I'm reading "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver right now and I can't help but share some similar feelings with the fictional Baptist family who has gone to the Congo to bring God to the villagers of Kilanga.
The Father is dead set on bringing the Baptist way to these African villagers who have an extraordinarily different life, not to mention, their own gods. He goes to work everyday with a new sermon believing that he is making a mark. He even attempts to make everyone go to the river to be baptized. Only, a village girl had been crocodile food there not too long ago.
The majority of the village is appalled at his speeches and have their own stories of which the Father is completely unknowing.
In my own naive way, I thought I could help here by teaching English in a foreign country. And I think I have. But some days, some weeks, and now it's turned into some months, I feel completely useless. So, I walk into my job and attempt to do it, but I've been thrown into a different culture and I can't be assimilated into it. Naturally, this is frustrating. But it helps to know I'm not alone, even if my companions "a ce moment" are fictional.
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3 comments:
Hang on in there Kat... you are still able to see the whole picture - or at least detach yourself a little and try and take a look at the greater picture... I am sure it does feel like one of the labours of Hercules - in particular I have always thought the rolling a boulder up a steep slope only to have to start again as the slope beats boulder... just before Hercules beats the slope....
Actually it always depends on the way you look at things - maybe you need to try and move the goal posts (you can tell I am Phys Ed & ICT can't you?) so that you achieve success more easily - I am not sure what your success criteria are atm - but whatever they are - lower them! lol
U know I spend more time writing comments to your blog than I have spent writing my blog - I couldnt seem to remember any passwords when I was in the internet cafe at Szerencs... but at least I read my emails.
All best
SHR3
I've stumbled onto your blog searching, or rather googling for "Most commonly used Hungarian words". I randomly clicked a link, and took me to the most commonly used words of the English language. Ignoring Google's less then flawless search results, I'm happy to have discovered a part of your life. It made nice reading, and looking forward reading more!
So, thank you, and keep up writing down your adventures... ! :-).
Mike, Belgium.
"If the first handful of dough is consecrated, the whole mass is, and if the root of a tree is consecrated, so are its branches. If some of the branches have broken off, and you who were only a wild olive shoot have been grafted in, and made to share the richness of the olive’s root, you must not look down upon the branches. Remember that you do not support the root; the root supports you" (302).
Romans, Chapter 10, courtesy of Kingsolver, Poisonwood Bible.
it's a good read when prosthelecizing abroad. see you soon, friend.
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