May 27th:
This morning I went over to John and Mary's for a French toast breakfast before heading off to school. It was a great start to a busy day. From 9 until 10, I oversaw the English final for one of my third grade classes. After the students finished, I had to make sure the corner of every final was folded over to hide the student's name. I meandered around the garden to visit with students, then when most of the tests had been turned in, I went back to the teacher room to help grade. John was there again, so we teamed up on the 7th grade finals. Afterwards we headed over to Andy and Lisa's for Zander's pool party! It was a splash, I mean, a blast! :) Got to help finish off the brownies, then Andy, Lisa, and I cleaned up from the party and headed out to the market. (Lisa got someone to watch the kids during their nap.) We had a good time at the market and explored some new stores. Andy and Lisa were able to find some gifts to take home.
After they dropped me off at the apartment, I got to work and did a ton of cleaning. Rolled carpets, washed floors, scrubbed the laundry room, did three loads of laundry, and moved furniture. Got the second bedroom ready for Sarah, my roommate next year. I was pretty tired by the time the Skype call came around. I got to Skype with Dad, Caleb, and Stephen at 7am (their time), then with Mom, Hannah, John, and Eithen up in Portland at 8am PST. Eithen kept giving me webcam kisses ... it hurt thinking about how nice it will be to get them in person.
Spent some time reading ... experiencing one of those moments when the body is too tired to sleep and the mind keeps right on moving. I think God is teaching me patience. The challenge is to lay aside what I am trying to attain and set it out of my thoughts. It is one thing to realize that God wants me to wait, but it is another to trust Him completely with the outcome.
May 28th:
After another yummy French toast breakfast with J&M, I spent most of the day cleaning. It was the kitchen's turn today. I cleaned out cupboards, scrubbed down walls, deep-cleaned the stove, and put away all the kitchen goodies that we got from Dan and Julie. It took a lot longer than I thought. The blessing was that my thinking turned into praying as I cleaned. It is amazing what the mind thinks to pray for while the hands are busy scrubbing. Among other things, I asked the Lord to help me be a better sister, daughter, and friend when I return home, and a better teammate when I return here in the fall. At noon, I took a little Henry-break. Since it was Mary's birthday, John took her out to lunch while I watched Henry during his naptime.
In the afternoon, I finished cleaning, took a shower and got ready to go back to their place for our team dinner. The group feels a lot smaller now that we are down to five adults. John picked up pizzas and "finger chips" from the local "Pizza Hot." We enjoyed a nice meal together ... or as Zander put it, "with the whole family." Mary made Oreo milkshakes (we found Oreos here the other day - SCORE!) for a yummy dessert. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Mary, then split up around 8, so the little ones could get to bed. Off to a relaxing evening...
Monday, May 28, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
May 25th through 26th (Days 138-139): The First of the Goodbyes
May 25th:
This morning Stacy and I shared one last coffee moment before I headed off to fellowship. She leaves tomorrow with Dan and Julie, so we've been trying to do a few of the "traditional" things that we've enjoyed together over the past few months. We had a large gathering at fellowship today. I really enjoyed the songs we sang. Dan led the music ... another pleasant memory to look back on as we soak up our last few moments with them. Enjoyed a great potluck lunch, then over to Dan and Julie's to move some of their furniture to my apartment. It was not as stressful as other moves I've participated in. The guys took care of everything and before I knew it, the apartment was brimming with fun goodies - a wash machine, a bookshelf, a microwave, portable desk, and a bunch of kitchen things.
It was close to 4pm by the time we got everything moved. I visited with Stacy, then ate a yummy dinner - sauteed green beans and onions with the leftover meat from our Greek dinner. Enjoyed chatting with a few friends from back home before heading for bed.
May 26th:
Sore and tired as I sit down to write this entry. I went to the school this morning at 8:30am. It was hard getting up ... I don't think my body was ready for the weekend to be over. The students had their math final this morning. They will have finals the rest of the week and then they will be out for SUMMER BREAK! My job this morning was to move between the two fourth grade classrooms and read questions out loud. Some of the kids tried to get the answers out of me, while others said, "Miss, this is so easy!" Some of them finished in 30 minutes, others took the full two hours. After the test was finished, I went into the teacher room and graded tests with all the other teachers. It didn't take too long since I had three other teachers helping me. After we finished, John came in with his finals. His questions were much more in-depth, so he wanted to be able to give partial credit. We came up with an assembly line that helped speed things up (it was getting close to 1pm and we were supposed to be at a team "Goodbye" lunch at 12.) We finally finished grading at 2pm. It was nice to see the other teachers pitch in to help us. After picking up visas and salaries, we headed over to Dan and Julie's. Thankfully we got to visit for a few minutes before saying "Goodbye." Stacy had gone back home to get her bags, so John and I hopped in the taxi with Dan and Julie back to our apartment. We said goodbye to Stacy and waved them on their way. We hopped in two separate taxis and went back over to Andy and Lisa's. Chilled with the team, then John and Mary had to get home as they were expecting visitors.
Went with Andy and Lisa to Zeri Park to celebrate Zander's 3rd birthday! I had a blast, especially since I was the only one small enough to fit on the rides with Zander! :)
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After we covered almost the entire park, we went back to their place for dinner. Mm-mm good! On the taxi ride home, the driver complimented me on my Kurdish :) I had an expat friend tell me that if I ever wanted to boost my language-proficiency esteem, I should just hop in a taxi! Though I know I am far from fluency, it was nice to be reminded that God has brought me a long way in the language department (one step at a time). I can be thankful for understanding so much more now than I did upon arrival.
Came home and cleaned up house/new furnishings. Did a lot of scrubbing, so my body is really tired now. John got the washer set up, so that will be something fun for tomorrow!
This morning Stacy and I shared one last coffee moment before I headed off to fellowship. She leaves tomorrow with Dan and Julie, so we've been trying to do a few of the "traditional" things that we've enjoyed together over the past few months. We had a large gathering at fellowship today. I really enjoyed the songs we sang. Dan led the music ... another pleasant memory to look back on as we soak up our last few moments with them. Enjoyed a great potluck lunch, then over to Dan and Julie's to move some of their furniture to my apartment. It was not as stressful as other moves I've participated in. The guys took care of everything and before I knew it, the apartment was brimming with fun goodies - a wash machine, a bookshelf, a microwave, portable desk, and a bunch of kitchen things.
It was close to 4pm by the time we got everything moved. I visited with Stacy, then ate a yummy dinner - sauteed green beans and onions with the leftover meat from our Greek dinner. Enjoyed chatting with a few friends from back home before heading for bed.
May 26th:
Sore and tired as I sit down to write this entry. I went to the school this morning at 8:30am. It was hard getting up ... I don't think my body was ready for the weekend to be over. The students had their math final this morning. They will have finals the rest of the week and then they will be out for SUMMER BREAK! My job this morning was to move between the two fourth grade classrooms and read questions out loud. Some of the kids tried to get the answers out of me, while others said, "Miss, this is so easy!" Some of them finished in 30 minutes, others took the full two hours. After the test was finished, I went into the teacher room and graded tests with all the other teachers. It didn't take too long since I had three other teachers helping me. After we finished, John came in with his finals. His questions were much more in-depth, so he wanted to be able to give partial credit. We came up with an assembly line that helped speed things up (it was getting close to 1pm and we were supposed to be at a team "Goodbye" lunch at 12.) We finally finished grading at 2pm. It was nice to see the other teachers pitch in to help us. After picking up visas and salaries, we headed over to Dan and Julie's. Thankfully we got to visit for a few minutes before saying "Goodbye." Stacy had gone back home to get her bags, so John and I hopped in the taxi with Dan and Julie back to our apartment. We said goodbye to Stacy and waved them on their way. We hopped in two separate taxis and went back over to Andy and Lisa's. Chilled with the team, then John and Mary had to get home as they were expecting visitors.
Went with Andy and Lisa to Zeri Park to celebrate Zander's 3rd birthday! I had a blast, especially since I was the only one small enough to fit on the rides with Zander! :)
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We had fun on the Ferris Wheel together (and yes, Andy shaved off his facial hair for the summer)
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There was a great view from the top:
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Came home and cleaned up house/new furnishings. Did a lot of scrubbing, so my body is really tired now. John got the washer set up, so that will be something fun for tomorrow!
Friday, May 25, 2012
May 23rd through 24th (Days 136-137): Time With Friends
May 23rd:
No school again today as the students are supposed to be "studying" for their final exams. In the morning Mary, Lisa, and I went to Dan and Julie's and helped clean out the house (a little, compared to everything that Dan and Julie have had to do). I cleaned off the windowsills, which get pretty dusty around here. I also killed a few spiders while I was at it! Mary and Lisa helped clean out the kitchen. When I got home, I ate some lunch, then took a nap. I've been feeling pretty exhausted (emotionally and physically) the last few days.
At 3pm, Julee and I went to the orphanage. They are all getting ready to go to their villages for the summer, so this was our last week with them. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to the girls. We didn't go to their bedroom as we normally would, but sat in the main room with all the older women looking on. I became the center of attention, so it was hard for me to talk to them. I wasn't sure what to say, and had to pray several times for the Lord to strengthen me and help me focus. One of the girls even commented that I looked unhappy. I tried to explain (and Julee helped translate) that I was just sad to say goodbye. As we left, the girls walked us to the door and we were able to be our usual selves. They told me not to be sad (which brought a smile to my face). I told them that, God willing, I would see them in three months.
Julee dropped me off at Andy and Lisa's. They had visitors, so I helped with Zephie a little. Lisa wanted me to come for dinner to "repay" me for subbing for Andy. Definitely no need to "repay" me, but I was happy to enjoy their company and a nice meal. After dinner, they walked me to Helen's house. (She is another art teacher at the school. We call each other "Bershe" because we share the same name with the same pronunciation!)
Helen, Nancy, Helen's sister, and I went to Dream City. We like to call it "Mini Mini Disneyland." Another teacher from school and her two sisters met us there. It was nice to hang out with all of them outside of school. We had a really fun time. Afterwards, we got an ice cream at Mazi and walked part of the way home. I was encouraged by our conversation. God is blessing me with many friendships. I trust He will grow them and make them fruitful.
May 24th:
A relaxed morning. It was nice not to be busy for a change. In the afternoon I ran some errands and then we went to dinner as a team. We went to a Greek restaurant called Athena. I had a sampler plate and it was super yummy! It was nice to have something different. The restaurant was really fancy (but I forgot to take pictures.) :(
Afterwards we went to Andy and Lisa's for ice cream. Dan ended up making us a special treat - affogatos. Espresso over ice cream. How could dessert get any better? Enjoyed time sitting around and talking about the past year / five months. John put together a telescope and we went on the roof to look at the moon.
When we got home (around 10:30pm), the landlord wanted to come over and visit. It was my first time meeting him, his wife, and two daughters. They stayed until 11pm, which is not uncommon here. So glad I had that espresso! :)
No school again today as the students are supposed to be "studying" for their final exams. In the morning Mary, Lisa, and I went to Dan and Julie's and helped clean out the house (a little, compared to everything that Dan and Julie have had to do). I cleaned off the windowsills, which get pretty dusty around here. I also killed a few spiders while I was at it! Mary and Lisa helped clean out the kitchen. When I got home, I ate some lunch, then took a nap. I've been feeling pretty exhausted (emotionally and physically) the last few days.
At 3pm, Julee and I went to the orphanage. They are all getting ready to go to their villages for the summer, so this was our last week with them. It was really hard for me to say goodbye to the girls. We didn't go to their bedroom as we normally would, but sat in the main room with all the older women looking on. I became the center of attention, so it was hard for me to talk to them. I wasn't sure what to say, and had to pray several times for the Lord to strengthen me and help me focus. One of the girls even commented that I looked unhappy. I tried to explain (and Julee helped translate) that I was just sad to say goodbye. As we left, the girls walked us to the door and we were able to be our usual selves. They told me not to be sad (which brought a smile to my face). I told them that, God willing, I would see them in three months.
Julee dropped me off at Andy and Lisa's. They had visitors, so I helped with Zephie a little. Lisa wanted me to come for dinner to "repay" me for subbing for Andy. Definitely no need to "repay" me, but I was happy to enjoy their company and a nice meal. After dinner, they walked me to Helen's house. (She is another art teacher at the school. We call each other "Bershe" because we share the same name with the same pronunciation!)
Helen, Nancy, Helen's sister, and I went to Dream City. We like to call it "Mini Mini Disneyland." Another teacher from school and her two sisters met us there. It was nice to hang out with all of them outside of school. We had a really fun time. Afterwards, we got an ice cream at Mazi and walked part of the way home. I was encouraged by our conversation. God is blessing me with many friendships. I trust He will grow them and make them fruitful.
May 24th:
A relaxed morning. It was nice not to be busy for a change. In the afternoon I ran some errands and then we went to dinner as a team. We went to a Greek restaurant called Athena. I had a sampler plate and it was super yummy! It was nice to have something different. The restaurant was really fancy (but I forgot to take pictures.) :(
Afterwards we went to Andy and Lisa's for ice cream. Dan ended up making us a special treat - affogatos. Espresso over ice cream. How could dessert get any better? Enjoyed time sitting around and talking about the past year / five months. John put together a telescope and we went on the roof to look at the moon.
When we got home (around 10:30pm), the landlord wanted to come over and visit. It was my first time meeting him, his wife, and two daughters. They stayed until 11pm, which is not uncommon here. So glad I had that espresso! :)
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
May 21st through 22nd (Days 134-135): Getting Ready to Say Goodbye
May 21st:
My last full day of school. Well, it was supposed to be, but in typical Kurdish style, we found out the morning of that school would end at 1pm. My 9:15 class went well. I wrote review notes on the board for the students to copy. They sat quietly and wrote everything down! During the break I talked with students and visited with teachers, asking about their summer plans and trying to arrange a time to hang out. It was a day of mixed feelings. On the one hand I was so happy to spend my last day with all of these students and teachers that I've come to know and appreciate; on the other hand, it was hard to think of saying goodbye so soon.
My 12:15 class did not go as well. Some of the boys have determined not to do anything I tell them. I wrote all the notes on the board and told them it was their choice to study them for their final. Only a few girls decided to copy them down. Even when I suggested playing games, the boys came back with, "We don't want, Miss!" It was disheartening, but as soon as class ended they were all friendly with me again. At 1pm, everyone went home. I sat with my kids one last time ...
When I got home I spent some time reflecting on the last few months. Came away amazed at how blessed and privileged I have been to teach these kids! I can't wait for next year! Overwhelming emotions led to a one hour nap. Still not feeling completely energized when I woke up, but needed to make bruschetta for our team dinner. Julie made a balsamic noodle bowl and Mary made bread (hence the bruschetta). Lisa made a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. We had a great time of devotions, spending most of it in prayer. A nice Skype call with Dave, then ready to go home.
When I got home, I had an email from Caleb saying that he had had a hard day and needed to talk. We were able to get on Skype and talk together. Getting ready to transition back home to the ones who need me there.
May 22nd:
Spent the morning gleaning wisdom from Julie with regards to 5th grade literature (one of the classes I'll be teaching next year). Afterwards, Dan, Julie, and I enjoyed lunch together, then worked on cleaning out some of their cupboards and taking down pictures. They leave on Saturday! Since they won't be coming back in the fall, we are cleaning out their house, getting it ready for the next tenants. Went over to Andy and Lisa's afterwards. We were just going to catch up, but they ended up having visitors and invited me to stay a little bit longer. It is always fun to hang out with the people on our team. Lisa is really good at making me feel welcome and letting me be a part of their home.
We had originally been told that sometime today we would be invited over for dinner with the governor, but when we hadn't heard anything by 4pm, we decided to make other arrangements. We gathered up the team and headed out to Vin House. Enjoyed a burger (still can't wait to eat a real juicy one in the States) and fries. From there we walked to Mazi and bought some ice cream.
