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Monday, May 23, 2011

workshops & driving in Kudus

It's been two weeks but it feels like it's been forever since I updated on here. I've been told I'm long winded in some of my posts so I'll try to keep it short for you.

The week that I got back from MCC retreat in Bali there were no classes because UMK students were taking their midterms. I talked to a professor about organizing some workshops and we ended up deciding on four- Common English Mistakes, Business English, Being Muslim in America, and Education in America. I led all four and they ended up being pretty well attended. I prefer organizing workshops and seminars that teaching a regular class. Consistent lesson planning is just not my thing. More often than not I end up scrambling at 11pm Sunday night trying to come up with something to teach on Monday. It's just a conversation class but if I don't have some activity planned to get the students talking it ends up being me monologuing about something or other. And the less they talk the faster I talk and then the less they understand. It's great fun. Actually it's not and sometimes I get really frustrated. At myself for not being better on my toes with conversation games and not patient enough, and then with them for not being more assertive and interested in learning.

But. I look at where I am now and compare it to where I was even just two months ago and I'm doing better. I'm growing, learning from mistakes, trying new things... And it's paying off. I see students being a little more open and eager to learn. A little more comfortable with me. I honestly don't know if they're learning anything. It's hard to tell when you meet with 7 groups of 10 students every week. That's a lot of kids to keep track of and I can hardly remember any of their names much less their English abilities. There are some of them, the older ones, that I hang out with after class and I've gotten to know them pretty well.

I'm not spectacular at my job, but I am here, and given the fact that this was not what I signed up for when I applied to SALT, I think I'm doing alright. And there is something about having less than two months left that makes things more bearable. That motivates a little more creativity. And, it's amazing what a skype call home will do for my spirit. Really appreciating my mom right now.

I rented a scooter a couple of weeks ago because my host father was out of town which meant no ride for me. It was quite the experience. Riding on the back is crazy, but driving is a whole lot crazier.

First, driving on the left. I've gotten used to it because of riding the bicycle around everywhere but on occasion I still screw up directionally when making turns.

Second, people pull out without looking when they are turning left (not having to cross the road). They just go. All of them. And so when you are driving you need to be A) aware of people coming towards you on your right when passing each other and driving into your lane and B) people pulling out from roads coming in on the left. There is some order to the madness. It's not like those pictures you see of Indian roads where there are cattle, motorcycles, trucks, people, complete craziness seven lanes across with seemingly no pattern of direction. Roads are usually just two cars wide and people tend to ride on the right side. Which is the left side.

Third, horns. All the time. When you're passing someone, when you're letting someone know you will not be moving so they had better move, when someone pulls out in front of you (which happens all the time, see above), a half a second after the stop light turns green (especially when they are count down stop lights), if the vehicle in front of you has stopped for any reason, or if you see someone you know. Or if you see a white person and want to get their attention and because you think it's funny when you scare them half to death and see them about fall off their bike cause they don't have a thick helmet to muffle your obnoxiously loud horn.

Fourth, bicycle cart men. They look super unique and cultural when you're first here but once you start riding you realize what a nuisance they are and why drivers here are trying to get them to be outlawed. They are super slow and tend to ride in the middle of the road and take over traffic. Or they part on the side of the street and snooze in their carts and make it impossible to pass the car in front of you. Driving has definitely made me not a fan of becaks.

Fifth, gas is not too expensive but when you live as far out of the city as I do and are regularly coming in town either to buy diet coke or rent a movie or pick up a friend or go to church, you end up having to fill up every other day. And at 2.50$ a tank, it gets expensive. "Expensive". Comparatively though. That's three meals here in Kudus.

So I learned much in my one week of renting a scooter. It was about $3 a day to rent it and I probably wont rent it again. Cause like I said, that is expensive for here. It took me back to Azores days for sure though. When I was 14 my dad bought a scooter for us girls and when I was 16 I was allowed to start driving it.
And consequently, riding one here made me a bit homesick for a warm family to drive home to at night, the comforts of knowing the city by heart and having memories everywhere I drive.... Will possibly be visiting Portugal this summer though which is super exciting and will give me a chance to "matar aquelas saudades." Sorry, no translation available.

2 comments:

Courtney said...

I like you wordy. Please don't edit for us. We would love to skype with you. Let us know when!

Mom said...

All the words you use are meaningful, so go right ahead and use them. As many as you want. For people who think it's wordy, tell them to read it in two sessions! Those skype sessions do alot for the people at home, too. Your momma misses you but is really glad you're having this adventure. Even if it seems like a misadventure to you sometimes! Write on!