Lastest news with my class and such

December 3

Today was an ok day. I have been trying to go to T&C all weekend and finally got here. Although my kids can be annoying, the little things they do make up for it all. Like today, I was sitting at my desk when I felt something rub my leg. At first I thought it was a mouse or a lizard, but didn’t want to freak out just yet, so I just shook it off. The next second I felt it again and jumped out of my desk screeching. Looking back I see Chanlyda sitting under my desk laughing her head off. I couldn’t help but laugh too, but man did that ever scare me. I don’t know if it was last week or the week before, but I had a lizard fall on my arm. Oh and this morning I had a mouse the size of a good sized grape fruit scurry across my feet. Pagna was in the room and just laugh at me. My room is full of little critters. I see mice all day long running along the bamboo. I’m just waiting for the day when I a mouse fall’s from the ceiling landing on my head. Katrina and I always joke about it saying, I will just walk out of the room and get on the next plane out of Phnom Penh to the U.S. Little by little I’m almost sure it will happen. Choronei keeps making little notes to give me. Their sweet, he says he want to buy me a Christmas present. And Sopheaktra keeps bringing me little treats from home and says she loves Teacher Yeema and Me. Its cute and makes me feel good. I almost wonder how these kids could love me. I’m so strict. Everyday I fall even more in love with my kids. It will be really hard for me to leave. I was talking to my mom last weekend and she can’t believe its only been 3 months. I can’t believe I only have seven months left; don’t want to leave. I have a life here. Yes, it’s hard, but friends and my class make up for the bad. I’m going to have the hardest time leave. It’s going to be a joyful, but sad day. I know that when I leave I will never see these people again in my life. Very depressing! It was hard to leave home, but I knew I was always going to come back. Here, I know I won’t.
I have to take individual pictures of every kid of mine to keep forever.
Here is the latest news with my class. I have finally put Try Try Net, Popata, and Sreynut in Kim’s class. As of today I don’t have to worry about them. I know it will be best for them. I was feeling a little sad, but knew it was for the best. Also, there was not continuity between Kim and mine class because of the age difference and Sharon decided to have Kim write the lesson plans for both classes. Well actually she writes one for her class then photocopies one for me. I have no say in what goes on in my class anymore. I literally have to run everything by Kim before I can to it. I was really frustrated with this at first and felt like Sharon didn’t think I was doing a good job and wasn’t telling me. But its turns out some kids were saying that my class is better than the other kindergarten class. In a way that is true because my kids are older and can do more; me being the teacher should push them to do better, but Sharon didn’t want me to do this. She wanted continuity. Meaning I have to do everything Kim does. The most frustrating thing about this is that Kim is either really far behind me or ahead. Like in math we just finished a chapter and are having to re-do it because Kim hasn’t done it and is working on that chapter this week. I have to make worksheets or just teach a different subject to catch up with Kim. For instance Kim is already done with Off We Go. My understanding is that we had to use that book all first semester and do Race A Way last Semester. But, Kim is already done with the first book and I have to push my kids to get it all done in two or three week. Frustrating! Its ok though because I know my kids can do it. I have faith in them. At first I was really confused about the whole thing and felt like I wanted to cry when she (Sharon) talked to me after worship. I literally had to bite my lips from crying. I didn’t want my kids worrying or draw attention to myself than I already do. I have come to terms with it and realize that Sharon doesn’t think I’m doing a horrible job. She just wants continuity between the classes. She did say however that she has never had SM’s (Katrina and I) take the little kids under their wing and do so much for them. Like buying accessories for the classroom, or playing with them during, before, and after school, this made me feel like she really appreciates my work here.