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My last full day of school. Well, it was supposed to be, but in typical Kurdish style, we found out the morning of that school would end at 1pm. My 9:15 class went well. I wrote review notes on the board for the students to copy. They sat quietly and wrote everything down! During the break I talked with students and visited with teachers, asking about their summer plans and trying to arrange a time to hang out. It was a day of mixed feelings. On the one hand I was so happy to spend my last day with all of these students and teachers that I've come to know and appreciate; on the other hand, it was hard to think of saying goodbye so soon.
My 12:15 class did not go as well. Some of the boys have determined not to do anything I tell them. I wrote all the notes on the board and told them it was their choice to study them for their final. Only a few girls decided to copy them down. Even when I suggested playing games, the boys came back with, "We don't want, Miss!" It was disheartening, but as soon as class ended they were all friendly with me again. At 1pm, everyone went home. I sat with my kids one last time ...
When I got home I spent some time reflecting on the last few months. Came away amazed at how blessed and privileged I have been to teach these kids! I can't wait for next year! Overwhelming emotions led to a one hour nap. Still not feeling completely energized when I woke up, but needed to make bruschetta for our team dinner. Julie made a balsamic noodle bowl and Mary made bread (hence the bruschetta). Lisa made a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. We had a great time of devotions, spending most of it in prayer. A nice Skype call with Dave, then ready to go home.
When I got home, I had an email from Caleb saying that he had had a hard day and needed to talk. We were able to get on Skype and talk together. Getting ready to transition back home to the ones who need me there.
May 22nd:
Spent the morning gleaning wisdom from Julie with regards to 5th grade literature (one of the classes I'll be teaching next year). Afterwards, Dan, Julie, and I enjoyed lunch together, then worked on cleaning out some of their cupboards and taking down pictures. They leave on Saturday! Since they won't be coming back in the fall, we are cleaning out their house, getting it ready for the next tenants. Went over to Andy and Lisa's afterwards. We were just going to catch up, but they ended up having visitors and invited me to stay a little bit longer. It is always fun to hang out with the people on our team. Lisa is really good at making me feel welcome and letting me be a part of their home.
We had originally been told that sometime today we would be invited over for dinner with the governor, but when we hadn't heard anything by 4pm, we decided to make other arrangements. We gathered up the team and headed out to Vin House. Enjoyed a burger (still can't wait to eat a real juicy one in the States) and fries. From there we walked to Mazi and bought some ice cream.
On the way to Mazi:
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Zanderman!
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Went back to Dan and Julie's to have cake and ice cream. Took some team photos and reveled in one more evening together... not too many of those left as Dan, Julie, and Stacy head out this Saturday!
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Came home, watched another part of "Our Mutual Friend" with John and Mary, then ready for bed. A late night, but hey ... no school tomorrow!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
May 19th through 20th (Days 132-133): My Mourning Into Dancing
Had a good conversation last night at the dinner with administration. I was able to talk to the curriculum coordinator about my adoption. Here it is very shameful to be adopted and everyone wants to say how sorry they are for you, but I was able to say how very grateful I am to be adopted. The curriculum coordinator thought about it for awhile and started to realize how amazing it was that my parents would love me and take me as their own when there are those who do not even care for their own flesh and blood.
May 19th:
Woke up feeling discouraged, still plagued by the "mosquitoes" of distraction and doubt. Talked to Pastor John and got a good book recommendation. Then I listened to part two of the shame lecture (again). Once more, it pulled all of the wandering ideas going through my mind into one concise thought. I saw that my bad attitude came from the shame of not living up to the expectations that I've placed on myself when I'm around my team and the fear of anticipated shame next year. The fear for next year has been rooted in finding my acceptance from those around me. After confessing this false standard that I've placed myself under and asking forgiveness for not seeking acceptance from God, my heart was emptied of all contempt and discouragement. In its place, thanksgiving and praise overflowed!
Went to the market with Lisa and Julie. I was really encouraged because we were able to find Lisa some great summer tops (which is not always easy since she has been blessed with above-average height - it does make it easier to pull down the clothes hanging way up high and helps us locate her, but she can't always find long shirts to wear here). Anyway, we were eight for eight!
I came back to the apartment and visited with Mary for awhile. We talked, played with Henry, played Bananagrams, and watched another part of "Our Mutual Friend." Around 4:30pm we went to an early dinner at Tantuni. The owner is very friendly and remembers his friend, Barzon (the name he has given Henry) every time. This time he actually gave us a juice for Henry! They like to start them young. :P Since we were near the market, we went to one of the shops and got a watch for Mary. Another shopping success in the same day!
We taxied from the market to Andy and Lisa's for team game night. What happens at team game night, stays at team game night. :P We were as goofy as ever. Of course playing Apples to Apples can bring out the best in all of us! We made S'Mores over the gas stove (we were going to have a fire on the roof, but it was raining.)
May 20th:
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. I know I was much more cheerful going to school today. God had filled my heart with thankfulness yesterday and it continued to spill over, especially as I contemplated the magnitude of His love in my devotions.
My 9:15 class went fairly well until the very end. We played review tic-tac-toe. There were two teams. If the person I called on answered the review question correctly they could place an X or O on the board for their team. The kids had a lot of fun ... trying to use their best strategies to win the game. Two of the boys (from opposite teams) got into a fight at the end, but overall the class was well-behaved and I had a fun time with them. During my break I prepped to sub for Andy's 8th grade science class and 7th grade World Religions class. At 11, I had a party with my 3rd grade class. We played charades (which they didn't understand at first, but had fun once they caught on).
At 11:45 I dashed over to the 8th grade class. They were just finishing their break, so I had some time to set up the whiteboard for Review Jeopardy. I had prayed on the way to school and during every break that I would walk in the strength of the Lord (and not my own) to teach the class. With all the things I've heard from fellow teachers, I was a little apprehensive... When the eight graders came into class, I warned them that if they misbehaved I would have to take them with me to my 4th grade math class at 12:15. Five students walked into class late, so I had the other students tell them what the punishment would be for causing problems. Thankfully Jeopardy was a big hit. The class erupted into laughter at one point when a fellow student gave the wrong answer, but all I had to say was, "the 4th graders will be laughing at you too when you have to come sit in their class" and they stopped making fun of each other. :) Had to break free a little after 12:15 ("Okay, last question. Okay, one more question. Alright, this is it for Double Jeopardy.")
My 12:15 class wasn't too good by comparison. The boys get so rowdy and determined to do whatever they have their mind set on. We played review tic-tac-toe, but none of the boys were interested in watching/helping their teammates. I ended up having them write "how I am going to be better tomorrow" letters before I left class. Went straight to 7th grade World Religions. We did Review Jeopardy in that class too, but they were much more talkative. No wonder Andy's voice is gone! There was a group of boys in the back that wouldn't stop talking, so I made them copy sentences "I will be respectful in class." Lame! The students who were paying attention (there were quite a few ... the noisy ones were just more noticeable) seemed to enjoy playing. We got down to a tie breaker which was pretty dramatic.
Relieved to have a break. Talked to teachers and then off to visit with students as they left. I never know who I'm going to see, but it is always fun to hear them call out, "Miss Helen!" I talked with a group of 3rd grade boys today. They are all disappointed that I won't be teaching them next year ... praying for opportunities to continue my relationships with them.
Took a taxi to Andy and Lisa's house, so I could pick up their documentation to give to our rep tomorrow. He is *supposed* to go to the RO for us tomorrow. (Thankful to hear that Andy's voice is a little better, though it is only a bit louder than a scratchy whisper.) Home for a snack and then Skyped with the family for almost two hours. It will be strange to talk with them in person! Definitely a good kind of strange! :)
May 19th:
Woke up feeling discouraged, still plagued by the "mosquitoes" of distraction and doubt. Talked to Pastor John and got a good book recommendation. Then I listened to part two of the shame lecture (again). Once more, it pulled all of the wandering ideas going through my mind into one concise thought. I saw that my bad attitude came from the shame of not living up to the expectations that I've placed on myself when I'm around my team and the fear of anticipated shame next year. The fear for next year has been rooted in finding my acceptance from those around me. After confessing this false standard that I've placed myself under and asking forgiveness for not seeking acceptance from God, my heart was emptied of all contempt and discouragement. In its place, thanksgiving and praise overflowed!
Went to the market with Lisa and Julie. I was really encouraged because we were able to find Lisa some great summer tops (which is not always easy since she has been blessed with above-average height - it does make it easier to pull down the clothes hanging way up high and helps us locate her, but she can't always find long shirts to wear here). Anyway, we were eight for eight!
I came back to the apartment and visited with Mary for awhile. We talked, played with Henry, played Bananagrams, and watched another part of "Our Mutual Friend." Around 4:30pm we went to an early dinner at Tantuni. The owner is very friendly and remembers his friend, Barzon (the name he has given Henry) every time. This time he actually gave us a juice for Henry! They like to start them young. :P Since we were near the market, we went to one of the shops and got a watch for Mary. Another shopping success in the same day!
We taxied from the market to Andy and Lisa's for team game night. What happens at team game night, stays at team game night. :P We were as goofy as ever. Of course playing Apples to Apples can bring out the best in all of us! We made S'Mores over the gas stove (we were going to have a fire on the roof, but it was raining.)
May 20th:
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance. I know I was much more cheerful going to school today. God had filled my heart with thankfulness yesterday and it continued to spill over, especially as I contemplated the magnitude of His love in my devotions.
My 9:15 class went fairly well until the very end. We played review tic-tac-toe. There were two teams. If the person I called on answered the review question correctly they could place an X or O on the board for their team. The kids had a lot of fun ... trying to use their best strategies to win the game. Two of the boys (from opposite teams) got into a fight at the end, but overall the class was well-behaved and I had a fun time with them. During my break I prepped to sub for Andy's 8th grade science class and 7th grade World Religions class. At 11, I had a party with my 3rd grade class. We played charades (which they didn't understand at first, but had fun once they caught on).
At 11:45 I dashed over to the 8th grade class. They were just finishing their break, so I had some time to set up the whiteboard for Review Jeopardy. I had prayed on the way to school and during every break that I would walk in the strength of the Lord (and not my own) to teach the class. With all the things I've heard from fellow teachers, I was a little apprehensive... When the eight graders came into class, I warned them that if they misbehaved I would have to take them with me to my 4th grade math class at 12:15. Five students walked into class late, so I had the other students tell them what the punishment would be for causing problems. Thankfully Jeopardy was a big hit. The class erupted into laughter at one point when a fellow student gave the wrong answer, but all I had to say was, "the 4th graders will be laughing at you too when you have to come sit in their class" and they stopped making fun of each other. :) Had to break free a little after 12:15 ("Okay, last question. Okay, one more question. Alright, this is it for Double Jeopardy.")
My 12:15 class wasn't too good by comparison. The boys get so rowdy and determined to do whatever they have their mind set on. We played review tic-tac-toe, but none of the boys were interested in watching/helping their teammates. I ended up having them write "how I am going to be better tomorrow" letters before I left class. Went straight to 7th grade World Religions. We did Review Jeopardy in that class too, but they were much more talkative. No wonder Andy's voice is gone! There was a group of boys in the back that wouldn't stop talking, so I made them copy sentences "I will be respectful in class." Lame! The students who were paying attention (there were quite a few ... the noisy ones were just more noticeable) seemed to enjoy playing. We got down to a tie breaker which was pretty dramatic.
Relieved to have a break. Talked to teachers and then off to visit with students as they left. I never know who I'm going to see, but it is always fun to hear them call out, "Miss Helen!" I talked with a group of 3rd grade boys today. They are all disappointed that I won't be teaching them next year ... praying for opportunities to continue my relationships with them.
Took a taxi to Andy and Lisa's house, so I could pick up their documentation to give to our rep tomorrow. He is *supposed* to go to the RO for us tomorrow. (Thankful to hear that Andy's voice is a little better, though it is only a bit louder than a scratchy whisper.) Home for a snack and then Skyped with the family for almost two hours. It will be strange to talk with them in person! Definitely a good kind of strange! :)
Friday, May 18, 2012
May 17th through 18th (Days 130-131): Residency Office, Dream City, and Dinner with the Admin
May 17th:
The weather is definitely getting warmer! I've got some serious farmer tan-lines :)
Got to school and tried to find a teacher to take my classes in case the Residency Office took longer than expected. It was really sweet when one of my students came down to the teacher room looking for me, "Miss, aren't you coming to our class? We want to play BINGO!" (Usually they come down, hoping they won't find me so that they can go play in the garden.) We ended up going to the RO ten minutes into my class, so the kids didn't really get to finish their BINGO cards, but I'm glad they wanted to learn.
After talking to an official at the RO, they told us to send our rep on Monday. We'll see how it goes... Got back to the school and hung out with Andy and some of the other teachers in the break room. There is a new kids television program starting up in Duhok. The school's PE teacher has been offered a job with them to organize exercise programs for the kids. He and Andy talked about some ideas.
In the 12:15 session I had them play another review game. We divided into two teams. I picked two players to come up to the board. The first one to write the correct answer to an oral math problem got a point for their team. Halfway through the class, the curriculum coordinator brought me a piece of paper with the Semester 2 grades for all of their subjects. I had to read the grades out loud so the students could write them down. By the end, students from both fourth grade classes were in tears. Thankfully math scores weren't the issue since I have been giving them grade updates for the last three weeks!
At 1:45 I had my third grade art class as well as one of the second grade classes (I was substituting for another teacher). I combined them into one classroom, then had them write "Thank You's" to their favorite teacher. It was a little chaotic with 40+ kids in the same room, but by the end I had a stack of notes to hand out to teachers. The teachers were very appreciative.
Got engrossed in a conversation with a third grader as the kids were leaving and totally forgot to grab my keys from my locker. I didn't realize it until I got back to the apartment. Took a taxi back ... thankful that the guard noticed me and unlocked the main gate. Got to the door to the building and breathed another sigh of thankfulness as it swung open. Another praise when I found my keys hanging from the locker.
Lisa and I were planning to go to the market around 3:30pm anyway, so I just walked from the school and met her at the halfway point. We enjoyed a leisurely time shopping, then went back to her house so she could feed Zephie before we headed out to Dream City. John, Mary, Dan, Andy, Lisa and I met up with some of the seventh grade students at the amusement park that is part of the Mazi Empire. While we were waiting for more students to arrive, I saw some of my third and fourth graders having a picnic with their family. I got to visit with them for awhile. As I walked up to the playground, one of my third grade boys saw me, leaped off the toy structure, and running up to me, gave me a huge hug! That really made my day!
The other students finally arrived and we went into the park. (One of the boys had hit his eye on the door before coming and it looked awful! He said he would go to the doctor after Dream City ... Yikes!) Go-Cart racing between the boys, then a race between Andy, John, and Dan. We got something to eat, then Dan, Andy, Lisa, and Mary headed back home. John and I stayed with the kids and went on "Crazy Dance" - a spinning ride that was actually better than I thought. It definitely got my adrenaline rushing, which was fun and also a bit unusual... One of the girls had to leave and so did John, but I stayed so that the other girl student, "Haley" could stay a bit longer. We went on a few more rides, and then it was time to go. Haley called her driver and he picked us up. She had permission from her parents to hang out longer, so we went to Texas Chicken. I enjoyed getting to know her better. Hopefully we will hang out again before I go home.
May 18th:
Had a good morning at fellowship. We looked at Luke 8, which was encouraging as it points to 1. the Word of God as the instrument to 2. Faith. Enjoyed our time of fellowship. Came home and listened to Pastor John's sermon on "The Need to Reflect a Gospel Mind." Really encouraged as I have felt a lot of bombardment from the enemy. There are changes on the horizon for our team, which leaves lots of room for conflict to arise. It was good to be reminded that conflict is setting where the gospel can be exemplified... now to walk in His strength through the conflict.
