Saturday, October 30, 2010

An Ode to Grade Three.


I teach twenty-five students, from grade two through grade 8, five periods a day, each day. All of my kids bring something wonderful to the table. Sure they cheat and they don't do their homework and they don't know how to raise their hands or stay in their seat, but we're working on it. One of the grade seven boys, Noreak, he is one of the worst, cheating and not trying and ah! But then he smiles this wide goofy smile at me and I love him all over again.

But we're not here to talk about grade seven. I would like to take a moment to talk about my favorite group, because lets be serious, every teacher has favorites, grade three.

The only way I could accurately convey how much I love these people would be through large gestures and interpretative dance. But I'll do what I can.


This is them. In all my grades there is fights, spats, arguments. Except in grade three. In grade three there is helping, and smiling, and completeness.




Rotana is the only girl of the five. She is also the smartest one of the bunch. Sometimes when we're working on something and the boys are just being so silly she'll look at me and we'll roll our eyes and laugh. She can write in cursive better than I can.
Even though she is the only girl, she is in charge of the boys. She takes care of them a little.
When I tell her she is beautiful she has this smile that just lights up my life.
She wants to be a doctor. She will be a doctor.



Pannha. He is the quietest one of the group. And often it takes him an extra minute to understand. He doesn't speak up about it, he doesn't want to disturb, so I've learned to ask him specifically after every starts working.
He hands me food randomly throughout the day. His dad is a pretty important government official, always looking so serious. He intimidates me a little. From what I know Pannha had a rough time of it in government school, making friends and understanding lessons. But at the end of the day when Pannha says, goodbye, Teacher! See you tomorrow! I catch his father smiling at me. I agree, sir. I'm glad you're son is happy here too.



Boreach. Oh my goodness. This kid just kills me. When I give him instructions, he makes jerky movements like someone is shooting him. I laugh.
He is the smallest of all grade three, but he stands up for himself and does what he wants!
When the light bulb goes off for him and he understands something, he holds his pencil out in front of him, wags his eyebrows up and down and says, oooh, I knooow.
He NEVER remembers to write his name. When I give a test, or a quiz or a paper, I remind everyone, write your name. Boreach! Write your name!! Ooooh, I knooow!


Sopheak. He is the most adorable. He forgot to wear his uniform to school once.
He has this laugh that consumes his whole body. He always remembers jokes and reminds me. "Monkey go to bathroom!"
He is very clumsy, the walkway was slippery one day and I looked out the door just in time to see Sopheak slide past the door on his back screaming. I've never laughed so hard. He reminds me sometimes. Cha, remember how I slide? Bahaha. Yes.
He and Boreach are best friends. They stick together and laugh at each others jokes the way only best friends can.
His parents aren't in the picture too much. He and his sister, who is also in my class, live with an uncle. He is so wonderful and full of life. At the end of every day he hugs me and says in Khmer, goodbye, teacher, thank you, see you tomorrow!



And last, Joshua. I could talk for hours about him. He is the love of my life, the light in the darkness. We bonded early on and when I found out he was a dorm student I thanked God for loving me so much.
Joshua is the loudest of the group, and he is the oldest. If he continues in school he will be 23 when he graduates high school.
Now, Joshua is often just terrible. He doesn't stay in his seat or want to do his work and he always wants to talk. I get so mad, but then he smiles and says something charming and I'm sucked right back in.
He waits for me at lunch and we walk together. And everyday after school he comes to my classroom to talk to me. He has a brother who is also in my class and Joshua takes care of him.
Joshua started out with the lowest amount of English out of grade three and now he is almost the best. The other day he came and told Olga and I a story and we were astounded! It wasn't the story, it was that the story was in ENGLISH with only a few pauses. OH MY GOODNESS! It was the most exciting moment of the week!
Today we had a rough 5th period and I was frustrated when it was finished. When teachers meeting finished after school around 4:30 all the dorm kids were playing outside. I went down to my classroom to work and moments later Joshua showed up. We were talking and he asked me, do you miss home? I said, sometimes. Why? He replied, Because I miss home.
It's impossible not to love him.

During the last finals week the schedule worked out that I got to spend an entire period with just grade three. They did my seventh period routine with me. Office, they took turns pushing buttons on the copy machine, and we all laughed at things Joshua said. Then we went to the library and read books. It was a magical hour and now they ask me everyday, Cha! Can we go to office and library today with you?!
I so wish.

