My School

I will be actually doing my teaching at Tema International School. TIS is a boarding school about 20 minutes away by car ride from the SOS village that I am staying at. There are approximately 320 students in grades 7-12 at the school. The school is extremely hard to get in to. There is an application process, entrance exam and interviews in order to be chosen to attend this school. It also costs about $7,800 per student per year at the school. That may not seem extremely high for a great U.S. school but remember this is a high school in Africa. The facilities are very good, I would compare them to the top of the line high schools in Michigan. The students have a pretty strict schedule. Classes start at 7:45 am with a break for snack at 10:30 and classes end at 2:15 at which time lunch is served. The students then get a rest time until about 4pm when they have various athletic and other activities until 5:30. The students then have about an hour to get cleaned and relax before dinner at 6:30. From 7-9 is a designated study/research time each night. So as you can see these students are preparing for and getting the best education possible. Only through education can they get out of poverty and attain a better life. I am excited to really see how a day runs tomorrow.

I am also very encouraged with my interactions with my other group members on this trip. There are some really great people here and we are learning a lot and trying to make sense of it all. So far I have been able to really read my bible, pray and talk with people on a spiritual level at times. Keep praying for these opportunities.