Spent time journaling - wrote down the distractions of the enemy and then a portion of God's Word that refutes or squelches those distractions. Lastly, tried to write down promises that I can rest on, those daily portions of manna that He provides that I need to learn to be satisfied with.
Chatted with Stacy over some ice cream, then got ready to go to dinner. John, Mary and I taxied to Shendokah where we met up with the school administration for dinner. It was a nice time. I got to visit with the vice principal (which I haven't been able to do much since I arrived). His children were there (I teach his daughter in third grade) and I met his wife for the first time. It was a laid-back atmosphere and everyone was in good spirits. We left around 10 pm. The curriculum coordinator gave Dan, Julie, and I a ride home.
The weather is definitely getting warmer! I've got some serious farmer tan-lines :)
Got to school and tried to find a teacher to take my classes in case the Residency Office took longer than expected. It was really sweet when one of my students came down to the teacher room looking for me, "Miss, aren't you coming to our class? We want to play BINGO!" (Usually they come down, hoping they won't find me so that they can go play in the garden.) We ended up going to the RO ten minutes into my class, so the kids didn't really get to finish their BINGO cards, but I'm glad they wanted to learn.
After talking to an official at the RO, they told us to send our rep on Monday. We'll see how it goes... Got back to the school and hung out with Andy and some of the other teachers in the break room. There is a new kids television program starting up in Duhok. The school's PE teacher has been offered a job with them to organize exercise programs for the kids. He and Andy talked about some ideas.
In the 12:15 session I had them play another review game. We divided into two teams. I picked two players to come up to the board. The first one to write the correct answer to an oral math problem got a point for their team. Halfway through the class, the curriculum coordinator brought me a piece of paper with the Semester 2 grades for all of their subjects. I had to read the grades out loud so the students could write them down. By the end, students from both fourth grade classes were in tears. Thankfully math scores weren't the issue since I have been giving them grade updates for the last three weeks!
At 1:45 I had my third grade art class as well as one of the second grade classes (I was substituting for another teacher). I combined them into one classroom, then had them write "Thank You's" to their favorite teacher. It was a little chaotic with 40+ kids in the same room, but by the end I had a stack of notes to hand out to teachers. The teachers were very appreciative.
Got engrossed in a conversation with a third grader as the kids were leaving and totally forgot to grab my keys from my locker. I didn't realize it until I got back to the apartment. Took a taxi back ... thankful that the guard noticed me and unlocked the main gate. Got to the door to the building and breathed another sigh of thankfulness as it swung open. Another praise when I found my keys hanging from the locker.
Lisa and I were planning to go to the market around 3:30pm anyway, so I just walked from the school and met her at the halfway point. We enjoyed a leisurely time shopping, then went back to her house so she could feed Zephie before we headed out to Dream City. John, Mary, Dan, Andy, Lisa and I met up with some of the seventh grade students at the amusement park that is part of the Mazi Empire. While we were waiting for more students to arrive, I saw some of my third and fourth graders having a picnic with their family. I got to visit with them for awhile. As I walked up to the playground, one of my third grade boys saw me, leaped off the toy structure, and running up to me, gave me a huge hug! That really made my day!
The other students finally arrived and we went into the park. (One of the boys had hit his eye on the door before coming and it looked awful! He said he would go to the doctor after Dream City ... Yikes!) Go-Cart racing between the boys, then a race between Andy, John, and Dan. We got something to eat, then Dan, Andy, Lisa, and Mary headed back home. John and I stayed with the kids and went on "Crazy Dance" - a spinning ride that was actually better than I thought. It definitely got my adrenaline rushing, which was fun and also a bit unusual... One of the girls had to leave and so did John, but I stayed so that the other girl student, "Haley" could stay a bit longer. We went on a few more rides, and then it was time to go. Haley called her driver and he picked us up. She had permission from her parents to hang out longer, so we went to Texas Chicken. I enjoyed getting to know her better. Hopefully we will hang out again before I go home.
May 18th:
Had a good morning at fellowship. We looked at Luke 8, which was encouraging as it points to 1. the Word of God as the instrument to 2. Faith. Enjoyed our time of fellowship. Came home and listened to Pastor John's sermon on "The Need to Reflect a Gospel Mind." Really encouraged as I have felt a lot of bombardment from the enemy. There are changes on the horizon for our team, which leaves lots of room for conflict to arise. It was good to be reminded that conflict is setting where the gospel can be exemplified... now to walk in His strength through the conflict.
Spent time journaling - wrote down the distractions of the enemy and then a portion of God's Word that refutes or squelches those distractions. Lastly, tried to write down promises that I can rest on, those daily portions of manna that He provides that I need to learn to be satisfied with.
Chatted with Stacy over some ice cream, then got ready to go to dinner. John, Mary and I taxied to Shendokah where we met up with the school administration for dinner. It was a nice time. I got to visit with the vice principal (which I haven't been able to do much since I arrived). His children were there (I teach his daughter in third grade) and I met his wife for the first time. It was a laid-back atmosphere and everyone was in good spirits. We left around 10 pm. The curriculum coordinator gave Dan, Julie, and I a ride home.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
May 15th through 16th (Days 128-129): Tough Love and Answered Prayer
May 15th:
At the break, I went next door to the other fourth grade class and made sure they stayed in the room for their break. They weren't pleased and four of the boys decided it would be a good idea to charge at Miss Helen to try to break free. Since most of them are nearly as big as me (and one of them definitely heavier), it was not a fair fight; I'm afraid it also bordered on the ridiculous. Thankfully other teachers made the "escapees" come back. The fifteen minutes seemed like an eternity (and my body is now feeling the pains of being a human barrier).
I had my third grade art class right after and had a fairly good time with them since I promised a "Miss Helen's last day with you / student birthday" party tomorrow if they behaved. I put up five stars on the board and told them that if I had erased all of them by the end of class, the party would be cancelled. By the end I had erased three of the stars. Each lost star prompted the kids to get after each other (which works far more effectively to improve behavior than anything Miss Helen might say.)
From 11 to 11:45 I graded tests so that I would have the final phase grades ready to turn in this afternoon. At 11:45 I dashed back up to the fourth grade classroom to follow through with the punishment laid out yesterday. The other teacher had to teach classes during that time, so I felt responsible to make sure they lost both breaks (inconsistency is far too common here). The kids weren't happy to see me again, especially as it meant they wouldn't get their normal assortment of chips, candy and soda. Apart from the four boys who tried to charge me again, the rest of the class settled down after a few minutes and I "made them a deal." I knew I had to give them their math test and that it would be easier if they went to the garden after finishing the test (so that they wouldn't hang around to cheat or talk), but I didn't want to give them garden time without making them understand why they had lost their break time. I told them that if they wrote apology letters to the other teacher I would let them take their test early and then release them to the garden at the end of my class. The entire class took the deal (the four boys caught on pretty quick) and pretty soon I had a whole stack of apology letters. The test went well, especially since the kids had "simmered down" [memory lane: that was a favorite phrase with one of my high school teachers]. I made each one sit quietly for 5-10 minutes after they finished, then let them go to the garden. (The other teacher was very pleased to get the apology letters...)
Immediately after that class I subbed for one of the teachers who didn't come to school today. I thought I would be teaching a third grade class and had planned to continue with their art lesson. As it turned out, I had the first "rowdy" session again. Two of the boys had already been put "in charge." So I told them to continue "being responsible" while I graded tests. The ironic thing - the boys who had been chosen are some of the worst boys in my class. It was nice to see them have to deal with misbehaving students and get frustrated with "all the noise, Miss!" :) I think we had a bonding moment because of it... Periodically I would look to see which names were written on the board under "good" and let them go to the garden. Funny how the same students that are going to the principal or losing their breaks in my class were the same students that stayed until the last when being evaluated by their peers! I pointed this out to them and asked them to examine why that would be the case.
Finally had a break at 1:45. By then my head was hurting and I was ready to go home. Stayed until 2:30 though so I could talk to the kids, which is always rewarding. Had a nice time with them, then walked home the long way so I could exchange money to pay the rent. Got home and tried to nap, but oppressed with discouraging thoughts. Asked the Lord for help to look to Him for my encouragement instead of burying my head in distractions. God blessed me with a Skype call to Mom and she encouraged me to hunker down behind the shield of faith. I needed that reminder as it is easy for me to grab the negative thought, analyze it, and try to "fix the problem." The fiery darts ceased to hit their mark as I flew to "the Rock that is higher than I. For [He] has been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."
May 16th:
Had a really FUN day with my classes! I'd asked Mom to pray that the enemy would be restrained, that distractions would be minimized, and that I'd be able to give my kids 110% - God answers prayer!
I played "Math Bingo" with them to review some of the terms we've learned this year. I had them divide up into four teams (which was good math review, since there was a remainder and one of the teams had to have an extra player) then let them go to the garden to find real-life examples of "acute angles," "parallel lines," "symmetry," etc. Once the "rowdy" class caught on, they enjoyed it immensely. They were clamoring all over me to show me their real-life math term and have them sign off on the matching BINGO square.
The 10:15 class got their party and they were really excited. They brought cake and snacks to share, and we played "Heads Up, 7 Up." The neighboring class heard all our fun and the teacher asked if they could come over. (This is the same teacher who saw me get upset with this group of kids the other day. He is not a very good role model, being immature in his interaction with the kids, so I saw this as an opportunity to be a good example. Asked the Lord for wisdom...) We all had fun playing and it was an enjoyable time.
My next art class got upset that they weren't having a party, but settled down once I explained that on our last day together we would also have a party if they could keep their five stars. They did a great job (until the very end) and I enjoyed taking pictures of them with their sketchbooks. They were the only class to finish their "God Sees Me" books!
Feeling really refreshed by the time the half hour break came around (and so thankful I didn't have to keep any of the classes for the break.) The second math class enjoyed BINGO as well, though some of the kids didn't participate. I actually had 8th graders come up and want to join in, so I gave them their own BINGO card and they had a blast! We caused such a stir that one of the other teachers asked me if I had BINGO cards for vocabulary words ... I told him I would email the template to him so he could create his own.
One more break that went by quickly, then my last 3rd grade art class for the day. I ended up letting them go to the garden since tomorrow is my last day with them and I'm not sure we'll be able to have a party. I have to go to the Residency Office and get my visa extended (and we never know how long that might take).
Left school, then got a text from "Julee" saying she couldn't go to the orphanage, so I called T to let her know. I will definitely try to say goodbye before they leave to their "villages" for the summer. Used the time to make two "grocery" runs, then Stacy and I went over to John and Mary's for dinner. We laughed and talked for a long time afterwards. It was a refreshing time. I also got some nice cuddles from Henry (don't get jealous, Eithen)!
Phew! What a day! Got to school and had a nice time looking at pictures of my friend's honeymoon in Turkey. Hurried off to class and gave my fourth graders their math test. It actually went fairly well. Because their comprehension of the test questions has improved, the class stays relatively quiet for the first 10 minutes, and then the questions start flying in. We had a new student in class today - not sure why since school ends in a few days - I ran the class as usual, but seeing the look on her face, I was concerned that my strictness scared her. Hopefully I will have a few days to get to know her and improve first impressions.
At the break, I went next door to the other fourth grade class and made sure they stayed in the room for their break. They weren't pleased and four of the boys decided it would be a good idea to charge at Miss Helen to try to break free. Since most of them are nearly as big as me (and one of them definitely heavier), it was not a fair fight; I'm afraid it also bordered on the ridiculous. Thankfully other teachers made the "escapees" come back. The fifteen minutes seemed like an eternity (and my body is now feeling the pains of being a human barrier).
I had my third grade art class right after and had a fairly good time with them since I promised a "Miss Helen's last day with you / student birthday" party tomorrow if they behaved. I put up five stars on the board and told them that if I had erased all of them by the end of class, the party would be cancelled. By the end I had erased three of the stars. Each lost star prompted the kids to get after each other (which works far more effectively to improve behavior than anything Miss Helen might say.)
From 11 to 11:45 I graded tests so that I would have the final phase grades ready to turn in this afternoon. At 11:45 I dashed back up to the fourth grade classroom to follow through with the punishment laid out yesterday. The other teacher had to teach classes during that time, so I felt responsible to make sure they lost both breaks (inconsistency is far too common here). The kids weren't happy to see me again, especially as it meant they wouldn't get their normal assortment of chips, candy and soda. Apart from the four boys who tried to charge me again, the rest of the class settled down after a few minutes and I "made them a deal." I knew I had to give them their math test and that it would be easier if they went to the garden after finishing the test (so that they wouldn't hang around to cheat or talk), but I didn't want to give them garden time without making them understand why they had lost their break time. I told them that if they wrote apology letters to the other teacher I would let them take their test early and then release them to the garden at the end of my class. The entire class took the deal (the four boys caught on pretty quick) and pretty soon I had a whole stack of apology letters. The test went well, especially since the kids had "simmered down" [memory lane: that was a favorite phrase with one of my high school teachers]. I made each one sit quietly for 5-10 minutes after they finished, then let them go to the garden. (The other teacher was very pleased to get the apology letters...)
Immediately after that class I subbed for one of the teachers who didn't come to school today. I thought I would be teaching a third grade class and had planned to continue with their art lesson. As it turned out, I had the first "rowdy" session again. Two of the boys had already been put "in charge." So I told them to continue "being responsible" while I graded tests. The ironic thing - the boys who had been chosen are some of the worst boys in my class. It was nice to see them have to deal with misbehaving students and get frustrated with "all the noise, Miss!" :) I think we had a bonding moment because of it... Periodically I would look to see which names were written on the board under "good" and let them go to the garden. Funny how the same students that are going to the principal or losing their breaks in my class were the same students that stayed until the last when being evaluated by their peers! I pointed this out to them and asked them to examine why that would be the case.
Finally had a break at 1:45. By then my head was hurting and I was ready to go home. Stayed until 2:30 though so I could talk to the kids, which is always rewarding. Had a nice time with them, then walked home the long way so I could exchange money to pay the rent. Got home and tried to nap, but oppressed with discouraging thoughts. Asked the Lord for help to look to Him for my encouragement instead of burying my head in distractions. God blessed me with a Skype call to Mom and she encouraged me to hunker down behind the shield of faith. I needed that reminder as it is easy for me to grab the negative thought, analyze it, and try to "fix the problem." The fiery darts ceased to hit their mark as I flew to "the Rock that is higher than I. For [He] has been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy."
May 16th:
Had a really FUN day with my classes! I'd asked Mom to pray that the enemy would be restrained, that distractions would be minimized, and that I'd be able to give my kids 110% - God answers prayer!
I played "Math Bingo" with them to review some of the terms we've learned this year. I had them divide up into four teams (which was good math review, since there was a remainder and one of the teams had to have an extra player) then let them go to the garden to find real-life examples of "acute angles," "parallel lines," "symmetry," etc. Once the "rowdy" class caught on, they enjoyed it immensely. They were clamoring all over me to show me their real-life math term and have them sign off on the matching BINGO square.
The 10:15 class got their party and they were really excited. They brought cake and snacks to share, and we played "Heads Up, 7 Up." The neighboring class heard all our fun and the teacher asked if they could come over. (This is the same teacher who saw me get upset with this group of kids the other day. He is not a very good role model, being immature in his interaction with the kids, so I saw this as an opportunity to be a good example. Asked the Lord for wisdom...) We all had fun playing and it was an enjoyable time.
My next art class got upset that they weren't having a party, but settled down once I explained that on our last day together we would also have a party if they could keep their five stars. They did a great job (until the very end) and I enjoyed taking pictures of them with their sketchbooks. They were the only class to finish their "God Sees Me" books!
