Lariam Dreams

Move To A New Blog: "Letters From Home"

2011-07-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Heathrow Terminal 1 7.11

2011-07-11T01:19:00.000-07:00

This blog, begun three years ago, on the eve of our move to Dakar, Senegal, ends today, and shifts to a new blog and a new form, LettersFromHome.

At the time of this writing, I await a delayed flight home to Monterey from a foggy San Francisco International Airport, after departing London Heathrow this morning.

Exploring the History of the Rhone Valley 7.7

2011-07-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1&2: the Valais; photo3-7: just outside Montreux on Lake Geneva at a strategic point where the road constricts; photos 8-12: evidence of WWII defenses in the Valais (note the 5th c abby in photo 11); photos 13-21: in and around the Gorges of Triege (note the camouflaged artillery emplacements in photos 14&15, first constructed in WWI).

Rupert Marks, the IB Coordinator at Open Gate School, explained that while a summer activities coordinator in Leysin, he had entered a civil defense tunnel from the Grand Hotel, which led into the mountainside and connected to other tunnels from other hotels.

Having explored the basement and even the sub-basement of the renovating LAS (Leysin American School) in the past two summers, how could we have missed this? Tunnels into the mountainside?

Neither LAS administrator Christoph Ott, nor local historian Veronique Bernard, knew anything of these tunnels and saw the story as just another urban myth. However, bunkers and bomb shelters are common throughout Switzerland, vestiges of two world wars and one cold war, particularly in areas of strategic importance.

I spent an afternoon with Veronique visiting a half dozen sites in the Valais (the upper Rhone Valley, from its headwaters to Lake Geneva) where WWI and WWII bunkers are easily observed, camouflaged in the otherwise breathtaking scenery.

The Valais is rich in history, with Roman ruins, and medieval churches, monasteries and abbeys. Note the following:

As in neighbouring Vaud, Julius Caesar was an early 'tourist' in these parts. Historians fail to record whether he packed his skis, but we do know the Roman leader brought an army to conquer the Celtic community living in the valley, penetrating as far as Sierre. Once under Roman domination, it appears the four Celtic tribes of the Valais were peaceably integrated into the Roman system. Artefacts and archaeological remains still attest to the passage of the rambling general and his boys from Rome.

Sion became a key centre in the valley when the Bishop of Valais blessed the town with his presence, making his home there from AD 580. By 1000, the bishop's power stretched from Martigny to the Furka Pass.

That power did not go uncontested. A succession of Dukes of Savoy managed to encroach on the bishops' territory and a Savoyard army besieged Sion in 1475. With the help of the Swiss Confederation, the city was freed at the battle of Planta. Internal opposition was just as weighty and the independently minded communes that made up the Valais region stripped the bishops of their secular power in the 1630s, shifting the levers of control into the hands of the Diet, a regional parliament.

The Valais was not invaded again until Napoleon Bonaparte called by in 1798. The little man with big plans was determined to dominate the routes into Italy. Valais joined the Swiss Confederation in 1815.

from Lonely Planet

Valais

Cultural jewel of the Portes-du-Soleil - Chablais Region, Saint-Maurice is situated between the Lake Geneva's shores and the alpine peaks. Bathed by the Rhône River, this little charming city beholds a cultural heritage and a religious prestige.

Following the martyrdom of Saint-Maurice at the end of the IIIrd century, the antique village of Acaunus becomes an important place for pilgrimage on the via Francigena connecting Canterbury to Rome. The Abbey has been overlooking the city for about fifteen centuries. Protected site of national importance, Saint-Maurice is today a place for excursions and enriching stays.   

The Abbey of Saint-Maurice was founded in 515 by Sigismond, king of the Burgondes. Its precious goldsmith collection shows how rich its past is. Commemorated every 22nd day of September, the martyrdom of Saint-Maurice is at the origin of this Christian importance.

The castle with its rich past, is also a place for exhibitions. It is surrounded by forts and overlooks the medieval bridge. Alongside the Rhône River, numerous hiking itineraries and theme paths invite you to discover the region.   Throughout thousands of years, water has dug into the rock to later give birth to the Fairies' Cave. Its little underground lake and its waterfall have enchanted visitors since 1863. The Cindey Forts and the Scex Forts galleries unveil the hidden military works which were also once classified as "top secret".

from My Switzerland

Endicott @ Leysin2 7.5-8

2011-07-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: exploring misconceptions and the cause of Earth's seasons; photos 2&3: discussions outside the Grand Hotel; photos 4&5: LAS (Leysin American School), located at the former Grand Hotel; photos 6&7: interior of the church adjacent to the Grand Hotel; photo8: metal door in the hillside opens to a room once used for the storage of coal; photos 9-22: on Tuesday, the three of us took the cable car up and spent the day discussing internationalism in the rarified air.

A week in Leysin with a cohort of two: Carrie, an American middle school science teacher working in Dakar, and Katharine, a Canadian teaching Kindergarten in Shanghai.

Endicott @ Leysin1 7.3

2011-07-03T01:42:00.000-07:00

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Pics taken from the balcony of the former Grand Hotel, now LAS (Leysin American School).

Endicott Prague Cohort @ the Open Gate School 1 7.1

2011-07-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: a strange hissing sound outside the dorm reveals a passing hot air balloon; photo2: Nicole (American/Brazil, husband Czech, living/working in her local Swiss schools), Jenna (American, teaching in Italy, returning to the States), & Lani (from California, teaching in Japan); photo3: Joy (from Kenya, teaching in Burkina Faso), Jenna, and Derrick (from Ireland, teaching in Qatar); photo4: Abhi (from India, an administrator in Mumbai), with a school pet iguana passing in the background; photo5: Chris (from London, teaching at Open Gate, Prague), Lani, Beata (from Czech Republic, teaching at ISPrague), Jenna, and Derrick; photo6: Sarah (America, moving from Italy to Atlanta IS), Beata, Chris, Derrick, and Abhi; photos 7&8: the Open Gate School pool, where the Endicott Prague Cohort Swim Team (Abhi, Sarah, Derrick, me) met everyday after class to workout; photo9: an abrupt change in the weather; photo 10-15: Open Gate School.

Endicott Prague Cohort @ the Open Gate School 2 7.1

2011-07-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: group photo: Derrick, Beata, Abhi, Jenna, Lani, Sarah, Nicole, Spedding, Chris; photo2: walking through the forest to lunch in a neighboring village with Jesus (from Madrid, teaching at ISPrague) and Matt (American, teaching in Estonia), both finishing up their degree this summer; photos 3-11: Friday lunch out, celebrating the end of the week.

