Week 5 & 6

Adventure Time!

It has been an exciting 2 weeks! I combined these weeks because there wasn't a ton that happened during week 5 except for the fact that my parents flew in from Kenya to join me for 10 days in Jordan! It was fun to have them come see Whitman and meet some of the people that I have been working with over the last month. We also got to explore a little more of the country while they were here!

Updates from Whitman

We are nearing the end of the semester at Whitman so most of this past week was wrapping up the chapters we were on in Pre-Algebra and Algebra I.

In Pre-Algebra, we just finished a unit all about percentages! The kids learned about simple and compound interest which felt like a great way to also introduce the basics of excel. We spent a few days working in the computer lab learning how to use excel! Next week, we will begin working on a survey project in which students will create a survey question, collect data, and construct circle graphs of their results using their knowledge of percents.

In Algebra I we just finished our final chapter on exponential functions and will spend next week reviewing for the final exam. The students heard about the escape room that I did with the Pre-Algebra class so I am sure that I will be creating a new one for the Algebra students this week as they prepare for their final!

I can't believe my time at Whitman is coming to a close. I have loved being a part of this community. I have learned a lot about working with multilingual learners and communicating clearly and in a way that includes all my students and highlights their backgrounds and cultures.


Adventure to Aqaba!

On Thursday night, I took the bus down to Aqaba to meet up with my parents. I took the bus which was a great experience! We stopped by the Dead Sea to get some sunset pictures. The rest of the drive was mainly just desert but it was a nice change of scenery after being in Amman for the last 4 weeks! My dad and I got our scuba diving licenses in Kenya and had heard that diving in the Red Sea was spectacular. We scheduled a dive for Friday morning with a company called Scuba Zen. They were absolutely excellent and took care of everything for us!

We spent the whole day on a 22-meter yacht and did two spectacular dives. The first dive was at a wreck site with a sunk C-130 place and a tank. We also dove at a site with some beautiful coral heads! The water was extremely clear making visibility fantastic for diving. We saw lots of different fish as well including several species of lionfish, some stone fish, and even a few puffer fish. After diving, we had a nice chicken barbeque lunch on the yacht with hummus, salad, and pita bread. The boat ride was also spectacular as we would look all around us and see land in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Scuba diving in the Red Sea is definitely an experience I will never forget!

Exploring "The Citadel"

My parents and I went to take a closer look at the Amman Citadel and explore some of downtown Amman. We had a great time spending time together and soaking in some of the rich history of this land. The focal point of the site is the remains of the Temple of Hercules.

Highlights

  • RVA Connections - I went to a party last weekend and ended up meeting someone who graduated from the same school that I grew up going to in Kenya. It was so cool to make a connection like this in Amman!

  • Scuba Diving in Aqaba - I have only ever gone diving in Kenya before so it was really cool to experience what it was like in the Red Sea!

  • My parents coming to visit - it was great to connect with my parents again and experience some new parts of Jordan with them!