Startup Chaos

School this week was less than enjoyable. It started out with the second year students. I taught them last year. I am still paying for all my mistakes as a first-year teacher, and the lack of proper facilities. Lessons with them are not so nice (the fact that they are in full puberty-mode doesn't help much either).

Lessons with the first years went well. I am proud of the way I am creating structure and making clear the rules and procedures. The students are listening well and are well behaved. It is quite the refreshing environment. The problem is, this atmosphere is very difficult to create and maintain when I am constantly moving from one space to another. 45 minute lessons easily lose 10-15 minutes due to setup and transition time. No passing time is built into the schedule.

The weather was beautiful this week but we were too exhausted to fully enjoy it. Yesterday we spent the day inside doing odds and ends along with planning a trip for fall break. We get a week off toward the end of October! I was hoping my friend from Mali, Secouba, would come but he was unable to get a visa. So now as an alternative, we will ride our bikes to the airport and hop on a plane to Austria!

We will spend five nights in Vienna. A couple days will be spent in the city itself. Another day will involve a fairly expensive rental car and the Alps. We might even take the train to Budapest if we are in the mood. Sure is amazing that these once exotic destinations are now so accessible!

Today it is hot outside. We will head to the beach and have fish for dinner. Before that, we have a long list of things that need to get done...and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I have to go to camp with the first year students. So much for building up a routine and a regular sleep cycle. I am not yet feeling settled.

A crazy looking fruit we found at the market.

It had much more color than flavor - a bit like a mild kiwi.