Museum'ed in London 6.23

2011-06-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-7, 10, 12: taken along the Thames; photos 8, 9, 11: the Tate Modern; photo14: on tour at the studios of BBC Television; photo15: London Zoo; photos 16-18: Trafalgar Square; photos 19-20: at the Imperial War Museum.

The Final Day 6.19

2011-06-19T02:21:00.002-07:00

What is most remarkable about this, my final morning in Senegal, is how quickly the emotions of the past several days have receded, and settled into memory.

Of course, as soon as reread those words, emotions upwell.

On the last day of school, as teachers were cleaning up and checking out, a colleague asked how I was doing, if I were excited about leaving.

I realized only later what I was unable to express in that moment. I was experiencing a dozen emotions, not one. A cartoon character might feel one emotion, excitement, but what I have been feeling are multiple emotions -- sadness, loss, regret, uncertainty, anticipation, and, yes, excitement.

I have been mindful, in these final days, to walk softly, and exit quietly, without drama or fanfare; to depart feeling rather than moving, alcohol-free.

The Senegalese notion of teranga is real (though the culture, generally speaking, is no less contradictory than my own). Teranga is an inner state and connotes an authenticity and deepness of regard that is foreign to me as an American. It is the most important and valuable souvenir that I might take away from three years in West Africa.

I will desperately miss spending my days in the company of so-called third culture kids. I’m very sad about it. The felt sense of loss is on the order of a death. In an interesting reversal, I feel like I’m loosing my teachers, and individuals whom I so admire, for their basic goodness, and ethical sense, and broad, international perspective.

There’s something of great personal value and significance beneath these images and emotions. I do think it lies in their basic goodness and selflessness, whether real or perceived.

It certainly has been a rich three years -- not all positive, but rich in learning and experience nevertheless. I’ve experienced Senegal Deluxe.

I’ve learned the importance of having a light or lighter touch, of touching and releasing, and then returning to what doesn’t change, whether attention to posture, or breath, or related.

And so it is now time to move on.

Making the Rounds: HLM, Soumbidioune, N'Gor 6.18

2011-06-18T14:51:00.001-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-2: weaver at Soumbidioune; photo3: buckets of abalone for sale on Plage N'Gor; photos 4-7: scenes of a busy, summery Plage N'Gor, with many Senegalese bathers; photos 8-9: terrace of Hotel Abaka, where I spent many pleasant hours logging dives, reviewing chapters with Hilda, and lunching with my dive colleagues.

Building A New School Inside Out 6.17

2011-06-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

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ISD Director Wayne Rutherford offered a tour of the new middle/high school build being constructed on a corner of the campus. It's a grand project, fantastic, a wonderful point of pride. It is amazing that such a flurry of activity has been taking place over months just outside my classroom windows, while we have remained absorbed in our routine, oblivious.

8th Grade Graduation 6.14

2011-06-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Left to right: DonaMaria (USA), Rhynardt (S. Africa), Adam (USA), Cristina (Spain), Chiaki (Japan), Damir (Belgium), Filipa (Portugal), Yoel (Israel), Ben (USA), Audrey (Congo), Charbel (Canada), Mariama (Sierra Leone), Anthea (Australia), Selma (USA)

With the graduation of the 8th grade class, only 5 students remain of the 25 I worked with in 6th grade two years ago -- a dramatic change, but in keeping with international schools which typically see about a 30% turnover each year. It's tough on the kids, who must cope each year with loss and grief. It's real, and really emotional.

It is key, then, that we foster a strong sense of community, rich, resilient memories, and give proper attention to noticing and appreciating moments.

Last Day - 1 = Sports' Day 6.15

2011-06-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-4: Sports' Day opens with teams meeting by color and a jazzercise warmup; photos 5-6: lunch with the class, and a goodbye cake for the teacher; photos 7-8: students gather for drama performances (Rhynardt, photo 8); photos 9-12: during the Sports' Awards.

A full day of activities on the eve of our final day: Sports' Day for grades 6-12; HS drama performances, and the Sports' Awards Assembly.

Farewell to Oumar N'Galla Gueye 6.13

2011-06-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Gaucher and I visited with Oumar and his family last weekend, both to say goodbye and to chat little further about the n'doep ceremony and the provenance of the drum I've acquired with Oumar's help. The notes of that conversation follow.

From a western perspective, psychiatric disorders are categorized by type or syndrome, and catalogued in a manual called the DSM-IV.

But the Lebou traditionally have no such manual. All forms of so-perceived aberrant behavior are attributed to jinn or spirits. As a teaching colleague who grew up in Ziguinchor and Yoff reminded me yesterday, there is a very different worldview at work here, easily overlooked by the bias of my rational, scientific-centered, western mind.

I am very pleased to have contact with two authorities on the n'doep ceremony now, at a time, ironically, when I'm about to leave Senegal. It is equally ironic that while these two sources have very different frames of reference, they are both Lebou, friends, and neighbors in Yoff.

Dr. Omar NDoye is a psychiatrist at Fann Hospital and author of a book which I've just acquired, The N'Doep: Trance Therapuetic Healing Amongst the Lebou of Senegal. Fortunately, I've been able to contact him by email, though, unfortunately, he is out of the country, and our paths, at least in the near term, will not cross.

Dr. NDoye is just the person I'd hoped to find: a western-trained psychiatrist whose cultural roots are in West Africa, and thus, presumably, of two minds -- traditional and western. That he would be Lebou and from Yoff is remarkable. Hearing his perspective would be of great personal value.

The contact with Oumar N'Galla Gueye will continue through Gaucher, who is Lebou, resides in Yoff, and who plans to create a website devoted to Lebou history and culture.

CONVERSATION NOTES

Re N’Doep drum

Type of drum: Sabar bung-bung

Owner of drum: Ran M’Bey, born 1900 in village of Deng, close to Barney, grew up with uncle, Samba N’Daw Seck, in Yoff. Seck was the official grio in Yoff at the time, and his family continues to serve as official drumming for Yoff events, except for rab/tuur stuff.

Ran M’Bey family still responsible for N’Doep drumming in Yoff.

Common for sabar drums to be given names, more as tributes than ceremonial; this drum inscribed with M’Bey’s wife, Fat N’Dioye.