These kids have taught me, in the cheesiest way possible, that love knows no obstacle. The language barrier in my classroom is a never ending source of frustration. But I somehow manage to love these people more than I thought possible.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all moments of joy. I struggle to get them to sit still, and do their homework, and stop cheating, and don't write in pen, and no you may not go to the bathroom, and learning. Are we learning anything?! Are we making ANY progress?!?!
But I was blessed enough to be given a group of people who make struggle and long days seem worth it. Who make giving up seem so ridiculous. A group of people that make me want to try. A group of people that make me dread going home in six months.

These are my people. My children. All 25 of them. I'm invested, I'm in love.
The only way I know how to express the love I feel for this group is to put my arms in the air, to twirl, to bow, to sway, to praise.

"I will dance, I will sing, to be mad for my King.
NOTHING, Lord, is hindering the passion in my soul"

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The First Ten.

Let me just say, I think my ideal job would involve me just loving children. And the year is coming pretty darn close.

Every day, around 3pm, I am reminded why I love my life.

The bell to end 6th period rings at 2pm. I have usually spent the last hour sitting at my desk grading, or talking on Skype to the remnants of the west coast as they sign off for bed.
Not going to lie, today I spent it just staring out the window. Which is an improvment from last week when I took a nap on the floor.
Anyway, I usually receive a few grade three visitors who today came in to tell me, Teacher Sopeap make us run!! Why? We are noisy! I laughed out loud.
I walk with them down to the office and standing talking to them and others who come running over until the bell rings are they run back to class.

Walking into the office I kick off my shoes and praise God for air conditioning. Making copies takes so long. Oh my goodness. When that is finished I head to my favorite 7th period place, the library.

Entering the second and last air conditioned place on campus I am greeted by Fay with a, I was wondering where you were! or Yay! She's here! -- I always take grading and good intentions with me, but usually end up talking with Fay the whole time or doing some leisure time reading.

At 3pm the bells let us know it's time for go home. [Haha. I love my ESL kids.] I say goodbye to Fay and make my favorite walk of the day. The dorm kids are heading to the dorm to drop their stuff off and change clothes and the path between the two buildings are full of kids I love. Most say hello, Cha! Many ask a question or shout something at me as I pass, and a few stop me with a hug or some sort of action. Today Henry sat on my foot holding onto my leg shouting, I am the kingdom! while I tried to walk.

Instead of taking the stairs right there I walk the cement down to the far stairs passing all the grade school classrooms. There is always some sort of grade two ambush, little girls screaming and running at me. It's good.

I say hello to parents I recognize and they smile. Students say Cha, where you go? I poke my head in grade three and Sen Sopheak always yells something at me that I don't understand. He gives a thumbs up and I wave.

Quickly I run upstairs and grab 1000 riel [25 cents] from my desk and walk back down. More students, more hugs, more questions. I exit the gate and cross the street. Rooty. Made by one of the sellers with a cart that he drives around. It's like a crepe with an egg and sweet cream inside of it. Sounds gross. Looks gross. Tastes so so good. Cambodia may not have crepe guy, but we have rooty.

Crossing back into school I pause to say something to my favorite guard. Today I thanked him for standing at the open gate. He laughed.

I climb the stairs back to my classroom knowing that soon Joshua will appear to tell me things in broken English and make me laugh.

It may not be much, but those first ten minutes after school are good. So good. No matter how hard the day has been, those minutes remind me to laugh, to love, to be really alive. And it reminds me just how happy I am here.

And oh boy, am I happy.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The New Normal.

Almost three months ago I arrived in Cambodia.

I can't believe it's been three months already!!
I can't believe it is almost November.
And I also can't believe the things that have become normal.

Reality just isn't my thing I guess...

Being an SM has provided a view of reality I haven't experienced before.
The phrase we use a lot is- It's ok, we live in Cambodia.

It's hot all the time, and we eat rice a lot. But it's ok, we live in Cambodia.

When I first arrived in Cambodia I was shocked by how many people they put on a moto, three, four, five! And little children!! So dangerous! In amazement I took pictures of this.

Now, three months in, when Phil, Olga and I go out sometimes there is only two moto guys sitting outside the mission, so Olga and I just get on the back of one. Without helmets. This seems completely normal.

Three months ago, we picked ants out of the sugar. Now we just move them aside.

This week Olga found worms in her lunch at school. Big worms. And we all wondered if we also had eaten worms. But we just kind of shrugged it off, it's ok, we live in Cambodia.

Yesterday we were at a church out in one of the provinces. Chickens were running through the church, and no one thought anything about it...