Feeling really refreshed by the time the half hour break came around (and so thankful I didn't have to keep any of the classes for the break.) The second math class enjoyed BINGO as well, though some of the kids didn't participate. I actually had 8th graders come up and want to join in, so I gave them their own BINGO card and they had a blast! We caused such a stir that one of the other teachers asked me if I had BINGO cards for vocabulary words ... I told him I would email the template to him so he could create his own.
One more break that went by quickly, then my last 3rd grade art class for the day. I ended up letting them go to the garden since tomorrow is my last day with them and I'm not sure we'll be able to have a party. I have to go to the Residency Office and get my visa extended (and we never know how long that might take).
Left school, then got a text from "Julee" saying she couldn't go to the orphanage, so I called T to let her know. I will definitely try to say goodbye before they leave to their "villages" for the summer. Used the time to make two "grocery" runs, then Stacy and I went over to John and Mary's for dinner. We laughed and talked for a long time afterwards. It was a refreshing time. I also got some nice cuddles from Henry (don't get jealous, Eithen)!
Monday, May 14, 2012
May 13th through 14th (Days 126-127): When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Bars!
May 13th:
Woke up this morning with a bit of a cloud hanging over me. Spent time praying through it, but still had some heaviness as I went to school. The weather matched my mood. The city was covered with a dust cloud. Even the shadows on the sidewalk seemed dusty.
The 9:15 math class was trying. There was a dead bird in the room that kept disrupting class, though I'm sure it would've chosen to die elsewhere if it had known what a ruckus it would cause. The boys could not sit still at all. I ended up keeping some of them through the break and re-teaching the lesson. Graded papers during my break and turned in the final exam with answers to the curriculum coordinator. They collected them in manila envelopes (each one labeled with a specific grade and subject).
The 11am art class went well, but I had to break up a cat fight at the beginning of class. (Sounds like I was teaching anatomy - from birds to cats.) Two of the girls were clawing at each other because one of them had moved her desk, which intruded on the other girl's space. Of course neither of them took responsibility. We went into the hall and because they wouldn't apologize, I made them write apology letters during class. By the end of the period, they were smiling and best friends again. They decorated and re-decorated their letters, showing them to each other intermittently, so that there really wasn't any need to force the exchange.
During the half hour break, I continued grading papers. The end of the phase is coming up, so students are anxious to improve their grades. The 12:15 class was quiet when I came in (except for their now routine, top-of-the-lungs greeting). Two of the boys kept talking and being disruptive, but I tried to move through the lesson. All of a sudden something happened and a fight between them broke out. I sent the main antagonist into the hall, and continued the lesson in peace. When I let him back in after "5 minutes" - it may have extended a little beyond ;) - I thought we would finish the class quietly. I brought the other boy to the front of the room and had him work through one of the problems on the board. All of a sudden, a full, .33L water bottle came shooting to the front of the room like a missile. It was intended for the student, but hit the board right between us and barely missed my head. I had to react fast as boy #2 reached down for the bottle and tried to throw it back. I disarmed him of the first one, but he had a second one before I could blink. It barely missed boy #1, who picked it up and launched it again. I ended up deflecting it with my hand so that it wouldn't hit any of the other students. There was a cease fire. I dragged both of them outside as the Arabic teacher entered the room. The boys would not apologize. The Arabic teacher got upset with them for causing me grief, but they still refused. I told them they would have to write apology letters (deja vu?) to turn in tomorrow. I rushed off, needing to meet up with H and J. It bothered me that I couldn't follow through and would have to wait until tomorrow.
A quiet taxi ride to H's (which is always a blessing) and a good time with J. H is feeling better (her allergies have been bothering her). And J is really improving in his reading. We had a nice time together, though I really had to pray that the Lord would help me leave the incidents at school behind. He answered my prayer and gave me the strength to encourage H and be completely attentive to J. There was road construction along the main route back home, so the taxi driver had to take the long way. Thankfully I was wearing my sunglasses and he couldn't ask me any questions. (I bought some new "Kurdish" sunglasses when I went to the market with T. Since wearing them, I've noticed that I don't get honked at or "nee-howed" wherever I go. The dark hair comes in handy!)
Got home and felt like a pity party, but realized that my discouragement was merely the result of relying in my own power to resolve the issues at school. God had clearly given me wisdom during the "cat fight" - I was able to pray while taking the girls out of the class, but I had gotten distracted when dealing with the boys and didn't seek His help. My pity party didn't last long and I went over to John and Mary's for a visit.
Came home and Skyped with the family. (Happy Mother's Day, Mama!) Eithen is changing, but still gives me lots of kisses on the webcam. Good to talk with everyone (except Caleb and Stephen who were spending the night at a friend's). Afterwards I did some crazy baking and made lemon bars for our team dinner with another batch to take to school. I also made more granola. Tired, but in a better mood by bedtime.
May 14th:
Got to school and finished grading papers just in time for class. Students are starting to turn in a lot more homework as the phase comes to end, so that also means more time spent grading for me. When I walked into class this morning, I told the kids that if they didn't want to be in class, they were free to leave. If I wrote their names on the board and they didn't go to the garden, then I would take them to the principal after class. They were amazed that I would let them go to the garden without "minusing" them (meaning penalizing them). I assured them that they wouldn't be penalized, but that it was their choice to come to class and learn. If they didn't want to, they could go outside. On the other hand, if they kept other students from learning, then I would have to deal with their misbehavior. The first offender was pretty excited at going to the garden, taunting his classmates, who (to my relief) weren't impressed. He noticed their reaction and hesitated at the doorway. I told him that if he didn't stand outside but continued to disrupt, he would see the principal. He chose to stand in the doorway and stood as still as I've ever seen him for 20 minutes. There were other boys who crossed the line and left. They also stood just outside the classroom and eventually asked to come back in and learn. Two boys, fifteen minutes before class ended, decided that it would be fun to go to the garden and they left, but a teacher confronted them, asked why they were outside and sent them back to apologize. I ended up keeping them through part of their break. We didn't cover as much material as I would've liked, but I did see improvement.
During the break all the teachers told me how much they liked the lemon bars. A success towards my goal - introducing new foods to the country, one dessert at a time! It is really fun to have them talk to me now and include me in their conversations (which sometimes means that one of them will have to translate). Nadia has mentioned everyday how much fun she had taking me to dummbalah!
My 12:15 class got the same lecture about not being in class if they didn't want to learn. By the end of class three boys were standing in the hallway. They tried to disrupt class, but thankfully the rest of the students were engaged in the lesson, at least until the last 10 minutes of class. At that point they started talking and wouldn't settle down. Apparently they weren't attentive for the teacher after me either and it was decided that they would lose both breaks tomorrow. I'll probably help cover some of that time and have them review for their test.
I stayed at the school until 2:30 and hung out in the teacher room. The cleaning lady is quite a character; if words could clean, the school would be sparkling. As it is, the gossip circulates and so does the dirt. Jaco is very friendly though and everyone gets along with her. She enjoys teaching Assyrian to anyone who is willing to learn - I've picked up a few phrases, though my pronunciation doesn't meet the standard John has already set. In the break room, Jaco was teaching one of the Arabic-speaking teachers some Assyrian and I started to catch on to what they were referring to (the conversation was in Arabic). The lesson extended into English as another teacher translated for me. It was fun to learn with them and laugh at our mistakes - it is so easy to feel waaayyyy behind everyone else because they can speak at least two and usually closer to four languages.
I like to stay until 2:30 because then I get to talk to the kids as they load up or wait for their rides. They asked me if I was coming back next year and hoped I'd be teaching them. As it stands right now, it looks like I'll be teaching 5th grade math and story.
When I got home, I took a nap (with all the Assyrian floating around in my brain). Then headed off with John, Mary, Henry, and Stacy to our team meeting. We have the funniest team ever. Zander wanted us to sing along to his "drumming," so we all launched into a song (that Zander didn't know). A snapshot of the moment would've revealed six adults belting out "I've Been Working on the Railroad." We struggled to remember all the lines, but by the second time through we had it down. Now how often do you get a group of adults singing kids songs? Shows what happens when you are immersed in an ESL community! :) We had a nice summery meal. Lisa made a fruit salad and a cajun bulgur salad; Julie made red pepper hummus; and Mary made pretzels! We topped it off with lemon bars for dessert and a devotional that looked at the depths of creation (and all the new discoveries they are making at the bottom of the ocean). We ended the night with our Skype call to Dave and Lisa and taxied home.
Feeling emotionally tired as I think of ending the school year ... I will definitely miss my students. Two and half months back home seems like a long time to be away from them, but then I know that the time will fly by and I'll be missing "home" life once again. Leaving is bittersweet. I can't wait to get back to the things that are familiar, but will miss all the things that I've worked so hard at that have become familiar here. Trying to be rooted and built up in God, established in the faith that He is working all things according to His purpose and for His glory. When my affections are bound up in Him, then no matter where I go or what I am doing, as long as it is with Him, I will have all my joy and happiness. So then the goal must be, to "live to the hilt every situation I believe to be the will of God" (Jim Elliot).
Woke up this morning with a bit of a cloud hanging over me. Spent time praying through it, but still had some heaviness as I went to school. The weather matched my mood. The city was covered with a dust cloud. Even the shadows on the sidewalk seemed dusty.
The 9:15 math class was trying. There was a dead bird in the room that kept disrupting class, though I'm sure it would've chosen to die elsewhere if it had known what a ruckus it would cause. The boys could not sit still at all. I ended up keeping some of them through the break and re-teaching the lesson. Graded papers during my break and turned in the final exam with answers to the curriculum coordinator. They collected them in manila envelopes (each one labeled with a specific grade and subject).
The 11am art class went well, but I had to break up a cat fight at the beginning of class. (Sounds like I was teaching anatomy - from birds to cats.) Two of the girls were clawing at each other because one of them had moved her desk, which intruded on the other girl's space. Of course neither of them took responsibility. We went into the hall and because they wouldn't apologize, I made them write apology letters during class. By the end of the period, they were smiling and best friends again. They decorated and re-decorated their letters, showing them to each other intermittently, so that there really wasn't any need to force the exchange.
During the half hour break, I continued grading papers. The end of the phase is coming up, so students are anxious to improve their grades. The 12:15 class was quiet when I came in (except for their now routine, top-of-the-lungs greeting). Two of the boys kept talking and being disruptive, but I tried to move through the lesson. All of a sudden something happened and a fight between them broke out. I sent the main antagonist into the hall, and continued the lesson in peace. When I let him back in after "5 minutes" - it may have extended a little beyond ;) - I thought we would finish the class quietly. I brought the other boy to the front of the room and had him work through one of the problems on the board. All of a sudden, a full, .33L water bottle came shooting to the front of the room like a missile. It was intended for the student, but hit the board right between us and barely missed my head. I had to react fast as boy #2 reached down for the bottle and tried to throw it back. I disarmed him of the first one, but he had a second one before I could blink. It barely missed boy #1, who picked it up and launched it again. I ended up deflecting it with my hand so that it wouldn't hit any of the other students. There was a cease fire. I dragged both of them outside as the Arabic teacher entered the room. The boys would not apologize. The Arabic teacher got upset with them for causing me grief, but they still refused. I told them they would have to write apology letters (deja vu?) to turn in tomorrow. I rushed off, needing to meet up with H and J. It bothered me that I couldn't follow through and would have to wait until tomorrow.
A quiet taxi ride to H's (which is always a blessing) and a good time with J. H is feeling better (her allergies have been bothering her). And J is really improving in his reading. We had a nice time together, though I really had to pray that the Lord would help me leave the incidents at school behind. He answered my prayer and gave me the strength to encourage H and be completely attentive to J. There was road construction along the main route back home, so the taxi driver had to take the long way. Thankfully I was wearing my sunglasses and he couldn't ask me any questions. (I bought some new "Kurdish" sunglasses when I went to the market with T. Since wearing them, I've noticed that I don't get honked at or "nee-howed" wherever I go. The dark hair comes in handy!)
Got home and felt like a pity party, but realized that my discouragement was merely the result of relying in my own power to resolve the issues at school. God had clearly given me wisdom during the "cat fight" - I was able to pray while taking the girls out of the class, but I had gotten distracted when dealing with the boys and didn't seek His help. My pity party didn't last long and I went over to John and Mary's for a visit.
Came home and Skyped with the family. (Happy Mother's Day, Mama!) Eithen is changing, but still gives me lots of kisses on the webcam. Good to talk with everyone (except Caleb and Stephen who were spending the night at a friend's). Afterwards I did some crazy baking and made lemon bars for our team dinner with another batch to take to school. I also made more granola. Tired, but in a better mood by bedtime.
May 14th:
Got to school and finished grading papers just in time for class. Students are starting to turn in a lot more homework as the phase comes to end, so that also means more time spent grading for me. When I walked into class this morning, I told the kids that if they didn't want to be in class, they were free to leave. If I wrote their names on the board and they didn't go to the garden, then I would take them to the principal after class. They were amazed that I would let them go to the garden without "minusing" them (meaning penalizing them). I assured them that they wouldn't be penalized, but that it was their choice to come to class and learn. If they didn't want to, they could go outside. On the other hand, if they kept other students from learning, then I would have to deal with their misbehavior. The first offender was pretty excited at going to the garden, taunting his classmates, who (to my relief) weren't impressed. He noticed their reaction and hesitated at the doorway. I told him that if he didn't stand outside but continued to disrupt, he would see the principal. He chose to stand in the doorway and stood as still as I've ever seen him for 20 minutes. There were other boys who crossed the line and left. They also stood just outside the classroom and eventually asked to come back in and learn. Two boys, fifteen minutes before class ended, decided that it would be fun to go to the garden and they left, but a teacher confronted them, asked why they were outside and sent them back to apologize. I ended up keeping them through part of their break. We didn't cover as much material as I would've liked, but I did see improvement.
During the break all the teachers told me how much they liked the lemon bars. A success towards my goal - introducing new foods to the country, one dessert at a time! It is really fun to have them talk to me now and include me in their conversations (which sometimes means that one of them will have to translate). Nadia has mentioned everyday how much fun she had taking me to dummbalah!
My 12:15 class got the same lecture about not being in class if they didn't want to learn. By the end of class three boys were standing in the hallway. They tried to disrupt class, but thankfully the rest of the students were engaged in the lesson, at least until the last 10 minutes of class. At that point they started talking and wouldn't settle down. Apparently they weren't attentive for the teacher after me either and it was decided that they would lose both breaks tomorrow. I'll probably help cover some of that time and have them review for their test.
I stayed at the school until 2:30 and hung out in the teacher room. The cleaning lady is quite a character; if words could clean, the school would be sparkling. As it is, the gossip circulates and so does the dirt. Jaco is very friendly though and everyone gets along with her. She enjoys teaching Assyrian to anyone who is willing to learn - I've picked up a few phrases, though my pronunciation doesn't meet the standard John has already set. In the break room, Jaco was teaching one of the Arabic-speaking teachers some Assyrian and I started to catch on to what they were referring to (the conversation was in Arabic). The lesson extended into English as another teacher translated for me. It was fun to learn with them and laugh at our mistakes - it is so easy to feel waaayyyy behind everyone else because they can speak at least two and usually closer to four languages.
I like to stay until 2:30 because then I get to talk to the kids as they load up or wait for their rides. They asked me if I was coming back next year and hoped I'd be teaching them. As it stands right now, it looks like I'll be teaching 5th grade math and story.