Re N’Doep ceremony

Douda Seck, from Yoff, consulted as a traditional healer on cases presented at Fann Hospital until his death.

Magget N’Bow (MN) has replaced him. She works closely with Bintun N’Diere (BD). NM is a sort of screener/triage, using divination (throwing shells) to diagnose a patient to determine cause and a recommended course of action, whether going on to consult with BD, or like recognized traditional community healer, and a simple, more commonplace sacrifice.

BD’s personal rab is Mame M’Bisaan, from her mother’s side; this rab is unique in being able to treat patients of all cultures.

MN & BD work in collaboration. BD always refers potential patients first to MN for screening. MN diagnoses, but does not conduct the healing, while BD does not diagnose but does heal.

While a patient is welcome to consult with anyone specializing in rab divination, BD prefers MN.

The three main types of divination include use of shells, sand, and the Koran. Many other methods exist.

It is good to check with several doing divination for confirmation of diagnosis and cause (as pact made with jinn in family history); if one knows this family hx already, one could go directly to BD, but is good to get confirmation.

MN can inform BD whether a tuur can be placed in the home of the patient, or should be situated in BD’s home; the tuur attracts the jinn, then a conversation may take place with the jinn to see what it wants. MN makes a recommendation of a course of action, whether the patient work it out themselves in their home, or seek a specialist, BD.

Not all jinn’s have a place to reside, some wander, and a tuur offers both room and board.

If a pact was signed with a jinn (this was more common historically when families sought their protection from malevolent jinns) and not respected, a sump might be created n the home.

A sump is an anchor for a jinn, then a tuur can be brought in to provide a home and food.

BD may construct a sump (the room) and a tuur (food); requires a specialist to do this, as does most jinn-related activities, because you’re treating not only a patient’s symptoms, but protecting future generations; the consequences require a specialist.

If one has a headache, might be prescribed a jinn incense called shay-tan (shey-tan is the name of a wicked jinn).

Sump only used in matters of possession, draws jinn within reach, then one can communicate with it; the jinn can still travel, but will eventually come home.

A jinn can be killed. Oumar shares story of someone who was able to do this for a neighbor.

If a person is possessed by a rab, then as a consequence is susceptible to sump; if a rab refuses to enter, then indicates there really isn’t a need.

A sacrifice always precedes a sump; the patient opens the mouth of a goat and speaks directly to the jinn, as: I am sick, and I am asking you (the jinn by name) to help me and my family heal, with God’s help.

The goat is then slaughtered, and the communication travels directly to the jinn.

Six items are required for the sump (each representing a part of the body of the jinn, as if you’re assembling the jinn):

1. 2 pounders, representing the feet of the jinn

2. a large ceramic calabash, representing the body of the jinn

3. a smaller ceramic calabash with plant roots (of a particular plant called djender, the same name of the oldest Lebou village, located neat Thies), representing the head and brains of the jinn; when one talks to the jinn, one speaks to this object

4. tel-lich = an intact gourd, representing the world of the jinn’s

5. toop = a gourd with two holes, representing the jinn house in that world (houses typically have more than one door, one to enter, one to exit)

6. ta-ch = a gourd with one hole, representing the jinn room in that house in that world

one speaks to the jinn only when in the ta-ch; if the jinn is in the toop, then one wait until it has moved into the ta-ch, with it’s one door.

ISD Talent Show 2011 6.10

2011-06-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

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The Talent Show marks the close of the school year at ISD. It's a remarkable event, really, seeing how many children are willing to stand on stage and share their talents with the school community. It is a tribute to music teacher Becca Brink, who inspires a love of song and performance.

Congratulations to the 6ers who participated: guitarists Ali and Alphadi, who performed together and accompanying the Keep Holding On vocals of Anais, Brittany, Emilie and Margret; and to Ethan and brother Chaney for their Knock, Knock, Knocking On Heaven's Door guitar/vocal duet.

Note the YouTube links below:

clip1 clip2 clip3 clip4 clip5 clip6 clip7 clip8 clip9 clip10 clip11 clip12

. . . 99, 100.

2011-06-12T07:36:00.001-07:00

Last September, Sam Scoggins and I drove to N'Gor to meet with the owners of a dive school and club, unknown to me in my first two years in Senegal. Eight months later, I have logged 100 dives, including 22 sub-30m and 10 sub-40m deep dives, and completed a half-dozen PADI classes, all in the company of a remarkably competent group of colleagues, most posted in Ouakam with the French military.

Nautilus Dive Center, located at Hotel Abaka on Plage N'Gor, has been my second home this year. Nautilus is owned by a lovely French couple, Hilda and Philippe, supported by two exceptionally skilled dive leaders/trainers, Daniela and Amyeric, with whom I have enjoyed many hours, both underwater and lunching on the holiday-like patio of the Abaka.

It was a dream to dive the waters surrounding Pt. Alamadies. As it turns out, this was the club's dive turf, in water ranging from 20m to 40+m, with seasonal water temperatures fluctuating from the mid-80s to the mid-50s F, in conditions ranging from the ideal to the horrendous.

It was certainly a dive year, and completely unexpected.

Celebrating Friendship: The ISD Middle School Dance 6.10

2011-06-11T01:29:00.001-07:00

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At the time of this writing, we have a mere 2 1/2 days remaining in the school year.

As many of us remember, the first day of a new school year is often filled with anticipation, anxiety and regret (over the perceived loss of freedom, and a return to life in time), while the last day is jubilant, celebratory, with boundless elation over entering a landscape out-of-time, without horizon, freedom from obligation. The energy of a first day is generally subdued, hesitant, uncertain; the energy of a last day it is effusive, pouring, mad.

While this may be true of your local public school, where kids go home for the summer, returning to what is most familiar, their neighborhood, this is not necessarily true of an overseas international school, where the turnover can be a third or more, as families move on to new posts, and friendships, at all levels, are severed. Elements of grief and loss counter the jubilation.

Our current grade 6 will experience only minor change this year. Emily is heading to Lyon, Nicky to Cairo, Ben to Manila, Dalia and Charne are moving from ISDakar to crosstown Dakar Academy. The class will largely remain in tact.

In contrast, the 7th and 8th grade classes are experiencing dramatic change, with the departure of nearly half of the current students and families. The result promises to be a very teary close of this school year, witnessed both at the middle school awards' assembly and the middle school dance last Friday. Reality has arrived: friends are leaving, and the exceptionally strong sense of community enjoyed this year will change, carried over to virtual communities, such as facebook.