When my time started in Cambodia I was startled and a little offended daily by the amount of men that pee on the side of the rode. And we also are stared at, doesn't matter where we go, or how many times we have seen the same people, they stare. But slowly, you become used to it. When we were in Thailand a few weeks ago, men weren't peeing everywhere, and we weren't being stared at really at all. And that was a little strange.

A few nights back Olga and I were sitting on the couch, above us the air conditioner was dripping pretty seriously. I looked over at Olga, are you getting splashed? Yes. Me too.
Neither of us did anything about it. It's ok, we live in Cambodia.

One of my girls was walking toward the mission when I rode past on my bike. I stopped and said, get on! She jumped on the back. It's very convenient, I don't know anyone walks if there is a bike. Olga rode on the back of mine the other day. It didn't end quite so well, but the two "barang" sitting in the middle of the street laughing hysterically must have been a sight.

I don't wear shoes. Pretty much ever. "Teacher, where are your shoes?" "She doesn't wear them, don't you know!"

Sometimes I don't understand what is happening around me, and sometimes our tuk tuk driver is lost, but it's ok, I live in Cambodia.




Being in a different culture is changing my thinking.
I'm learning, embrace, embrace, embrace. It's the only way to live!

I'm pretty much completely happy here.

It's a different version of normal.
Maybe it is my never satisfied desire for adventure, but different is good.
Different is healing.

Monday, October 18, 2010

One of those days.


You know the feeling?

Two of my kids dropped an f-bomb in class today.
Five laps! One for each letter, and a fifth because I'm not happy!

5, 4, 3, 2.... Noreak, do you want me to say one?
Do it, cha!
One. Two laps. Run. Go.

This is too haaarrrddd. I don't wannnnaaaa.
Stop whining.
Noooooooooo. ,
20 push ups. Lets go.

Boreach, Sen Sopeak! You're late! I want one lap! Run!

Bot, you have to go to the bathroom AGAIN?!
Yes, cha!
You have been FOUR TIMES ALREADY. Only if you run a lap first.

If I hear another word in Khmer you're going to hold the dictionary over your head!
[some chattering in Khmer]
Alright! You can take turns. Three minutes each!


Today my kids tried and tested me.
I prayed for patience. For grace.

And with my back against the wall, I took 'em down, one by one.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Cuddly kids.

This morning I was late to church. I was talking on Skype, thinking I had another hour, and then I look up to see Olga walking out the door. Wait, what time does church start? 15 minutes ago. Shoot.

I quickly made toast and ran out the door and down the stairs shoe-less in true Sabbath fashion. I'm going to have to write a blog about how I don't ever wear shoes. Seriously though, mostly never.

As I got the bottom of the stairs I heard praying and it quickly became apparent that everyone was on their knees. In Cambodia when everyone kneels in church, instead of facing forward you turn around and face the back. I don't really know why. But that means when eyes opened at the end of prayer I was the first thing they saw standing in the back of the sanctuary.

I looked towards the dorm kids, feeling pretty sure that all the seats were taken and I was going to have to sit in the back. Joshua, my favorite kid, the love of my life, catches my eye. I motion, is there room for me? He motions back, come. Where?, I ask. He points to a seemingly empty seat next to him. It's pretty much the front of the church but without a second thought I go. The kids are small, they can double up if someone is actually sitting there. I just want to sit with them.

As I scoot in past some of the dorm girls they all grab me and exclaim, oh teacher! Sreyes-ah! Beautiful! Which, I have my hair down so I qualify as beautiful today. Yes, yes, everyone is watching! I laughed, let go! Be quiet! I sat down in the chair next to Joshua and he leaned over and whispered, Happy Sabbath, Teacher. I like you come sit with me.

I'm just in love.

On the other side of me was Henry. I'm not sure what grade he is in, but he is the smallest of the dorm kids. When I sat down he hugged me and exclaimed, TEECHAA!!

Now, you should know, one thing I miss in Cambodia is cuddly kids. I loved my jobs in Walla Walla. I took care of some of the best kids. I especially miss Sophie, she was my little cuddle bug, from the moment I got there to the moment I left she was attached me to. I love that girl. But as a teacher you can't have the same kind of relationship that you can as a nanny. Sometimes Rose holds my hand and all my kids hug me, but it's just not the same.

Anyway, Henry is sitting close to me and as church is going on I can see him kind of swaying. I look over just in time to see him fall asleep and his head land on my shoulder. I just melted. His head fell back a few minutes later and smacked the chair, in his surprise he sat up. I snuck my arm around so when he sat back it was against my arm instead of the chair. He breathed a loud sigh and slipped back into sleep staying there until the end of the service.

