New Year – 01/01/2009

It is exactly 12:00 am as I start to write this reflection. Right now, I am in Libena Junior School celebrating Eritrean coffee ceremony with my colleagues. I was assigned by the Ministry of Education to teach Junior School students Maths and science subjects. I am a third-year undergraduate student at the Department of Geography, Eritrean Institute of Technology (EIT). I am hoping to return back to EIT in the next month to complete my degree.

The joy, love and laughter are exceptional. We all threw our chalks and dusters and gathered in the dining room for dinner and coffee. I know there are surprise gift-sharing, dancing, and general knowledge and relationship quizzes planned for the night. I bought gifts for every one of the teachers and I hope they like them. I have only been for about four months in school and am so excited to know more about every one of my colleagues. They’ve all be so supportive for me.

My family – my parents and siblings – are all in Keren. They wanted me to come home but tomorrow is Thursday so I have teaching sessions. I will go home on Friday afternoon after working hours. I know a black president was elected in America and want to watch the news at home. We do not have a TV in school.

On the pessimistic note, I am a bit worried about my future in this country. The government has become so strict with us, the people. It feels like the people are only servants of the state and those in power. I am so scared of what tomorrow will bring. Oh, writing such things is not okay here. I hope nobody finds my diary.