When I got home, I took a nap (with all the Assyrian floating around in my brain). Then headed off with John, Mary, Henry, and Stacy to our team meeting. We have the funniest team ever. Zander wanted us to sing along to his "drumming," so we all launched into a song (that Zander didn't know). A snapshot of the moment would've revealed six adults belting out "I've Been Working on the Railroad." We struggled to remember all the lines, but by the second time through we had it down. Now how often do you get a group of adults singing kids songs? Shows what happens when you are immersed in an ESL community! :) We had a nice summery meal. Lisa made a fruit salad and a cajun bulgur salad; Julie made red pepper hummus; and Mary made pretzels! We topped it off with lemon bars for dessert and a devotional that looked at the depths of creation (and all the new discoveries they are making at the bottom of the ocean). We ended the night with our Skype call to Dave and Lisa and taxied home.
Feeling emotionally tired as I think of ending the school year ... I will definitely miss my students. Two and half months back home seems like a long time to be away from them, but then I know that the time will fly by and I'll be missing "home" life once again. Leaving is bittersweet. I can't wait to get back to the things that are familiar, but will miss all the things that I've worked so hard at that have become familiar here. Trying to be rooted and built up in God, established in the faith that He is working all things according to His purpose and for His glory. When my affections are bound up in Him, then no matter where I go or what I am doing, as long as it is with Him, I will have all my joy and happiness. So then the goal must be, to "live to the hilt every situation I believe to be the will of God" (Jim Elliot).
Saturday, May 12, 2012
May 11th through 12th (Days 124-125): And Forget Not All His Benefits
May 11th:
Relaxing day at home. Listened to Pastor John's sermon on rejoicing in conflict and was really encouraged by it. He had given me a "sneak peak" when I was dealing with conflict earlier in the year ... hearing it again was refreshing and a good reminder. It was good to see that I have much more to rejoice in now, having seen the blessings of walking in the strength of the Lord over the last four months.
Skyped with Mom, so thankful whenever she is online and we have a good connection! I filled her in all the things that daughters tell their mothers. It was late on her end, but she laughed and listened. I blogged, emailed, napped (swimming yesterday wore me out!), and got my "laundry oxen" out of the ditch.
Stacy and I went to Sarky's for dinner. We like to order half cheese (for Stacy), half veggie (for me - no such thing as pepperoni). Anyway, we must be "regulars" because the waiter knew what we wanted! Glad to see that I am starting to put down roots here and establish connections (even if they are at the pizza place).
In the evening I Skyped with Jess. It's always good to hear her voice and see the kids. We could talk for hours, but one hour is about all she can spare as she tries to keep the house afloat. It will be good to catch up in person, where I can help clean and fold laundry while we talk.
May 12th:
Another quiet day, but a lot accomplished. After my morning routine, I vacuumed, cleaned my bathroom, wrote out the answer key for the math final, and finished the yearly plan for fourth grade math next year. John and Mary got back from Erbil (they went to a wedding and left Thursday evening), so I visited with them for a little bit. Went to the shop at the corner and bought some groceries for the week. Read a portion of Doddridge's "The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul." Was encouraged by his "particular directions for maintaining continual communion with God, or being in His fear all the day long." Need to put many of them into action this week. Took another nap ... have to catch up from all the sleepless, mosquito-filled nights of the last week!
In the evening, I read through previous journal entries (starting last October) and was encouraged to mark the many ways God has answered prayer. From giving me an opportunity to work at the orphanage, to revealing my deeply-concealed idols, to building relationships with my students, God has been faithful to lead me in His paths of righteousness. The last four months have been filled with situations I never thought I'd experience, but God has used each one to grow me and show me more of Himself. Even though four months is a relatively short period of time, I realized how quickly my thoughts and feelings move on to other things ... it is good to have a written reminder of all God's dealings with us. The reminder of answered prayer was also an encouragement to ask Him for more specific things, particularly for this week.
Relaxing day at home. Listened to Pastor John's sermon on rejoicing in conflict and was really encouraged by it. He had given me a "sneak peak" when I was dealing with conflict earlier in the year ... hearing it again was refreshing and a good reminder. It was good to see that I have much more to rejoice in now, having seen the blessings of walking in the strength of the Lord over the last four months.
Skyped with Mom, so thankful whenever she is online and we have a good connection! I filled her in all the things that daughters tell their mothers. It was late on her end, but she laughed and listened. I blogged, emailed, napped (swimming yesterday wore me out!), and got my "laundry oxen" out of the ditch.
Stacy and I went to Sarky's for dinner. We like to order half cheese (for Stacy), half veggie (for me - no such thing as pepperoni). Anyway, we must be "regulars" because the waiter knew what we wanted! Glad to see that I am starting to put down roots here and establish connections (even if they are at the pizza place).
In the evening I Skyped with Jess. It's always good to hear her voice and see the kids. We could talk for hours, but one hour is about all she can spare as she tries to keep the house afloat. It will be good to catch up in person, where I can help clean and fold laundry while we talk.
May 12th:
Another quiet day, but a lot accomplished. After my morning routine, I vacuumed, cleaned my bathroom, wrote out the answer key for the math final, and finished the yearly plan for fourth grade math next year. John and Mary got back from Erbil (they went to a wedding and left Thursday evening), so I visited with them for a little bit. Went to the shop at the corner and bought some groceries for the week. Read a portion of Doddridge's "The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul." Was encouraged by his "particular directions for maintaining continual communion with God, or being in His fear all the day long." Need to put many of them into action this week. Took another nap ... have to catch up from all the sleepless, mosquito-filled nights of the last week!
In the evening, I read through previous journal entries (starting last October) and was encouraged to mark the many ways God has answered prayer. From giving me an opportunity to work at the orphanage, to revealing my deeply-concealed idols, to building relationships with my students, God has been faithful to lead me in His paths of righteousness. The last four months have been filled with situations I never thought I'd experience, but God has used each one to grow me and show me more of Himself. Even though four months is a relatively short period of time, I realized how quickly my thoughts and feelings move on to other things ... it is good to have a written reminder of all God's dealings with us. The reminder of answered prayer was also an encouragement to ask Him for more specific things, particularly for this week.
Friday, May 11, 2012
May 9th through 10th (Days 122-123): Discipline, Drama, Diving, and Dummbalah! Oh My!
May 9th:
There was a pesky mosquito in my room last night, so unfortunately I didn't sleep very well!
After I got ready this morning, I discovered that I didn't have my keys with me and Stacy had locked the door behind her when she left. I was essentially LOCKED IN! What a morning! Thankfully, I had my phone, called Stacy and she came back and let me out. A tough way to start the day. Ashamedly, I didn't have a very good attitude about it, but prayed about it on the way to school and asked God to help me have the right perspective, then texted Stacy to apologize for being upset when it was my fault. By the time I got to school, I felt more prepared to start the day in the Lord's strength.
It was a long day, though the 9:15 session had some exceptionally good students ... the parent of one of my rowdiest boys had come in and talked to me (through the curriculum coordinator) yesterday. Her complaint was that her son was not only getting low marks, but I had torn up his homework! I explained that I tore up the piece of paper because he was copying off another student as I walked into the class. He is also the one who is always throwing eraser pieces in class and talking the entire time. The meeting went well and I thanked her for being involved in her son's academics, trying to emphasize that we both wanted to help him, but that it was ultimately up to the student to improve. Today he was much better in class and actually took notes! The two who were supposed to write letters and bring them in today, finished the letters during class. [I am rolling my eyes as I write this ... consistent discipline has been such a struggle. I actually woke up this morning thinking about my discipline policy for next year.]
Today I really tried to focus on the good students. Last night I was thinking about my classes and how I can neglect the "good" students as I discipline the others. I don't want to discourage the "good" kids and I need to make sure to touch bases with them. Tried to talk to each of them after class and make sure they felt like things were going well.
Had the next two art classes back-to-back. I got frustrated with the first group... there was so much talking and wandering around. I spent a lot of time praying afterwards that God would forgive me for yelling at a couple of the boys (as another teacher walked into the room, nonetheless). The second art class was better, but it was hard to find encouragement in the midst of my tiredness.
During the break I could sense the magnitude of my weakness, and at the same time found it hard to rest in the strength of the Lord. Thankfully He hears the smallest cry for help and I was energized to teach the second math class. They were still a tough group ... one of the boys would not stop talking, even after I sent him out of the class for 15 minutes! I wish I could've taken a nap between my classes, but instead I graded papers! Finished off the day with my last art class. There was some drama and I found myself asking the Lord for lots of help.
Hurried home, changed, then met up with "Julee" to go to the orphanage. The older girls whisked me away right off. I showed them pictures of my family, then showed them how to write their names in one-point perspective. I brought some of my markers (from a friend in Germany) and they enjoyed decorating their names. They asked me for my autograph ... some of them wrote their names and then underneath, "loves Helen." So sweet! My Kurdish vocabulary is growing, and it is nice to have a sense that I am really learning something when I am able to hold a conversation using the few words I know. They asked me to sing for them, so I squeaked out "Amazing Grace." It really takes me by surprise - the many opportunities I have to share my love for God with these girls every week!
Came home and struggled to get a few things done. I finally gave in and took a nap at 6pm. Even after a nap though, I was exhausted. I sat down to write this entry and was finding that I didn't have the energy to go on. In the middle of typing, I begged the Lord for help to find the strength I need in Him. His answer came before I could even finish praying. My heart overflowed with gratitude and tears came to my eyes, seeing Him answer prayer so freely. It was exactly the encouragement I needed.
May 10th:
Wow! What a day! So much happened, that to review is like reading a play about my life.
Act I Scene 1
Setting: First 4th grade classroom at 9:15.
Actors: Miss Helen as the teacher. Rowdy class as themselves.
Miss Helen: "You may go to the garden if you can sit still and listen to the lesson."
Rowdy class: "Yeah! Okay, everyone be quiet. Pay attention" ... Students continue shushing each other. 5 minutes later ... "Garden. Oh, right, let's be quiet. Miss, he just threw this at me!"
Miss Helen finishes the lesson and either because she is too tired to keep up with all the shenanigans or because she is such an amazing teacher, she lets the students go to the garden. She goes to the teacher's room for a lot of grading. (The student mentioned yesterday turned in all his previous homework sets - good for him, but lots of grading for Miss Helen!)
Scene fades. Miss Helen grades papers, chats with teachers, and prepares for her next class.
Act I Scene 2
Setting: Garden during the second break (about 12 pm)
Actors: Miss Helen. Fourth grade students playing soccer.
Miss Helen is visiting with some of her students, watching the "football" tournament between the fourth graders. Four of the girls are hovered around her, sharing their snacks and teaching her Kurdish words. Five minutes before the break ends, a younger student rushes up to her, "Miss! Come! He's hurt!"
Miss Helen rushes to the field where one of her students has been hit full on in the face with the soccerball. He is in tears and can barely look up. Miss Helen clears out the other students and then lifts him to his feet. He's okay, but lets Miss Helen guide him up the stairs.
Act I Scene 3
Setting: Second 4th grade classroom at 12:15.
Actors: Miss Helen as the teacher. Prissy, one girl who is excluded because she isn't "as cool" as the others, three active boys. The rest of the class as secondary characters.
During the break, the vice principal has asked Miss Helen if she can substitute for the same class during the 1pm session, which means she will be with them for an hour and a half.
The boy who got hit with the soccer ball remains quiet during the entire class, still stunned from accident. Miss Helen is handing back homework and notices that one of the girls is in tears. She sends her out of the classroom and tells the students to read their texts.
Miss Helen: "When I come back, I am going to pick one of you to teach the lesson. If any of you talk, Connie will write your name on the board, and you will have to go to the principal."
She goes into the hall to ask the student why she has been crying.
Excluded Student (ES): "They say bad words to me, Miss."
Miss Helen brings two of the girls, including Prissy into the hall.
Both sides try to explain themselves away, but in the end, Miss Helen reminds them that they need to be friendly. She keeps Prissy a little longer.
Prissy: "Miss, she never lets us be nice to her. She always cries."
Miss Helen: "Do you remember how you didn't like me at the beginning? I had to try really hard to show you that I liked you, even when I held you to the same standards as the other students. You made it very difficult, but I tried and tried."
Prissy: "Yes Miss, I know. But it's different..." Seeing the look on Miss Helen's face, she mumbles, "I'll try."
Miss Helen returns to the classroom and calls on a couple students to try to teach the lesson. It is fun, but disorder breaks out shortly afterwards. Prissy has apparently forgotten all about trying to be friendly. The "excluded student" answers a question in class, and Prissy mimics and laughs at her. The first hour with them comes to end. Miss Helen continues the lesson into the next session even though the students are expecting to go to the garden. They finally quiet down. Miss Helen lets the class go to the garden, but keeps the three rowdiest boys a little longer and reminds them that they need to be respectful during the lesson. One of them (who was a showoff the entire class period) has to sit on the wall with Miss Helen while the others play. Showoff is actually a cute kid with amazingly thick glasses. Despite the fact that he never listens, he does well in math (when he turns in his homework).
Miss Helen: "You are a fun student, but there is a time to be funny and there is a time not to be. Do you know which is which?"
Showoff: "Funny in the garden, learning in the class." Each phrase followed by his cute little head bob.
After five minutes, Miss Helen lets him go play. The kids play for a half hour, while Miss Helen talks with a fellow teacher. As the students head back to class, Miss Helen notices more tears streaming down "ES's" face. Pulling Prissy aside, she addresses the issue again and tells Prissy that getting along with others, encouraging them, and being a good example is more important than all the math lessons of the year. When Miss Helen gets back to the classroom, she reminds the class that they need to be good for the next teacher or they won't be allowed the privilege next time. As the words are coming out of her mouth, the thought crosses her mind, "Am I really old enough to be teaching these kids anything?" She puts on her teacher face, prays that God will give her the wisdom that she needs and gets ready for the next class.
Act I Scene 4
Setting: 3rd grade art class at 1:45 pm.
Actors: Miss Helen and the 3rd grade students
Miss Helen finally gets the class to quiet down and they work on their art books. She has to send one girl out of class. When Miss Helen goes out to talk to her, there are tears streaming down her face. (This has been a tearful day!) Miss Helen comforts her and asks her if she wants to try to be good in class. The girl returns to class and the rest of the students continue working. Before they leave, Miss Helen makes each student throw away three pieces of garbage (the classrooms are usually trashed by the end of the day).
Miss Helen breathes a sigh of relief as she packs up her things and heads out to visit with the students who are waiting for rides...
Act I Scene 5
Setting: Along the school wall about 2:30 pm
Actors: Various students. Including Eva from the first 4th grade math class.
Miss Helen sits on the wall and visits with students from her classes. They are more than happy to chatter away. Miss Helen notices that Eva's eyes are red and swollen.
Miss Helen: "What's wrong? Have you been crying?"
Eva: Sniffle. Sniffle. "Nothing ... No. Oh Miss."
She comes and sits next to Miss Helen. Miss Helen's arm goes around her.
Eva: "No one likes me. None of the girls will talk to me. The other girl, she kicked me. None of them love me. Nobody loves me."
Miss Helen: "I love you."
As Miss Helen walks home she can't remember a day when there were so many tears or so much drama...
End of Act I
I don't know if it bothers anyone else to hear "Miss Helen" that many times, but it is the true story of my life! Even the teachers call me Miss Helen! No wonder I go to bed hearing little voices saying "Miss, Miss" over and over!
I can't keep going in third person anymore, so I'll just finish off the day as I normally would.
Around 4:30 Didi picked me up at the clothing store on the corner of my street. She was one of the goalies that I "trained" during the clinic. We had some good discussions and we've tried to keep in touch at school. The other day as I was walking by her bus, she called out to me and I could tell right away that something was wrong. I asked her why she seemed sad. She told me that some of her classmates had stopped talking to her. I tried to encourage her and we exchanged phone numbers. The next day I texted her, "Hope you're having a great day!" She responded happily and the next day invited me to go with her to the swimming pool! We decided to go to the pool today after school. She called me several times to make sure I was coming and tell me what I should bring ... obviously excited that I would go with her. I was concerned about being out of my element and with a student, but once again it was an opportunity to go in the strength of the Lord and not rely on my arm of flesh. Anyway, that is the back story. Didi picked me up and her driver took us to Mazi Pool. It is a brand new facility (expensive too - but I asked the Lord to look on it as an investment in His business, without monetary returns, but perhaps an ROI in my relationship with the student.) The pool is exclusively for women, so we were free to wear bathing suits. The water was refreshing after all the dust we've had.
