Originally Posted By mickeymeg Hello everyone ! I am finally home. I have been in Chad, Africa for the last three months completing my practicum for University. I have been working in a school with a program for children with disabilities. This was the only school in the country that accepted kids with disabilities. We were working directly with the kids as well as with the teachers to help show them how to integrate these kids into their classes. Most of the kids we were working with had some Cerebral Palsy to some degree. Though we quickly learned that this was the diagnose they gave to just about any child who had any kind of disability. Two of the kids who could only crawl when we met them are now able to get around on two feet with walkers that we had built for them. One boy who was tied into a decrepit old wheelchair for class is now able to sit up and keep his head up in a new chair we had built for him. All of the kids we worked with were able to show their teachers just how smart they are when given a chance. The teachers are now including them in classroom activities and speaking to them like normal children. I really hope this continues once we are gone. Its hard to sum up 3 months of adventures in a single post. I have just begun to post pictures of some of the highlights. as of now they do not yet have captions, but I am working on it, it should happen over the next few weeks. I came home to a very busy weekend. My Fiancee surprised me with Canucks tickets for the night after I got home, then we spent the weekend with friends in Vancouver at a Stomp Concert and the Vancouver Aquarium. So even though I got back last Wednesday this is really only my second day home =)And to make it even more exciting, when I was gone our land loard (who also happens to be my mother...) decided to sell our house, so we will be moving next week too. I will be posting captions and more pictures just as soon as I can. Until then feel free to have a look at what is there www.picasaweb.google.com/mickeymeg and ask lots of questions. off I go to do more packing... and more catching up on LP =)
Originally Posted By Tiggirl Sounds like an amazing experience! I'm off to look at the pictures! Thanks for sharing them. ) ~Beth
Originally Posted By smedley Welcome back mickeymeg! You've been missed, sounds like you had an amazing experience, I will be going to check out the pictures too.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb I'm so glad you were able to make a real (positve) difference in these childrens lives. Good for you!!! :-D
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 Welcome back! I'm happy you had such a positive influence on the children's lives that you were working with. Thank you for posting the link for the photos!
Originally Posted By mickeymeg Thanks everyone. Being home certainly makes me appreciate what a beautiful place I live in =)
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I got to look at the photos last night after reading the posts. I was fascinated with the horse race and a little worried about the food... I hope you didn't have to eat too much of it! Were you able to eat "regular" food that you have back home?
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins You did some excellent work in Africa, mickeymeg. I see you live near Vancouver. So do I.
Originally Posted By mickeymeg The food in the picture is called Boulle. It is one of the staple foods there. Its not quite as terrible as it looks. The grayish stuff is a boiled thick flour and water concoction and it is eaten with an Okra sauce. A little salty, and the texture of the Okra wasn't my favourite (kind of slippery like the inside of an aloe vera plant) but otherwise it was fairly tasty. What would be the point of an international adventure if you only ate food you had at home =) We did get to eat mostly things that didn't look that odd though. Mary Poppins: I live in Victoria. Where are you ?
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 <<What would be the point of an international adventure if you only ate food you had at home>> I agree, I was worried, though, because I know you were there for a long time, and I know how I would have missed the comforts of home if it had been me! lol
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Welcome home You have really made a difference in those children's lives. I will also hope along with you that the teachers continue to have the children participate in more classroom activities. Good work and I'm glad you made it home safely
Originally Posted By chickendumpling Wow, mickeymeg. What an experience. I can imagine what an overwhelming task it would seem to put all that life down on paper. I hope you do though. Did you keep a journal while you were there? Will you be keeping in touch with the school or anything like that? And I just want to say thank you. Thank you for making a difference. You have my admiration and respect. Welcome home. (Hope things go well with the move and all. Yikes, that's a lot of stuff to come home to!)
Originally Posted By chickendumpling And great pictures! I can't wait to hear the stories that go with them.
Originally Posted By sherrytodd Welcome home! I just looked through your pictures. Looks like a wonderful adventure.
Originally Posted By bloona Wow, what a wonderful thing you have done, you have helped to improve their lives in such a way that its hard to put into words what I want to say......Im really moved. Going to look at the photos now. Oh, I love Okra (ladies fingers)by the way,