The photos taken at Friday's dance, some above, capture moments of friendship, relationship, connection. For many, the connections will be severed, and the felt sense of loss will bubble to the surface over the next several days.

With The Greatest Of Ease: End-of-Year Trip To Accrobaobab 6.8

2011-06-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: Kosuke & Tom are harnessed-up and ready to go; photo2: Emily, Alice, Agnes & Catherina; photo3: Devy, ready for an high altitude adventure; photo4: Nicolas, Alphadi, Franklin, CJ & Abel; photo5: Malick, in a banana-yellow hammock; photo13: Brittany, resting between ropes' course elements; photo18: Shelia at Bandia; photo19: crocs coming to say hello at Bandia; photo20: Kenny.

As last year, our trip to the Accrobaobab (followed by pizza at Bandia) was a terrific close to an interesting and challenging school year, which is closing on a very positive note.

A special note of thanks to Ms. Chang for making the necessary contacts and arrangements.

Note the following youtube links for video:

clip1 clip2 clip3 clip4 clip5 clip6

Packing, Packing, Packing, Packed! 6.5

2011-06-05T09:48:00.001-07:00

Randi and I arrived in Senegal hauling eight 50 lbs suitcases. Three years later, I'm shipping home sixteen boxes & bags together weighing over 500 lbs, courtesy of Air France Cargo. Their contents has changed, now filled with memorabilia.

Packing was done with care, inspired by our egg drop contest a couple of months back. An n'doep drum is packed tight with styrofoam pellets, wedged at either end by journals; a basket from the animist island of Eloubaline is packed in a hard-shell suitcase, and filled with towel-wrapped ceramics; two handbuilt ceramic figurines from a small local potter outside Oussouye are encased in foam, packed tightly in a plastic bin, placed inside a milk-crate, packed inside a thick-wall book box. Egg in a box.

There are no future yard sale items in this shipment; there is no excess. The Scoggins profited from the cast offs, many pieces of which are of particular cultural significance, as the old fish baskets from Seleki. Perhaps the new ISD middle and high school building, now under construction, will enjoy the donations.

A Cloistered Year

2011-06-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Defining Cool: The Boys In The Band 6.3

2011-06-03T23:53:00.001-07:00

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Rutherford & the Boys define cool at the ISD end-of-year staff party, Hotel l'Ocean in Yoff.

Photo1: Steph, my grade 6 sidekick, Marje, co-chair of the ISD Polar Bear Swim Club (club t-shirts and fleece jumpers are forthcoming), and Tamara, HS English/Drama Teacher, and wife of the guitarist.

A Most Interesting Activity: ZOOM 6.3

2011-06-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

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This activity remains one of the most interesting team-building activities in my repertoire. (I'm not sure who to credit for the activity, save a former 6th grade colleague Debra Hidson.) The instructions are deceptively simple: determine the order of a collection of images, then stack them facedown in order.

Students sit in a circle, and each is given a picture to study. They must not to reveal the image to any other group member, save through words. Yes, they may speak; no, they may not show their picture to someone else. Ready . . . go!

I use a stopwatch to time the activity. The felt pressure of time helps nudge the group to begin without delay.

The teacher's role is difficult: say nothing, observe, perhaps take notes.

Students immediately assume familiar, habitual roles: leader, supporter, thinker/problem solver, complainer, saboteur; asserting power and dominance, or drifting off to sleep; responding impulsively, or thoughtfully and methodically; detailed and specific in their descriptions, or general, vague and fuzzy.

This year, both groups began by asking each student in turn to describe their picture. The zoom-in pattern to the sequence of images was recognized almost immediately, though the process of determining the specific order was much more challenging.

I'd like to see the process repeated with another similar task, with the aim of observing growth across activities, and reflection of one's own stereotypical roles within a group. Presumably, the group gets smarter, and the obstacles reduced. Still, I wonder how the recurrence of patterns and roles might continue to pose the same obstacles.

Note Zoom, the children's book used for this activity.

Ascension With Lena 6.2

2011-06-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

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Lunch with Lena and her extended family in the neighborhood of Grand Dakar, joined by Karen and Marje. Lena is Catholic and the gathering was a celebration of Ascension.

Jeronimo, The Drum (N'doep) & the Canacla: Three Final Souvenirs

2011-06-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-3: three acquired works by Jeronimo; photo4: n'doep drum, courtesy of Oumar; photos 5-7: Dr. Benoit Vanherke demonstrates the canacla for the grade 6ers.

Three final souvenirs to purchase before my stuff is collected and sent by air freight home to California: a third piece by French artist Jeronimo (Jérôme MAILLET); a drum associated with the traditional Lebou n'doep, or trance healing ceremony; and a canacla, a unique (and uniquely simple/elegant) hand washing system developed and promoted by local French physician Dr. Benoit Vanherke.

The art and canacla is straightforward to acquire; one need only go to the gallery or marche. The drum is more challenging, and has required asking around. That the drum will be shared with future students, and treated as a device for talking about traditional Lebou values, beliefs and practices make its acquisition a little simpler.

The final piece by Jeronimo was acquired by happenstance. When the would-be buyer who had placed it on hold hadn't showed after the requisite number of days, the gallery owner contacted me, just in time.

A Change in the Weather 6.1

2011-06-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

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Images (top to bottom): image1: detail of a satellite image taken this morning over West Africa, showing Senegal; image2: satellite image taken last night; image3: satellite image taken yesterday morning; image4: satellite image shows that the seasonal monsoon has gradually shifted to the north; image5: forecast for Dakar; image6: forecast for Ziguinchor, in southernmost Senegal; image7: monthly average for precipitation showing that the rain returns in June, though with few measurable rainy days; image8: videoclip of the weather forecast by BBC.

The weather has shifted dramatically in the past several days. Yesterday, it was downright jungly in the morning -- muggy, overcast, a sense that showers were possible. Colin, our director of maintenance at ISD, mentioned that he had the guys out cleaning gutters in anticipation of precipitation.

It's early yet. We're likely experiencing the northern edge of the prominent band of monsoonal rain, still hovering over the Gulf of Guinea to the south. Still, you'll hear a passing reference to rain returning to the Sahel in the BBC forecast. The Sahel refers to the transition zone between the Sahara and the savannah regions of Africa in which Senegal lies.

