So I was told that my blog has been a bit slack lately, here is my remedy. First I want to share a memory, I don’t know if I put it in an earlier post, If I did, please just bear with me. It’s the memory of my first test here, first of all writing a test for students is a new feeling. Trying to capture what we’ve been working on together and thinking about who will be strive where and who will struggle on other parts is all a new feeling. But the bit that was really interesting was when I tried to hand them all out to my class. I did it at the very end of the day, noob mistake, didn’t review it in class, just stood at the door with all of the 50+ copies in my hand. Well it was a stampede, there were students climbing over desks to get their exam, it was mass hysteria and completely hilarious. I’ve now changed my methods, but part of my wants to see the chaos again. Pretty jokes. My classes have been getting pretty good lately. I had a day the other week when I was feeling completely without energy. I walked into my class and they were all yelling and not ready to start class, usually I’d run in there, guns-a-blazzin but I had no guns, I could not blaze. I just stood there sizing up the anarchy and wondering how I would tackle it. I just stood at the door, far beyond a moment’s hesitation, I just stood there. Then it donned on me that some of the students were settling very intentionally. I was pulling the “I’m just going to wait until you’re all ready” attack without knowing it. So I decided to fully commit to it, and put on the appropriate face and tried to make eye contact with the louder students. It ended up as one of my quieter class. All this goes to teach me that sometimes doing nothing really IS a valid option. Haha I’m sure that will help me out again in life.
I also had an amazing class with my oldest age group. I sometimes feel that the curriculum here tries to cover too many grammar points in a year meaning that the students forget what they’ve learned very quickly. I feel like I have taught the same “simple present” to each of my classes like it was the first time. But that is a relatively uninformed opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. But the other day we were working on the Simple Past, John walkED to school. He did not walk to school. And other similar activities John has done in the past. ( I know I should use names that the students can relate to more easily, but I just think of all the stories of John I learned, how can I rob the student’s here of hearing the heroic tales of John (could also be that I’m too afraid of misspelling local names on the board)) It was a review before their exam this Saturday, and I just reviewed the essential points, and gave a few exercises. Normally I have a ton of issues getting the students to work, have to walk around and tell like half the class to start and stand over a few shoulders. I also have an unbelieveable problem with students talking in the classroom, but this class was different. Learning was in the air, like an incredibly contagious fever it took hold. Yes there was a lot of talking, but almost all of it was about the work, and the students were really applying themselves, and they were asking me questions and asking me to review their work and explain what they had done wrong. By the end of the class I was laughing with joy in the middle of class, which sounds nice, but I realize was really wired, I’m not sure how I would respond if my teacher just started laughing looking at my work…
I’m in the process of organizing a visit from my parents, and also confirming return flights home. Last month I was really feeling like I’m just living here and not looking at the end of my stay here, but in the few weeks with all of the planning I realize that my stay here is not a long one, and that my time here to really experience Chad and know the people here is going to end sooner than I will be ready for. So as of late I’ve been making more of an effort to build relationships with the people around me. It’s not been easy, who knew I was so awkward lol. But I’m trying to find someone my own age to talk to. It has been a fruitless mission so far. I’m not sure why that is, there was a time that I could blame my linguistic limitations, but then I think of a friend from high school, he was Korean and his English was practically perfect, but every blunder he made was awesome and became part of his charm. I’m hoping that I’ll soon be the foreign guy who is kind of charmingly new to the language instead of just dumb.
I think my life here is getting to feel routine which is why I have not blogged lately, it’s like when somebody you haven’t seen in a while asks you what’s new, but you look at your life of late and it all feels so routine, you can’t think of anything to mention. I feel like that, like I’ve already exhausted all of the cool stories and now just have my basic medical and emotional updates to share. And do you really want to know how erratic my emotions have been of lately? Some days I feel like I’m in grade nine again and my own mind feels like a strange place, that I’m in a new school and everything is new, all the rules have changed. Every experience is so susceptible to my mood and perspective for that day I am hesitant to draw any finalized conclusions about anything. I don’t want to give the impression that I’m like this all the time, there are just days every once in a while that I look back at and have to laugh at. Yup, so I’ve got some serious laundry to get to, some bed sheets that need to be washed, looks like my day is BOOKED. Thanks for reading.
OH WOW, need to tell you about my nature weekend last week… can’t believe I almost let that slide, what a knob! Yeah so I’ve been spending some time at a missionary hospital here that is a little bit out in the bush. I have heard tales that they have seen chameleons on the grounds but I had only seen one on the road months ago. It was an awesome sight, but I wanted to see one again. The last few trips I’ve taken a walk around trees looking for one. One of the maintenance crew gentlemen saw me looking up in the tree and came over and chatted with me. Turns out this guy has the eye, I was staring at this bush for like 15 mins and saw nothing. He then told me he saw one and it took me a full minute of staring at one spot that he was pointing at to actually see my green friend. It was so well camouflaged I fear I’ll never spot one again without the aid of a far more attentive eye. But yeah, we got him out, which he was not happy about initially, but he warmed up to us. We got some great video of him climbing the tree and other fun pictures. We named him Boy George. When we put him back on the ground by the tree he changed from a lime green-yellow to a solid green with really strong dark highlights all along his back. He changed so quickly too. It’s all on video. That night I was sitting with some of the staff enjoying some post dinner conversation when I saw it on the screen. I tell you I could only see the underbelly, but I knew. He was about 4 inches long and had a bizarre form. Yes, it was a camel spider!! (I’m thinking of the lady from my big fat greek weeding “yes, it was my twin”) If you have not seen one, go now, and google that bad boy. It will haunt you. I went outside to investigate but was too terrified to catch him. (I was such an intense blend of sheer joy and terror, I’m told my reaction was a sight to remember) That night me and Rob McAlister went to his house and watched “last of the moheekens” (yes I butched the spelling, but if you sound it out you know what I’m trying to say, anyhow great movie, loved it) as we were cleaning up, we me Laurence, Little camel spider about an inch long. We captured him built him a little home in a coffee tin with a looking glass lid engineered by Rob. I’ve been told that one day this week during feeding, Laurence made a daring escape, but I am not distraught, for Rob has captured Laurence 2.0. His body is an estimated 3 inches landing him around 6 inches from creepy leg tip to creepy leg tip. I wasn’t going to go to the hospital this weekend, but I think that I have no choice now. I must meet the new instalment to our family. K I have to get to these sheets. Much love!
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