water (hot showers aren't a pressing issue when the days are over 100 degrees, the air conditioning is working, she can turn on the TV without getting shocked, she learned to use the washer without getting shocked (unplug at end of cycle, open door, clean up water, empty machine, close door, and plug back in). The kitchen is nice and clean as high as she could reach on the chair. There is a little strip around the top I will need to get to when I get there.
We have been working with everyone to get their Skype working. Egypt is currently 9 hours ahead of California during Ramadan and will go back to 10 hours after September 12. The best time to try and call her is in the evenings after school, 7-9 pm her time. Several folks tell me they set calls with her via email so they know she will be in.
I will have my credential by Christmas will be heading to Cairo as well. I doing my Clinical Practice at Glen View Elementary in Escondido CA. I have a first grade class with 25 students that I will meet this Thursday.
If you need to contact us by email please use wfpogue@gmail.com or jonina3@gmail.com.
Bill Pogue
