I love my job!!

I love my job!!  Love it. Love it. Love it.   The way it is set up makes it actually possible to get to know kids and love on them.  They get 10-15 min breaks between classes so their little brains actually get a rest. They are allowed to eat in the halls so I think that contributes to their ability to think.   Many of them come to class early to tell me about their day or have me help them with something.  The long break between classes is great for teachers too because it gives us time to set up for the next class and a lot of teachers float here so it gives them time to get to their next class and set up.  I have three 6^th grade classes.  There are some pretty goofy 6^th graders but they’re fun!   One class is super great (that is the class with the French kid that speaks no English so I translate all my projected stuff into French)  they like laughing when I try to learn a new word in French and they like the gesturing/charades I use to communicate with the boy.  One class is fairly typical and the third class is a challenge!  Some really uptight type A kids who can’t be without my attention for three seconds while I’m helping the academic support student who needs a lot of help (and two other students that are struggling).  I also teach two 8^th grade classes.   They crack me up – they are supposed to be the lower Algebra kids but some are pretty bright.  We are just doing basic stuff right now just to see what their background knowledge is, so it will get a lot harder.  One class has 5 girls that sit together and 5 boys that sit together.  The boys work hard and do every problem I ask them to do, but they do it LOUDLY and OUT OF THEIR SEATS.   If they are doing problems on the individual white boards or something – the girls hold theirs up so I can see the answer.  The boys RACE over to me to shove it in my face!   They are so funny!   The other class is good too and there is this boy that I’ll call “y”  who has the most stereotypical Indian accent that you would see in an American movie.  It is hilarious.  I told him my goal is to be able to talk like him by the end of the year.  He told me I’d “just sound like a silly American trying to be cool like the Indians”  ha!!

Part of why I decided to do international teaching was to get out of my rut and challenge myself.  Well that is definitely happening.  Just moving to a city like Mumbai is a challenge.  I make a point to walk around as much as possible and get my bearings.  Walking anywhere takes constant concentration and the ability to tune out the horns.   Sometimes I will walk across the street like I’ve been doing it my whole life – expertly dodging cars.  Other times I will be standing at the side of the road paralyzed with fear practically having a panic attack at the thought of crossing a certain street- Trying to figure out if it is worth the stress or if I should just go home hungry!!!  I generally decide to cross.  I am proud of myself because some of the new people are having a rough time making themselves walk anywhere because it is so stressful. 

Finding a church has been a challenge.  At all my interviews I asked if there were Christian churches nearby etc.  I was told there were “four or five” within walking distance.  I should have specified that Catholic churches don’t count!  I grew up Catholic – have nothing against it but I want a Bible teaching evangelical church.  That is hard to come by here.  But God has put some people in my path to help me find one.  I am going to go this Sunday.  I also found a believer in our group of new people and that relationship will be a comfort. 

It is a challenge being with my normal support system.  It is fairly easy to make new friends here – we do a lot of things together and even riding the bus to and from school gives us a chance to chat with people and get to know them.  But there are friends and there are the inner circle of friends.  It’s a little harder to get the inner circle, but I have to remember we haven’t even been here one month though! This week I have bonded with 3 people this week that struggle with specific things I struggle with or are experiencing the same thing or have the same thought process.   Those relationship will develop into true friendships I think!

Getting used to fairly constant stomach issues is a challenge J  It’s not even caused by something I ate – it’s just from being in contact with India!

Getting my master’s degree hasn’t really been in the plan – I have always been intimidated by it.  But possibilities seem to be endless here.   I have already been totally inspired by other people’s experience and will be enrolling this summer.  It will take three summers and I will get to do it in Europe.  And guess what it is in???  Educational technology!!  Me with a tech degree!!!   Amazing!!!!  This place helps make dreams come true. 

Off to go watch a Hindi movie!