what looks like bullying...

might actually be the "classroom helper" doing his job.

So today I nearly had to meet a 3 yr. old boy in @'s class by the back fence for a smack down because he took @'s seat in class today. The kids are supposed to go into the classroom, find a desk, put their backpack on the back of their chair, and sit down. @ went in and put his backpack at a chair in the back corner of the room at one of the pink desks, I'm sure because its a safe hiding place. Another boy came and took @'s backpack and moved to the front of the room at a blue desk. I watched this from the classroom door and my heart broke for @ who proceeded to crouch behind the chair of the unwanted blue desk. I could see how bewildered and confused and victimized he felt but could do nothing but mention it to the teacher as she was fending off other overreaching mothers/ nannies. The 3 hours @ was in school I felt awful for him and worried for the day he was having. Thursday is alphabet and number day and that's the subject that makes @ feel really inferior so already it wasn't a great day but to be bullied too! So I worked up my nerve to go to the teacher, but fortunately I had another reason also. And the teacher politely and patiently explained that they have a rotation through the desks and that Bully was actually helping @.

I've spent the rest of the day reflecting on how humbling it is to learn language and culture and how that can even apply to the culture of a new school. I wish that there was some way to help @ wrap his brain around all that he has to learn. New school, new language, new kids, new teachers, new rules. Sigh... and I feel of very small use and a very weak parent.

unit 7 progress report

Just a picture because it occurs to me I haven't put one here for a while.

We've been finishing up another unit of language this last week. Also I've been itching alot which has kept me busy. Monday and Tuesday found my face looking much better if not somewhat chemical burned and then Wednesday morning I woke up itching again. This time we think I'm allergic to peanuts. My nice houseworker made us peanut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and thus the breakout again. The rash isn't as bad but I've still been itching alot. But I love peanut butter and one of my favorite local dishes is chicken kebab with peanut sauce. Sigh. Definitely going to an allergist. New tv now has an antenna that is high enough to catch a signal. We've been trying to watch some local news every evening and sometimes catch a cartoon or local program for @. I'm enjoying watching commericals again. One of my favorite things about watching TV in another country is the commercials. There hilarious. And its the right amount of language to understand. Longer programs take more concentration and that is sometimes hard to give. But the detergent commercials or deodorant commercials are great. You always know they are telling you how wonderful the product is, how life changing it is. Our next unit of language starts on thanksgiving day. Not thrilled about this. Really would love a longer break. They are moving me into the morning class from 8 -10. I've always been in the afternoon, first from 1-4 then from 1-3. It means @ has to start riding the bus by himself to school which I think he can do but I'm nervous about. I also have to rearrange the routine of our day, not so sure about that. Jonathan will go from 10-12 as normal. The hope is that @ will start taking naps again in the afternoon, if only for an hour. Its only 4 weeks and then we have a break for christmas. Our schedules are going to start changing a lot over the next several months. Hopefully that will also mean finding a house and thinking about moving. No list of things to get done this go around. Only 2 days off. Ok a little list but these are easy things to get done

- sort christmas card list
- make more christmas cards
- post office to post a batch of cards
- prep sunday school story
- make a funny thanksgiving hat for Thanksgiving on Saturday
- leave town for a day

- take hour long language test monday

rains have come

Another week of language school finished. I'm not at the stage of senioritis of counting days and weeks but I'm beginning to think about it. I've progressed to the dangerous stage of language learning to be able to functionally fluent (that is not a technical term). I can go places without to many worries or problems. I'm able to communicate in most situations that arise. But I can't go deep deep in conversations without having problems and my structure gets a little dicey. I can read but it does still take a dictionary. So I know I need to continue and that the program is working. Still the finish line of formal education is in sight again and that sounds nice.

The rains have come. So thankful. No rain for like 5 or 6 months really can wear on a person. It gone from being 86F in our office at 7:00p.m. to being 77F at 7:00 p,m. So awesome. We don't really need a fan on to sleep now. Two weeks ago I gave serious thought to buying a unit AC for our bedrooms. When its getting toward season change the temperature spikes the week or two before. I've been waiting on the umbrella and finally got caught in 2 downpours. I relented and got out the umbrella yesterday. I got the Columbia raincoat today, love this coat. Its a men's XL so it goes down to my knees and I can wear my backpack underneath and button it. Great coat bought at the K's merchandise closeout sale for 15$. Love it.

