Calais camp offers migrants school, library, bars in shacks
- 9 years ago
Jennifer Wilson wrote "hot" and "cold" on the chalkboard and invited her students a dozen men from Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia and Sudan to say other English words for temperature.
"Freezing," one student declared jovially.
Many will learn that word intimately as Calais' migrants gird for winter camping on the French side of the English Channel.
To combat boredom and sharpen language skills, hundreds come daily to Wilson's classes and a library housed in neighboring weatherproofed shacks.
Shoes are left at the door to keep mud at bay.
Wilson, a native of Zimbabwe, teaches three English classes to campers in hour-long sessions of increasing difficulty.
She also teaches French and expects demand to grow as Calais' asylum-seekers shift ambitions from England to their current host nation.
"Freezing," one student declared jovially.
Many will learn that word intimately as Calais' migrants gird for winter camping on the French side of the English Channel.
To combat boredom and sharpen language skills, hundreds come daily to Wilson's classes and a library housed in neighboring weatherproofed shacks.
Shoes are left at the door to keep mud at bay.
Wilson, a native of Zimbabwe, teaches three English classes to campers in hour-long sessions of increasing difficulty.
She also teaches French and expects demand to grow as Calais' asylum-seekers shift ambitions from England to their current host nation.