pictures... i know...low quality, but what can you expect

Below, 1st three pictures are when we grilled for Woman's Day here with our friends. The next two pictures are of the neighbor kids playing naked in the rain. It's so awesome that whenever it rains here, the kids just take off all their clothes and go running naked in the street. There's also one of Jackie in her crazy dance moves. Next is a picture of my journalism students and I at our regional conference along with my counterpart. They did me so proud at that conference! They even put together masks and did a rendition of Thriller! Next picture is my cute and oh so gentle dog Itchy. Last one is of me and Vanessa dancing the pasada, a Mozambican dance, completely sober! 

finally update

Today was such a crappy day. One of my turmas, Turma G: the one that’s behind all the other turmas, had P.E. and a soccer game, so they came to class 15 minutes late. I didn’t know that they were going to come at all because they’ve skipped my class before. So, I decided to join the ones that did show up with another turma that has me the next period, just so I could leave early. I debated for awhile because I knew that if Turma G did end up showing up, there would not be enough room for all 2 turmas to fit into one room, but I did not want to waste time teaching only 7 people. Unfortunately, those guys did show up, and like I’d figured, there was not enough room. We were reviewing for a test, and I’d told them that even though they could not attend my class, they were still going to have a test the next class.

Man, I feel so awful about that now that I’ve gone home and think about it. How awful of a teacher am I, to give my students a test that they didn’t even get to review for knowing full well that more students will probably fail if they don’t get a review. How selfish am I, to give them the test just so that they wouldn’t even be more behind and I’d have to plan different lessons for them. Lately, though, I feel like I’m slacking a lot. Why, just on Monday, I skipped school because I was so hungover. Yea, can you believe it?! Being hungover in Mozambique! Well, the difference is, in America, when you’re hungover, you can call in sick. In Mozambique, you can just skip and nobody would give a rat’s ass. Teachers skip all the time because they just don’t care. Most of them don’t live in Buzi. They live in the city and just come to Buzi to teach on weekdays and return to their families on weekends. Many would either skip Friday or Monday because of traveling.

In any case, that doesn’t excuse my skipping. I should have been a good role model and represented American work ethic. Should not have gone drinking on a Sunday night! Although in my defense, it was a special occasion. I’d just met these Europeans last week, and they’re leaving town this weekend. I only wanted to make new friends, but before I knew it, I was drinking cheap whiskey and beer and barhopping. Thank god it was a Sunday night and no one was really out, but who knew my tolerance for liquor had decreased so tremendously?! Anyway, not that I was throwing up or anything like that the next day, but I just felt very stupid the next day. Ofcourse, I could have gone to teach, but you know, when nobody cares if you skip, it makes it all that much easier for you to just do it!

Anyway, had a little moment of reflection today and realize I just don’t try as hard anymore. I don’t spend as much time lesson planning as I did last trimester, and I don’t try to vary the activities so the students would have fun during class atleast. I’m so caught up in other things. Shit, last weekend was busy with a meeting and my friend from another city came to visit. The weekend before that was a neighbor’s birthday party. This weekend is going to be a student talent show. I always think I have Fridays off, but no, I have this to do and that to do… my journalism club… science fair starting up. Damn, where did my time management skills go? I gotta straighten myself up again.

Not that I don’t like being busy. I love it, but I just gotta straighten up my priorities again. Don’t worry. Stress here is so different than stress there. Hmm… how can I explain it? I guess, it’s because I know that this stress will end after 2 years. No matter how hard it gets, it ends eventually, and my life here isn’t permanent. I have something else to look forward to. Plus, I don’t have anything else to live for but work here, so it makes it a lot easier. When you don’t have a social life, no TV, no recreation, no accessible internet, you have plenty of time. Ofcourse, I’m starting to gain a social life and finding other recreation, so I’m finding myself without so much free time, but still, I’m not that stressed.

Oh, and I also like to take this time to talk about the new love of my life, my neighbor’s little daughter. Her name is Jackie, short for Jacqueline. Ahhh!! She is sooooo cute! I have some pictures of her that I just recently took, but I’m too lazy to upload it into my computer now, so I’ll just wait for next time. Plus, it takes way too long to upload. This little girl brightens up my day every time I am sad. When I’m frustrated from class, I just come home and look at her and talk to her. Ofcourse most of what she says makes no sense, but I love that abandonment about her. She just doesn’t care. She doesn’t care that I’m a different skin color, or that I’m not her family. I love that she never judges me. I love that she likes to hug me and cling to me. Sometimes, I secretly catch her just dancing and playing by herself and it’s hilarious! No worries. Pictures next time.

Also, I don't think I'm planning on going back to the states in december. My roommate is ending her service with a trip to South Africa, so I think I'm just going to go with her. Sooo.... if anyone is interested in meeting up in South Africa, holla!