Survived Week 2

It is finally Friday and we are just closing out our week two of school. I can honestly say some days go very well and some days I feel like we get nothing accomplished. I have been trying my best to give my students real life examples so they can relate to the material. We were talking about major events in history when I asked them about 9-11. I got a classroom full of blank stares. I than asked them to give me a thumbs up if they knew what it was when I said that. Not one of my students knew what that meant. Not one. I told them that next week I would bring material on it so they can learn more about it.

This afternoon I was so proud of my kids. They had asked me to bring my keys with me to lunch. I quickly asked why? They said, “We get mad when the younger classes come in our room after lunch and bug us. Can we lock them out so we can sit in the room?” I was a little skeptical of this but decided I was going to trust them. I come back to lunch to find them all doing homework and working quietly. I decided to let them keep working for a while. I went and sat by them and did some of my work. One of my students goes, “ Teacher, why do you care about us so much?”

I responded, “What do you mean?”

Student, “ Teacher, no teacher has ever sat down and talked to us about our lives.”

Me, “I don’t know. I just want to get to know you and what your life is like.”

Student, “ Oh that’s nice. I like when you talk about life in Minnesota. It sounds so cool. Teacher, I don’t want to graduate eighth grade.”

Me, “ Why? You get to go to high school and go to a new school.”

Student, “ Graduation means you are leaving us. We don’t want you to leave but you need to go see your family.”

Me,” We are not talking about this yet!”

These kids truly melt my heart some days about what they tell me. I can’t believe how much I am learning from them. Today I learned how to count to ten in Samoan. That was quite an accomplishment for me.

Tonight we did our usually night of playing volleyball under the lights. On Friday nights volleyball game completely changes. All the guys on the island play and it is an intense game of volleyball. I don’t play near as much just because I can’t hit the ball like them. I am hoping if I keep playing I will get back to the way I used to play. Though sometimes they just drag me out onto the court and point where they want me to play. Most of the time I feel like I am in my own world when I play because I have no idea what they are saying to me. I just try to act like I have a clue to what they are saying.

After the game tonight Lima’s family wanted to have us over for ice cream and cake. Lima’s dad was setting the ball for me all night while playing volleyball. We got treated so nicely at their house. They had a T.V. and we were watching “Miss American Samoa.” We even saw fellow World Teachers on the T.V. While watching the show they brought us LARGE portions of cake and ice cream. They gave each of use three heaping scoops of cookies and cream ice cream and a piece of cake which would be equivalent to like three pieces of cake in the states. The cake was warm and gooey and tasted so good. I don’t even remember the last time I had cake. I almost ate it all which, goes to show how much I had missed having sweets.

After two weeks of living here I am slowly learning the names of all the locals. I am getting used to having ants crawl over everything! I am very slowly picking up on some Samoan. Lastly, I am learning all the different paths that go around this small island!

With Love,

Abby