You are Welcome!

Internet is finally running in our apartments!  We're still on a trial right now, as we've been speaking with several different companies, but so far so good.  I wish you could all experience Nigerian internet - 'fast' here would be completely unacceptable basically anywhere in the States.  I'm not complaining though - slow internet is better than no internet.  If I ever get cut off while gchatting or something like that, advanced apologies!

I did type up two entries while I was waiting for the internet - one is below and the other is about me eating peanuts so I'm going to wait awhile to post it so Mom and Dad don't freak out.. but don't worry - I'm fine.  :)

Things have been pretty busy recently.  Between adjusting to a completely new country, settling into a new home, and preparing for a new job - it's been super hectic.  I'll tell you a little about each of those things, beginning with adjusting to a completely new country.  "You are welcome" is THE thing to say here in Nigeria.  You will hear it anywhere and everywhere you go... it took awhile to get used to and my friends joked about how they never said 'Thank you".. but it is simply the Nigerian way to greet people.  Most people are pretty friendly, but it is a little intimidating when you are approached by the mobs of people on the street selling things.  Luckily, we are usually separated from them by the bus windows.  I'll write a bit more about this at another time, but the word 'desperation' just comes to mind - desperate for any money they can get to provide for themselves and their families.


So on settling into a new home, I'll be doing that again after just moving into this apartment a week ago.  I may have mentioned previously the massive apartment they supplied us with.  All the sounds I hear freak me out to the point of being scared... like for real scared.  One of the other girls, Sara, and I will be moving in together since neither of us are really used to living alone.  It'll be nice to have the company.  Otherwise, things have been going well - the people I spend most of my time with are Sara (third year 4th grade teacher from Iowa who just finished two years in Guatemala), Leif (first year music teacher from Minnesota), Leah (first year 4th grade teacher from Wisconsin) and Matt (first year - but has long term subbed - P.E. teacher from Wisconsin, engaged to Leah).  We cook and eat together (made homemade spaghetti sauce last night!) and really just get acclimated to our new lives together.  We're all pretty easy going and it's pretty sweet to have them around. 

Aaaaand lastly on adjusting to the new job... it is so crazy to be back in the Elementary land again.  After two years of teaching middle school, I really need to adjust my expectations of what knowledge they will have and what types of behavior I will encounter.  All these things are a work in progress as I plan out my first few weeks (ok.. maybe first few days - lesson planning takes forever....).  I'll be teaching Math and Science to all third graders, and Social Studies to my homebase class.  Molly (a [now un-]retired teacher from Washington, D.C.) will be teaching the Reading/Writing portion to both classes.  I have a teaching assistant named Ubon (oo-bahn) who will be in my room with me and has been a big help in setting up.  While he doesn't actually teach lessons, he'll be there to help with monitoring students, run copies, walk the kids to specials, etc.  Our room is coming together slowly, but surely.  I am very excited to meet my new students (a class of 17 - nice change of pace from the class of 31 lovely children in South River) and hope that they will be just as excited to get to know me.  I also hope they won't be upset when I slaughter their names.  Pictures to come - check Facebook for some recent ones!

Alright - time to head to a staff potluck.  Until next time - please comment and let me know how you would pronounce this student's name so maybe it won't be so bad on my first day on Monday.  He appears on my roster as 'Kiss, Dzsingisz'.  I'll probably be able to get the last name alright... phonetically spell out how YOU would pronounce that one.  :)