@ is at a fun stage of development. I can now trust him to play with the other kids in the neighborhood with limited supervision. He plays nicely and for the most part I can trust where he is going to be. He knows the boundaries and that I still check up on him but now I can look away. I'm praying that this increases his language ability. He finally fits into the social dynamic a little better. He's younger than most of the kids by at least 2 years but still they let him run after and are kind. He still bursts into song sometimes, Veggie Tales or Annie showtunes. The other kids don't know or understand these songs so its a real source of laughter for them. I think its harder for me to see them laugh than it is for @. Such is life.

new language unit

So I started my new unit of language on Monday and after the first week I think I may be beginning to scratch the surface on the complicated system of beliefs going on here. Lots of different faiths going on and there is a clear majority. Lot of different areas to this country that have really different backgrounds and they are held together by a desire for unity. This is really something because when everyone is so spread out it seems to me that it would be hard for a national government to be meaningful and service so many people. But they seem to be managing ok, I mean what do I know really. But by and large the thing that they can all agree on is the power that the physical ground beneath them holds. No kidding.

Let me elaborate in a fashion. So what we can all agree on whether we are Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or whatever else is that the universe cannot be related to directly. This whole universe thing is a big concept to me and I'm not entirely sure that I have the proper translation on the concept, so we'll stick with calling in a universe and agree that I'm learning language here. But we all agree that beyond whatever interpretation of God, YAHWEH, ALLAH or whatever else you believe in as superior, that you first have to get past the physical incarnation of the spirit world that exists in the earth. So you may have observed all of the laws of the Jewish faith, you may have followed the teachings of Mohammed to the letter, you may think you are experiencing the grace and freedom of Christ but you are still subject to a goddess in the ocean that can send tidal waves. You are still subject to the force of magma in the ground. You still need to honor the trees. And the gods and goddesses that control those forces need to be appeased and that is your duty, before you get to your religion.

I'm not trying to simplify this whole universe relationship thing or offend anyone's faith. Truly this is the half of the lesson I understood today. I don't think I would still understand it if they told it to be in English. I'm not so sure I'm smart enough to wrap my head around this in any language. I'm trying, I need to anyway because I have an hour presentation tomorrow in language and this is one of the concepts I'm supposed to be explaining. Certainly what makes this whole culture learning thing more difficult is the fact that it runs through my own American cultural filters.

So this is what I'm wrapping my head around in another language. I'm waiting for the unit on particle physics in the local language. I'm pretty sure I have just as good a chance of understanding that.

"You need to buy a TV."

Took our evaluations yesterday for our unit we finished on Friday. The holiday got in the way of things and so we had 5 days between class and evaluations. Fortunately we've been so busy we didn't notice the time and were really thankful for the break it afforded from house work. Anyway, we both passed to the next unit. Jonathan starts 6 and I'll start 7. Fairly excited because this means I am in the last of 3 phases of language learning. That may lead you to believe some level of mastery but really don't let it fool you. Still get a little lost about everytime I'm out talking with folks. The lost bits are smaller but still. We've only been hear something like 8 months.

Funny advice to come out of my evaluation though. Unanimous decision of 2 of my teachers and I have had the suggestion of 2 others before, "You need to buy a TV and start watching TV." Is this the kind of advice you've ever had from your teachers before? I think not. They were also very specific to follow that up with "Don't get Satellite Cable." Except they used the local product name which I didn't know about. Anyway so we're thinking on buying a TV maybe this weekend. We've saved a bit of money for it because everything has to be bought in cash here. Thought we would wait until the end of the year when we were closer to finishing though. My teachers are concerned that I don't hear enough variety in speaking, thus a tv would help. Strange advice still.

On the List front:
- painted @ room with not great paint (we didn't know at the time it wasn't great, but it looks good on the wall)
- painted living room a very relaxing shade of lilac with good quality paint.
- cleaned out the fridge.
- washed laundry
- Jonathan fixed 2 water spigots (which seem to break all the time)
- Been cooking delicious meals for my family
- Took a family trip to the veg. market, still thinking on the coffee market but it may take another day.

** Did I mention we gave our houseworker the week off? When we are in school she is a lifesaver, there is no way we would survive without her. But with all of us out of school for a week we thought we could manage on our own. And we can, just fine. Hopefully she is enjoying some much deserved time off from our craziness.

