The end of a second week has arrived. Well, I guess week and a half, because I did arrive on a Tuesday and it’s only Saturday, but whatever. Classes have started, and a routine has been engrained. So here’s the report:

Classes

Going to a teacher preparation program, as one who has already been in the classroom, is both refreshing and humorous. The TEFL class I’m in is filled mostly with recent college graduates, a few older free spirits wanting to change their circumstances, and a few teachers from the States like me. I’d say if you want to break it down percentage wise, its about 80% grads, 10% career changers, and 10% teachers. So it’s interesting. 

I say its humorous, because I still haven’t really gotten on board with the cheerleading the course instructors give the class. Every day or so, there’s been a job class or pep talk, where the instructors say how many opportunities there are, which very well may be true. Invariably, people’s ear’s perk up, and a general feeling of excitement permeates the room as the discussion goes on. However, in a country were unemployment is still at 20%, I’ll buy then when I have cash in hand. 

It’s also refreshing. After spending the past six years dealing primarily with classroom management, the prospect of actually dealing with curriculum is a welcome relief. Even if that curriculum is grammar. I’ll take anything at this point if it means I don’t have to deal with students cursing at teachers daily. 

The school also has a really nice view, and a vending machine that serves beer, so that’s cool.

Thunderstorms

Last night, as I took Taji for a walk, I got to see quite a show. I looked back towards the mountain that rises up to the west of the city and could see a large black cloud rolling over the summer. But Chris! How could you tell it was black, wasn’t it night time? Well yes, but, whatever, it was a big scary looking cloud. 

So, assuming that rain would be falling at any moment, I turned around, and headed back to the apartment. The streets were packed, which I’m just going to assume is the modus operandi for my neighborhood. By the time we got back, there wasn’t any rain, but there were flashes of lightening shooting back and forth across the sky. They looked like massive explosions jumping from one cloud to another, yet there wasn’t any sound. Well, maybe here and there, but the tell-tale cracks and booms of lightening just didn’t happen. So I took Taji up to the roof and we watched as the clouds rolled past. 

After about half an hour, the lightening moved on, and a lower, flatter, lighter group of clouds moved in. These were so low, and so white that they reflected the light of the city and illuminated the atmosphere. It was so bright, it almost looked like dusk or dawn, and I could read my book outside without any luminescence at all. I unfortunately wasn’t able to capture this aspect of the storm with my camera, but I did snag a few photos of the lightening. 

Burner Phones

When I was in Iraq we didn’t have any phones, and it was great. If someone wanted to get ahold of you and couldn’t find you, they would write a note on your door, or send you an email. It was freeing and allowed you to really be disconnected. I was hoping for a similar experience here. My intention was to buy a Spanish Skype number and use that as a land line. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Skype doesn’t offer Spanish numbers, and the course actually requires you get a cell phone, I acquiesced yesterday and bought a phone. 

My phone is a stylish, pay as you go, flip phone without a contract. It has all the latest features, like an alarm, a calendar, and the latest T9 predictive text for messages. You remember T9, right? Remember when you first figured out how to use it? How it totally revolutionized the way you sent messages? This is the easiest way to send a message! No more pushing number 4 three times to get the letter “I”! Then two years later the iPhone came out, and that was that. 

But it gets the job done, I can call the cops if there’s trouble, or Yi if I’m locked out of the apartment. Most importantly for the needs of the school, is that they can contact me with a relatively high degree of certainty that I’ll pick up. 

Alright, well that’s that folks. Until next week, keep on keeping on…