I was accepted to the Haitian Creole program in Miami!
Since my last post, I had my last day of work at Project Rainbow, had a wonderful retreat by the Jersey Shore, drove to RI, met my baby cousin, and am enjoying vacation.
I'll write more later. Happy Memorial Day weekend!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Language learning destinations
I just completed the eighth and final class of the free intro to creole course offered through Haiti Hub, via skype. The class was truly a great experience. I think it has been a good beginning to my learning.
Yet, I realize I have so much to learn. I attempted a couple of times in the past few days to start a conversation in Creole with a native speaker of the language. Both seemed to have difficulty understanding my simple sentences.
I am still hoping to participate in the intensive six week program in Miami, because speaking the language will increase my chances of effectively accompanying people healing from the earth quake. I have been more or less operating under the assumption that I will be participating, but before I book a flight it would be helpful to have some certainty. Why does it take so long for them to accept a non degree seeking student into a six week language undergraduate program? I must say, the free online class was much more efficiently organized in terms of the admissions process, but I need something more intense if I am going to practice any form of social work in Haiti.
There is something very humbling about learning a language as an adult. It is like starting over in a way, leaning numbers and colors, comparisons and contractions. I decided when trying to learn body parts to point to them as I said the words. I touch my head and say "tet." It reminds me of talking to a toddler and touching his nose and saying "nose" only I am doing it to myself, because it might increase my chances of remembering.
Speaking of toddlers, I am really going to miss the children of Project Rainbow and actually all of the families staff I have worked with over the past three years, or actually nearly eight years (minus the seven months I was in New Orleans.)
Only eight more days of work. Time is going so quickly.
I am in transition. Looking forward to retreat, vacation, community time and packing, hopefully followed by the Haitian summer institute in Miami (if of course they ever inform me of my acceptance.) It has yet to be decided if I will go straight from Miami to Haiti or return to Philadelphia briefly first. We shall see. Right now though my immediate detestation is bed. Good night!
Yet, I realize I have so much to learn. I attempted a couple of times in the past few days to start a conversation in Creole with a native speaker of the language. Both seemed to have difficulty understanding my simple sentences.
I am still hoping to participate in the intensive six week program in Miami, because speaking the language will increase my chances of effectively accompanying people healing from the earth quake. I have been more or less operating under the assumption that I will be participating, but before I book a flight it would be helpful to have some certainty. Why does it take so long for them to accept a non degree seeking student into a six week language undergraduate program? I must say, the free online class was much more efficiently organized in terms of the admissions process, but I need something more intense if I am going to practice any form of social work in Haiti.
There is something very humbling about learning a language as an adult. It is like starting over in a way, leaning numbers and colors, comparisons and contractions. I decided when trying to learn body parts to point to them as I said the words. I touch my head and say "tet." It reminds me of talking to a toddler and touching his nose and saying "nose" only I am doing it to myself, because it might increase my chances of remembering.
Speaking of toddlers, I am really going to miss the children of Project Rainbow and actually all of the families staff I have worked with over the past three years, or actually nearly eight years (minus the seven months I was in New Orleans.)
Only eight more days of work. Time is going so quickly.
I am in transition. Looking forward to retreat, vacation, community time and packing, hopefully followed by the Haitian summer institute in Miami (if of course they ever inform me of my acceptance.) It has yet to be decided if I will go straight from Miami to Haiti or return to Philadelphia briefly first. We shall see. Right now though my immediate detestation is bed. Good night!
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