One Year Ago Today I was having a bad day that got turned around by a beautiful view.
http://dreaminginitalianthistime.blogspot.it/2011/11/warning-very-bad-mood.html
I woke up before my alarm, ate my oatmeal, read emails and checked facebook while I ate, and then did my Bible study. I am loving this Beth Moore study.
I decided that because I did not have to be at school precisely at 10, because I was just meeting with Virginia. So, I made the 30ish minute walk to school, and it was beautiful. The sun was out and it was relatively warm out, and was going to be 74ish later in the day. There were some gorgeous views of the surrounding hillsides and mountains. Italy really is beautiful.
When Virginia found me, we went to see the headmistress, who was not there, and then went to the bar. As we were walking down the stairs, Virginia said, "you were a dancer weren't you? I can tell by the way you walk and the placement of your feet!" Haha...she asked how many years I danced, and seemed a little shocked. She convinced me to have a pastry with nutella in it...Nutella and I are going to have to break up, just like peanut butter and I have broken up. However, this was yummy and the peach juice is always good too. Virginia started telling me about our weekend. So, we are going to a town or city called Vietri, which is on the Amalfi coast. The organization that hosts all of the language schools abroad for the summer trip for the students is putting us up in a hotel that is apparently an excavated sight and you have to go down into some sort of rock to get to your room. She asked me what I planned to wear that evening, and we decided on my graduation dress (Master's graduation dress) with tights and boots. Then, she started telling me that Sunday morning we would go to Mass at a church in Pompeii where they always go, and then they would drive down the curvy highway that offers all of the views of the Amalfi coast. Apparently we will travel to Vietri one way, and take this other way home. She said that we would go to Positano, and I swear to you that my heart dropped to the floor. She said that we would drive along the coast and stop to take pictures. I was SO EXCITED THAT I COULD BARELY STAND IT!!!!!!!!!! The more she talked, the more excited I became about seeing these things....the top 3 places on my "to see list" (see blog on right hand side about travel and recipes) that I have not been to ever are going to get marked off in the next week!! What is my life right now?!? It amazes me how God's plans truly are greater than our own because if I'd had my way, I would be in NYC right now. However, I would not trade any of this for NYC at the moment...whoa...that's big...
So then Virginia and I talked a bit about the book project she wants to do. I still do not fully understand, but it has something to do with taking Italian history text books and summarizing them in simpler English and also writing out activities or lessons to go along with the history information so that it becomes like a guidebook for teachers. This would be geared towards 1st and 2nd year Italian high school students. So, simplifying the history so that they are learning about history, but in English, and there are practical activities included to get the students involved. She wants to submit this to some sort of grant committee by next week, and hope that we receive the grant to have it published or something, but even if we do not get that, she still wants to write it together. Pretty cool!!
Then I had to run to meet Francesca for class. I saw her and she said the students were in some sort of theatre thing and that she would go get them. So, I went and found someone who could help me print the Adele lyrics for Angelino's class, and make copies. I had to swim in the language.
Francesca's class...so this is my class with the lowest level of English and I had planned an lesson about morning routine. It went well. I was able to get them talking a bit, and we googled things like starbucks, scrambled eggs, and they were intrigued by oatmeal. They were also shocked that I eat breakfast in bed, and at first thought that someone made me breakfast. One boy told me that if he ate breakfast in bed his mom would break his head. We had some pretty good discussion I suppose. The rough part was when I could not make them understand that I was asking if they took a shower in the morning or at night...they thought I was asking them how many times they brush their teeth a day. When I read my paragraph at the end about my morning routine, and it said "sometimes I do my bible study in the morning", one guy said, "oh, you are a Christian and read your bible?" He smiled, and I said yes and it made me smile.
