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English Language Fellow in Mbarara, Uganda

The English Language Fellow Program is the premier opportunity for experienced teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) to enact meaningful and sustainable changes in the way that English is taught abroad. Through projects developed by U.S. Embassies in more than 80 countries, Fellows work directly with local teachers, students, and educational professionals to improve the quality of English language instruction offered at prestigious universities and other academic institutions.


The duties of my specific placement as an English Language Fellow (ELF) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) include organizing, supporting and teaching reading and writing skills lessons and communication skills classes, working with faculty to develop and formalize the writing skills curriculum, delivering academic writing workshops and creating English language courses for university staff and local teachers' professional development.

The Brazilian Outback

Looking up at the stairs we were ready to climb to get up to the church

After cruising through the canyons, we kept driving further and further from civilization until our environment changed once again, this time from caatinga (cacti, thorny shrubs, dry grasslands) to sertão (the semi-arid vast hinterlands in Northeastern Brazil).  Heading out to the sertão is like entering the Wild West and in Portuguese, the word "sertanejo" is used how we use the word "cowboy."
Old railway station that is now a museum

It seemed only fitting to make our final destination the tiny town of Piranhas which was founded in 1891 and used to be furthest point people could travel upstream on the São Francisco River.  Because of this, Piranhas (named as such because there used to be good piranha fishing there) became the start of a railway that continued transportation upriver by train.

At the top


I wanted to visit Piranhas because of its history with the famous bandit leader, Lampião.  In the 1930s, the town was attacked several times by Lampião and his gang because it was easy to hide in all of the rocks and canyons surrounding the town.  Lampião became a famous outlaw much like Robin Hood; he resented the government and police corruption and the way that the stole from the local landowners.  He was consantly pursued by the police and is still a legend out in the Sertão - there is a whole museum devoted to him!  The real name of the famous outlaw is "Virgulino" but he aquired the nickname of "lamp" because it was said he could fire a gun so fast that it looked like he was holding a lantern.

Checking out the tiny church


In 1938, Lampião and his gang were betrayed while waiting to ambush Piranhas and the police executed the entire group.  The heads of the leader and his bandits were put on display in the town for everyone to see and were preserved and kept there until 1971 in the museum.  Though I didn't get to see any severed heads, I did get to see a lot of Lampião's gear and loot from raids past.  Quite a lot of action for such a tiny town in the backwoods of Brazil.


The rebel himself (center)

Heads on display


Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Sarah Sanderson edit post

1 Comment

  1. Ray Hendriksma on August 9, 2013 at 9:26 PM

    Great pictures & descriptions

     


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  • About Me

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    Sarah Sanderson
    I'm spending 10 months as an English Language Fellow (ELF) with the U.S. Department of State in Uganda at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). Thanks for following along!
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    Sarah and Sean

    Sarah and Sean
    Grateful for my very tolerant, supportive and easygoing husband who's always game for a new adventure

    Snail Mail Rocks!


    Permanent address in Uganda:

    Sarah Sanderson
    Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies
    Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)
    P.O. BOX 1410
    Mbarara, UGANDA


    Where do we live?

    Where do we live?
    Mbarara is located about 250 km south of Kampala, the capital city.

    On Language Learning

    On Language Learning

    Disclaimer


    This website is not an official U.S. Department of State website. The views and information presented are the English Language Fellow's own and do not represent the English Language Fellow Program or the U.S. Department of State.

    Blogs I follow

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    • About | Travel Unraveled: Brazil
      7 months ago
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      8 months ago
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    • Give and Take: Oh darling, let's be adventurers
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