Sustain

The dictionary defines the word sustain in three ways: 1) to give support or relief to, 2) to supply with sustenance: nourish, 3) keep up, prolong. As my time in Romania grows short I have started to think more about how the work I have started can continue. I don't worry about my students in the high school; their English education will continue. However, I am trying to figure out how to sustain my work with the foundation. This is especially significant as the Peace Corps presence in Romania comes to an end and there will be no more Peace Corps volunteers in my community.

I have been working on a plan to transition my classes at the foundation to some of my high school students. I want to encourage the spirit of volunteering in my community. While I am still in Romania, I can share information and help them practice lesson creating and teaching. Next year the program would become their own, in the hope that they may help it grow and flourish.

Today we held an additional meeting with my students and Angela and Saskia, who run the foundation, to discuss this plan. My students observed part of my class with the younger kids.  Everyone is on board to start this project. Next week I'll meet with my students and we will create a lesson to teach together. I will also start to transition some of my teaching resources to them. After Easter vacation, while I am at my Peace Corps 'Close of Service Conference,' my students will have an opportunity to teach on their own. After I return from the conference we can continue to work together until they feel comfortable teaching on their own.

While this plan is still in its infancy, I feel excited about the possibility of it working.  I hope to spending the next three months working to get this plan to come into fruition for the benefit of the foundation and my students, both in high school and at the center.