NO PREREQS

With Sunday rolling around, I wanted to start a feature that I hope to continue once a week here in Benin: ten things that I have learned this past week. I think this is important because it allows me to make light of the learning curve I’m having here, while giving readers an idea about my experiences during the week without boring them with too many details. So here we go, week 1! Prince, my French teacher, takes care of my more orthodox lessons...

            This weekend has been quite the ride, and it’s only Saturday night. Friday night was spent at one of the last places I would imagine finding myself in Benin – a high school graduation party. When Jules mentioned going to a party, I had no idea what to expect. I was bombarded with questions by my host family on where it was, how long I would be out, and what I was going to be doing...

            First off! I hope my absence from No Prereqs hasn’t lost my readership (yes, immediate family, that means you). Please pardon the detour from my regular blogging schedule. This was my first week of full, intensive work and as a result I felt more inclined to engage in cultural gap-bridging activities such as watching The Ring with my host family than reflect on my somewhat less stimulating...

                Mr. Agbo is a very animated speaker. I watched his hands move about rapidly: sometimes pointing a finger in the direction of a place, then rotating slowly about each other at chest level to signify progress, only to slow down momentarily before being extended far apart to express the magnitude of what he was saying.                ...

           Yesterday started with my first French lesson. It was just me and the teacher for 2 straight hours, which was the upside. The flipside was that the teacher is not fluent in English, so he couldn’t provide much help translating words I didn’t understand. However, he’s a great guy. It went well. After the lessons it was laundry time! My first time hand washing clothes (hockey equipment doesn’t count) in at least 10 years... and it showed....

When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. But I can’t help but think I’ve gotten a hold of a blimp or something, because now I’m soaring.                 What did it take to break me out of my funk? It seems it was just a contemplative ride back from Cotonou, and 850 francs (about $1.85).                 ...

                So, Monday was my first day of work at the orphanage. It was one of the most difficult days of my life. I began the day waking up early in the morning, getting showered and ready by 7 am. Jules told me that we would be going to the Cotonou to visit the Consulate and pick up my phone in the morning, and I would visit the orphanage in the evening to set a...

So, we have come to the long awaited multiple choice strategies post. A large number of your tests during your first year of university or college will probably be multiple choice, especially if you are in a science program. I love multiple choice tests because they are not subjective, the answer is given to you, and managing time is simple since all questions are of equal weight. Before you read my post, you should probably know about my inspiration...