Even though I am not a strong swimmer, I definitely knew more and was more comfortable in the water than any of the other women. Swimming is a relatively new recreation here. I hear a lot of people say that they don't know how to swim. Didi and I had a lot of fun. It was cute when she would tell me what I should do (leave your towel here, etc.) and call me "Miss." She even said, "I've never done anything like this with a Miss before. It is nice to have girl time." I know she doesn't have a lot of support at home, so I pray that I can be a good friend to her. At 8, she went to hang out with her friends, and I caught a taxi home.
Around 9pm, I went to the Assyrian Hall to play BINGO with a teacher from CSM and her family. They call it "dummbahla" and their board looks different from ours. The idea is the same though. Another "out of my element" situations where I had to rely on the Lord to guide me through. It was less awkward than I thought. Nadia's nephew could speak English, and her brother understands a little English too. The four of us sat on one end of the table and talked. The numbers were called in Arabic, so the three of them translated for me. Other than the caller announcing that I was there, and trying to say some of the numbers in English for my benefit, it was pretty low-key.
We left a little after 11pm. By the time I got home, I was ready to crash into bed. Thankful for the Lord's goodness in helping me through the day.
There was a pesky mosquito in my room last night, so unfortunately I didn't sleep very well!
After I got ready this morning, I discovered that I didn't have my keys with me and Stacy had locked the door behind her when she left. I was essentially LOCKED IN! What a morning! Thankfully, I had my phone, called Stacy and she came back and let me out. A tough way to start the day. Ashamedly, I didn't have a very good attitude about it, but prayed about it on the way to school and asked God to help me have the right perspective, then texted Stacy to apologize for being upset when it was my fault. By the time I got to school, I felt more prepared to start the day in the Lord's strength.
It was a long day, though the 9:15 session had some exceptionally good students ... the parent of one of my rowdiest boys had come in and talked to me (through the curriculum coordinator) yesterday. Her complaint was that her son was not only getting low marks, but I had torn up his homework! I explained that I tore up the piece of paper because he was copying off another student as I walked into the class. He is also the one who is always throwing eraser pieces in class and talking the entire time. The meeting went well and I thanked her for being involved in her son's academics, trying to emphasize that we both wanted to help him, but that it was ultimately up to the student to improve. Today he was much better in class and actually took notes! The two who were supposed to write letters and bring them in today, finished the letters during class. [I am rolling my eyes as I write this ... consistent discipline has been such a struggle. I actually woke up this morning thinking about my discipline policy for next year.]
Today I really tried to focus on the good students. Last night I was thinking about my classes and how I can neglect the "good" students as I discipline the others. I don't want to discourage the "good" kids and I need to make sure to touch bases with them. Tried to talk to each of them after class and make sure they felt like things were going well.
Had the next two art classes back-to-back. I got frustrated with the first group... there was so much talking and wandering around. I spent a lot of time praying afterwards that God would forgive me for yelling at a couple of the boys (as another teacher walked into the room, nonetheless). The second art class was better, but it was hard to find encouragement in the midst of my tiredness.
During the break I could sense the magnitude of my weakness, and at the same time found it hard to rest in the strength of the Lord. Thankfully He hears the smallest cry for help and I was energized to teach the second math class. They were still a tough group ... one of the boys would not stop talking, even after I sent him out of the class for 15 minutes! I wish I could've taken a nap between my classes, but instead I graded papers! Finished off the day with my last art class. There was some drama and I found myself asking the Lord for lots of help.
Hurried home, changed, then met up with "Julee" to go to the orphanage. The older girls whisked me away right off. I showed them pictures of my family, then showed them how to write their names in one-point perspective. I brought some of my markers (from a friend in Germany) and they enjoyed decorating their names. They asked me for my autograph ... some of them wrote their names and then underneath, "loves Helen." So sweet! My Kurdish vocabulary is growing, and it is nice to have a sense that I am really learning something when I am able to hold a conversation using the few words I know. They asked me to sing for them, so I squeaked out "Amazing Grace." It really takes me by surprise - the many opportunities I have to share my love for God with these girls every week!
Came home and struggled to get a few things done. I finally gave in and took a nap at 6pm. Even after a nap though, I was exhausted. I sat down to write this entry and was finding that I didn't have the energy to go on. In the middle of typing, I begged the Lord for help to find the strength I need in Him. His answer came before I could even finish praying. My heart overflowed with gratitude and tears came to my eyes, seeing Him answer prayer so freely. It was exactly the encouragement I needed.
May 10th:
Wow! What a day! So much happened, that to review is like reading a play about my life.
Act I Scene 1
Setting: First 4th grade classroom at 9:15.
Actors: Miss Helen as the teacher. Rowdy class as themselves.
Miss Helen: "You may go to the garden if you can sit still and listen to the lesson."
Rowdy class: "Yeah! Okay, everyone be quiet. Pay attention" ... Students continue shushing each other. 5 minutes later ... "Garden. Oh, right, let's be quiet. Miss, he just threw this at me!"
Miss Helen finishes the lesson and either because she is too tired to keep up with all the shenanigans or because she is such an amazing teacher, she lets the students go to the garden. She goes to the teacher's room for a lot of grading. (The student mentioned yesterday turned in all his previous homework sets - good for him, but lots of grading for Miss Helen!)
Scene fades. Miss Helen grades papers, chats with teachers, and prepares for her next class.
Act I Scene 2
Setting: Garden during the second break (about 12 pm)
Actors: Miss Helen. Fourth grade students playing soccer.
Miss Helen is visiting with some of her students, watching the "football" tournament between the fourth graders. Four of the girls are hovered around her, sharing their snacks and teaching her Kurdish words. Five minutes before the break ends, a younger student rushes up to her, "Miss! Come! He's hurt!"
Miss Helen rushes to the field where one of her students has been hit full on in the face with the soccerball. He is in tears and can barely look up. Miss Helen clears out the other students and then lifts him to his feet. He's okay, but lets Miss Helen guide him up the stairs.
Act I Scene 3
Setting: Second 4th grade classroom at 12:15.
Actors: Miss Helen as the teacher. Prissy, one girl who is excluded because she isn't "as cool" as the others, three active boys. The rest of the class as secondary characters.
During the break, the vice principal has asked Miss Helen if she can substitute for the same class during the 1pm session, which means she will be with them for an hour and a half.
The boy who got hit with the soccer ball remains quiet during the entire class, still stunned from accident. Miss Helen is handing back homework and notices that one of the girls is in tears. She sends her out of the classroom and tells the students to read their texts.
Miss Helen: "When I come back, I am going to pick one of you to teach the lesson. If any of you talk, Connie will write your name on the board, and you will have to go to the principal."
She goes into the hall to ask the student why she has been crying.
Excluded Student (ES): "They say bad words to me, Miss."
Miss Helen brings two of the girls, including Prissy into the hall.
Both sides try to explain themselves away, but in the end, Miss Helen reminds them that they need to be friendly. She keeps Prissy a little longer.
Prissy: "Miss, she never lets us be nice to her. She always cries."
Miss Helen: "Do you remember how you didn't like me at the beginning? I had to try really hard to show you that I liked you, even when I held you to the same standards as the other students. You made it very difficult, but I tried and tried."
Prissy: "Yes Miss, I know. But it's different..." Seeing the look on Miss Helen's face, she mumbles, "I'll try."
Miss Helen returns to the classroom and calls on a couple students to try to teach the lesson. It is fun, but disorder breaks out shortly afterwards. Prissy has apparently forgotten all about trying to be friendly. The "excluded student" answers a question in class, and Prissy mimics and laughs at her. The first hour with them comes to end. Miss Helen continues the lesson into the next session even though the students are expecting to go to the garden. They finally quiet down. Miss Helen lets the class go to the garden, but keeps the three rowdiest boys a little longer and reminds them that they need to be respectful during the lesson. One of them (who was a showoff the entire class period) has to sit on the wall with Miss Helen while the others play. Showoff is actually a cute kid with amazingly thick glasses. Despite the fact that he never listens, he does well in math (when he turns in his homework).
Miss Helen: "You are a fun student, but there is a time to be funny and there is a time not to be. Do you know which is which?"
Showoff: "Funny in the garden, learning in the class." Each phrase followed by his cute little head bob.
After five minutes, Miss Helen lets him go play. The kids play for a half hour, while Miss Helen talks with a fellow teacher. As the students head back to class, Miss Helen notices more tears streaming down "ES's" face. Pulling Prissy aside, she addresses the issue again and tells Prissy that getting along with others, encouraging them, and being a good example is more important than all the math lessons of the year. When Miss Helen gets back to the classroom, she reminds the class that they need to be good for the next teacher or they won't be allowed the privilege next time. As the words are coming out of her mouth, the thought crosses her mind, "Am I really old enough to be teaching these kids anything?" She puts on her teacher face, prays that God will give her the wisdom that she needs and gets ready for the next class.
Act I Scene 4
Setting: 3rd grade art class at 1:45 pm.
Actors: Miss Helen and the 3rd grade students
Miss Helen finally gets the class to quiet down and they work on their art books. She has to send one girl out of class. When Miss Helen goes out to talk to her, there are tears streaming down her face. (This has been a tearful day!) Miss Helen comforts her and asks her if she wants to try to be good in class. The girl returns to class and the rest of the students continue working. Before they leave, Miss Helen makes each student throw away three pieces of garbage (the classrooms are usually trashed by the end of the day).
Miss Helen breathes a sigh of relief as she packs up her things and heads out to visit with the students who are waiting for rides...
Act I Scene 5
Setting: Along the school wall about 2:30 pm
Actors: Various students. Including Eva from the first 4th grade math class.
Miss Helen sits on the wall and visits with students from her classes. They are more than happy to chatter away. Miss Helen notices that Eva's eyes are red and swollen.
Miss Helen: "What's wrong? Have you been crying?"
Eva: Sniffle. Sniffle. "Nothing ... No. Oh Miss."
She comes and sits next to Miss Helen. Miss Helen's arm goes around her.
Eva: "No one likes me. None of the girls will talk to me. The other girl, she kicked me. None of them love me. Nobody loves me."
Miss Helen: "I love you."
As Miss Helen walks home she can't remember a day when there were so many tears or so much drama...
End of Act I
I don't know if it bothers anyone else to hear "Miss Helen" that many times, but it is the true story of my life! Even the teachers call me Miss Helen! No wonder I go to bed hearing little voices saying "Miss, Miss" over and over!
I can't keep going in third person anymore, so I'll just finish off the day as I normally would.
Around 4:30 Didi picked me up at the clothing store on the corner of my street. She was one of the goalies that I "trained" during the clinic. We had some good discussions and we've tried to keep in touch at school. The other day as I was walking by her bus, she called out to me and I could tell right away that something was wrong. I asked her why she seemed sad. She told me that some of her classmates had stopped talking to her. I tried to encourage her and we exchanged phone numbers. The next day I texted her, "Hope you're having a great day!" She responded happily and the next day invited me to go with her to the swimming pool! We decided to go to the pool today after school. She called me several times to make sure I was coming and tell me what I should bring ... obviously excited that I would go with her. I was concerned about being out of my element and with a student, but once again it was an opportunity to go in the strength of the Lord and not rely on my arm of flesh. Anyway, that is the back story. Didi picked me up and her driver took us to Mazi Pool. It is a brand new facility (expensive too - but I asked the Lord to look on it as an investment in His business, without monetary returns, but perhaps an ROI in my relationship with the student.) The pool is exclusively for women, so we were free to wear bathing suits. The water was refreshing after all the dust we've had.
Even though I am not a strong swimmer, I definitely knew more and was more comfortable in the water than any of the other women. Swimming is a relatively new recreation here. I hear a lot of people say that they don't know how to swim. Didi and I had a lot of fun. It was cute when she would tell me what I should do (leave your towel here, etc.) and call me "Miss." She even said, "I've never done anything like this with a Miss before. It is nice to have girl time." I know she doesn't have a lot of support at home, so I pray that I can be a good friend to her. At 8, she went to hang out with her friends, and I caught a taxi home.
Around 9pm, I went to the Assyrian Hall to play BINGO with a teacher from CSM and her family. They call it "dummbahla" and their board looks different from ours. The idea is the same though. Another "out of my element" situations where I had to rely on the Lord to guide me through. It was less awkward than I thought. Nadia's nephew could speak English, and her brother understands a little English too. The four of us sat on one end of the table and talked. The numbers were called in Arabic, so the three of them translated for me. Other than the caller announcing that I was there, and trying to say some of the numbers in English for my benefit, it was pretty low-key.
We left a little after 11pm. By the time I got home, I was ready to crash into bed. Thankful for the Lord's goodness in helping me through the day.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
May 7th through 8th (Days 120-121): HaPpInEsS
May 7th:
Really warm first thing this morning. I find that I have to walk on the shady side of the street, otherwise I've worked up a sweat by the time I get to school. (Perhaps it is more lady-like to say that I start perspiring? glowing? glistening?) The test went well in both classes. My afternoon math class was funny ... each class is supposed to greet their teacher, "Good Morning, Miss ..." or "Good Afternoon, Mister ..." Well today they weren't quite in unison, but at least they remembered that it was the afternoon (I usually tease them if they say "Good Morning.") Anyway, the third class down the hall really has it down. Just as my class was getting quiet and preparing for their test, the teacher must have walked into their room, because they belted out a loud, perfectly-timed greeting. My fourth graders looked at me, and I asked, "Do you think you can do better than that?" On the count of three, they had the whole hall echoing! It was pretty funny. I peeked my head out and looked at the third graders and they shook their heads, defeated.
During my breaks I had some funny conversations with the teachers. The guys were talking about their marriages - the meals they thought their wives would be able to cook, but learned afterwards that they couldn't, the jobs that their wives ask them to do around the house. It is funny that in a place so different from America, the conversations can sound so similar!
As I walked home, a dust storm kicked up. It was extremely windy and I was thankful I had brought my sunglasses ... I ended up wearing them to protect my eyes from the dust. Got home and made the meal for team dinner (pasta, parmesan, "sausage," and a little bit of arugula - a family recipe, except we usually have broccoli with it). Around 4, I went over to Mary's and we had some iPad time. She just got an iPad (her brother brought it from the States), so we played Scramble With Friends on our iPads ... I guess you could call it, cultivating our friendship via technology :) John watched a Star Trek episode while we played.
We taxied to Dan and Julie's for our team meeting. Since they won't be coming back next year, we spent some of our team time marking the things we would like for our apartments/houses. The rest will be sold to new, non-SGI family moving into their house. We ate a nice meal together. Julie made green beans with almonds, Lisa made cheesy bread, and Mary made cinnamon rolls for dessert. We laughed together A LOT. Next to the times when I get to help others, I think I'm happiest when everyone else is happy. Just seeing everyone bond over our students' antics and laughing about funny stories really made my day. Sitting around the table, sharing a meal together, I was reminded how much like a family we have become. Afterwards, we split into groups and shared how we're doing spiritually. As excited as I am to go home, I will miss these individuals who have helped me live life in such a challenging environment, laughed and cried with me, navigated difficult situations with me, and built me up.
