Hello all!
45 days! That seems like a while. Surely I haven’t been here that long? Well, fortunately that means there’s much to say. First of all, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!! I know it’s a bit late but I simply must tell you some of the cute things the kids wrote in the cards that we got them to make. Here are my favourites:
“My love….is like mutton”
“Love is life, husband and wife, and another knife”
“Love is not like a cabbage.” How true…
We also had some of them insert quotations such as “You are my sunshine” and “My love for you is infinite” for those who didn’t speak as much English. They enjoyed it so much! Many of them are very artistic, and the boys in particular got very into it. Speaking of cards, if you sent me your address you should be getting a letter within the next few weeks!
On a slightly more serious note, did you know that in slums there are often illegal arranged marriages? So no one goes to jail if there are any domestic problems, because it does not officially count as a marriage. Not that the police care enough anyway. Nice, eh?
Teaching is great though. It’s lots of fun trying to make lessons relevant to the kids by using cricket and their Bollywood TV stars as examples in what we’re trying to say.
It would be nicer if all of the students always turned up, but I suppose that is unrealistic here. For example, in one of our classes today - which started off as 25 students strong – only eight kids turned up. That said, in the slum we teach in most often 98% of the kids turn up every time. And I’m still getting used to the smell! Mayapuri (the slum that’s heavily industrial) was very smoky today – I am sure my lungs are not too fond of me at the moment. Having said that, the classrooms are not; you only really smell it when you go outside.
All in all, I thoroughly recommend living in a different culture for a while. I am actually referring to my experience in Kyrgyzstan here, which has proved pretty much invaluable here in terms of teaching English. For, due to the fact that I grew up in a country where very few people know English, it became instinct to know how to talk to such people! Not only do I speak slower and clearer, but – for example – I know that when someone asks a question, to use as much of the vocabulary they used in the question to answer it, because I know they know those words. Just being aware of the vocabulary I am using helps so much.
Well, anyway, I am very tired, so will sign off here.
Warmness,
Jon
45 days! That seems like a while. Surely I haven’t been here that long? Well, fortunately that means there’s much to say. First of all, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!! I know it’s a bit late but I simply must tell you some of the cute things the kids wrote in the cards that we got them to make. Here are my favourites:
“My love….is like mutton”
“Love is life, husband and wife, and another knife”
“Love is not like a cabbage.” How true…
We also had some of them insert quotations such as “You are my sunshine” and “My love for you is infinite” for those who didn’t speak as much English. They enjoyed it so much! Many of them are very artistic, and the boys in particular got very into it. Speaking of cards, if you sent me your address you should be getting a letter within the next few weeks!
On a slightly more serious note, did you know that in slums there are often illegal arranged marriages? So no one goes to jail if there are any domestic problems, because it does not officially count as a marriage. Not that the police care enough anyway. Nice, eh?
Teaching is great though. It’s lots of fun trying to make lessons relevant to the kids by using cricket and their Bollywood TV stars as examples in what we’re trying to say.
It would be nicer if all of the students always turned up, but I suppose that is unrealistic here. For example, in one of our classes today - which started off as 25 students strong – only eight kids turned up. That said, in the slum we teach in most often 98% of the kids turn up every time. And I’m still getting used to the smell! Mayapuri (the slum that’s heavily industrial) was very smoky today – I am sure my lungs are not too fond of me at the moment. Having said that, the classrooms are not; you only really smell it when you go outside.
All in all, I thoroughly recommend living in a different culture for a while. I am actually referring to my experience in Kyrgyzstan here, which has proved pretty much invaluable here in terms of teaching English. For, due to the fact that I grew up in a country where very few people know English, it became instinct to know how to talk to such people! Not only do I speak slower and clearer, but – for example – I know that when someone asks a question, to use as much of the vocabulary they used in the question to answer it, because I know they know those words. Just being aware of the vocabulary I am using helps so much.
Well, anyway, I am very tired, so will sign off here.
Warmness,
Jon
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