I have moved into my new apartment on the 4th (or 5th if you are American) floor of Prédio 4. The building is just a 7 minute walk to my school and in the center of town. I can see the governor's mansion from the back balcony. There is a cute cafe right below me, but this being Angola, the prices are similar to Starbucks in the US...but the coffee is pretty good. The school provided me with so much furniture it took up a lot of the floor space. After a little moving around I think I am satisfied with the results. I need to put up before and after pics because these pics are from the day I moved in. Now, all my photos are on the walls and it feel like home. Here are some highlight pics:
Christ the Redeemer Statue Lubango is famous for. The is the view from my front door.
Dining room and living room. I love the balcony.
My new kitchen
View of the mountains and small neighborhoods on the outskirts of town.
View of the street from the back balcony at sunset. Yep, it looks like this every evening.
The largest bed in the history of the world. My school is really trying to impress me.
Hi Akisha
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog with much interest as I would very much like to return to Lusophone Africa myself, and especially as an English teacher. I am from the UK, and whilst I was doing my undergraduate degree spent some time teaching English Language and Literature at the Universidade de Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique. I have since also taught in France, and am now looking at beginning a PhD in Higher Education Development in October. I was just wondering whether you might have any suggestions as to whom I might contact to find out about any teaching opportunities at Higher Education level (even just a language assistant) in Angola, as it is somewhere I would very much like to get to know.
Best of luck with everything there,
Alex
Wow! I really thought no one but family was reading this. Oh my gosh! I taught at Eduardo Mondlane's "newly" established Tourism school in Inhambane for the past two years! (That blog is http://elfinmoz.blogspot.com/ if you want to check it out.) I miss Mozambique desperately, but Angola has its own challenges and perks, so I will enjoy it while I can. It is a blessing just to be in Africa.
ReplyDeleteAbout your question. I have this position through the US Department of State, so you must be American. However, I wonder if the British Council has funding to send teachers. When I arrived Nick Bilbrough had been funded by BC to do workshops with ANELTA (the teaching association here). Perhaps you could contact the British Embassy here? The assistant head of the Brit embassy in Luanda is Angela Trott. I met her briefly at the ANELTA conference. I can get details from here if you need but I think internet searches will be enough. Also, if you are able to fund yourself, I am sure lots of schools would be interested to allow you to come and work with them. ISCED Lubango currently teaches some literature classes. Let me know if I can connect you to the head of the English Department here. It seems like BC used to do a lot of work here but has since pulled out. I don't know what that is about, but the need for trained professionals is huge and teacher trainers even more. I would bet you could get some funding...even if it served a diplomatic purpose as well. i hope this helps and thanks for reading! Who knows? perhaps one day we can meet in Angola. :)
Thanks Akisha for all the info, will certainly try getting in touch with the British Embassy. If you do have an e-mail contact for ISCED Lubango that would be great.
ReplyDeleteI hope that my reading your blog didn't seem like prying, but I was just so pleased when it came up on a Google search as it seemed I might finally be able to contact someone who was doing just what I wanted to be doing! I would love to go back to Mozambique also, but thought it would be great to try something new at the some time.
I will let you know how I get on. Thanks once again, and if you do want to contact me, my e-mail is alexis.gibbs@googlemail.com