Text message from a student who missed class:
"Dear teacher, i'm visal.sorry for being absent today because at the moment there was something happen on my mouse while i was eating mango.thank u in advance."
Just one of many problems we have in getting the students to come to class...
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Left standing in the dust
On Tuesday I rode moto-dupe out to RUA instead of driving with Christa. She doesn't teach till later so prefers to drive herself later and I don't mind to ride 'public transportation.' On this particular occasion I hailed a moto on the corner near the office, a guy we ride with not infrequently. He indicated that he knew where the university was and we set off after agreeing on a price. I am not quite sure why the moto-dupes don't like to take the way across the new bridge, but they don't. So we went the long way around, with no short-cuts. I was reminded how very grateful I am that I don't have to drive that way myself anymore, with the narrow road and the over-size trucks.
We made it safely along all the main roads however, and turned onto the smaller road leading straight to RUA. The only traffic on this road are the students and the cows. After a minute, my driver slowed and then stopped. He craned his neck around and examined something by my foot. Then we started slowly driving only to stop again. Once again he began looking at the bottom of his moto near my foot. I slid off so he could easier examine what the problem was. Suddenly, with no word of explanation to me, he took off. I watched him fly away, my mouth open with disbelief. The thoughts that started running through my head were something like these: "I haven't paid him yet, surely he'll come back." "It's a long walk to the gate and then that far again to the office." "The students will laugh at me walking." "I guess I'll start walking..." "Maybe I should take my helmet off now...NO, it's too hot." "I bet those guys sitting on the side of the road watching me with big smiles think this is really funny." "Ahh, here he comes back, what on earth is his problem?" I got back on the moto and we literally flew the rest of the distance to the office on campus. When I got off for real and paid him he tried to indicate to me that there was a problem with his kickstand dragging on the ground, which I could see. I still don't understand why that required driving away and leaving me somewhat stranded. Unsolved mysteries of life here.
We made it safely along all the main roads however, and turned onto the smaller road leading straight to RUA. The only traffic on this road are the students and the cows. After a minute, my driver slowed and then stopped. He craned his neck around and examined something by my foot. Then we started slowly driving only to stop again. Once again he began looking at the bottom of his moto near my foot. I slid off so he could easier examine what the problem was. Suddenly, with no word of explanation to me, he took off. I watched him fly away, my mouth open with disbelief. The thoughts that started running through my head were something like these: "I haven't paid him yet, surely he'll come back." "It's a long walk to the gate and then that far again to the office." "The students will laugh at me walking." "I guess I'll start walking..." "Maybe I should take my helmet off now...NO, it's too hot." "I bet those guys sitting on the side of the road watching me with big smiles think this is really funny." "Ahh, here he comes back, what on earth is his problem?" I got back on the moto and we literally flew the rest of the distance to the office on campus. When I got off for real and paid him he tried to indicate to me that there was a problem with his kickstand dragging on the ground, which I could see. I still don't understand why that required driving away and leaving me somewhat stranded. Unsolved mysteries of life here.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
March Check-in for Team Meeting
Since I skipped, I mean was unavoidably absent from the last team meeting I have a little more variety to report in my check-in. The big highlights of the past few weeks were finishing final exam and having my parents come visit. Final exams went well and after drafting my parents to help me grade I had only 5 out of 103 students fail. I also discovered I have a student with very good attendance who is actually enrolled in a different class.
I used the break between semesters to travel with my parents, including a trip up to Siem Reap and a short jaunt down to Kep. They were eager to travel with me, as well as spend time in Phnom Penh seeing the places of my daily life. It's possible they got a little bored, but that's just another step in experiencing life here in Cambodia.
Starting second semester at RUA was a slow process with me begging the students to come to class and them refusing. They finally are starting to show up a week later. I've also been trying to ask each of my classes what specific skills or areas they want to focus on this semester. So I ended up with reverse syllabus burnout, where the students were telling me all the things I would have to teach this semester, instead of the teacher telling the students all the work they would turn in.
I used the break between semesters to travel with my parents, including a trip up to Siem Reap and a short jaunt down to Kep. They were eager to travel with me, as well as spend time in Phnom Penh seeing the places of my daily life. It's possible they got a little bored, but that's just another step in experiencing life here in Cambodia.
Starting second semester at RUA was a slow process with me begging the students to come to class and them refusing. They finally are starting to show up a week later. I've also been trying to ask each of my classes what specific skills or areas they want to focus on this semester. So I ended up with reverse syllabus burnout, where the students were telling me all the things I would have to teach this semester, instead of the teacher telling the students all the work they would turn in.
You know you're in Cambodia when...
When a large black bug dive bombs your face you don't really duck anymore, you just yell at it.
When a large black bug flies in your breakfast you pick it out and keep eating while it struggles in yogurt on your plate.
When the mouse is running around in the trash can, you scold him disapprovingly using his name.
When Nibbles boldly returns to said trash can, you scare him off by tossing a banana peel bigger than his whole body on top of him.
You beg your students to call you if they are going to cut class en masse by threatening to cry in the classroom by yourself.
You make lesson plans with no hope of actually accomplishing half of what you plan.
When driving moto the words "close," "almost," and "nearly" are completely irrelevant.
