Slept in this morning, then enjoyed a leisurely day, reading up on Greece while drinking hot tea. Around 5:30pm, I caught a taxi back to my apartment. The driver almost ruined my evening by charging me 3000 instead of the usual 2000. At the last he gave in ... I'm not sure it was the disbelief in my voice or my "teacher" look that bothered him more. I changed into my jilli kurdi, then headed back out to find my way to the English institute of some of my expat friends. I got a little turned around at the end, but the taxi driver asked a meter man for directions and we managed to find the place.
My friends and I in our jilli kurdis:
A little after 7pm, we left for a charity event for the orphans. I didn't even know about it, until my friends told me. I was really glad to go, especially since I wasn't able to visit the girls last Wednesday.
When we walked in, we were seated in an obscure place at the far end of the hall. I set down my things and looked around for the girls. There they were, at a table all to themselves in the center of the room, smiling sheepishly at me. My friends and I greeted them and then they invited us to come sit with them. I was reminded of the passage, "But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored..."
Honored to be with my girls:
I sat down next to the worker who has been so kind to me in the past. After we exchanged greetings, she quietly reached over and took my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze then holding it for a few seconds longer. Even though our communication in a spoken language is limited, God has graciously provided ways to communicate nonverbally. And sometimes, especially in this culture, the unspoken says more than words.
This little girl and I exchanged giggles the entire evening. She accidentally started to clap before the speaker had finished, then blushed when she saw that I'd noticed. We couldn't stop grinning!
(She also danced next to me during the Kurdish dancing.)
The famous Kurdish singer who provided our entertainment for the evening:
Living here, I have learned to expect the unexpected, but this time the unexpected meant that the event only lasted two hours! By 9:15, we were in the car driving away. Based on past experiences, Kurdish events tend to last a long time, but this one kept to the program and ended once the schedule of events had finished. I really enjoyed this evening as a unique opportunity to love my girls just a little more...
The schedule of events:
Wednesday, December 19th:
Woke up this morning to an overcast sky. It seems that even the weather doesn't like math!
I walked to school, the wind going through the Gely noticeably colder and stronger as it pushed me up the hill. Upon arrival, all the teachers convened in the teacher's room and milled around, checking the schedule to determine which classroom they would be monitoring. At 8:30, they dispersed to their classes, while all the math teachers stayed behind, warming up as it were for a big race. We looked over the midterms, comparing notes with one another, then at 9am took off to help our students!
I started with 5B, reading the problems and answering questions. I spent about 10 minutes in the two fifth grade classes, then went down to 6B and 6A. They needed a little more help, but most of them knew the material from the review worksheet. A couple complained about not remembering how to solve problems, but when I asked them whose responsibility it was to know the material, they flashed big grins and confessed that it was their fault for not studying everything.
From 10am until 2pm, I sat in a first grade classroom grading midterms. I know now why the students get so wiggly in their desks - those seats are hard! Thankfully I had lots of teachers helping me grade. We worked out an assembly line method and completed 5th, 6th, and 8th grade in a relatively short amount of time. Each question is checked in blue pen, and the total score for each section is recorded on a cover sheet (as a digit and as a written number). That teacher then signs by the score. Another teacher comes along and checks the scores in red pen, making sure they have been added and copied correctly. Because the addition can get a little tricky, that portion might be divided amongst two teachers who have calculators to help speed things up. By the time we were finished, my fingers were stained with blue ink. I meant to take pictures of all the teachers pouring over tests, but I got too caught up in keeping the assembly line moving.
After I finished grading, I helped alphabetize all the tests. As a teacher reads off scores, the curriculum coordinator enters them into the computer by hand. They usually just go in order of the tests, but the gradebooks are listed alphabetically. After alphabetizing a few of the classes on previous days, I was asked to do all the classes today since it helped speed things up. I suppose that is where the Business Administration degree comes in handy!
The curriculum coordinator and I were the last ones to leave. When I finally got home, I packed up a couple things and headed over to Andy and Lisa's. The afternoon was a blur as I tried to unwind from grading and respond to emails. At 8pm, I Skyped with Dave and Lisa. Something hit me then and I spent 20 minutes after our Skype call processing the events of the week. It was a relief to realize that my responsibility at the school is done (apart from the Christmas party on Sunday that will be canceled if it rains.) But it was also hard to feel that so little was accomplished. So many people I know are hurting right now and I've done so little to administer aid or comfort...
I had a good Skype call with Mom afterwards, enabling me to share some of the things I've been thinking about with regards to the future and my desire to serve the Lord here.
