... ain't this life so sweet

I was sitting in one of my classes today, observing, and I had a moment to reflect when the children were doing a writing activity. I realised no matter how tough things may have been for me in recent times I absolutely love my life. How many people get the opportunity to do this? I have had a dream and I have followed it through.

I have a little card stuck to my mirror in my bedroom; actually, I have two. One says,

“Believe in yourself 

Believe in yourself and in your dream though impossible things may seem. Someday somehow, you’ll get through to the goal you have in view. Mountains fall and seas divide before the one who in his (or her) stride, takes a hard road day by day sweeping obstacles away. Believe in yourself and in your plan. Say not - I cannot - but, I can. The prizes of life we fail to win when we doubt the power within.”

I brought this with me from Australia, but have not read it in a very long time, and then the other day after it had been stuck to my mirror for a few days, I finally read it again. I think it was Sunday, when I was feeling pretty low, I realised after reading this that I have been living what it says on the card, and that I didn’t turn and run at the first obstacle, or even the second, third, fourth.... Many times, I could have said, “This is all too hard”, but I knew that this is where I wanted to be and what I want to do. I believed in myself. I followed my heart. Which leads me to the second card I have stuck up on my mirror, this one states,

“Follow Your Destiny, Wherever It Leads You

There comes a time in your life when you realise that if you stand still life will pass you by.

There is a path before you now. Walk it one-step at a time. Keep your head up, and cast your dreams to the stars. You will find your new journey magnificent and beyond your wildest imaginings.”

Sometimes I have to remind myself of the one-step at a time; I have always been quite impatient and want to know what is happening, how it is going to happen and what steps I need to take to make sure it happens. However, lately I have not been able to do this, there are things I want in my future that I want to happen NOW, but I realise I have to wait for them. I’m sure they will be all that more delicious once they are in my life that the wait will have been worth it. I have to let the tides take me where they will. They will eventually lead me where I need to be, but I just need to remember to enjoy the ride in the meantime. I find myself asking the question, “What can I do to make this (or that) happen?” then my answer is always, “Just wait, it will happen when it is meant to happen.” I have to tell you though, it’s not easy for a ‘doer’ to just sit and wait.

I received a beautiful letter the other day from a friend who described their evening and how they could see the stars in the sky. Their description melted my heart and made me wish I were there, then a day or so later I reread my little card, “...cast your dreams to the stars...”. That’s when I started to realise all things will fall into place when they will, and no matter how determined I am, I will not alter the course, and I realised I am actually quite happy not to. Part of me knows I will get to where I want to be if only I can be patient. The other part of me just needs pulling into line. :)

Today was another good day at work. I sat in on a few more classes today and one particular teacher whose style I really liked and I found out this is her first teaching position as well. Most of the students are reluctant to put up their hands to answer questions even when they sit there and yell the answer out. I find this very odd. Then there are the students who always put their hand up but the teachers never call on them. How frustrating for the student, at least give them the chance to answer one question when they are so keen.

I came back to my apartment at lunchtime and had another sleep; that is one good thing about living at the school. The lunch break lasts between 12:20 and 14:35 when 6^th period begins. That’s plenty of time for Miss Elke to sleep.

Each Wednesday afternoon between 16:50 and 17:28 (the times of the classes are a bit strange), they have what they call ‘English Corner’, it is a chance for the students to mingle and practice their conversation skills. Today one of the students asked me what I like to do in my spare time. I had to be honest and say sleep. :) Because, really, that is all I want to do in my spare time right now. I explained that I am still getting over my big move to another country and then gave them a list of things I normally like to do in my spare time. Most of the students I spoke to today were in year nine. One of the first girls who spoke to me told me, “My teacher is very handsome.” I couldn’t help but smile, it’s good to know crushes on teachers is a universal thing. :)

Tomorrow will by my first day as the teacher, so I have all my lessons planned. My first class will be the most advanced and then the rest of the classes will be more beginner level. I have all levels to teach from students who have been studying their whole school lives and others who this is their first year learning English.

Well it seems I am all talked out today. I probably need some more sleep.

I found a street vendor who sells these doughy things and I had one the night before last and another this afternoon after English corner. They kind of look like a thick pizza base, but they are not, they have a few herbs and spices on them and some other sort of condiment, but they are not too fatty, and they are a nice change from rice. So when I am just a little hungry and don’t want to go to a restaurant I can have one of these and some fruit. When I am feeling better, I will buy some things to cook with in my backbreaking kitchen, go back to the vegetable market, and get some fresh veggies into me.

I think I lied about being talked out; it seems I have more to say. :)

I am still a little under the weather, but it seems to be clearing whatever it was. I got home tonight and my eyes were black again, but they were fine at lunchtime. My body is not aching as much and my headache is gone.  I am still not sure if the body aches were from whatever bug I had or from walking up and down stairs all day long. My apartment is on the third floor, my office is on the third floor, and my classrooms range from the first floor to the fifth floor, so there is a lot of stair climbing in my day. One good thing about that, I will have killer calf and thigh muscles by the end of my stay. With the lack of food and all the extra stair climbing my clothes are all hanging off me, this is not good, because I cannot replace them as easily as I could in Australia. The next thing I will do is find myself a tailer to alter my clothes for me so my pants don’t fall down, that would give the students something to talk about, well, I guess, as long as they talk about it in English, I wouldn’t mind.

The weather today was all over the place. When I walked out this morning, a thick fog had descended over the campus; there was nobody around except one lone woman sweeping the path with her broomstick style broom. I couldn’t see to the end of the path due to the fog, as I got closer to the school the fog had thickened and I had images of ninjas jumping out of the fog and going kung fu on me. (Are Ninjas from China or Japan? I forget. Either way, I’m sure you get the picture. :)) Then at lunchtime, the fog had cleared and there was blue sky above. I have not seen blue sky since I was staying at the guesthouse. It was nice to get some sun on my skin, then this afternoon at English corner (which is held in an open area outside), it started to rain. We had four seasons in one day.