May 8th:
The dust seems to have cleared up. At some point yesterday I realized that I haven't been consciously calling out to the Lord as often throughout the day, so this morning I spent time praying that God would remind me to depend more on Him. My morning class was tough ... and I asked the Lord for help a lot. (God answers prayer!) I had planned on letting them go to the garden because they had done so well on their test, but they couldn't sit still and be quiet long enough to get the lesson done quickly. I ended up keeping 8 boys after class. Three were given a warning for specific things they had done, three were held five minutes into their break, and the last two I was going to take to the principal. One of the boys had lied to me and told me he needed to go to the bathroom and went to the principal instead (showing him his test and saying that I had marked him wrong for a question he had done correctly); the other grabbed a girl's hair and was dragging her over the desk. They burst into tears when I told them they would need to see the principal - because I (and other teachers) have taken them so often, they've been told that they will be "dismissed" if there are further problems. I told them that they should have thought of that ahead of time, then prayed silently for wisdom. I told them that because they had hurt someone else (versus simply taking up my class time or talking, which only hurts themselves), I couldn't grant mercy and they would need to accept some kind of punishment. I decided that they both needed to write apology letters and turn them in tomorrow (neither of them seemed very pleased, but that wasn't the point). If they don't turn them in, then they will have to see the principal ... time will tell.
My 10:15 art class was pretty good. I told a few of the boys during the break that my 4th grade class was not very good for me, and would they help me out today? They agreed and were actually the best students in class. Some of the boys get incensed pretty quickly ("Miss, he say bad words to me.") and at least one tussle will break out. Today it didn't happen until nearly the end of class. It was definitely a better session than it has been the past few weeks.
My 12:15 math class remembered yesterday's greeting and topped it today! Most days, I have more fun with this second group of fourth graders. They are attentive and responsive, so I feel I can be a little more flexible. Unfortunately the last time I released them to the garden, they weren't very good for their Arabic teacher after me, so I told them today that I wouldn't let them go to the garden even though they had done well on their test. They were disappointed, but I hope they will remember that privilege comes with responsibility. Three of the boys were not attentive at all today, and I had to take them aside after class.
Worn out by the time school ended. But had a nice conversation with another teacher before heading for home. As I was leaving, the kids were just getting on their buses and some were sitting around waiting for their rides. I decided to stop and talk with them and it was nice to listen to them jabber away without having to tell them to be quiet and get to work. They asked me later why I stayed and I told them that I wanted to hear more about them instead of making them always listen to me. One of my little fourth graders (who has a brother in eighth grade) insisted on giving me a ride home, so I waited until their father showed up and got a ride with them.
I am becoming very Kurdish ... I ate, then took a nap when I got home. (A lot of the teachers that I've asked take naps in the afternoon, eat, grade papers, then sleep again from 2 in the morning until 6 or something like that). Anyway, I don't think I'll be going to bed at 2 any time soon! When I got up, I worked on the last test for math and the final (almost finished with it), then went over to John and Mary's around 8pm. We watched the first half of "Our Mutual Friend," based on the book by Charles Dickens, which I read and successfully finished two months ago. We've been trying to watch it since then, but just haven't had time. Mary made some amazing milkshakes - vanilla ice cream, milk, instant coffee, and chocolate pieces. Yummo! It was a good filler for my "Starbucks Frappuccino" craving... Mary and I managed to squeeze in a "couple" rounds of Scramble on our iPads too :P
Every night I find I can go to bed thankful for something! So much happiness ... my desire is to see it all coming from God, so that as the trials come, my affections will be grounded in Him.
Really warm first thing this morning. I find that I have to walk on the shady side of the street, otherwise I've worked up a sweat by the time I get to school. (Perhaps it is more lady-like to say that I start perspiring? glowing? glistening?) The test went well in both classes. My afternoon math class was funny ... each class is supposed to greet their teacher, "Good Morning, Miss ..." or "Good Afternoon, Mister ..." Well today they weren't quite in unison, but at least they remembered that it was the afternoon (I usually tease them if they say "Good Morning.") Anyway, the third class down the hall really has it down. Just as my class was getting quiet and preparing for their test, the teacher must have walked into their room, because they belted out a loud, perfectly-timed greeting. My fourth graders looked at me, and I asked, "Do you think you can do better than that?" On the count of three, they had the whole hall echoing! It was pretty funny. I peeked my head out and looked at the third graders and they shook their heads, defeated.
During my breaks I had some funny conversations with the teachers. The guys were talking about their marriages - the meals they thought their wives would be able to cook, but learned afterwards that they couldn't, the jobs that their wives ask them to do around the house. It is funny that in a place so different from America, the conversations can sound so similar!
As I walked home, a dust storm kicked up. It was extremely windy and I was thankful I had brought my sunglasses ... I ended up wearing them to protect my eyes from the dust. Got home and made the meal for team dinner (pasta, parmesan, "sausage," and a little bit of arugula - a family recipe, except we usually have broccoli with it). Around 4, I went over to Mary's and we had some iPad time. She just got an iPad (her brother brought it from the States), so we played Scramble With Friends on our iPads ... I guess you could call it, cultivating our friendship via technology :) John watched a Star Trek episode while we played.
We taxied to Dan and Julie's for our team meeting. Since they won't be coming back next year, we spent some of our team time marking the things we would like for our apartments/houses. The rest will be sold to new, non-SGI family moving into their house. We ate a nice meal together. Julie made green beans with almonds, Lisa made cheesy bread, and Mary made cinnamon rolls for dessert. We laughed together A LOT. Next to the times when I get to help others, I think I'm happiest when everyone else is happy. Just seeing everyone bond over our students' antics and laughing about funny stories really made my day. Sitting around the table, sharing a meal together, I was reminded how much like a family we have become. Afterwards, we split into groups and shared how we're doing spiritually. As excited as I am to go home, I will miss these individuals who have helped me live life in such a challenging environment, laughed and cried with me, navigated difficult situations with me, and built me up.
May 8th:
The dust seems to have cleared up. At some point yesterday I realized that I haven't been consciously calling out to the Lord as often throughout the day, so this morning I spent time praying that God would remind me to depend more on Him. My morning class was tough ... and I asked the Lord for help a lot. (God answers prayer!) I had planned on letting them go to the garden because they had done so well on their test, but they couldn't sit still and be quiet long enough to get the lesson done quickly. I ended up keeping 8 boys after class. Three were given a warning for specific things they had done, three were held five minutes into their break, and the last two I was going to take to the principal. One of the boys had lied to me and told me he needed to go to the bathroom and went to the principal instead (showing him his test and saying that I had marked him wrong for a question he had done correctly); the other grabbed a girl's hair and was dragging her over the desk. They burst into tears when I told them they would need to see the principal - because I (and other teachers) have taken them so often, they've been told that they will be "dismissed" if there are further problems. I told them that they should have thought of that ahead of time, then prayed silently for wisdom. I told them that because they had hurt someone else (versus simply taking up my class time or talking, which only hurts themselves), I couldn't grant mercy and they would need to accept some kind of punishment. I decided that they both needed to write apology letters and turn them in tomorrow (neither of them seemed very pleased, but that wasn't the point). If they don't turn them in, then they will have to see the principal ... time will tell.
My 10:15 art class was pretty good. I told a few of the boys during the break that my 4th grade class was not very good for me, and would they help me out today? They agreed and were actually the best students in class. Some of the boys get incensed pretty quickly ("Miss, he say bad words to me.") and at least one tussle will break out. Today it didn't happen until nearly the end of class. It was definitely a better session than it has been the past few weeks.
My 12:15 math class remembered yesterday's greeting and topped it today! Most days, I have more fun with this second group of fourth graders. They are attentive and responsive, so I feel I can be a little more flexible. Unfortunately the last time I released them to the garden, they weren't very good for their Arabic teacher after me, so I told them today that I wouldn't let them go to the garden even though they had done well on their test. They were disappointed, but I hope they will remember that privilege comes with responsibility. Three of the boys were not attentive at all today, and I had to take them aside after class.
Worn out by the time school ended. But had a nice conversation with another teacher before heading for home. As I was leaving, the kids were just getting on their buses and some were sitting around waiting for their rides. I decided to stop and talk with them and it was nice to listen to them jabber away without having to tell them to be quiet and get to work. They asked me later why I stayed and I told them that I wanted to hear more about them instead of making them always listen to me. One of my little fourth graders (who has a brother in eighth grade) insisted on giving me a ride home, so I waited until their father showed up and got a ride with them.
I am becoming very Kurdish ... I ate, then took a nap when I got home. (A lot of the teachers that I've asked take naps in the afternoon, eat, grade papers, then sleep again from 2 in the morning until 6 or something like that). Anyway, I don't think I'll be going to bed at 2 any time soon! When I got up, I worked on the last test for math and the final (almost finished with it), then went over to John and Mary's around 8pm. We watched the first half of "Our Mutual Friend," based on the book by Charles Dickens, which I read and successfully finished two months ago. We've been trying to watch it since then, but just haven't had time. Mary made some amazing milkshakes - vanilla ice cream, milk, instant coffee, and chocolate pieces. Yummo! It was a good filler for my "Starbucks Frappuccino" craving... Mary and I managed to squeeze in a "couple" rounds of Scramble on our iPads too :P
Every night I find I can go to bed thankful for something! So much happiness ... my desire is to see it all coming from God, so that as the trials come, my affections will be grounded in Him.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
May 5th through 6th (Days 118-119): From Finals to Finales
May 5th:
Woke up at 4:17 am (on a Saturday, no less) ... so there was plenty of time to get things done. After devotions, breakfast, and exercising, all of which was completed by 6 am, I did a load of laundry, then got to talk to Mom on Skype. They had just gotten out of the pool in a hotel in Seattle (where they are staying for the boys' karate tournament). After we talked for awhile, I got to work on writing the final exam for fourth grade math. The final and re-take are nearly complete, I only have about 20 questions left to write (out of 100) and the answer key, so that was relieving. Around noon, I had had a full day. I sat down to read and ended up falling asleep for about 20 minutes. Around 1:30, I walked down to Gali Park and met up with Stacy and a friend. Went to three different shoe places afterward and couldn't find a thing (that's the trouble with having really narrow feet.) Came home and caught up on some emailing. The rest of the evening melted away ... definitely ready for an early bedtime.
May 6th:
On my way to school I actually saw a lifted F-150, extended cab! It was amazing! Not too many big pickups around here. If I get a vehicle here, I might have to consider that. It would definitely give me an advantage on these narrow roads where "chicken" is a normal part of driving. [Side story: on the way home from one of our picnics, I commented that it seemed like we were driving in the other lane the entire way TO the picnic to avoid potholes and now, on the way BACK, using the same road, we were still driving in the other lane to avoid the potholes. John dryly retorted, "Lanes? What lanes?"]
My "rowdy" class wasn't very good today. I took three of the boys down to the principal because they weren't responding to any of my corrections. It was supposed to be an easy day. We spent most of the time reviewing for the test tomorrow ... and it was one of those review sessions where I practically gave out the answers to the test!
After class I graded papers, then taught my 11am art class. I had to send one boy out of class, but after that they settled down and got right to work. The kids spent a lot of time on their drawings. This is the third day that they have exceeded my expectations! God has been very merciful to me with that class.
Had a half hour lunch break, then taught the second math class. We had a review session during their time as well, and I awarded extra points for the test to the students who were paying attention. We covered a lot more material and I am hopeful that they will do well tomorrow.
I graded more papers, and copied off the test (ahead of time). The copy machine obviously wasn't prepared for my cleverness and didn't have time to run out of ink or paper! After I finished grading and socializing, I hopped in a taxi and went to Mazi to get my wire. This last month I am living off my salary from the school, so SGI simply wired my rent money for the next three months. It was the shortest wire transfer yet! Stacy and I usually end up waiting for about a half hour when we go to the Western Union downtown ... this took maybe five minutes. I was really relieved that it went so well (and that I was able to make my weekly grocery run at the same time). Took a taxi home and napped for 15 minutes. I think the dust storm really affected my allergies - by the afternoon I am pretty zapped of energy.
Stacy and I grabbed a taxi around 4pm and stopped by to pick up Dan and Julie. The four of us headed to the Convention Center where one of our friends from the fellowship was participating in a concert. The convention center is amazing. Really up-to-date and impressive set-up. The participants were dressed in their Kurdish clothes and the whole performance was very professional. The only time I realized I was in different cultural setting is when I could hear the people around me talking on their cell phones, getting up to leave and most of all, when the TV cameras were directed on our group of foreigners (there were quite a few of us that showed up to support our friend).
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It was really neat to experience and I'm so glad I was able to go - not only to see the way a concert is "put on" on here, but to compare the elements that they value in music with the elements we emphasize in our music. Our friend wrote a song for the concert, and we all agreed that it was the best out of the nine songs they performed!
By the time the show ended, it was 7pm, and Dan, Julie, and I were starving. Texas Chicken was on the way home, so we stopped there to eat. We saw three of our students (who apparently eat there about two or three times a week!) I roped one of them into helping me explain my order, even though we are supposed to be able to order in English ... and all I wanted to do was change out my fries for coleslaw! :P
Took some pictures of the amazing moon when I got home, then visited with John and Mary for a little bit. Ready for bed ...
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Woke up at 4:17 am (on a Saturday, no less) ... so there was plenty of time to get things done. After devotions, breakfast, and exercising, all of which was completed by 6 am, I did a load of laundry, then got to talk to Mom on Skype. They had just gotten out of the pool in a hotel in Seattle (where they are staying for the boys' karate tournament). After we talked for awhile, I got to work on writing the final exam for fourth grade math. The final and re-take are nearly complete, I only have about 20 questions left to write (out of 100) and the answer key, so that was relieving. Around noon, I had had a full day. I sat down to read and ended up falling asleep for about 20 minutes. Around 1:30, I walked down to Gali Park and met up with Stacy and a friend. Went to three different shoe places afterward and couldn't find a thing (that's the trouble with having really narrow feet.) Came home and caught up on some emailing. The rest of the evening melted away ... definitely ready for an early bedtime.
May 6th:
On my way to school I actually saw a lifted F-150, extended cab! It was amazing! Not too many big pickups around here. If I get a vehicle here, I might have to consider that. It would definitely give me an advantage on these narrow roads where "chicken" is a normal part of driving. [Side story: on the way home from one of our picnics, I commented that it seemed like we were driving in the other lane the entire way TO the picnic to avoid potholes and now, on the way BACK, using the same road, we were still driving in the other lane to avoid the potholes. John dryly retorted, "Lanes? What lanes?"]
My "rowdy" class wasn't very good today. I took three of the boys down to the principal because they weren't responding to any of my corrections. It was supposed to be an easy day. We spent most of the time reviewing for the test tomorrow ... and it was one of those review sessions where I practically gave out the answers to the test!
After class I graded papers, then taught my 11am art class. I had to send one boy out of class, but after that they settled down and got right to work. The kids spent a lot of time on their drawings. This is the third day that they have exceeded my expectations! God has been very merciful to me with that class.
Had a half hour lunch break, then taught the second math class. We had a review session during their time as well, and I awarded extra points for the test to the students who were paying attention. We covered a lot more material and I am hopeful that they will do well tomorrow.
I graded more papers, and copied off the test (ahead of time). The copy machine obviously wasn't prepared for my cleverness and didn't have time to run out of ink or paper! After I finished grading and socializing, I hopped in a taxi and went to Mazi to get my wire. This last month I am living off my salary from the school, so SGI simply wired my rent money for the next three months. It was the shortest wire transfer yet! Stacy and I usually end up waiting for about a half hour when we go to the Western Union downtown ... this took maybe five minutes. I was really relieved that it went so well (and that I was able to make my weekly grocery run at the same time). Took a taxi home and napped for 15 minutes. I think the dust storm really affected my allergies - by the afternoon I am pretty zapped of energy.