Next up was Angelino's class, and I was excited. When my sweet friend E. saw me, she gave me a hug and kisses on both cheeks. She warms my heart!! Angelino told me that there were some teachers striking in the bigger cities and some of the students had gone to the demonstrations, so they would not be in class today. However, the ones of us that were there went to a lab so that we could do the Adele lesson. This lab is really nice because the teacher's computer can be linked to the students' laptops, so they can see what I see. Angelino gave me some tips on how to do music next time, but he said this would be great for the first go. So, we watched a video of Adele singing, "Someone Like You". It was a version that had the lyrics on it. They were really excited about Adele and some were singing along with the song. Once we finished it, Angelino and I handed out the lyrics and we had different students read different stanzas of the song (that's the correct word isn't it?). Then, we talked about who she is talking to in the song, is she sad, does she still love him, etc. We made it over halfway through with learning the words and meaning, before it was almost time to go. They wanted to listen one more time, so I played it with a clip of Adele talking about the meaning behind the video. One of my sweet students, who I'll just refer to as Ju. said it made her heart sad. This sweet girl just had a baby brother that was born a few days ago...15 years difference...wow. Anyway, the second time through the song most of them read the lyrics and sang WITH Adele. I was so excited to see them reading along and singing...so I video taped them! This group of students is quickly becoming my favorite. They just touch my heart and they seem like they really do WANT to learn English, and they seem to appreciate my presence, and I appreciate their kindness and enthusiasm. The other advantage of this class for me is that Angelino still has to use a good bit of Italian, so it is helping me learn too! I am picking up grammar and sentence structure, etc. SO...I really love this and I am going to actually approach the students about it being a true language exchange. **More about that later** So, we felt like it went really well, and I was excited that they enjoyed Adele.
After class, I did not hurry to the bus because I decided that I wanted to also walk home. So, I went to find Virginia to get the photocopies that she made for me from the Italian textbook. I also had her clarify (well, somewhat) exactly what it is that we are trying to achieve here. I think I understand, but it does mean that I have to read these pages in Italian and summarize them in English and stuff before next Wednesday, and remember that I will not be here this weekend!! A little scared about that. Then we started talking a bit about lesson planning and such. I was trying to express some of my frustrations with planning for such extreme levels, the amount of time that is taking me (like 7 hours the other day for only about 2 hours of teaching that I will probably not reuse....), and how it is stressing me out a bit. I was trying to explain that I am struggling to know how to approach the same topics with extreme levels...on one end they can discuss things "in depth" with me, and the other they do not understand the question, "do you take a shower at night or in the morning?" She began giving me a sort of lecture regarding rising to the challenges of life and accepting the situation we have been given. She also told me that it is not the teachers job to make the students learn and that there is nothing I can do; I just have to do my job to plan and hope that my students decide that they want to learn. I think that this is a flaw in the approach...if I do not go into the classroom excited to be there, and motivated to help the students learn, then what is my purpose. I want to be there to get them excited about learning and to involve them in fun activities that break up any monotony. I strongly believe that it is the teacher's job to encourage involvement and excitement about learning. Students have to be motivated to take control of their own education. The Italian teachers are probably not stressed out by planning for different levels of students because that is what they have always done, whereas our teachers (in the US) typically teach the same grade level all year long, or the variation is only slight. Also, they are not trying to meet the standards and expectations of 8 different "co.teachers". This is stressful!
When this conversation was over, I just wanted to cry. I feel that I am very good at rising to challenges and accepting the situations I am put in. You do not know my life and what I have been through. That was not the point of what I was saying. I guess I was not able to express myself well, but the conversation just made me feel worse. I felt like she thought I was just trying to be lazy, and that is not it at all. It is so overwhelming to prepare 4 or 5 different topics a week and at such extreme levels of English. I held in the tears until she had driven away, but then I lost it on my momma.
I came home and ate lunch, and talked to April, who was so sweet to listen to me melt down all over again. The good news is that I melted down, and then attacked the issue. April gave me some brilliant ideas, and THIS is why collaboration and cooperation is so important.
So, I spent the afternoon planning, writing emails, etc. I was able to talk to my daddy! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It had been so long since I'd seen him, and it was so good to talk to him! I even got to see all of my kitty cats!
I talked to Nick for a while, but then I decided I wanted to talk to my Maria. I was so excited when she answered and had some time to talk! We talked about so many things, and I was reminded of why she is so important in my life. No one can ever be my real momma, but it is nice to have such fabulous role models and mentors. We talked about her trip to Miami, all of my exciting Italian news, the things I am learning in Italy, the election, and so so so much more. I just cannot say enough how grateful I am to have her in my life! While I was on the phone with her, Virginia called me 6 times and my momma was calling the apartment phone..and then Lilla called because Virginia called her to see if I was okay!...it was A LOT of phone ringing!
I planned some more and talked to Nick. He was trying to convince me to get a PhD. I emailed Maria with this news and she said, "I love Nick already! Yes, I will be talking to you about this soon!" Ahh...I just don't know about this. I do not think I need one. However, she is in my head...April, you know this feeling!
I spent more time on the phone and went to bed way later than I should have.
TOMORROW I GET TO TALK TO MY ERIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have not seen her face since....since I was in Charleston back in August....this is way unacceptable and my excitement simply cannot be contained!
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