First Day of Class

Well, today was the first official day of our semester. I started out with level 7 which is out of 8 levels plus two higher sections of debating and questions. Overall the class went well. Pretty much everyone understood me so they caught on pretty quick, and it was only introductions and ice breakers all day anyway. We played games like "toss the ball" to ask questions about each other and learn names and such, nothing else was really that out of the ordinary in terms of ice breakers.

Then I had three hours before my next lesson, which was level four. After seeing that my level sevens were doing so well, I planned more because I thought we would get through more... that was not the case. Everyone's level was way below what I was expecting, so we only got through two games, after aborting one because it was too complicated. We played one game where you get a clue and run up to the board and circle the correct answer. One older man got into the game and tried to rip the cap off the marker and he ended up taking out the ink cartridge and spilling the entire marker on his shirt, the floor, and the wall. After that, no one could really understand what I was saying. Then there was the group of chatty teenage girls that would giggle and mumble under their breath in Khmer no matter how much I told them not to. So overall my morale started to plummet, but since everything was taking so long to explain the class was over before I knew it.

Then came level five, only five minutes after my level four ended. After such a difficult class to teach, I was expecting a more difficult lesson for my level fives, show should only have been a bit better at English. I prepared for the worst. Once we got into the swing of things, everyone knew almost exactly what I was saying, and we got through all my games, and back up games for the whole lesson with about 7 minutes to spare. I admitted that I was getting hungry (since it was now past 8 pm) and everyone else agreed so I ended class. At least it was on a higher note than the end of my level fours.

One thing that happened in every class, and apparently happened to almost everyone, was during one of the get to know you games a student would, without fail, ask "are you married? Do you have a girlfriend?" And when you answered, the entire class would burst out laughing. They also thought it was hysterical that I showed a picture of my pets. They also had some trouble understanding what snow was, although they did understand that I thought it was very hot in Phnom Penh.

Every expectation I had for the day was flipped on its head, and the surprises kept hitting me square in the face. Luckily I don't have any blind people or any monks in my class. Having someone blind in class is difficult for obvious reasons. Having a monk is also difficult because you can't touch a monk, making most of the games nearly impossible.

Since today was much more free-form than normal, it was kind of stressful, but since tomorrow starts the real curriculum it should go a bit more smoothly... hopefully that is. And on a final note, I suddenly realize the connection between teachers and the need for a beer after work...