After an unusually blustery wind in the early hours Wednesday morning, much more common in the fall, I checked the satellite image for West Africa (image3), and carried an umbrella to school. A little early, but the rainy season is certainly on the approach.

0.618033 . . .

2011-06-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

The golden section has been a favorite topic of classroom investigation, reaching back to my public schools years in Greenfield. The concept is compelling, and the associated math is both fun, varied, and perfect for the review/practice of measurement and ratios. A nice way to close the school year.

The best source for an introduction to the golden section, in my opinion, remains the 1959 Disney production of Donald in Mathmagic Land, available for viewing on youtube.

97 . . . 98 . . . 5.28/29

2011-05-30T14:06:00.001-07:00

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The countdown is on, with two remaining dives to reach a tidy 100 in the past ten months, most with my second family at Nautilus on Plage N'Gor.

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Playing Hookey: Mid-Week Dives to Tiwa & Seminol 5.24

2011-05-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-12: on the wreck Tiwa (no details found in a web search); photos 13-17: Seminol.

I'd heard about Seminol often in the past year, and had been hoping to see it before leaving Senegal. The site did not disappoint. Seminol felt more vibrant and wilderness-like than the dives closer to N'Gor, both for its depth and clarity, the bottom-scape (basalt columns running along ridgelines), and the number and variety of marine life. There were certainly more eels, and a greater variety of eels, than previously seen, even in Cape Verde.

Too short, was my impression. It deserved multiple dives over days. Alas, it's located a couple of kilometers beyond Ile de Madeleine, and thus a serious boat ride from N'Gor.

Note the clip filmed during the 40 m descent to the wreck Tiwa.

Period of Transition 5.21

2011-05-21T13:46:00.001-07:00

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Time passes, activities wrap-up, and there continues a process of sorting, both material and psychological.

My calendar is compressed with events. This week:

dinner and interview with Colin & Merrian, the first in a series of videotaped interviews with couples who have spent their careers abroad working in humanitarian/aid projects;

videotaped conversation with Paul Seigel, a marine biologist with the World Wildlife Fund, who has spent decades working on marine issues in Africa;

dinner with friends and colleagues Santha & Gayathri Kumar, whose daughter, Mahima, was in my 6th grade class last year;

Tuesday dives to the wreck Tiwa and Seminol, two premiere sites along the Dakar coast, both deep dives, the first with Nitrox;

the end-of-year concert for grades 4-8 Tuesday evening in the gym.

Meanwhile, here at home, all of my belongings are being placed (the word implying care and strategy) into eight boxes and bags for shipping to San Jose, flying out in about two weeks.

In four weeks I'll arrive at Heathrow, then catch a taxi to my hotel in Bloomsbury, ten minutes from the British Museum. I'll arrive, set down my bags, take a breath and reflect: I am no longer in Africa. This is London.

Weekend Dives 5.21-22

2011-05-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

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Tour of Chateau Kadija For Megan 5.6

2011-05-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

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Amadou Is a Bad and Daniela Is Mean 5.6

2011-05-07T11:05:00.001-07:00

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Ethan's Enormous Soap Bubble 4.29

2011-04-30T00:41:00.001-07:00

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Possible Fuel Shortages Due to Labor Strike 4.29

2011-04-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

U.S. Embassy Dakar, Senegal
April 22, 2011
Warden Message

Possible Fuel Shortages Due to Labor Strike

This Warden Message alerts U.S. citizens to possible fuel shortages next week in Senegal.

The Senegalese Fuel Transport Workers Union is planning a labor strike on April 26th, 27th, and 28th, 2011. If the strike happens as planned, no fuel will be delivered to service stations on those dates and gasoline supplies may become scarce or unavailable. Even after the strike ends, fuel shortages should be expected to continue for several days.

The Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens fill their vehicles with fuel as early as possible this weekend and keep them full in anticipation of expected fuel shortages. Mission personnel are being advised to do the same.

ISDakar International Festival: The Final Day

2011-04-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

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ISDakar International Festival: Middle School Cultural Awareness Challenge: "Diversity: The Art of Thinking Independently Together" 2

2011-04-28T12:42:00.003-07:00

The Very Best Professional Development 4.26

2011-04-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

ISD offers a generous $1000 toward professional development annually per teacher. With most conferences taking place in Europe and the US, the amount helps defray the high cost of transportation and lodging.

I had considering attending a conference on research into the effects of technology on cognition, attention, and behavior, but felt that the stress of roundtrip travel from Dakar to San Francisco outweighed whatever benefits that I might realize from the conference.

No, the very best professional development for me can be found in the sea interning with dive instructors such as Hilda, Philippe and Daniela, and seasoned DiveMasters such as Aymeric.

I am, in the moment, 9 dives into the DiveMaster certification program. The role of the DiveMaster is akin to a classroom teaching assistant. And, like the teaching assistant, the DiveMaster provides an apprenticeship with an experienced teacher.

The point is this: as a DiveMaster, I am an apprentice, a role model, and am expected to intervene in the support of student divers effectively, graciously, and without hesitation. But if I am expected to act as a role model, I must be more aware of the role I am modeling. And there’s the rub: do I really know my stuff; am I able to perform/demonstrate basic dive skills?

I’m encountering holes and bad habits in my training and experience, which is, of course, an important aspect of any apprenticeship. So while I’m assisting another, I’m discovering what I don’t know, what I don’t understand, and what I need to modify (both with respect to my personal equipment and skills).

I picked up a dead fish of the bottom while diving with a group this afternoon. My intent was to hide it, then pretend to grab it alive, wriggling in my hand. What I expected was a giggle; what I received was an admonishment from the instructor, as if to say: you are a role model, not a goofball; demonstrate respect for the environment.

What better professional development could there be: to be willing to place myself in the role of apprentice under the guiding hand of a more experienced teacher, who is willing to call me out when a bad habit is revealed.

It’s much safer not to. And there my growth ends.