We have a few days off after every unit of language. The idea is to give the head a little rest to catch up and let the language we have sink in and fall into use. During our breaks its like a mini school break when you were a kid, five million great plans that you want to accomplish. Problem is that instead of having 2 months we have 5 days. Inevitably I have a million great plans but only get to about 2 of them. The list for this unit:

- take a few days of vacation in 1 city
- go with Jonathan to look for jobs in the city on ocean where we are moving (this is non-negotiable and must be done)
- sleep in
- make big complicated Indian meals
- explore the market, buy some fruit I've never had before (there is lots of that here)
- post pictures
- find a few books in the local language online
- catch up on financials
- catch up on the inventory
- visit with friends at the new church we're going to
- make a cold brew coffee system (my friend jake makes his own shoes, I want to make my own coffee brewer)
- scrapbook the first 6 months of our time here (yeah, pathetic for someone who believes themselves to be "avid")
- print pics for said scrapbook project (to my credit, @'s mini book is way up to date)
- start calendars for christmas gifts, more picture printing
- begin making christmas cards
- watercolor (something I have found I really enjoy)
- finish reading the book of John in the local language (i'm on chapter 7 or 8)
- review the material for the next unit

That should about do it. I have 5 days off. How do you think the list is going to work out?

about handling eels

I got a little bit caught up in the facebook this week and haven't made the priority of getting the post up about last friday. I'll try to get pictures of the blessed event up soon over at Not as Daily.

Last friday our language school celebrated the country's independence day. It was a week late but the priority is always given first to participating in neighborhood events, which are the traditional way to celebrate the holiday. Our neighborhood is a bit of dud and we had a little picnic but it was only the minimal participation.

Anyway the school's aim was to do the occassion up right. Flag waving, games for everybody, talent shows the whole thing. One of the students does a little magic and by magic I mean magic for 3 yr olds because everyone over three saw through him. Still he's a funny guy and gave it a good go. Another student used to juggle, the last time she had juggled was something like 5 yrs ago and she practiced the night before. Still she had the stuff and was very impressive. She must have been terrific when she was juggling regularly and she still had a hilarious routine. Then they brought out the games. Eat the cracker off the string over your head without hands, a very traditional game. But it was nice because they had a round for the kids and then the men and the women. Then there was blindfolded pop the water bag on a string. Kids and Dad with sticks swatting at a waterbag hanging over head, blindfolded. Definitely not ZAA but really fun. Then we went up for what I thought were the awards but they had one more relay up their string. They had a bucket full of baby eels and at the other end of the field were empty water bottles (they had a little water). Teams of three had to take the eel from its bucket home and carry it relay fashion and get it into the water bottle. The catching wasn't terribly easy but there were lots and so that helped. Carrying it was easy. The forcing its little wiggly slippery body into the water bottle, impossible. If you drop the silly thing, they are nearly impossible to catch. But forcing its unwilling uncertain body into a little water bottle hole... needless to say I got the short end of the stick and I think I managed three of them. But let's all remember that i have texture issues and so handling the thing sent me over the edge. I'm fine with lots of other things, snakes even. But eels have always given me the willies. They are slippery and very muscular. IGG. My team did not win this event and I think they were understanding.

Nice time with people we go to school with, Jonathan more than me. The morning sections are a really big bunch and they visit alot. The afternoon is much smaller (5 of us at the moment) and rather transient. I like this for studying but consequently I don't know anyone, whereas Jonathan knows everyone. @ had a ball. Loads of kids to run and chase. He was given permission to stand and eat a huge salty cracker. But mostly the running and chasing. Everyone came home happy and tired, a success on all counts.

a little help

2 things I'm needing a little help with. We've been talking in language this week about the responsibilities kids have around the house to help parents. Kids here aren't expected to do much honestly. What do you expect your kids to do around the house to help? What do they do when they get home from school? What age did you expect the kids to help out?

Second, does anybody have the ability to somehow record the Oprah show onto a DVD and send it to me? My sister is a Hurricane Katrina survivor. She and her husband are going to be on the show remembering the 2 yr. anniversary. Not sure yet if they are going to be on the show or just in the audience but they've been interviewed by the show's coordinators. We don't have a tv and I don't know that Oprah is on the air here. I'd really love to see the program. Jenn and Will have been working super hard to help New Orleans get back on her feet and it some ways its a real uphill battle. So much depends on tourism and the need is huge. They have been very fortunate in a lot of ways but its been hard. So if anyway knows of a way to put Oprah on dvd, I'd really appreciate it.

another road block

I'm supposed to be writing my homework essay just now and preparing a 10 minute presentation but at the moment I've hit yet another road block.

