The Most Relaxing Weekend

I'm sitting on my couch cuddled up with Scamper and watching one of my favorite movies, Father of the Bride (who knows, perhaps I'll make it a marathon of FOB 1 and 2). The scent of cinnamon is tickling my nose and a thunderstorm is rolling by growing more fierce every moment. I love spending my Saturday nights like this! You honestly couldn't ask for a more serene environment.

This weekend I devoted to doing absolutely nothing. Last weekend and this past week was very tiring. Friday night I made dinner - which is a rare occasion because I usually just have apples and yogurt. I caught up on some emails and facebook messages and hung out on youtube before going to bed.

This morning I woke up at eight and laid in bed before getting a phone call from my friend Dini at nine. She wanted to go biking through the non-modernized villages in Sentul and go exploring. Since I had nothing better else to do - I was quick to take up the invitation. We met up at a food stall that is owned by one of SPH's bus drivers. We had fantastic food - rice, green beans, chicken, and jackfruit (which if raw is a sweet fruit and if cooked it is a vegetable - crazy!). It was absolutely delicious! Everything we wanted and for 7.500 (which is about 75 cents).

With our bellies full, we started off on our trip. We drove through many villages and as we passed there was a parade of children waving because the "bule" was travelling through the village. Talk about being a movie star! Their faces were brighter than the sun and their shouts and cheers were heartwarming.

After countless twists and turns, we managed to get get to the outskirts of "modernized" Sentul and headed back to Dini's house. We hydrated ourselves, talked, and watched a bit of tv before heading to Bellanova. We split up and I went to the salon to get my haircut. I tried to explain to the stylist that I wanted my hair trimmed and thinned out. What I ended up with was 2 inches off my hair - however, I got some pretty nice layers. I am still not happy that my hair is 2 inches shorter - especially after struggling to grow it out - but it does look nice.

Dini and I did grocery shopping before parting ways. When I came home I visited my neighbor and well - here I am now - kicking back and relaxing.

Life here is always adventure - but I am beginning to feel that life here is really normal. Sure it's not the everyday bustling midwest - but something that I find myself adapting to and calling my own. To all you readers - don't worry - I will continue to update my blog. I know that you enjoy the crazy happenings of a girl half way across the world doing what she loves most - teaching kids and making friends. Love to you all!

Celebration!

It is now 1:45 and officially every last one of my student-teacher-parent conferences is over! What a long day. It started off like any other normal day. I woke up late (after an earth shattering night of karaoke) and ran around my house like a crazy mad woman making mental notes along the way: buy milk, change the kitty litter, out of toilet paper, REALLY change the kitty litter, don't let the cat out - things like that.

I made it to school five minutes before my first conference. Whoever decided conferences should start at 7:15 in the morning should be smacked (oh wait, that was me). The first three conferences went fine because the kids were not at school yet.

Then came mayhem! When the bell rang and the students came - we had to balance doing devotions, getting them ready for swimming, and two conferences at the same time. As I sit here at the computer trying to figure out what actually happened, I realize I have no clue. This morning was a blur. The conferences weren't but the in between madness seemed to melt into a black hole of forgetfulness.

I learned a number of things about my students. Some of their parents provoke academic competition between their children, some parents openly admit they don't have time for their kids because they have so much to do for themselves, and some parents gifted us the title as "second parents" in the Christian faith (which is because they are Muslim and believe that their child should have the right to choose their faith - not have it forced upon them). Talk about eye-opening experiences one after the other.

Now I'm sitting here trying to figure out what I'm going to do for the next two hours. My whole afternoon is free - no meetings or chapel or professional development. We are allowed to take one hour every week and go out for lunch. I may just do that and go home and make myself lunch.

A Progressively Delicious Dinner

Tonight was the night of the annual expatriate teacher progressive dinner. This was a blessing in disguise for me - as the only food I have in my house is apples and a half a jar of peanut butter.

To be honest, many people were leery about going for the simple fact that everyone has an inservice professional development workshop to attend tomorrow (aka Saturday). The PYP teachers got the misfortune of having to get up early and travel to a campus far from here. We have to be at school at six o'clock. To some that may not be excruciatingly early - but let me put this in perspective for you. I roll out of bed at 6:25 every morning (fully knowing I have to be at school at 6:45 - which only happens on rare occasions). Thankfully I'm not the only teacher that has trouble getting out of bed in the morning.

We started out at Scott and Dianne's house. They are teachers in the middle and high school. We had fresh veggies, tree roots (which sound nasty but they are actually really tasty), and fried banana. We talked there for a while and moved on to our next course: bread and soup.

Becky and Jared's was the next stop for bread and soup. Becky is a phenomenal cook and made homemade lentil soup as well as homemade cream of potato soup with ham. She also had homemade oatmeal bread. We talked for a while and then commenced a game of Bible charades. I was the second one to go - and I must say that it was the best one of the night. My slip said

"Talking donkey." I want you all to think hard and guess how I did that - it was quite creative using a significant body part. Just think about it...

After Jared and Becky's we went to the principal's house and had a main course. There was a variety of noodle and meat casseroles that were quite tasty.

Lastly we went to Leanne and Brittney's house (for those of you that don't know - my old roommate Leanne moved into a different house). We had icecream peanut butter parfait dessert as well as apple cobbler. Talk about a high point of the night. We played a few games and called it a night after ferocious yawning and lingering (and bitter) feelings of a Saturday inservice that was ahead of us.

All in all, it was definitely a great night of eating, fellowship, and fun.