While The Cats Are Away (The Mice Will Play): Bobby's Big Birthday Bash 4.21

2011-04-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: Chateau Bobby; photo2: Rosa in rose; photo3: Adama & Catherina; photo4: best friends: Rosa, Emilie & Alice (from Spain, Belgium & Italy); photo 5: Luciana & Margret; photo6: Ethan & Mourtada; photo7: Ethan; photo8: Anais & Catherina; photo9: Margret & Catherina; photo10: Ethan, crawling on the grass (for reasons I was not too clear); photo11: Hello, my name is Abel, and I want to be your friend; photo12: after the 21st Sprite, Ethan began loosing control; photo13: Ben and his balloon; photos 14&15: da gurlz (from 12 different countries!); photo16: Bobby and his small birthday cake; photo17: Abel struts his stuff; photo18: Ibrahima enjoying a moment of quiet reflection in the dance tent; photo19: Mourtada.

The 6th graders came together yesterday afternoon at Chateau Bobby to celebrate his 12th birthday, complete with disco tent and DJ, helium balloons, and sugary snacks. Many thanks to Bobby and his family for hosting this fun afternoon.

What is Water? Trolling for Misconceptions (from 3.4)

2011-04-16T10:50:00.001-07:00

Before launching into our unit on water and weather, students were to imagine that they could shrink so small that they could see the ultimate building blocks of water, when, presumably, water is no longer wet. Here is a selection of their ideas, replete with partial understandings and misconceptions, the revealing of which was the point of the activity.

Weekend Dives 4.16

2011-04-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

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It's been a very busy diving year for me, with, at the moment, 75 logged dives since October, heading to 100 by the close of school.

The camera was retired this weekend as I begin the PADI DiveMaster certification program, under the guidance of Hilda and Daniela, both exceptional teachers and dive instructors.

ISDakar International Festival: International Dinner 4.15

2011-04-16T01:05:00.001-07:00

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One of the biggest community events of the school year is the PTO-sponsored International Dinner, essentially a giant potluck. The gym was OVERFLOWING with diners, including most of the 6th grade community. Tables had to be set-up outside the gym to accommodate us all.

ISDakar International Festival: Middle School Cultural Awareness Challenge: "Diversity: The Art of Thinking Independently Together"

2011-04-16T01:01:00.000-07:00

What began as a door-decorating contest (on the theme of cultural diversity) between middle school homeroom classes has emerged, for the 6th grade, as a very important class art-installation project.

Rather than go with the most superficial and stereotypical (flags and monuments masking-taped to the classroom door), a committee of students decided to create a jigsaw puzzle, with each student receiving a piece to decorate. Here's how the project was introduced to parents:

The 6^th grade is participating in the MS Student Council’s International Festival Challenge. Homerooms are to decorate their classroom doors in response to the themes of internationalism and cultural diversity. The 6^th grade has agreed to work on this project as a single team rather than two homerooms. A group of student-volunteers has met to discuss ideas and have decided on the following:

We will be assembling a 42-piece jigsaw puzzle cut from a 8mm sheet of plywood (with the support of Colin Pryce and the ISD Maintenance Team). Each student will receive a single piece of the puzzle and asked to decorate it according to the follow guidelines:

Where is your home? Where do you feel your home to be? Is it in one place, or several? Think about it; discuss it with your parents. It is better if you choose a place (or places) based on what you feel rather than automatically choosing the country of your passport.

Represent that place on your jigsaw puzzle piece. Think: What does that place mean to you? What comes to mind when you think of that place? What are the most important symbols/images/words/phrases representing that place? Avoid over-used stereotypical images, such as flags or monument. You might use the colors of the flag in less obvious ways.

You are STRONGLY encouraged to use a variety of materials. You may also represent your good ideas in three dimensions, such as hot gluing shells, jewelry, coins, or other artifacts

We would like to create a work of art, more than paper taped to a door, something that might hang in the ISD library, or in an office. At best, the product will represent a point of pride for us: a remembrance of this year together, and a symbol of our remarkable diversity.

Our timetable is short. The judging for this contest is next Thursday, April 21^st. Students’ investment in their individual puzzle piece is critical to the overall success of the project. Thus, we are asking parents to assist their child in prodding them to think deeply about their sense of home, and the personal symbols/images/artifacts represented by that place/s. At its best, this mini-project will promote some interesting and important discussions within families regarding the feeling of place, connection, and culture.

Students’ work will be assessed on a rubric to be collaboratively determined tomorrow, and will include depth of thinking and reflection (Social Studies) and creative use of materials and design (Art).

Some class time will be given for initial discussions and preliminary planning. The majority of planning will take place at home, particularly over this coming weekend.

We again MUCH ENCOURAGE the input of parents, to initiate conversations, prod kids for depth/depth, and assist with the collection of materials.

While this is a contest, with classes competing for a pizza lunch, I think we've taken the initial idea to a much more meaningful level. We're after ART!

At the time of this writing, the puzzle pieces have been decorated, submitted and assembled. A second sheet of plywood has been obtained to serve as a frame/backing. It has been cut, sanded, and next week will be painted. Students have been assigned to describe their puzzle piece in words. Each piece of writing will be compiled into a key and affixed beside the puzzle in the form of a display.

What began as a door-decorating contest has become a piece of art, a formal display of genuine personal meaning and relevance for each student and family. The piece will hang with the following title:

Diversity: the art of thinking independently together. (Malcolm Forbes)

The project was a collaboration between students and staff. Rosa must be credited with the initial idea of constructing a puzzle (decorated individually but fitting together as a single whole). We consulted with several ISD staffers along the way, including art teacher Ms. Diaby, who suggested the concept of using plywood as our medium; Mr. Pryce, Head of Maintenance, who offered multiple suggestions regarding the cutting of the puzzle pieces and composition of the final frame; and the ISD maintenance crew, who so graciously lent us their time and energy.

The Perfect 6th Grade Science Lab: Magic Flowers, Close To You

2011-04-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

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The perfect 6th grade science lab: music (The Carpenters, Close to You), coloring and cutting, flowers and plenty of love.

In a fun demonstration of adhesion and the capillary action of water, we completed the Magic Flower Lab.

Very 60s, with groovy music and flower power, and just a tad of corn . . .

A Million Fish, Give or Take 4.10

2011-04-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

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This was an unusual dive for the number of small schooling fish which were in such abundance that they made staying as a dive group challenging.

ISDakar International Festival: Guest Speaker Program

2011-04-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

The ISD International Festival takes place in the month of April. The Festival opens and closes with big splashy community-wide events, with guest speakers visiting classrooms throughout the month.

