So it's been a while...

So it has been quite a while since I last posted. Sorry.

Classes began on Oct 6th and the first week was like Heaven. I thought these kids would be eating out of my hand.

Frustration abounds: week two. Ahhhhhhh these kids have studied English since they were in first grade and many of them cannot speak much English. I remind you, in three years I could speak enough German to get by in normal daily conversations.

Frustration one: I had to give one girl a zero on a speech, because she only said three words. It was to last one minute. I gave the class the questions a week ahead of time, so they could work on them the whole week. I told them to e-mail me if they had any questions. No e-mails came in.

I held her after class and asked her to give a speech with only me, because I thought she might have been afraid to speak in front of her peers. No. She did not know any English.

I told her friends they should tell her to write everything she wants to say and practice it with her at least ten times, or she will never be able to pass the class.
They said they would. Unfortunately, sometimes people here pay off the teachers to help them pass the exam. Students are use to being able to take a test several times to pass too. They just have to keep paying a fee until they finally pass. This will be tough on me. I want them to learn well.

Frustration two:
After I had just announced to the class that if I saw anyone talk to anyone during the quiz I will assume you are cheating and you will get a zero, I caught one kid doing just that: talking to his neighbor. I took their papers and began heading to the front. He mumbled under his breath that I should do something vulger with myself. I heard it and responded.

I jumped down his throat on that one. I said I am your teacher and you will not speak to me in that manner.

After class, I held him over and we talked about how using vulgar language damages one's character. He seemed genuinely upset with himself and apologized profusely. I am sure he sees that language in movies and just said it without thinking about what it meant. Maybe he did know what it meant and was just so angry that he did not know how to express himself in any other way. Who knows?

I told him it would not reflect on any of his future grades and I would not talk to anyone about him and use his name. He thanked me and left. All in a long days work. Ahhh

Switching to different news. Last week I was very ill. I had so much congestion and drainage that when I bent over to tie my shoes it felt like someone was squeezing my neck in a vice. I had so much pain in my cheeks that if I was not teaching I was sleeping.

I slept a lot that week.

However, thanks to sleep, Tylenol, some Thai meds, and some killer Chinese herbal tea, I was better in about a week. Oh and thanks to the Big Kahuna!

Because I was sick I did not go to the orphanage. I felt like a big part of my life was missing. My friend Carolynn told me that the boys at the orphanage missed me. Ahhh. I love those kidz so much. I wish I could adopt them all.

If I were rich, I am sure I would. Maybe that is why I am not rich.

Over all, classes are going okay. Nothing to write home about. Ha. I guess I just did though didn't I. I have some exceptional students on both ends of the spectrum. I hope they all will make progress and I will be a better teacher.

I have a good chance to do some work that my second best friend Timothy who lives 2.2 miles away from the Good News Book Store always wanted me to do. I will think about how to do this, and if you could ask Abba for advise that would be cool.

Thanks!
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I love and miss you all.

James :0-)
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