A Dance Class In The Classroom

In Grade 6 I am known as the dancing English teacher. When I get excited I bust a move or two in the classroom. My kids get a kick out of it. I'm not sure how or when I started doing it - but I guess it stems from my mother who has this fantastic way of gliding and dancing in front of people (particularly when they are watching TV at home). It's quite comical if you've ever seen her do it. I guess I am my mother's daughter.

Anyway, for weeks I've been doing alternative Zumba online. It's one of the funnest workouts I've ever been involved in (and since then have lost over 25 pounds since being here). Some of my students caught wind of this and have been on my case about showing them my newly learned dance moves.

After days and weeks of avoiding it, today I finally gave in. I posted on facebook that there would be a dance party/class during lunch break. Since most of my Grade 6 students are my friends on facebook, word burned around the classroom like a wildfire. At lunch break I had 15 students in my classroom ready to learn Miss Marie's famous dancing. Ha!

I reviewed the steps and started with a simple dance. Within minutes they got it down pat and all of us were dancing in sync to Selena Gomez's "Naturally." It wasn't just girls either - there were a lot of boys as well.

Before I knew it the office boys were looking in our classroom watching this madness. This got my Grade 3 girls interested and they too joined in. By the end I had over 25 students learning alternative Zumba moves.

I can only imagine what was going through Budi's mind as he sat at his desk laughing and watching with a smirk on his face.

Apparently this was the highlight of many students' recess and they scheduled Zumba dance classes every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday lunch break. Haha! However the more I thought about it, the more I really enjoyed my time doing this with them. It's like there is a new level of connection between my students and I. I'm so blessed to be able to not only teach but interact with them on a personal level.

Grade 3 Christmas Production

So on a random whim I decided to concoct a plan for a Grade 3 Christmas program. We usually have a caroling program and there was murmurs around the school that there should be a change. I got this approved we are going to present one of the best Christmas stories ever told.

The "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" play is based off Barbara Robinson's book from 1979. It is about these six kids called the Herdmans that terrorize a church Christmas pageant and bully kids so they can have the main roles. Everyone thinks this is going to be the worst Christmas pageant but to everyone's surprise it becomes a heart warming tale of the nativity that leaves everyone in smiles.

After meeting with the Head of School and Principal and I think they were more excited than I was that I was willing to step up and do this drama production. It is something different that the kids will enjoy.

Tomorrow we have try-outs. I told my Grade 3 students about this today and they were ecstatic. They cannot wait. I hope this turns out good - because excitement is bubbling from all corners of the school.

The "P" Words

The craziness has just commenced in every classroom. As if we haven't seen enough chaos in these last few months, we are about to go wild. Portfolios and Progress reports are the only subject of talk amongst teachers these days.

In Grade 3, I think we have more fun than we should filling out these things and issuing comments for each student. We are able to fish through funny stories that happened throughout the first few months of school.

Thankfully we were graced with no meetings this afternoon (since today is Wednesday, our designated half day). Budi and I plowed through our progress reports and portfolio preparation. From what I've been talking with teachers - we seem to be ahead of the ball game. That's always a good sign.

Conferences take place next week. I anticipate it will be quite an interesting experience seeing that only a few number of my students' parents are bi-lingual. Thank goodness I have Budi - otherwise I wouldn't know what to do.

Just Call Me a Zoo Animal

Well today was a day for the books. SPH commenced their two day long evaluation of triple accreditation. Our classrooms were deep cleaned, lesson plan books flawless, and anticipation for a surprise inspection visit was on our radar.

I was on my guard most of the day, hoping and praying that somehow grade 3 would be somehow opted out of the visitation schedule. No such luck. In fact, I was graced with the presence of over 20 men and women that were at school for a Biblical Studies conference, and a handful of men from the accreditation team. All at the same time! Talk about intimidating! There were more adults in my room than students. There is never more than three people over the age of 8 in my classroom at a time.

Thankfully my kids snapped into "be on your best behavior or you'll be in hot water" mode. Somehow Budi and I instilled this behavior into them - I'm still not quite sure how, but it was a relief. Sure, my kids know that we don't tolerate a lot of monkey business in the classroom, but when people come in to observe the classroom, they think they are the ones that are under the microscope. I think Budi and I will let them keep thinking that :)

Anyway, with all of these people in my room, cameras were whipped out like pistols in a shootout. Everyone wanted to interrupt my lesson to snap a picture with the bule (white girl). Of all the bules in the school, apparently I stick out like a sore thumb with my bright blonde hair and blue eyes.

One picture after another and I'm starting to get dizzy from all the camera flashes. It's like I'm a celebrity - actually no - like a zoo animal. Everyone just staring and pointing and snapping pictures. It's like they've never seen a white person before and they need documentation as proof. Okay, so I may be a little bit dramatic, but today I really felt like I belonged in a zoo.

What makes it even more comical is that information of my Dutch heritage oozes out and they begin asking if I speak Dutch and if I could speak it for them. The only Dutch words I know are cuss words, so I refrain from saying them and simply tell them that I cannot. You should see the disappointment on their faces. It's like a group of kids finding out that there is no such thing as Santa Clause (which from a heart wrenching personal experience is the very upsetting).

The pictures continue for quite some time. It is suffice to say that my lessons for the day landed in the porcelain express.

The moment all they stepped out of the classroom, there was total anarchy and chaos. Apparently bottling up all that rambunctious behavior can be explosive mayhem. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

Later on the staff got an email saying that day one of accreditation went extremely well and the school had a positive outlook on tomorrow's conclusion and results. I'll keep you all posted :)