The 6th grade has enjoyed an abundance of cultural presentations this year from parents and visiting guests, including: Anta's mum (Nigeria, the United Kingdom); Luciana's mum and pop (Paraguay); Ibrahima's mum (Timbukto, Mali); Ethan's mum (Madagascar); Ms. Chang (Mexico); Dr. LaTouche (public health in the aftermath of the natural disasters in Hailti and Japan); Dr. Vanhercke (the canacla hand washing system); and Goundo's pop (Mali).

Thank you to you all.

Kid Stuff: Water Labs 4.6-8

2011-04-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: Ethan using a plastic pipette to place drops of water on a 200 CFA coin; photo2: Alice, Emilie, Tori and Rosa; photo3: Ali creating a meniscus in a vial of water; photo 4, 18, 19: floating a paperclip on water's skin; photos 5, 8, 12, 15: water beading on the surface of a coin, a consequence of the cohesive properties of the sticky, polar water molecules; photos 6&13: soap weakens the hydrogen bonds between water molecules, and alcohol, a non-polar liquid, lacks cohesion and so does not bead; photo7: Luciana, Dalia & Goundo; photo9: Kosuke; photo10: Catherina; photos 11&14: Margret; photo16: Gabriel at floor-eye view; photo17: Aleah.

Five labs on surface tension (all common surface tension-related experiments widely documented on the web):

LAB1: Floating Paperclip/Needle

• Fill the bowl with water

• Try to make the paper clip float...not much luck, huh?

• Tear a piece of tissue paper about half the size of a CFA bill

• GENTLY drop the tissue flat onto the surface of the water

• GENTLY place a dry paper clip flat onto the tissue (try not to touch

the water or the tissue). Use the eraser end of the pencil to carefully

poke the tissue (not the paper clip) until the tissue sinks. With some

luck, the tissue will sink and leave the paper clip floating!

• Add a drop of liquid soap to the water. Observe what happens.

LAB2: Run-Away Pepper

Put water in your container. Sprinkle some pepper into the bowl until

you have an even layer of pepper floating on top of the water. Carefully squeeze a drop of liquid soap into the middle of the bowl. Observe and record what happens!

LAB3: Motorized Paper Fish

Needed materials:

• paper fish

• scissors

• liquid soap

• a large bowl or loaf cake pan full of water

Once you have your paper fish pattern cut out, place it on the water container so it floats on the surface. Put a drop of the oil or detergent in the hole in the middle of the fish.

The detergent or oil will cause the surface tension in that hole to drop. This will cause the fish to propel forward, leaving a trail of the oil as it moves across the water, not stopping until the oil has lowered the surface tension of the entire bowl.

LAB4: Over-The-Top

Fill a glass with water just past the rim without spilling. Place a soapy finger on the surface of the water. Can you guess what will happen?

LAB5: Knotty string

Knot a piece of string into a loop and allow it to float in a bowl of water. If you dip a match into the middle of the irregularly shaped loop, it immediately becomes circular.

The match has this magic power because it was previously dabbed with a little washing-up liquid. This spreads in all directions when the match is dipped into the water and penetrates between the water particles, which were held together like a skin by surface tension. This ‘water skin’ breaks in a flash from the place where the match is dipped in outwards. The liquid particles, which are made to move, push against the loop and make it rigid.

Kid Stuff: Exploring Probability 4.5

2011-04-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

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Posted without commentary.

Weekend Dives 4.2-3

2011-04-02T11:24:00.001-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: frogfish (see frogfish); photo2: Aymeric takes defensive measures against the deadly, man-eating baby rockfish; photo3: nutibranch.

Wind-ing Down: Changes In The Air

2011-04-02T00:18:00.000-07:00

Change is in the air, literally. The wind has stopped, it’s a little warmer, and a little more humid, or so it feels.

My large bath towel has not been drying in the 24 hours between morning swims. I’ve been turning on the classroom air conditioner just after lunch, the room beginning to warm up. The pool temperature has been rising, gradually. Clues.

The slowing of the wind is a mixed blessing. On the plus side, the sea will begin warming when the upwelling engine slows, which is driven by the prevailing off-shore winds. It is also a clear sign that spring has arrived and the school year cycle is gradually winding down. On the minus side, warmer weather means stickier weather.

Change is in the air.

I’ve begun collecting, sorting and packing my personal belongings in the classroom for transfer home, in preparation for shipping to Monterey in May. The skull set is wrapped and packaged in a hardshell suitcase, the same one that it arrived in three years ago. While I’m leaving a substantial number of ROV parts and electronics with Tom and Ali, the higher end components are headed home. At a glance, the classroom remains unchanged. Only a keen, inspecting eye would notice the rearrangement of boxes and newly available shelf space.

A Polar Molecule: Bending Water

2011-04-02T00:12:00.001-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photo1: Mourtada; photo2: Brittany; photo3: Sheila; photo 4&5: Kosuke, Tori, Anais; photo6: Charne; photo7: Marietou, Devyani, Malick; photo8: Alphadi; photo9: Devyani; photo10: Bella; photo12: Catherina; photo13: Alice, Abel, Rosa, Tori, Anais; photo14: Rosa, Emilie, Tori, Anais.

What's happening around class?

We've begun a unit investigating the nature of water, opening with a look at its physical and chemical properties. Here the kids explore the polar nature of the water molecule, as demonstrated by our ability to bend it, or to use a charged object to attract the more positive side of the molecule.

Photos 12-15 show 6S playing two Everyday Math inspired math games, the first exploring probability, the second practicing finding solutions to simple equations.

Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Co-Habitating With a Boxer

2011-04-02T00:09:00.000-07:00

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Chaussettes' back for a three-week stay, while Philippe joins Hilda in some exotic, South Pacific dive locale.

I had anticipated a honeymoon, when she'd cower under the bed, terrified by the sudden change of scene. Not so. She was on the prowl in minutes. Obviously, she has an excellent memory.

Some pets amuse themselves. Like kids, you can kind of wave them off, as if to say, go find something to do. Unfortunately, for Chaussettes, attacking me is that something to do.

For Chaussettes, a visit with Tod is an all-inclusion resort: food, lodging, and sports activities. Here's what's on the sports' agenda for today:

laptop hand batting

across the apartment ankle ambush

grooming

trash upturning bone search

laptop hiking

bug chase

arm wrestling (talons retracted, love bites)

napping

arm wrestling (talons not retracted, shark bites)

cuddling

toilet roll unraveling

Strange. It's quiet at the moment. Hmm. I'd better investigate . . .