Going from outside to your upstairs bedroom involves a 20 degree temperature rise.
By the time you dry off from your shower you feel like you need another one.
Coming home after 8 at night is just pushing it too far.
When a large black bug flies in your breakfast you pick it out and keep eating while it struggles in yogurt on your plate.
When the mouse is running around in the trash can, you scold him disapprovingly using his name.
When Nibbles boldly returns to said trash can, you scare him off by tossing a banana peel bigger than his whole body on top of him.
You beg your students to call you if they are going to cut class en masse by threatening to cry in the classroom by yourself.
You make lesson plans with no hope of actually accomplishing half of what you plan.
When driving moto the words "close," "almost," and "nearly" are completely irrelevant.
Going from outside to your upstairs bedroom involves a 20 degree temperature rise.
By the time you dry off from your shower you feel like you need another one.
Coming home after 8 at night is just pushing it too far.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Wishful Thinking
Admittedly I was probably expecting too much to think that second semester classes would start when we had scheduled. Showing up Monday morning I was spoiled by the presence of 9 students in my morning class (of 27) and was delighted to have a good conversation with them about the upcoming semester. Then in the afternoon class only one student wandered over to the dark and locked building to tell me that he and his friends (hopefully meaning his faculty) weren't studying again until 10 March. Oh,Ok. Both times I basically begged the students to come to class on Wednesday, especially after they informed me that Monday is a holiday for International Womens' Day. So now I'll be starting class a week and a half later than planned. I think it will be shortly interrupted later though by the rumored arrival of Hun Sen to dedicate the new auditorium. It doesn't look near completion to me, but whenever that is, I anticipate it will wipe out a week's worth of class. By that time it will be April and we all know that whole month is a write-off. We'll see how much teaching and/or learning actually gets done. I am looking forward to focusing more on areas the students tell me they want to learn, but for that they actually need to show up.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Vacation Again
In the middle of February RUA had its semester break. After administering exams I took off for some travel time with my parents! They came to visit for just under two weeks. It was a wonderful mixing of blessings for me as I got to travel, spend time with my parents and have two extra people to help me with my grading. :)
Our first trip was up to Siem Reap to see the temples of Angkor Wat. This fantastic area is the most famous part of Cambodian history and it was very easy to see why. The thought that these were all created and survived this long was quite a marvel in itself. The hotel room with air conditioning and hot water was also a marvel, but mostly just for me. We also had a lot of fun exploring the craft shops in the town of Siem Reap as well as spending time with an MCC family that is stationed up there.
After returning to Phnom Penh for one night we next headed off to the coastal town of Kep. We only spent one day there, mostly relaxing and eating a lot of seafood. Returning to Phnom Penh again my parents were faced with the reality that after 1, maybe 2 days there is literally nothing to do in this city. So they joined me in my regular activity of sitting around the office being bored.
Overall we all had to make adjustments for the heat. Them because they are coming from American winter (40-50F), and me because I was coming out of Cambodian winter (70-80F). We also had more than our fair share of traffic incidents which I think was unfortunate for such a short visit. I think my parents are probably now very concerned about me driving in city traffic. But I'm really ok with that because I'm concerned about me driving in city traffic.
Now I've finished my grading and have just a couple more days to enjoy being bored before teaching starts again on Monday. I have a feeling that second semester will fly by, especially with all the extensive vacations coming up. More travel to come!
Our first trip was up to Siem Reap to see the temples of Angkor Wat. This fantastic area is the most famous part of Cambodian history and it was very easy to see why. The thought that these were all created and survived this long was quite a marvel in itself. The hotel room with air conditioning and hot water was also a marvel, but mostly just for me. We also had a lot of fun exploring the craft shops in the town of Siem Reap as well as spending time with an MCC family that is stationed up there.
After returning to Phnom Penh for one night we next headed off to the coastal town of Kep. We only spent one day there, mostly relaxing and eating a lot of seafood. Returning to Phnom Penh again my parents were faced with the reality that after 1, maybe 2 days there is literally nothing to do in this city. So they joined me in my regular activity of sitting around the office being bored.
Overall we all had to make adjustments for the heat. Them because they are coming from American winter (40-50F), and me because I was coming out of Cambodian winter (70-80F). We also had more than our fair share of traffic incidents which I think was unfortunate for such a short visit. I think my parents are probably now very concerned about me driving in city traffic. But I'm really ok with that because I'm concerned about me driving in city traffic.
Now I've finished my grading and have just a couple more days to enjoy being bored before teaching starts again on Monday. I have a feeling that second semester will fly by, especially with all the extensive vacations coming up. More travel to come!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Drawing Near
Today is the beginning of the end...of the semester. We will be grading students' speaking today and then the final written exam is next week Monday and Tuesday. I have no idea how to grade a speaking exam. And I am also becoming increasingly aware that these final exam grades are a reflection on my competence as a teacher, awesome.
Also a new thing learned for today: Having the thought "We're going to die" more than three times on the way to the MCC office in the morning is a less than optimal way to start the morning.
Also a new thing learned for today: Having the thought "We're going to die" more than three times on the way to the MCC office in the morning is a less than optimal way to start the morning.
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