...encore!
Afrique
en
Our Story...
We're Sheila and Mark Simpson, lifelong learners and, not coincidentally, educators. We have been back in the States since July, 2004 after having lived and taught overseas since the mid-70s. Yes, mid-1...9...7...0sssssss!! Mind you, there were a few years between stints abroad when we were anchored in the U.S., but most of the thirty or so years between our undergraduate BA work and our reentry into the American workforce in the early 2000's were spent living and working abroad. And did we LOVE it!!!
A little bit about us...We 'first' met while serving as Peace Corps Volunteers in West Africa. Here are two photos of Sheila with a class of her fourth-year students (circa 1976-77!!!) in Danane, Cote d'Ivoire. She still adores bell bottom pants!
And, here are some of Mark and his students in Dakar, Senegal in 1972 and in Fatik, Senegal in 1973-74. Not the good looking, hair-challenged fella smilin' at the top of the page, huh? Ha!!
A lot of water's passed under the bridge linking those first overseas living and teaching experiences in the '70's in West Africa to this next one in Rwanda. We have taught English language learners in Isfahan (Iran), San Francisco (California), Jakarta (Indonesia), Dhahran (Saudi Arabia) and Naples (Florida) and worked with teachers of ELLs in the region of Emilia-Romagna (Italy) and Ft. Myers (Florida).
Once again, we're heading overseas...to Africa...and we're scratchin' to do what we love to do - teach!
So, why a blog? Well, we want to keep it colorful with lots of images, current with up-to-date info on us, our adventures & the places and people we'll be encountering, interactive so that you can contribute if you've got an inkling, and simple only requiring vertical scrolling and as few clicks as possible. Painless, in a word, but enjoyable, in another...We hope you'll share our latest adventure with us...and add your comments!!