The variable scale of "community outreach"

10:45 AM GMT: I boarded a bus full of 30 of Nigeria's most privileged 18-23 yr olds on a journey to The REMI school for special needs children where many were having their first taste of community service work.   They were on a mission to both broaden their horizons and to improve the image of the University in the community.  I was on a mission to recruit a few promising undergrads to assist in our project.  This was to be a 90 minute venture during which university students were to read with 4-6th graders of the REMI school.

On the ride over, Kelly Jo (the University Outreach/PR Coordinator) reminded the students that the REMI school is largely devoted to educating children with disabilities, and that the undergrads should be prepared and act appropriately.

No one was prepared for the moment of truth when we arrived.  Due to a miscommunication with the REMI school staff, we were greeted by a line of 40 expectant REMI students who were all deaf.  Conveniently (for her), Kelly Jo is fluent in the American Sign Language that the REMI students study at the school.  The idea of reading with deaf children left the undergrads dead in their tracks.  I was baffled as well.  

The first couple of minutes were spent with introductions, and then we were off.  The REMI students were reading our lips, and teaching US the alphabet.  I can now effectively sign all but 4 letters of it--"f", "k", q, and "x".

About 15 minutes in the rest of the 4-6 graders (who were not hard of hearing) joined us, and some students read with groups of them.

After the reading, We heard, "I love you, you love me" as performed by a group of REMI students with the daughter of the university founder, recent Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar--she was one of the undergrads on the tour.  The head teacher for the deaf students gave a short presentation as well (he was deaf, but could speak english) followed by a song and dance by the head teacher and some of the older boys.  The visit concluded with a final rendition of the original song by everyone involved, and a promise to return again at the same time next week.

The lessons learned on the trip were well paraphrased by two separate statements I heard on the ride back.

"Deaf kids are not dumb." 

and

"We weren't teaching them, this time they were teaching us."

3:00 PM GMT: Robin Sanders, the American Ambassador to Nigeria give a talk on democracy's role in America and the future of Nigeria this afternoon to most of the 1000 students at the University.  Her credentials were long and impressive, perhaps most notably in today's context, she is an African American Woman.  She was at the University to speak about Democracy, the American Electoral Process, her observations of Nigeria's recent elections, and the current presidential race in the US.

She spoke about transparency in the election process (and the lack thereof here in Nigeria, where it is generally recognized by most people that I speak with that the previous election's outcome did not reflect the reality of the public's voting choices), and how we have worked for hundreds of years in the United States to try to achieve it in our process.  She also spoke about how this year's US elections include the most diverse ticket in history, giving variety in age, gender, and race.

Before  the speakers took the podium, we were all handed a state department brochure explaining to foreigners what it is that America stands for, and how it might differ from other places.  It was kind of surreal to be surrounded by people who had a real interest in a hand out that was advertising America like a product.

Definitely an eye-opening day.