.... o.k.
I'm going to do my best to make this comprehensive. Though I'm absolutely exhausted and I'm going to have to go to bed really soon.
I last posted when I had only just arrived, I can't believe it was just about a week ago. I feel like so much has happened since then. I spent Sunday night at the hotel and Monday just making short trips out of the hotel and then quickly back again when things got too much for me. then I realized I was down to go to the school I'm going to be working at. So I quickly got a taxi over there and the rest has been a bit of a blur.
I had to do quite a few workshops, observe lessons and start to plan my own lessons (something I'd never done for real before). My first lesson was on Thursday. So from Thursday onwards I was at the school nearly 12 hours a day, including more workshops, looking at all of the resources and teaching my classes. On Sunday I had 8 hours contact time let alone the frantic planning during dinner (followed by some of the poorest lessons I've ever done). Luckily the age I teach at weekends is from 7 - 9 years old. They didn't have a clue (especially the younger ones) ... Though when I was trying to juggle writing on the board and learning/singing a new song to the kids (my most perceptive and energetic class) were in fits of giggles!!
Life here seems cool. It could be very easy to get into the kind of routine you could have in England, work drink, socalise, work, drink.... I'm keen to move beyond that and have some really good connections with local people.
The city is wild and I've seen some really mad things... People with fridges on the passenger seat of their motorbikes, goldfish bowls full of turtles and cages full of cats and dogs in the side of the road... whilst having dinner last night I was most impressed to see two elderly disabled men display a courageous example of team work. One was blind, the other had one leg. The one legged old man led the blind man from food stall to food stall and told him when to start playing guitar as the one legged fellow sold lottery tickets to the customers..
Its been really tough though, adjusting to a new city and having to start from scratch with a new set of people. I think they think I'm a real square because I've been to too tired to go out drinking and I'm too focused on my work... I've missed home lots and when things settle down I think I'll have to face up to what I've left behind... I think I have more difficult times ahead.
What will make them easier is if what I came here to do takes off in the next few weeks. I'm going to meet with Chris and hopefully start teaching at the boys shelter. Sponser some of the children for their school fees and generally connect with some of the more marginalized members of society... maybe the boys shelter wont be the place for me to do that long term but I'm sure it will keep on track with what I want from this trip, however it appears to the other teachers :-)
O.k... I'm going to go now...
James
p.s.
I found out to my expense (literally) that calling home is really expensive... I hope this will do for the next week or so for family and close ones...
p.p.s.
Sorry if i haven't got back to emails either... I'll be on it soon.
