Teaching with a Translator

Mohammad Taqui Amini acted as the translator today for the first day of the Public Administration class.  While we had about half of the 15 students than we expected, I believe that the class went well covering the basics of Public Administration.

Teaching in this culture and with a translator requires a bit more time and patience.  I also learned that the participants expected the professor to lecture rather than to discuss and share ideas.  Taqui informed me of his own experience in an Indiana University classroom for the first time explaining that he was completely taken by surprise when he was expected to respond to the professor’s questions rather than simply taking notes of a professor’s lecture.  He said, “Afghans are used to learning by lecture.”  Consequently, I tried to lecture more in the afternoon, though I found it very difficult to find just the right stopping place in order for Taqui to take on the translation to Dari.  In any case, the participants were very understanding and receptive despite my learning this new technique “on the fly.”

On my drive home with Omar, I learned that most of the fresh vegetables on the street at this time are grown out of Kabul.  Farmers bring their produce from the lower elevations and either sell them in existing shops, in temporary shops, or from their carts.  It’s from market to table even in Kabul.