So…the last two days have been EXHAUSTING, and no, not in the amazing I just wakeboarded all day on a wonderful lake way. Wow. I just keep telling myself that these first few weeks are the worst. I don’t even know where to start. I love the kids here so much but I just feel like I’m over my head. Like I’m wearing myself out too thin already and its only been two full days! I just got another girl in my class Monday (that makes 23 with no aid) and she doesn’t speak ONE word of English. I was like, what?! What am I supposed to do?! So I talked to her father and am trying to arrange for her to get tutoring from one of the teachers aids for the other classes that speaks pohnpeian. Also I have these two twin boys in my class that LITERALLY ask thirty questions a day. It is actually quite amazing. Lol its only been two days and I’m pretty sure my patience has never been tested so very much. Also I don’t think my voice has ever been so tired! And I’m used to talking a lot! Its actually sad. My kids are struggling so much academically. It is very frustrating because the school wants us to use the books we have for their grade but they aren’t ready for it. Some of my kids can’t even really read. Like maybe a sentence. For instance I’m supposed to be teaching my fourth graders multiplication and long division etc. but they can’t even add. I went over some adding with them out loud, went over problems with the class, and then was on my feet going from desk to desk helping every kid the rest of the period. Then I reviewed every single problem and answer with the class again all together. It was exhausting, and when I just graded my papers I was slapped in the face with the fact that most of them failed the assignment. Like only a few kids got anything higher than an 80% like maybe three. And it was just adding! This is all supposed to be easy review. Also, when I went to teach bible and passed out the bibles my class has (I only had like 12) the kids couldn’t even all use them because most of them were missing so many pages. Plus, my class doesn’t have bible books cuz there aren’t enough. Haha just many challenges like that. It’s just so hard because I have like four brilliant boys that are so excited about learning and want to do everything and move on, and the rest of class is just struggling so much. I seriously don’t think I ever sit down in my chair for more than twenty seconds at a time no exattuaration. Its crazy. However, there is something that MADE MY DAY today. My kids were working on a social studies sheet, and one of my boys raised his hand very concerned. The students were supposed to match a resource from a specific state with a job someone living in that state might have. Haha one of the answers was “cotton” (with the matching answer being a clothes factory or something) and this little boy looks at me with the most earnest eyes and asks, “Miss, are they talking about cotton candy, or the cotton that you make clothes with?” I had to look away after I answered so he wouldn’t see me laughing.
After grading papers, and being depressed I headed back to my apartment just in time to grab my snorkel and jump on our faithful red truck. My grumpy mood soon brightened with a trip to the ocean. Amy and I swam out to this reef through open water where people go fishing. One of my buddies, named Zack he’s in sixth grade, who I love to death told me has lots of sharks, so one of the guys lent us a spear cuz they were going spear fishing. We decided that this was a more frightening experience than an enjoyable one. Haha it was really murky for some reason where we were and you couldn’t see anything below you for a long time while you swam out. I was like huh, there could totally be sharks right under us and we’d have NO idea. Then, the coral wasn’t too great, saw some pretty little fish, but nothing amazing. Still waiting to do some awesome snorkeling at an actual place for snorkeling. Hopefully we’ll be going this weekend J So after we swam back there we were all jumping off the roof of this building thing into the ocean (its about fifteen feet up, maybe a little more?). The guys were all doing gainers etc. and I was suddenly inspired to try a front flip. Haha I have no idea why considering that I’ve NEVER done a front flip off anything before. Like not even into a swimming pool haha my friends know that I can barely manage one on a trampoline. But I just went for it, and totally landed it. Didn’t over rotate or anything. It was pretty cool, now the guys want me to do a back flip haha so we’ll see. J Its so nice to have a support group, like all of us going through the same thing. It seems like we’re all struggling with the same things and are all exhausted, and its nice to be able to all leave after a frustrating day and just have fun together. I’m really enjoying getting to know everyone better here, and am looking forward to getting closer through the year.
Oh, and last night Amy and I made an amazing original dessert! Her dad had just sent her tortillas in the mail, so we fried bananas and rolled them in tortillas with butter and brown sugar and then baked them in the oven. They were SO good, and well…quite unhealthy. Haha but the boys really enjoyed them. I’m quickly realizing that this is going to be my crash course in cooking year! Anyway, I need to try to catch some sleep and grade some more papers. I don’t think there will ever be enough hours in the day! Miss everyone at home, thank you so much for your prayers, I really need them right now!
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