"Teaching"

Yesterday was my first day of "teaching" and I say that lightly. Turns out my classes are conversation classes -- even the ones that aren't are. They give us books but no one wants to use them and they just want me to bring in articles about whatever and discuss them for 50 min. It's a chance for them to practice speaking English with each other and a foreigner. I feel as though I'm here a little for show and not much more.

Anyway, the students are lovely. Unlike the Chinese they are very talkative and generally confident yet humble. They know exactly what they want out of the classes and my job isn't exactly tough. In two of my classes yesterday only one student showed up so we just chatted each other up for a while. Alex was very interesting; a former prosecuter now military judge. He had some stories to tell.

The streets were really busy last night; vendors opening up shop on the sidewalks, cars parked in the street. Saw some hippie foreigners selling hippie jewlery; bought a coffee, much too weak. Once again hurting for the real thing, but I did spy a Starbucks yesterday...soon.

So I am "teaching" from 2pm - 9pm M-F with a one hour lunch break inbetween. 6 classes, 50min long each. The time goes by pretty fast; it hardly seems like work at all -- and I get to stand at the board. Yesterday, the students all listened attentively and took notes as I explained how to order at Starbucks -- I'm changing the world!