I am no longer a teacher. I do not mean this figuratively. My students have not transformed in to my friends, they began as such. My students are not like my children either; I consider them my equal as they are my age. I mean this literally. After six weeks of teaching English at St. Andrew’s Refugee Center and conducting a two day workshop focusing on computer skills in addition to celebrating their accomplishments.Can you measure success? I suppose each teacher is attempting this in their minds. By focusing on the improvements in their students the feeling of accomplishment swells. I might as well participate; my students dramatically improved their critical reading skills as well as their writing abilities. Well I guess that was the purpose of the trip.
Obviously, I came to Egypt for so many more reasons than this, and my interactions with my students accomplished much more than a simple sentence, pardon me, complex sentence can convey. While another purpose of Duke Engage is for me, the American college student, to learn, I think we should not change are focus from my students so quickly. This trip will not be both the beginning and end of my relationship with my students. During this month and a half, I have invested much into my students beyond time. I have taken an interest in their lives, and this interest will not cease after I leave Egypt. It will continue as we correspond through e-mail. Who knows? Perhaps one of my students will even be able to make it to America some day and I will be able to once again physically help. Regardless, while I understand that this experience is intended to be a learning experience (and this goal has definitely been met!), firstly, I believe it should be about the people we serve. It has been this for me
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