What Planet is That?

Enguwantale has certainly been a very privileged school over the last couple of years; a PC volunteer, a new administration building, a new science lab, and a new computer lab all courtesy of America.  The computer lab has been the latest addition.  Besides the 16 desktop computers provided by the Ministry of Education, the Millennium Challenge delivered several new desktops for teachers, 36 classroom laptops, two projectors, a state of the art white board, 3 printers, and a wireless network that covers the entire school.  Privileged, right?  

However, the Millennium Challenge may have overlooked one important aspect to this equipment….who knows how to use all this stuff?  It was quit humorous watching the gentleman who was sent to the school to train the teachers on how to use the teaching software.  Try teaching people how to use software when they don’t even know what the mouse is let alone where the spacebar is.  Luckily I am still here for a few more months.  Out of necessity, I have had to take the all of this equipment under my wing and am now trying to get the teachers and learners up to speed on how to use this stuff.  It has been an educational experience for me as well.  I am using Windows 7 for the first time, learning how to manage a server, and learning how to teach computers.  Needless to say, much of my time is now spent in the computer lab.

Now to the point of this post.  With the computer lab being my new office, many of learners like to drop in to hang out and gawk at all the equipment.  The other day Natulele, who happens to be one of the brightest girls in grade 9, wandered in for a visit.  I had set the desktop background to a comforting frigid mountain scene probably somewhere on the coast of Alaska.  I watched Natulele’s eyes widen as she examined the picture.  She turned to me with a serious face and asked, “Mr. Grant, what planet is that photo from.”  I could only laugh and try to explain to her that not everywhere on earth is flat, hot, and sandy.  I am not convinced she believes me since I often like to joke around with them.

I am certainly looking forward to opening up the world to these kids...

…or other planets.

 Some of the learners from grade 9 and 10 learning to type for the first time.

Natulele pretending that she knows what she is doing...