Volunteer from Tucson in Kiryat Malachi

Excerpted from the Ethiopian National Project Blog


Terrie Sherman hails from Tucson Arizona. She is participating for the third year in the Partnership 2000 TIPS volunteer program. After meeting Grace and Nigist in Tucson, Terrie decided to volunteer with ENP in Kiryat Malachi. A teacher of English and special education for 30 years, Terrie is sharing her vast experience with ENP's students.

Where does time go? It seems to just fly away! I have been very busy and am doing some new things. I am with 7th and 8th graders at Amal 1 High School in an English class. They act the same as American 7th and 8th graders. They become very shy when I bring out my camera and do not want me to take pictures of them. We are working on past, present and future irregular verbs with 8th graders and physical attributes with the 7th graders. The kids understand and can speak much better than they write.

I am spending time each week helping Daniel, the volunteer coordinator of the Ethiopian National Project (ENP) improve his speaking in English. Daniel is working on an advanced degree and will be traveling to present the Project and needs to be more confident. We talked about his family (which is very small he says...8 children!), his education and upcoming wedding! I am very excited to be attending his wedding on June 18th. Tomorrow, I will go with Daniel to Beit Shemesh to an Ethiopian community and help paint. It should be a lot of fun!

I have begun volunteering on Wednesday afternoons as part of the ENP with enrichment. The program is from 2-5; with the boys from 2-3:30 and the girls from 3:30 - 5:00. Last week, they wanted to learn cursive. Sivan, the teacher, was very glad to have me there as I have mastered English cursive and she is challenged by it. The kids loved seeing words they knew in cursive, especially their names! We played hangman and they were very good at it. They chose categories and had to think of words that fit into the category given and spell it correctly. Quite a challenge!!

There was no work on Thursday as that evening was a holiday of the giving of the Torah. Everyone eats dairy and you know I love this holiday because I can eat everything! Aliza is wonderful chef as is her husband Chayim. We had pasta, lasagna, ravioli, tuna, lots of salads, many different kinds of cheese and when I thoughts we were finished, she brought out pizza, burakas stuffed with vegetables and stuffed mushrooms. I put a little of each food on my plate and she piles more on. You have to love her!

I have also spent time with Revaya, the 14 year old daughter of Sarah who runs the Ethiopian women's program I so dearly love. Revaya is a very bright young lady with much potential. She loves to talk in English so we do! Revaya wrote an excellent report on different cities to visit in the US and got pictures from a travel agency. She included the Grand Canyon because I live in Arizona. It is such a pleasure to talk with her. She is beyond her years.

For the complete article and a picture of Terrie, go to http://enpblog.blogspot.com/