A summary of the last week or so seems to be in order:

- I had a bad examination for the end of last unit. My hardest teacher and the headmaster. Both nice guys but it was a bad language day and a case of the nerves just didn't help matters. I passed but that has more to do with grace than my ability.

- I was prepared for having class by myself. I didn't know that the 3 students from the morning were switching to the afternoon. The blessing is I couldn't have handled a daily presentation. The problem is that these 3 students have something of routine together and I'm not part of it. Also the partner I have is the most advanced student that the language school has ever seen. Not cool. Major blow to my language confidence. Left reeling.

- Have I mentioned the presentations and the essay. 3 essays a week, 1 grammar topic, 5 new verbs and their conjugations with sentences , 1 test- EVERY WEEK.

- I still have a husband and child that might like my attention. Using his child radar, @ is experiencing a week of blissful days. No fusses all week! Obedience and listening. So blessed!!

- My neighbors have never stepped out of their region of the country. My essay for tomorrow is "how do people in different areas of the country address one another?" Please write and essay and prepare for a 10 -15 minute presentation.

- On my way out to talk to the neighbor's tonight, @ needed to potty, couldn't find his shoes and then needed his ball.

- We have to leave the country in a month. Great, no problem. We're ready, except for the fact that there is no room in the inn. Looks like going between 2 hotels over the course of 5 days. But that is after 4 days of internet and phone calls.

- Oh and my hair is falling out by the handfulls. Think that the locks of love people may not get my hair after all.

I have other frustrations from this week but they are off the topic. Some observations about the Berenstein Bears, thoughts on travel and why we do it, but those are for another day. When I don't need to dream up something to say for 10 minutes in another language. Is this a skill I should learn? Making it up as I go along in another language?

a few more songs

The songs in my class are better learning lessons all of the time. Today's song roughly translated:

Where, where is my kid goat?
My kid goat ran to the edge of the village.
Where, where is the love of my heart?
The love of heart with the pointed nose.
Maricha of my village.

Little tidbit of knowledge from this song: We find women with pointed noses more preferable and beautiful. In Africa where we lived, women with a good sized gap between their two front teeth were considered more beautiful and desireable.

Yesterday's song a sweet little song about the love of your hometown or village.

Village which I love and adore in my heart.
Place of father and mother and extended family
Not easy to forget, not easy to separate
Always I miss you village which is green (lovely).

Remember these are translations and so they sing a lot better in their written language. Still the idea translates.

Although I do sometimes miss my home, I have neither a gap in my teeth or a pointed nose.

about singing

One of the things I enjoy about our language school is the well roundedness of the program. We spend a little time everyday doing things that might seem silly but if your goal is to weave into a culture naturally these are the things you should know. We spend a little time in singing, memorizing a portion of a book, and sharing our daily experiences. The singing was initially very offputting as I really don't sing and its been noted by others that I don't sing.

Throughout unit 1 we learned a lot of children's songs. The songs you teach your kids to help them learn the days of the week, their colors, right and left, body parts, counting etc. These were fun songs to sing and I would bring them home and sing them with @ and our houseworker. She really got a kick out of head, shoulders, knees and toes; it had been a while since she'd thought about that one.

Unit 2 we're learning more cultural songs. Songs about pride in your nation, historic battles and heroic people. Songs about whooing a girl. But when you translate out these songs word for word well they just sound silly. Today's song translates to:

Where does the leech come from?
Down the rice paddy to the river.
Where does love come from?
Down from the eyes to the heart.

Feeling love, feeling love, love, Ehh. The region is a leech of love from my heart.

The last little bit I can't get the right english wording on. But its something about missing this particular region. But leeches. Are we really singing about leeches? Yep.

language school

Second day of language school and I'm feeling happy and confident. With our last language we never had the luxury of school, so having this time to learn and make mistakes. I'm not getting the daily practice that the homework says (15 talking partners a day, at least 5 new) but I'm getting some good potty training done for @. I think that should count for something.

@ has gotten so that he goes everytime in the right spot so long as his pants are left off. Got to work on the pulling down part.

This is a photo from a few days ago at the local dept. store. The grocery area on the 5th floor has a game area. @ gets a ride after we're done with the shopping and then he can sit on as many of them as he wants. Its something like .20 cents so I'm ok with splurging on that. The dept. store is a pretty freaky place otherwise. Really loud and really oddly laid out.

More photos over at Not as Daily.