My Inner Thoughts are Terrible

I SWORE that my next post would contain something insightful, but sadly that will probably not happen. However, I have free internet momentarily at the bureau, because I am in Nouakchott 3 months prematurely. Most trainees will see Nouakchott for the second time at Christmas. Only the "lucky" ones, like Kayla and I, get rushed into the capital with breathing problems. Her problem is still undetermined. I managed to get pnemonia in the Sahara Desert! Thank you thank you, I feel that I'm actually THAT talented. I had to spend 3 days in a clinic/ hospital in Nouakchott, and tonight I'm in a hotel until tomorrow, just to keep track of me. Tomorrow I get to head back out to Rindiao and continue teaching at school. You'd think I'd be thrilled to be here, with air conditioning, hot water, etc. but actually it kind of sucks without everyone else. I miss Dave and Nick out in Rindiao, and I HATE being alone. It's even worse being alone in a Mauritanian hospital.
Anyway, the past couple of weeks have been pretty good, but stressful. We started Model School last week, which is supposed to prepare us to teach. Basically it's an English Camp at the Kaedi Lycee, and everyday we each teach a class on varying levels. I'm mostly teaching premiere annee. Teaching is not as hard as i thought it would be, but it's a lot different. I think "teaching" and I thought of American class sizes with books, materials, electricity, etc. Instead, I have 50 students in each class, a blackboard, and a small room. Luckily the classroom has a little "teacher's pedestal", so I don't look like a midget. This is great, because most of my students are already taller than I am (the premiere annees range from age 8-16ish. It's not like first grade in the US). Lesson planning is probably the hardest part, and it takes FOREVER, with the constant stress that your lesson is terrible and the kids just won't get it. This has happened to me in a 3rd year class, and it was uncomfortable, so say the least.
It's hard for me to really reflect on the Mauritanian educational system at all since this is model school, but I have noticed some differences. First, the number of girls. At premiere annee, there's about a 50/50 ratio of girls to boys, and the girls are excited and outgoing and ready to learn. By 4th year (about 9th grade), they've really tapered off to about a 25/75 ratio and become more timid. In the 6th year class, which is the last class before students take the BAC, or college entrance exam, there are only 2 girls in the class and they almost never speak.
This gives me a lot of think about in my classroom when I get to Lexeiba. I knew that women's issues were a big focus of Peace Corps in Mauritania, and obviously, since this is an Islamic Republic, there is good reason for that. In my own host family, there are 3 girls: Habi, Radia, and Sala. Only Habi, the oldest, is even remotely educated. She is in her late 20's and has 2 children. One day she borrowed my Pulaar book to "look at", and I was floored and impressed when she knew how to read at an elementary level. I fluctuate between expecting everything from education in this country to expecting nothing, and it's particularly variant when it comes to girls. There's soooooo much work to be done, and part of me feels like teaching an English class or two and running an afterschool program with Becca is such a small step that's it's almost insulting/ funny. We'll see.
This is long, and I am tired and still sick. Boo pnemonia. Hooray... hot shower?