Summer Classes

The past few weeks have been really slow in terms of work. I saw a lot of movies and was pretty homesick because there wasn't anything else to think about. The Vietnam Australia International School had a three week summer vacation before summer classes began this past Monday. Now I have my own second grade classes every afternoon (Monday through Friday) and I am substituting indefinitely for some other woman. The substitution is every morning for some first grade classes.

The first grade classes are quite the challenge--the students have never been in school and have no English background. I had to start my teaching with "Hello. My name is ___." Rough. They all have new backpacks, books, and pencil cases, and are constantly rifling through their books, searching through their desks, and getting up to visit classmates. Every time I turn around to make sure one student is on the correct page, another student decides to write on the wall or wrestle with a friend. They're all adorable but the teaching is incredibly slow and sometimes frustrating. However, today I taught most of them the names of six shapes--heart, star, square, rectangle, triangle, and circle. They can also say "I see a star/circle/square." It's awesome. I almost cried when I realized that they were actually learning something amidst all the chaos.

My second grade classes in the afternoon are awesome. They're active, love giving hugs, and really learn quickly. I also teach those classes with a co-teacher who's a good friend of mine. We work really well together.

Next Friday through Monday, June 26-29, I'll be in Singapore with some friends. I'm glad I decided to go with them because it seems I'll really need the break from teaching seven to eight hours per day. In Singapore we're going to go on a night safari in the zoo and enjoy hanging out in a developed country. I'm stoked.

In other news, my helmet was stolen and I had to buy a new one. I have to keep reminding myself that everything's impermanent because otherwise it makes me angry.

Nothing's new besides working ALL the time. Only a few more weeks to go!
Miss you all...