January 25th:
Had a long and exhausting day at school. Started at 8:30 and didn't leave until 2:30. Had a few breaks between classes to grade books and prep for the next period. I also visited Julie's 5th grade class which was fun as I met some of my students' older siblings and saw how much my 4th graders will mature and grow mentally throughout the next year. By the afternoon, I was worn out and looking for a diversion. Julie and Lisa were both free, so we to decided to go "second-handing."
We took a taxi down to the market where there is a second-hand clothing section! It is really neat. They have stalls set up just like the rest of the market, and each stall has clothes hanging around the walls and across the entrances or piled on tables. I found a cute skirt for $2.50, two sweaters for $2.50 each (definitely needed right now), and a heavy outdoor jacket ($8). What a great deal! Tried looking for pants, but that was a challenge as I don't know my size here. (By the way, it is acceptable to wear pants as long as you wear a long shirt and it is better if they aren't too tight - even though I've see some pants here that I would never even wear at home!) It was nice to shop without looking for anything in particular and not being disappointed because the store was "out" or it just doesn't exist here. It was also encouraging to have some girl time. We went to the fruit and vegetable "den" again and bought some veggies for a few recipes I'd like to try this weekend.
Went home to our COLD apartment and cooked up the rest of the chicken in a fricassee over rice. The kitchen is our warmest room in the house because of the gas stove, so it's a good motivation to cook! Since the water heater isn't working, we have to boil our water to do the dishes - feels like a cabin in the country. In some of the other rooms in our apartment, I can actually see my breath! Our next door neighbors who are part of SGI have been gracious enough to allow us to use their apartment while they are still in the States. I packed up some of my things and camped out for the night.
January 26th:
Slept in! Glad for the warmth. In our apartment, it had been difficult to sleep well at night and even harder to get out of bed and dress in cold clothes! Brrr!
Stacy and I decided to go to the market today to get some more blankets so I made a quick bowl of oatmeal for breakfast (cinnamon, honey and dates - YUM!) and we headed out. It was raining, and the sidewalks and streets had a muddy layer over the concrete. My pants (the only pair I brought with me from the States) were a muddy mess by the time I got home. We picked up some blankets, two sharp knives, a long mirror and a space heater (still need the city electricity for this to work...) Got lunch from the "cafeteria" down the street to eat at home, then I headed out for my 1:45 class (3rd grade - not the rowdy bunch of 4th graders).
It was "pajama day" at school. The students normally wear dress clothes (the boys have to be in blue and the girls have to be in pink), but today they were allowed to wear their "track suits" or sweat pants and sweatshirts. Many of the teachers dressed down too. I wore a sporty jacket, but made sure to have my long coat once I went back out on the street. It is hard to know what the standards are, especially for women. The majority of people here think that all Americans are "immoral" and are looking for us to meet those expectations through the way we dress or behave. Because of their prejudice, it is really important that we are circumspect and hold forth a good testimony. I actually had one person tell me she knew I was a believer - I was wearing a long skirt. Interesting that God is teaching me in my personal study that I need to stop focusing on outward forms and simply walk in His power, being "clothed in His righteousness" alone. Culturally, I am surrounded by people who are consumed with outward appearance. They will openly point out and comment on someone's facial hair or acne. A man touching a woman (even to help her across the ditch in the sidewalk) is shameful. Because I am American the locals may suggest something that would normally be unacceptable (a man giving me a ride home), assuming I won't care. If I am not careful and fail to realize that their suggestion is culturally inappropriate, I could end up compromising my testimony without even knowing it. I ask Stacy a million of these hypothetical questions, but I need to continually ask God for wisdom to avoid improprieties.
Back to class - they were a little wound up from all the "fun" today, and I had to take three of the boys outside. We talked about their behavior and then I made them help me get something from the teacher room. It was obvious that they were afraid I was taking them to the principal's office. One of them asked me if I was going to punish them. I asked them if they deserved to be punished, and told them I was going to show them mercy. I explained what mercy was and let them return to class. They were well behaved and finished their assignments.
Andy came by and tried to fix the light bulbs, but it turns out we need a new part. That seems to be the norm for projects here... there is always something else wrong. After he left, Stacy went to her Kurdish class and I did a load of laundry and made a list of things I need the next time we go to the market (that is another norm here - there is always something else to get or more groceries to buy).
Around 4pm, I headed out for an adventure on my own. I went down to a clothing store at the end of our street called "Helin Fashion" (how apropos!) It is still strange to me that men work in all women's clothing stores, but the man there spoke some English and that was helpful. I was worried I wouldn't be able to try anything on, but it turns out they do have dressing rooms - trying to communicate that was interesting though. I found a pair of pants and even though I paid more than I would've like (even with his generous $3 discount), I just put it towards a great learning experience. Not only did I figure out my size here, I discovered that I can push myself just that much further in unfamiliar situations. The two women clerks were tickled with my attempts to learn some Kurdish and it is nice to feel like I am getting to know some people in my neighborhood. I also went to the "green store" up the street (nicknamed by us for the color of the building) and bought a squeegee for my shower now that the cold water works.
Made a faux quesadilla for dinner - sliced some processed cheese (it is hard to find the real stuff - this tastes like American cheese), cut up some onion and grilled it in pita bread. It actually tasted a lot like a quesadilla. I just need to work on making some salsa!
Looking forward to a restful evening in a warm room.
