I am now working at a large school with 500 kids who stay here because of health problems mostly left over from Chernobyl or just from poverty and not eating well or something like TB? It’s a little hard to understand it with imperfect translations. About half are orphans. The grounds are forest like with paths wandering through the trees. They have a hospital on the grounds where the children can go for treatments—light, laser for their throats, medicines and healthier foods. There was a lot of thyroid cancer after the meltdown and maybe they are trying to prevent it even though it is more than 20 yr and these kids weren’t born. They look healthy enough but I guess they are susceptible to colds and more serious complications.
I’ve been able to teach there in the mornings…a bit of English, US geography, Joyce life and I show some photos of my family and Seattle. My little number seems to work out really well here. The children have a lovely innocence here and are very happy to meet an American and hear English. Really, so much enthusiasm and they ask for my autograph after class. It’s been a great experience. I’ve taught 3rd graders to 9th graders. The kids let out enormous sighs when I show them the sunset and Rainier, buildings of Seattle, the sound, mountains and Bob the cat! Next time I’ll get a better photo album together. I’ve played Simon Says and that’s a big hit. Researching more good games. Ideas always welcomed.
One of the teachers had a birthday and back in the teachers lounge. She had brought lots of homemade goodies, eggs, pickles, pickled mushrooms, bread, meat patties, chocolate cake and the teachers were laughing, eating and enjoying. They asked if I liked cognac and took out a bottle…highly illegal in the classroom…poured it into our teacups and we made a birthday toast. Now if it wasn’t for the English teacher I wouldn’t have a clue what was going on but it was truly one of those classic best moments…having a window into life here. After I teach each day, we go to the lounge to visit and they ask me questions about schools, life in American, divorce, child support, retirement and I have a chance to learn. There are more similarities than differences that’s for sure! Things like principals that are a pain to work for, low pay, being a single mom, joking.
In the afternoon, I have a choice of either going to my first orphanage later in the afternoon or another one in the early afternoon that is again a school/orphanage for kids with spinal problems. It’s an enormous, red brick building that is very nice from the outside. I’m not sure again about the problem..if it progresses or can be halted. My work here is playground duty which means my dodge ball skills are improving slowly. Kids come and take my photo and want to practice their English which is great fun. I think most of the kids that I am working with are not orphans. AS for their therapy, they see physical therapists at the school, twice a day music come on and the class stands up and goes through about 15 min of stretches. In the classroom they also have 4 platforms they can work from if they get tired at their desks. They lay on their stomachs with a incline going up from their waist. None of it is soft. They do their writing at the end of the incline below where their head is.. There is a swimming pool and they all have swimming lessons. Interesting concept to group kids together and give them help as part of their normal day. Might be an excellent idea? They thought it was strange that we don’t do this at home.
So, the day is varied and I get HUGE doses of just plain kid fun as I don’t have to discipline, plan or fret. At my first orphanage, a 2 year old corrected me on my coloring by grabbing my crayon..he was sitting on my lap…and moving it around in big scribbly lines instead of that weird neat thing I was doing. He was right…way more fun.
At each place I can’t really fret about not doing anything lasting because there really isn’t anything. Just a moment in time filled with laughter, new friendships and some culture exchange. Kids are such good teachers about time and the value of playing. And I really do still love recess.
I feel like I am just starting to get under the culture from talks with my host family and the teachers. As in all places, people like to put on a good face and it takes a while to get real. I do like to let them know that we are not living a fairy tale life in America and that we too are having an economic crisis. But it’s easy staying at home to not fully appreciate the quality of our lives –like protection from bribery, equal rights, respect for our laws-- that are ingrained in our culture. We may at times go sideways but here they are still struggling for things we take for granted or is that granite.
Found a great Japanese Folk Zen quote “Fish live in streams. Birds nest in trees. Human beings dwell in warm hearts.”