I love the first day of school! New books, sharp pencils, the excitement of seeing everyone again after the summer. And then in college we got a syllabus for each class--what ecstacy! The whole semester laid out before you waiting to be conquered. Here in Gyovren it's a little different because September 15th means saying goodbye to a lot of families who were just visiting for the summer and now have to return to the cities for work or higher education. I also said goodbye to Sarah, the peace corps volunteer who has been in Gyovren for the past two years. She was very helpful in getting me started here and I will miss spending time with her. The first week on my own was rough.
I am now teaching in the school a little bit. I team teach with the regular English teacher in a combined 2nd and 4th grade classroom and then teach optional tutoring sessions in the afternoons. I am also getting to work with the kindergarteners and 1st graders who would normally not have English class until 2nd grade. Each of these have their own joys and difficulties. I love the flexibility I have in teaching the younger kids and their enthusiasm for learning, but I'm the only teacher in the room and I don't have much experience with handling 11 very active 6 year olds! I appreciate having Eliza, the English teacher, to help with classroom management in the 2nd/4th grade, but coordinating our teaching styles and plans is a challenge.
Harvesting and Cooler Weather
Everyone is gathering something. Wood, berries, potatoes...the approach of winter is palpable. Temperatures are in the 40's in the mornings, but warm up to a blissful 65 when the sun is out in the afternoons. Here are some "drenki" (which remind me a lot of cranberries) that I gathered with my landlord:
Apple Pie
I made an apple pie the other day. No matter that it was in a square pan and that I had to use a jar as a rolling pin. As soon as I cut the fresh apples and mixed them with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar, I was transported to Kay Kellers, the apple orchard, and everything beautiful about fall in Upland, Indiana.
Pumpkins
Yep, we have them here :)
The apple pie section is my favorite! I wish you really WERE transported to Upland, but I'm glad you got to reminisce while enjoying the comfort of an apple pie. Love you!
ReplyDeleteHey Whitney, your days are simialr to ours here in Colorado...40's at night and 60's+ by day. And while I have not been gathering much I have been canning for the winter! I enjoyed this post a lot and will be praying for your teaching times! :)
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