More than a sermon, more than any song, Henry asleep in my arms brought me close to God on this Sabbath.
As the service ended I thanked God for knowing what I need and providing. Maybe not an abundance, but enough.

And enough is plenty.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Accident Prone.

ac·ci·dent-prone
adj. Having or susceptible to having a greater than average number of accidents or mishaps

I'm surprised there wasn't a picture of me.
There have been some semi-joke predictions made about me, including:

"You're going to be the Cambodian SM that gets hit by a car this year."
"You are going to be the one that wanders off at the market and we never see again."
"You are probably going to be the one that falls down the stairs"

Well. We're almost three for three here.

On the first day of school, first period of the day, I busted my toe nail up and bled all over the floor. If you ever want to compare worst first-day-of-school-as-a-teacher stories, don't worry, mine are worse.

I have ridden my bike into not one, but two, parked cars. Sometimes riding my bike is hard!

I punched myself in the eye the other week. I touched a hot light bulb and in my attempt to get away, I might probably have punched myself. The bruise wasn't really anything, so that was good.

A Cambodian long dream has been to touch one of the cow things we have here. A few weeks back I tried and was almost killed. I didn't know you probably shouldn't mess with one that has a baby, alright?! Since that time I have been afraid to try again.


Last Sunday I fell down the stairs. They get a little slippery after it rains. I put my foot on the first one, thought, it's slippery, I should be careful. And then, BAM. Feet out from under me, slid down the last seven steps on my back. Bruised like you wouldn't believe. Several times this week I thought I was sitting on something. Nope, my butt is just swollen. So thats lovely. I had a migraine for about three days after. Thats what I get for wearing shoes.



We were in Thailand this weekend being tourists and seeing some friends. Bangkok is HUGE!

On Thursday on the back of a motorcycle taxi I got lost on the way back to the house. Lost sight of Alex and everything familiar. I had no phone and just enough money to pay the driver. I saw a sign that looked familiar so I just got off and started walking two blocks later I found it. Olga somehow made it back too.
God is good to us.

On Saturday night we went to the night market. It was Olga, Alex and I. Olga shops real slow. I move faster. So usually I just lap around and come back to check. Well, this market is HUGE. And about my fourth lap back Olga and Alex had vanished. Ok, I'll keep shopping and I'll probably find them somewhere.... An hour later... Well, shoot.

I took this picture while lost.


I eventually gave up shopping to sit and wait for them to appear and them when that didn't work I went into search mode. I met another man who had lost his friends. We laughed about being those people. haha. I started asking sellers if they had seen my friend with the big hair. "No, no! Buy something!"
I got so lucky and spotted them down an aisle. We were reunited and Alex exclaimed, "I'm never letting you out of my sight again!"

God has always done an excellent job of keeping my in one piece.
It just seems to be a little more time consuming job this year.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Drenched.

Last night it rained. And I mean, it always rains, but last night it REALLY rained.
On a scale from one to ten, from mist to monsoon, it was a Hurricane Katrina type situation.

I had just walked in the apartment when it started to come down. Saturday evenings we spend over at Tim and Fay's eating dinner, playing games and socializing. Olga had decided to not go and wanted to make chai and watch a movie. I wanted to do the same, but after I went to Tim and Fay's for a few minutes.

After being gone longer than I expected, Olga was a little huffy when I walked in because it was 8:17. Which we both agreed was too late to start a movie. [We're 80 years old, I am aware.] It started raining moments after I walked in, the kind of rain that soaks you in seconds that comes in through open windows and washes the sides of houses.

I jumped up- Olga, we have to go outside and dance in the rain, and we have to do it NOW! Put some dirty clothes on. We're goin.

What? Annie, no. What?

Get up! We're going outside.

Ok.

Outside we went. Our little porch was already flooded. And our balcony had ankle deep water on it. We jumped up and down, we yelled, we danced. And when the excitement wore off we ran to Tim and Fay's to get others to dance with us.

On the way over I realized I was shivering. It was a big moment, that hasn't happened since I got to this country.


Fay came out to see what was happening, and Nay-ha, Avak, Sumara and Lesley all came out to dance with us. We ran back up to the rooftop and danced, yelled, jumped and celebrated a God who lets it rain.

These situations don't come around very often. We are not often provided with an opportunity to throw our hands up in the air and yell just because we can. Or maybe, we don't take enough chances to, we decide to stay inside when it rains.
Thats all well and good, but getting up and going outside, being free, and full of LIFE, well, that doesn't feel too bad either.