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.
