Well, my germophobia, that is. My new slogan – "With Sanitation, Sanity." In light of a wave of spring sicknesses – mostly mild colds and stomach ailments, sudden inspiration hit and I have begun working to raise the level of sanitation on our campus, if not that of the whole country. I'm generating a 3-part movement to push this front:
- Teaching a unit on infectious disease and prevention to the whole school in my bio classes, and teaming with the school nurse to do it. This involves studying the specific diseases common to this region, and their foundations in microbiology (i.e., protists, viruses, bacteria), as well as personal hygiene, sterilization procedures, and modern medical innovations
- Again teaming with the school nurse (a young Somali woman out of Mogadishu trained as a nurse) to educate and encourage our support staff to implement more sanitary behaviors – hand washing before food handling, etc. Posting signs in English and Somali to encourage this
- Finding a fiscally responsible way to install soap dispensers at every sink, and bring serving gloves to our kitchen staff. I found a wall-mounted soap dispenser at “National Fuel Station and Super Market” last night, and we're trying it to see if it will be sufficiently durable to withstand our student's tests.
The student's mixed reaction to signage “Your health is in your hands – wash them with soap!” and “Don't fight your friends, FIGHT DISEASE! Wash with soap!” and “Science and Sanitation go Hand in Hand – Scrub with Soap!” and “Soap – Coming to a sink near you!” - took me by surprise. Some of our boys were personally offended by the signs, believing that I must think them unclean, if I am writing such things. Given that they “wash” (read, rinse) themselves 5 times daily for prayer, and the requirements of their religion, this uncleanliness would be unacceptable. I explained that in the West, people grow up to government-sponsored germ-awareness and sanitation reminders surrounding them in all public places. It's nothing personal! And further, the obsession with sanitation is generally viewed as one of the causes of the increase in life-expectancy of Western societies, and the decline in death rate that is part of the Demographic Transition. (I was careful to avoid pointing out the life expectancy in Somalia, which is 50 years of age, to the western world's average of 70.) Restaurants, schools, airports, especially hospitals, all public places are stocked chock-full of soap, and are generally plastered with signage reminding employees that they “must wash hands before returning to work,” I explained. Further, it has become a popular trend to carry personal waterless hand sanitizer on your person, everywhere you go. So, I said, the lack of this aspect of culture in Somaliland came as part of the culture shock for me.
“Well, teachers can spread disease too,” some said, resentfully.
“Anyone can spread disease! I am not accusing any particular group of people of disproportionate disease-carriers, all I'm doing is teaching you about disease and its spread, because its something all educated people ought to know. Further, I'm connecting your knowledge of disease and transmission to its biological roots now that you've learned so much science that you can see the connection.”
Not all were convinced of the topic's necessity, though most of the students were overwhelmingly grateful. I think some of our boys are going through a phase – sophomore-itis or something. They are suddenly touchy, defensive, defiant, and ready to challenge. Not sure how to diffuse this. While it may be behavior expected of the average American boy, these are not average American boys, and our situation requires that a much higher mode of conduct is assumed. Still, there are 4 weeks left till they (and I!) get a break for the summer and, insh'allah, some maturing time to burn off the extra energy, and perhaps escape the confinement of the academic year's routine. Which is not to say that I'm not having fun out here. I really, really do enjoy the company I have here, and am impressed and pushed to excellence by the people I get to teach.
No comments:
Post a Comment