I've been a bit neglectful of updates during the past few weeks, as May has been a month of hosting gracious guests from across the ocean here in my quiet mountain town. It's been so good to have them, and I'm immensely grateful for their company and efforts to have made it out here.
The lush green wheat fields of spring (see blog title photo) have since turned to gold and been harvested; the cool breeze has stilled and the dry, dusty heat of summer has begun its slow, suffocating descent. I fall sleep with my windows open while I still can. Supposedly it's going to get pretty brutal (see future July and August entries for complaints on the heat), but at present it is comfortably warm, sunny and beautiful. The mountain snow is melting.
Teaching has been going well, as the "kids" continue to humble me with their intelligence, curiosity and self-motivation. My half-prepared grammar lessons and verb lists luckily fall by the wayside as class perpetuates itself on their questions alone, and thankfully we often veer off onto tangents of philosophy, science, existentialism, and other topics on which I am perhaps ill-suited to lead discussion, but am usually delighted to explore. The art of being a good teacher is something I've come to appreciate as a delicate thing requiring a great deal of attentiveness and wisdom, both of which I can only hope to be gaining ever so slowly as I stumble through class each night. I always feel as though I am primarily a student, despite standing in front, armed with chalk and English fluency. I have a long way to go, but I'm doing pretty well-- I think.
On a Peace Corps work-related note, things are beginning to unfold as to how I may contribute to the small business world here. Due to some recent investigatory measures and the pressure of a fast-approaching presentation I have to give on the topic, I am gaining some considerable understanding of the artisan sector here, specifically the potters. I've got some ideas brewing as to how I may actively begin to benefit GOAL NUMBER ONE!!!, the specifics of which I'll hold off on mentioning just yet. It could all just be a bust, but it's exciting, regardless.
ps-- to my loving family: if you truly care for me you will not send me any more jars of delicious extra crunchy peanut butter
Teaching has been going well, as the "kids" continue to humble me with their intelligence, curiosity and self-motivation. My half-prepared grammar lessons and verb lists luckily fall by the wayside as class perpetuates itself on their questions alone, and thankfully we often veer off onto tangents of philosophy, science, existentialism, and other topics on which I am perhaps ill-suited to lead discussion, but am usually delighted to explore. The art of being a good teacher is something I've come to appreciate as a delicate thing requiring a great deal of attentiveness and wisdom, both of which I can only hope to be gaining ever so slowly as I stumble through class each night. I always feel as though I am primarily a student, despite standing in front, armed with chalk and English fluency. I have a long way to go, but I'm doing pretty well-- I think.
On a Peace Corps work-related note, things are beginning to unfold as to how I may contribute to the small business world here. Due to some recent investigatory measures and the pressure of a fast-approaching presentation I have to give on the topic, I am gaining some considerable understanding of the artisan sector here, specifically the potters. I've got some ideas brewing as to how I may actively begin to benefit GOAL NUMBER ONE!!!, the specifics of which I'll hold off on mentioning just yet. It could all just be a bust, but it's exciting, regardless.
ps-- to my loving family: if you truly care for me you will not send me any more jars of delicious extra crunchy peanut butter
