This is a guide for my family and friends about my life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cape Verde, Africa. I teach English as foreign language to high school students in Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Also as a disclaimer, the comments expressed here are solely of the author and do not represent the United States Peace Corps, the American Government, or any other governing body.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Well, I am officially exhausted. Completely. I might have dozed off waiting for this web page to load. And I am sure that I have one eye open and one eye closed :) Of course I can't confirm that because I no longer have a mirror. Today was our moving day. Again. But we have finally moved (mostly just our stuff) into our new apartment. Along with about 6-7 workers. My favorite is the guy painting my bedroom walls as we speak. Or the two guys tiling the bathroom (that does not yet have a shower), one with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Yes, the place is incomplete and all of my belongings are sitting on my bed so the man can finish painting the walls and then sweep out my room. We can't set up the fridge or stove because he's just paiting the kitchen as well, so we find ourselves scrounging for cheap retaurant food. Did I mention I can't wait to wake up high tomorrow from the paint fumes? So, yes I have rambled on a little bit about how my life is a little difficult at the moment, and when put in perspective, it's really not all that bad. But this moving business probably could not have come at a WORSE TIME! My classes are ok, and this week is a little easier for me because it's testing time. So I don't really have to lesson plan, just make up review excercises for them to practice. Then grade the tests and go over them in class. So as far as school goes, it's not so bad. But planning this race thing and all that is stressful. We only have 3 more weeks to get everything planned out and ready. And why does that feel like such a short amount of time?

On a sidebar, I kicked two students out of my class today for the first time (not counting the time I dragged that other girl out of class. I didn't really kick her out so much as take her myself). They were both boys in my eight grade class, one 16 and the other 17 (do you remember how old you were in eighth grade? I'm pretty sure it wasn't 17...yeah). The 17 year old causes problems a lot, so today he created a ruckus with the boy he was sitting with. He was messing with the girl who sits in front of them. She stood up in the middle of me talking to class (I would have loved to see the astonished expression on my face) and came to the front of the class and in front of everyone told me quite loudly what the boys were doing. Well I had had just about enough of those boys anyway. So I walked down the aisle and in plain English simply said "Get Out." I hope I didn't look as nervous as I felt about it. Marco (the 17 year old) argued for a few seconds but when I turned my back to walk back to the front he and the other boy grabbed their things and walked out. The class then proceeded to applaude. Apperently I should have done this weeks ago. From what the other teachers told me afterwords, they will probably behave a little better in class now. Until the fear wears off of course and they go back to being obnoxious. So that was my fun story of the day.

In the more creative side of things, I have decided to make curtains for our house. We have curtain bars, but I don't actually think you can buy curtains. So I will make some. Wish me luck, this will be a first time thing for me. But how hard can they be? I'm excited about decorating my apartment. I love decorating. And I can start planting my little herb garden!! Yay. So tired and exhausted but happy and now in a permanent, smelly but painted, shower-less apartment. It's so very Peace Corps.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah Super Nadia, the class hero! Its good to hear that you finally have a permanent place now! I miss you and good luck! Love ya Danielle

07 November, 2006 04:20

 

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