When I first joined Peace Corps I figured that I would be teaching real basic math or science in a school in the middle of nowhere. I never expected to be teaching year 11 and 12 computer classes at a school about 40 minute walk outside of the capital city. While computers are not a big part of Vanuatu yet, the use of computers in local businesses is increasing and they need trained people to run them. After my students finish with high school some will want to go to university. Can you imagine going to university and never having used a computer before?
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 Living in America I had taken my computer for granted. It wasn’t a big thing. I had forgotten how exciting and scary a computer could be for someone who had never used one. On the first day of class many of my students can’t tell the difference between the monitor and the computer. When given the instruction to use the mouse to move the cursor and log on, many students will start waving the mouse in the air like a wand.
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 It
doesn’t take long for the students to catch up. By the end of their first
year of computer studies, they can do all the computer basics. They can
identify all the parts of the computer, use the operating system, manage
files, type, and use a word processor. By the end of their second year they
can fix simple computer hardware problems, analyze data using a database and
a spreadsheet, create computer graphics, and create publications using a
desktop publisher. One class is even learning to create web pages! Last year
the students created a 63-page school magazine which required typing,
layout, graphic design, digital photography, picture manipulation and
enhancement, and a significant amount of creativity.
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The students are great and their enthusiasm makes the classes fun to teach!
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