At Starbucks…
It’s grand. 
It was another rough day at school…not too bad. The kids are sweethearts when they’re talking to you, they just act up when he’s teaching. I feel so bad for him! It’s May and they haven’t even learned to be quiet during lessons. It’s rough. I can only imagine what goes on at home. Today a little boy got so mad that he chucked a big chair across the room. It could have really hurt someone, and I can’t even begin to think what’s going on at home that gives him such anger. He has a lot of issues- he’ll just grab people’s papers and crumple them at random, or break people’s pencils. It’s sad :( They just need love, but it’s so hard to give it to them when all they do is act out and be obnoxious- they definitely know better, they are just desperate for attention. They are also obsessed with my hair. I’ve been asked several times if I’ve ever cut it, and they love to come over and stroke it or play with it. There’s only one white boy in the class, so they’re not used to seeing straight blonde hair. It’s pretty funny actually. I also had a little girl ask me what all the “fuzz” on my arms was. I told her it was my arm hair. And I think the little boys are secretly in love with me- one of them asked me if he was sweating, and I said no, are you hot? And he said yes. And another little boy who was holding my hand said “well you hot!” To which another chimed in “yea you are.” And what do you say to that? Thanks? You are 6 years old…haha I thought it was quite funny. They really are so sweet and loving, and they love giving hugs. And though I love them, I will admit I do have urges to dropkick them across the room by the end of the day. Ok, that was a lie and a total exaggeration, but it gets very frustrating when you’ve been telling the same cotton pickin’ thing ALL day (stop hitting him, sit down, why did you crumple your paper? stop talking, pick up your pencil, stop looking at him funny, stop the ‘yo momma’ jokes…) and they DON’T stop. Argh. But I love them anyways. And by the way, I thought yo momma statements were just a joke, but that is a lie. These little 7 year olds seriously love using these stupid statements. They actually have fights that consist of “yo momma’s so stupid she don’t know anything bout’ nobody!” One little girl finally retorted, “You don’t even KNOW my momma!” You go girl. They have such BIG attitudes. It is hysterical. And they have tons of swagga. More swagga than I could ever have in my life, and I am more than twice as old as them. I’m getting used to their dialect of sorts…they definitely have a different way of talking than I am used to. For example, “where you at?” is used in serious conversation. As is “I didn’ do nothin’!” or “she was all up in my face!” It’s kind of funny to me, because they are 6 and they sound like real life ganstas, but I try not to laugh out loud. But in another sense, it’s kind of sad, because they only know that language because they’re growing up in pretty sad circumstances and their parents set the example. So even though I enjoy them and think they’re funny little people, my heart breaks for them because I know that many of them go home to very sad situations. There are kids from “normal” homes, but they are not the majority. I feel especially sad for this little boy named Julius, who must have something awful going on at home. He has a lot of issues. But he’s so sweet, and he’s super smart, he just has an atrocious attitude and he drags a lot of the other boys down with him. When he works by himself, he’s fine, but being around other boys brings out the defiant monster in him. It’s really sad to see him not live up to his full potential.
And I will just take a moment to mention that I will be an expert at hard-to-pronounce names by the end of these 2 weeks. You think I’m kidding. But you try to say “Aniyah” and “Shaloin” and “Daekwon” ten times fast :)
So anyways, I’m learning a lot, and it’s quite the experience. Dan is observing a 12th grade English teacher and having a great time. Some of the kids stories are pretty sad, but I think he is enjoying interacting with them. Tomorrow he is going on a field trip with them out on a boat trip! Weee! Nothing too eventful has happened at the dorm, except we did have a deafening fire alarm go off one night. But other than that, life is good and we are surviving :) Only one more school day until the weekend, which will bring Wicked, the zoo, a service project, niagra falls, a mega church, and who knows what other adventures. Adios :)