Stacy and I grabbed a taxi around 4pm and stopped by to pick up Dan and Julie. The four of us headed to the Convention Center where one of our friends from the fellowship was participating in a concert. The convention center is amazing. Really up-to-date and impressive set-up. The participants were dressed in their Kurdish clothes and the whole performance was very professional. The only time I realized I was in different cultural setting is when I could hear the people around me talking on their cell phones, getting up to leave and most of all, when the TV cameras were directed on our group of foreigners (there were quite a few of us that showed up to support our friend).
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It was really neat to experience and I'm so glad I was able to go - not only to see the way a concert is "put on" on here, but to compare the elements that they value in music with the elements we emphasize in our music. Our friend wrote a song for the concert, and we all agreed that it was the best out of the nine songs they performed!
By the time the show ended, it was 7pm, and Dan, Julie, and I were starving. Texas Chicken was on the way home, so we stopped there to eat. We saw three of our students (who apparently eat there about two or three times a week!) I roped one of them into helping me explain my order, even though we are supposed to be able to order in English ... and all I wanted to do was change out my fries for coleslaw! :P
Took some pictures of the amazing moon when I got home, then visited with John and Mary for a little bit. Ready for bed ...
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Friday, May 4, 2012
May 3rd through 4th (Days 116-117): Dust Storm, Art Show, and Southern Sweet Tea
May 3rd:
The storm last night brought a huge cloud of dust with it. This picture made me think of the verse, "I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light."
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Spent the afternoon resting, then skyped with Jessica at 7 and enjoyed hearing funny stories from back home.
The storm last night brought a huge cloud of dust with it. This picture made me think of the verse, "I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light."
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Here's a view of the city from our school on a normal day:
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Today:
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Cough, cough ... Amazing, huh?!
My kids were pretty good ... there are always ups and downs, but it gives me hope to see that they actually want to do well in Math. I think they are seeing consistency in the way I teach and that a good grade is attainable as long as they do their work and try their best. During my breaks I graded homework and got ready for the art show / science fair.
The art show / science fair was a major production. Lisa came around noon and hung up drawings for about two and half hours (the other art teacher and I helped between classes). Here's Lisa feeding Zephie (such a good mama!)
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The kids got out of their classes around 2:30, but they weren't allowed to go through the art exhibit until 2:45. I snuck my third grade class in so they could see their art work since most of them had to take the bus home and couldn't stay.
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Parents arrived around 2:30, but we put a red ribbon up to keep them out. At 2:45ish, (drum roll) the principal gave some kind of speech, then cut the ribbon (oh my!) and parents were allowed in. The art portion certainly wasn't ribbon-cutting worthy. We just taped (and re-taped) the artwork to the walls. I didn't see that anyone really looked at it too closely. The science fair went pretty well. The kids had prepared some neat experiments and enjoyed giving their demonstrations. At 4pm, the show rolled up. Tables were down, artwork was in the trash, and science materials were scattered around the courtyard. It's easy to see why no one takes the time to prepare too much in advance ...
Exhausted when I got home, so rested a little before going out to dinner with the team. We went to Al-Azaim, which is a restaurant on the other side of town.
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I had mushroom steak, which tasted pretty good. It was nice to have meat for a change ... We ate outside (despite the dust), had the waiters ask to take pictures with the babies, and enjoyed the ambient lighting:
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Five of us squeezed into a taxi - the taxi driver was really weird and acted like he didn't understand our Kurdish - we breathed a sigh of relief once we got home.
May 4th:
Had a quiet day at fellowship and then at home. In the morning I walked to Andy and Lisa's where we had nearly a full house for our time together. Looking at Luke 6, we were reminded that following Christ requires a great deal of trust - we strive for wealth, fullness, laughter, and respect, but Christ reminds us that those are curses. As we walk with the Lord through our poverty, hunger, tears, and disrepute, we learn to look to Him as our All. He is our Root from whence comes our good fruit, He is our foundation from whence comes our immovable shelter. Praying that those around me will see the good fruit and a strong city and want to know more about their Source.
Our fellowship was split into two groups because of its size a couple months ago. The other group happened to be meeting at Dan and Julie's (and barbecuing) so some of us crashed their party after our time was over. We said goodbye to Matt and Brad who flew out today. Ate some yummy, American-style food hamburgers, baked beans, and Southern sweet tea) and enjoyed catching up with friends from the other group. Caught a ride home around 4pm.
Here is a beautiful blossom from one of the trees in Dan and Julie's yard:
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Spent the afternoon resting, then skyped with Jessica at 7 and enjoyed hearing funny stories from back home.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
May 1st through 2nd (Days 114-115): Growing Friendships
Forgot to mention yesterday:
1. The lawyer that T works for is our principal's son! What a small world!
2. As Stacy and I walked home from our team meeting last night, I saw something that I dearly wish I could've photographed. Two women were talking towards us. As they passed, the verse flashed through my mind, they are "blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." The first of the two women was rather tall and thin with a patch over one eye; her other was squinted shut. She had a deformity in one leg that made walking difficult. Her light-colored clothing was frayed and barely seemed to cover her long extremities. Holding her hand was another woman who was in many ways a complete opposite. Shorter and wider than her companion, the second woman was dressed in a black burka, an ensemble that completely covers the body, including the eyes. It was difficult to say who was leading whom ... an obvious parallel to the statement Jesus made.
May 1st:
Sent Mom an e-card with flowers for May Day. When we were in elementary school, Hannah and I used to pick a bunch of flowers on the way home from school, leave them on the doorstep, and run away after we rang the doorbell. As we got older and moved out of the house, we would order flowers and have them delivered. Now, I have to send her virtual ones!
Today is Labor Day here, so we didn't have any school. It was a pretty relaxed morning. I really felt the need to talk to Mom, but it was already 10pm their time. I was asking the Lord to help me look to Him for my comfort, when the thought crossed my mind that I ought to check Skype. God is so good to give us the earthly comforts we need ... Mom was online! She was just reading my blog and sending me an email, so we were in the same mindset! Had an encouraging time talking to her. She is always faithful to point me to the Lord and encourage me in truth.
Visited with Mary afterwards. With all the company and sight-seeing we haven't really been able to talk, so it was refreshing to know how she was doing and just get caught up on each other's lives. The enemy is quick to mark the slightest lack of communication and use that to stir up strife. I am so thankful for a team that squelches those attacks right away.
Stacy and I went out in the afternoon and bought ice cream, then brought them back to eat with Mary. (The guys went to Amedy, so it was just us girls). I spent most of the day catching up on emails and preparing the final examination for math.
For dinner, Stacy and I were planning on going to Sarky's, but they were closed. We ended up meeting John, Mary et al at the Tantuni restaurant, where they serve the rolled up sandwiches. Stacy and I had some time to kill before meeting them, so we went to a bookstore and I finally found a map of Iraq in English, an English-Kurdish verb book, and a picture dictionary in English-Kurdish! I've been looking for the last three months for resources like these and just now found them ... better late than never! After dinner, we all walked to a "gift store" about two blocks away - they have a lot of antiques there and some locally made things. Everything is heaped up in piles and crowded onto a few shelves against the wall. There is barely enough room to move around. All six of us piled in and reached over each other trying to find some good deals. Some of the items were pretty expensive, but we dug for the cheaper things and bartered with the owner. When I got back home, I went through my list of gifts to buy ... I think I am officially done! There are a few perishable things I want to get right before I leave, but I'm glad to know that I've found a lot of things I wanted to bring home and share with everyone.
May 2nd:
Funny how a day of doing nothing can make me so tired! A little slow getting up, but after my "cardio kickboxing" routine I was ready to go.
Had a pretty good class this morning ... at least they are improving. [I was telling Stacy how it used to be, "at the beginning of the year there were ten or so boys who were acting up. As soon as I disciplined one, another one popped up shouting and then another standing on his desk. You know it was like that game..." Stacy finished my sentence, "you mean, Whack-a-mole?" We busted up laughing!] Nowadays I really only have to deal with about three of the boys and talk to them after class; the rest I can look at and they'll quiet down.
[I have my window open as I'm writing this and I can hear thunder outside. It was pretty overcast today, sounds like a storm is moving in.]
Today was one class after the other. I had two art classes back-to-back. Both worked on their books really well. The first class had to sit quietly with their arms folded for a couple minutes, but then they got into their drawings and were fine for the rest of class. I was feeling a little discouraged during their session because during the break right before, the vice principal asked me to help at the art show (which I've already been working on with the other teachers). I failed to realize that he was asking for extra help (not asking if I had finished my portion), answered hastily, and immediately regretted not being more patient, especially as I realized that the rest of the teachers in the room were listening. A poor testimony on my part since I know that most of the teachers have little respect for the v.p. already. Another reminder not to walk in my own strength, trying to prove that I am capable! Anyway, I was little more subdued, but my kids never fail to cheer me up.
The 11am class was amazing ... again! I am so thankful for them. I've really seen a turn-around in two of the boys. They were the worst ones and made the class difficult. Now they are my best artists! The two pout-y girls have also come 180 degrees, so the class is pretty mild now.
Had a short lunch break, then off to the 12:15 math class. They are doing really well, even though I have two boys in the back who have turned their desk into a soccer field. By the end of the session, I have a handful of "soccer balls" (paper wads) that I've confiscated. Graded some papers, then off to the 1:45 art class. They usually start out a little rowdy, but settle down once we start drawing. Most of the girls want to take their books home to finish since they spend so much time coming up with a clever idea, start to draw, erase, and start again...
Walked home as fast as I could, then J (T re-named her, "Julee" after our first interview, so I'll start using that...) picked me up and we went to the girls' orphanage. We brought some beads and elastic so they could make bracelets and necklaces. The younger girls enjoyed it, but the older girls pulled me away after a little bit and we hung out in their room. We pieced together a conversation in English and Kurdish ... The call to prayer went out (or "answers to prayer" as Zander calls it), and the girls asked me how I pray in America. I tried to explain, but they didn't understand, so I asked them if they wanted me to show them. Even though they didn't understand most of it, I asked God to bless our time and help me learn to communicate with them. I had an enjoyable time. Julee dropped me back off at home, then I unwound for a bit before getting motivated to grade a stack of math papers.
Skyped with Lisa in the evening regarding the art show tomorrow ... her phone ran out of minutes. Technology is awfully convenient! Then headed for bed.
1. The lawyer that T works for is our principal's son! What a small world!
2. As Stacy and I walked home from our team meeting last night, I saw something that I dearly wish I could've photographed. Two women were talking towards us. As they passed, the verse flashed through my mind, they are "blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." The first of the two women was rather tall and thin with a patch over one eye; her other was squinted shut. She had a deformity in one leg that made walking difficult. Her light-colored clothing was frayed and barely seemed to cover her long extremities. Holding her hand was another woman who was in many ways a complete opposite. Shorter and wider than her companion, the second woman was dressed in a black burka, an ensemble that completely covers the body, including the eyes. It was difficult to say who was leading whom ... an obvious parallel to the statement Jesus made.
May 1st:
Sent Mom an e-card with flowers for May Day. When we were in elementary school, Hannah and I used to pick a bunch of flowers on the way home from school, leave them on the doorstep, and run away after we rang the doorbell. As we got older and moved out of the house, we would order flowers and have them delivered. Now, I have to send her virtual ones!
Today is Labor Day here, so we didn't have any school. It was a pretty relaxed morning. I really felt the need to talk to Mom, but it was already 10pm their time. I was asking the Lord to help me look to Him for my comfort, when the thought crossed my mind that I ought to check Skype. God is so good to give us the earthly comforts we need ... Mom was online! She was just reading my blog and sending me an email, so we were in the same mindset! Had an encouraging time talking to her. She is always faithful to point me to the Lord and encourage me in truth.
Visited with Mary afterwards. With all the company and sight-seeing we haven't really been able to talk, so it was refreshing to know how she was doing and just get caught up on each other's lives. The enemy is quick to mark the slightest lack of communication and use that to stir up strife. I am so thankful for a team that squelches those attacks right away.
Stacy and I went out in the afternoon and bought ice cream, then brought them back to eat with Mary. (The guys went to Amedy, so it was just us girls). I spent most of the day catching up on emails and preparing the final examination for math.
For dinner, Stacy and I were planning on going to Sarky's, but they were closed. We ended up meeting John, Mary et al at the Tantuni restaurant, where they serve the rolled up sandwiches. Stacy and I had some time to kill before meeting them, so we went to a bookstore and I finally found a map of Iraq in English, an English-Kurdish verb book, and a picture dictionary in English-Kurdish! I've been looking for the last three months for resources like these and just now found them ... better late than never! After dinner, we all walked to a "gift store" about two blocks away - they have a lot of antiques there and some locally made things. Everything is heaped up in piles and crowded onto a few shelves against the wall. There is barely enough room to move around. All six of us piled in and reached over each other trying to find some good deals. Some of the items were pretty expensive, but we dug for the cheaper things and bartered with the owner. When I got back home, I went through my list of gifts to buy ... I think I am officially done! There are a few perishable things I want to get right before I leave, but I'm glad to know that I've found a lot of things I wanted to bring home and share with everyone.
May 2nd:
Funny how a day of doing nothing can make me so tired! A little slow getting up, but after my "cardio kickboxing" routine I was ready to go.
Had a pretty good class this morning ... at least they are improving. [I was telling Stacy how it used to be, "at the beginning of the year there were ten or so boys who were acting up. As soon as I disciplined one, another one popped up shouting and then another standing on his desk. You know it was like that game..." Stacy finished my sentence, "you mean, Whack-a-mole?" We busted up laughing!] Nowadays I really only have to deal with about three of the boys and talk to them after class; the rest I can look at and they'll quiet down.
[I have my window open as I'm writing this and I can hear thunder outside. It was pretty overcast today, sounds like a storm is moving in.]
Today was one class after the other. I had two art classes back-to-back. Both worked on their books really well. The first class had to sit quietly with their arms folded for a couple minutes, but then they got into their drawings and were fine for the rest of class. I was feeling a little discouraged during their session because during the break right before, the vice principal asked me to help at the art show (which I've already been working on with the other teachers). I failed to realize that he was asking for extra help (not asking if I had finished my portion), answered hastily, and immediately regretted not being more patient, especially as I realized that the rest of the teachers in the room were listening. A poor testimony on my part since I know that most of the teachers have little respect for the v.p. already. Another reminder not to walk in my own strength, trying to prove that I am capable! Anyway, I was little more subdued, but my kids never fail to cheer me up.
The 11am class was amazing ... again! I am so thankful for them. I've really seen a turn-around in two of the boys. They were the worst ones and made the class difficult. Now they are my best artists! The two pout-y girls have also come 180 degrees, so the class is pretty mild now.
Had a short lunch break, then off to the 12:15 math class. They are doing really well, even though I have two boys in the back who have turned their desk into a soccer field. By the end of the session, I have a handful of "soccer balls" (paper wads) that I've confiscated. Graded some papers, then off to the 1:45 art class. They usually start out a little rowdy, but settle down once we start drawing. Most of the girls want to take their books home to finish since they spend so much time coming up with a clever idea, start to draw, erase, and start again...
Walked home as fast as I could, then J (T re-named her, "Julee" after our first interview, so I'll start using that...) picked me up and we went to the girls' orphanage. We brought some beads and elastic so they could make bracelets and necklaces. The younger girls enjoyed it, but the older girls pulled me away after a little bit and we hung out in their room. We pieced together a conversation in English and Kurdish ... The call to prayer went out (or "answers to prayer" as Zander calls it), and the girls asked me how I pray in America. I tried to explain, but they didn't understand, so I asked them if they wanted me to show them. Even though they didn't understand most of it, I asked God to bless our time and help me learn to communicate with them. I had an enjoyable time. Julee dropped me back off at home, then I unwound for a bit before getting motivated to grade a stack of math papers.
Skyped with Lisa in the evening regarding the art show tomorrow ... her phone ran out of minutes. Technology is awfully convenient! Then headed for bed.
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