I've shot some video in the past few days. Enjoy:

Meow1

Meow2

Weekend Dives 3.26-27

2011-03-26T07:12:00.001-07:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1&2: squid eggs; photos 2&3: torpedo (electric) ray; photos 5&6: rock fish; photo 7: small eel (I'd like to know whether they are just immature eels, or a separate species)

Cape Verde/Sal DIVE4

2011-03-20T06:01:00.001-07:00

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Cape Verde/Sal DIVE3

2011-03-20T05:52:00.000-07:00

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Cape Verde/Sal DIVE2

2011-03-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

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Cape Verde/Sal DIVE1

2011-03-20T05:20:00.000-07:00

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WeekWithoutWalls: The Great Egg Drop Challenge 3.11

2011-03-11T10:16:00.001-08:00

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Photo descriptions: photo 1-4: teams are given 15 minutes to complete final assembly of their containers; photos 5-6: teams load their eggs just prior to launching; photos 7-14: the preliminary round; photos 15-17: the final round; photos 18-22: back in class, containers are opened and eggs revealed.

The final day of our Week Without Walls culminated with the classic Egg Drop Challenge. Teams were to design a container for a raw egg which, when dropped from a height, would protect the egg from breakage.

There were only three rules: the container must weigh less than 1 kg; the container must be small enough to fit into a basket (which I had in class); and teams must load the egg, which we provided, just prior to competition.

The challenge was introduced on Tuesday, and teams had all week to plan and collect materials.

The challenge was conducted in two rounds: in the first round, teams were to drop their container from about desk height; those eggs surviving this (and in our case 7 of 8 did), moved to the second round where containers were dropped from the second floor of the elementary building.

Containers were then returned to the classroom where they were opened one by one for all to see and cheer (or lament) the results.

Miraculously, 6 of the 7 containers making it to the second round successfully protected their fragile payload from breakage!

WeekWithoutWalls: The Egg-cellent Egg-stacle Course 3.10

2011-03-11T03:32:00.000-08:00

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Photos: photo 1: Aleah and Emilie strategize; photos 2, 3, 5: the first obstacle, Under the Table Mountain: photos 4, 6, 10: the fifth obstacle, Gliding Down Egg-citing Rapids; photos 7, 11, 12: the final obstacle, returning the egg to its nest; photos 8, 13: beginning the third obstacle, Soaring Above the Chasm of Doom; photo 9: the fourth obstacle: Through Abel's Tunnel of Love.

Week Without Walls, day 3: The Egg-cellent Egg-stacle Course.

This egg obstacle course was inspired by a similar Odyssey of the Mind activity. Teams were to transport a raw egg through a series of six obstacles, according to the following rules:

1. You have five minutes to complete as many obstacles as possible.

2. You will be provided materials to move your egg through the course.

3. You may not touch the egg.

4. Each team member may select from the items given. Items can be used only once.

5. A different team member must move the egg for each obstacle.

6. If the egg breaks or cracks, the team must stop at that point.

7. You will receive 10 points for each obstacle successfully completed.

The 6 obstacles included:

Obstacle 1: Crawl Under Table Mountain: carry the egg beneath a table

Obstacle 2: Paddle along the River of Spilled Drinks: slide the egg across a tabletop

Obstacle 3: Soar above the Chasm of DOOM: transport the egg between two tables, in our case a distance of several meters

Obstacle 4: Drift through the Tunnel of L O V E: pass the egg through a 2" diameter length of pvc conduit

Obstacle 5: Glide down Egg-citing Rapids: the egg slides down an incline; we used a picnic table bench

Obstacle 6: And, finally, the tired egg jumps back into bed: from the end of the obstacle 5, the egg is moved to a basket on the ground

Teams were provided a tool kit, which tool to be used only once, so pre-planning, strategizing and communication were very important. The tool kits included: a piece of string, two craft sticks, a piece of tape, one envelope, one sheet of paper, one spoon, two straws, and one tissue.

The results of the challenge were impressive, particularly having never participated in something like this before, performed publicly, with a time constraint. Nerves were frayed. Four of eight teams completed the obstacle well-under the five minute time limit. One team lost the egg on the final transition to the sixth obstacle. Two members inadvertently touched their egg, disqualifying them. A one team dropped their egg in the transition between the first and second obstacle.

Most agreed that the challenge was fun, that their performance would improve with practice, and that they would like to try it, with a new challenge, again.

WeekWithoutWalls: Paper Airplane Challenge 3.9

2011-03-11T03:27:00.000-08:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1, 3: Ben, who won the challenge for his team; photo 2: Nicky; photos 4-5: Ibrahima; photo 6: Malick; photos 7-8: Kenny; photos 9-11: Kosuke; photo 12: Anta; photo 13: Abel.

The Paper Airplane Challenge.

Teams were to design a paper airplane that would be flown through a raised hoop. The distance between the pilots and the target was increased by one meter with each round, with teams earning 10 points for each successful round.

This, and the following two design challenges, were inspired by the Odyssey of the Mind competition. Teams were given 15 minutes to discuss options, compare prototypes, and settle on a strategy. They were then given two minutes to fold their competition plane from a single sheet of A4 paper.

WeekWithoutWalls: Ile de Madeleine 3.8

2011-03-11T02:40:00.000-08:00

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Photos (top to bottom): photos 1-3: en route to the island via Soumbedioune fishing village; photos 4-6: touring the island; photos 7&8: greeting the arrival of our second pirogue-load of kids from the high bluffs; photo 9: discussing the significance of the island's protector jinn beneath the baobab associated with the spirit; photos 10&11: enjoying the view from the east end of the island; photo 12: swimming in the chilly waters of the cove; photos 13-15: returning to Soumbedioune; photo 16: beware the Eye of Anais; photo 17: the second group arrives (safely).

Week Without Walls is a middle and high school initiative begun this year, the intent being to get students out of classrooms and into our host country, Senegal. This week, the 7th grade spend several days in the Sine Saloum Delta, and the 8th grade traveled north to St. Louis.

For us, in grade 6, the Cap Vert Peninsula is a very rich geological laboratory, with two dormant volcanoes within walking distance at the Mamelles, basalt columns at Cap Manuel, and rich natural and cultural history at Ile de Madeleine National Park.

In the past two years, I have been unable to get my classes to Ile de Madeleine due to rough seas, common at this time of year. We finally made it this day. Despite the chilly waters, many of us swam in the protected cove. Of course, the pirogue ride to/from the island was a highlight.