Working together

It's about the people no doubt... but

... I miss Sierra Leone.
I love my job here and although my kids are a motley crew of creative unruly animals a lot of the time, I love them so much and beam at seeing them progress and evolve right before my eyes. I'm so lucky to have made good friends; inspiring people that make an effort to not let negativity rule their lives.

Yet I look at pics from Salone and glorify the black skin, the white teeth. the heat, the beat. A primal something I can't quite put my finger on.... I think I need a change of scenery, even if for a few weeks.
Happy Tesday y'all!

Keenan

KEEEEEENAAAAN!
Preeeeeeeeehsent, he says, in his quite posh and polished English accent. Keenan is definitely coming into himself. He joined the class late October. He was stuck up and very much a goodie goodie. Now he dances all around the class (he has some ratha good dance moves, I must say), farts openly and laughs (gross) and generally has a grand old time.
I use a BBC Kids  website for science stuff sometimes. The lady voice is very posh. She sounds like a female Keenan. It's funny.
Although I'm too excited to go home I will miss these little guys. so much

my bad

I went to sleep with a feeling of unfinished business. ok lessons are ready, kids know their christmas songs, lunch is packed, indigestion meds taken, half baked idea about what to wear tomorrow... what can it be? AH- my photo a day!
oooops.
here is another photo of my precocious student, Jean Baptiste. Happy weekend everyone. I will edit some photos, go to a craft fair, make a desert, go to a party, take photos for my friend's website, and buy last minute gifts. It's gonna be a good weekend. I hope to squeeze a massage and January lesson plans in there (hahahah, as if)
word.
B

'Nuff said.

Oll Korrect.

If you want it.

Went to a production of Lysistrata over the weekend. This play - originally performed in 411 BC in Athens- is a comedy about a woman's pursuit to end the war, by convincing the women of Greece to boycott sex. 
Peace for sex. And sex for peace
Word!

Yipee! It's better no?

Yipeeeeee! It's better to fully enjoy every minute of your weekend NOT just working but living it up, no?]Yes!
I took this pic because seeing the word 'yipee' in print made me smile.
YIPEEEEEEEEE :)

Before it's a saree.

Shopping for family and friends (and myself, of course) on Commercial St. I needed to use the loo. Syed the shop keeper turned friend told me to use his, upstairs.

I walk up the white ceramic stairs and see a man pressing fabric onto stencils. I keep going up and now I'm on the terrace, which is inhabited by forgotten print screen panels.

Peonies are my fave.

Smiles

 Not a great shot, but this bloke was giving me the big-up smiles... so I took his picture.

Hugs

Don't they feel the best? A good heart-to-heart hug is priceless indeed (not sure this one pictured turned out to be a melting heart-to-hearter. It being a mega busy swarming Punjabi wedding and all).

 It's a rare breed of hug though; not easily obtainable. Then you meet someone that hugs you just right and warmth and energy radiates onto you, and you onto them. Yummmm... my best friend gives hugs like that, a tumultuous ex-boyfriend, my sister.


Of course they can be contextual, timely; a delightful surprise!  You hug a potential love interest and smile at the fact that that hug felt so good.You make a new friend and you hug for the first time and think wow- this person gives good hugs!  Or you hug a student cause she's feeling happy and gee whiz, that kid gave the best hug! Or you hug a student because he is feeling hurt, and again, boom!

My Great Dane Lola (Lola Girl Kubrick was her full name, ahem!) would stretch her long grey front paws at me and nuzzle her sweet face into my neck. I felt that love, man. Did I ever. And my insane cat Miles (good old Milesy). He would curl his soft black paws at my neck and purr, with a dreamy/angry expression in his big greens eyes. Miss that little fucker.

Have you had a satisfying hug today? I haven't, actually!
I'll rub my feet instead.
I really need to get a pet.

Thank god I'm a primary school teacher. Hugs aplenty.

Liam

LEEEEEEAAAAM!
My trouble maker gone good. This precocious little boy is bff's with Jean Baptise. Gangbusters.
Liam says the best stuff, but out of context it will seem odd and trite and not so awesome.
I love this little man. We talked about the ozone layer one day. He looked solemn, and kept wiping his eyes. Are you okay Mr. Liam? I ask.
Liam: Miss, can I talk to you outside?
We go to out into the hallway.
me: Was someone hurting you Liam, what's wrong?
He is sobbing now....
Liam: The ozone layer! Why do so many bad things have to happen to our planet?
me: Oh Liam! We as a society need to change our habits. Isn't it? (head bob)
Liam: Why don't Indians care? There is rubbish everywhere and I see them throwing it all over the place! Why don't they use rubbish bins?
me: I don't know why, babes.
He is our green warrior. He always uses the bin, asks if something can be recycled, loves when I use recycled paper for lessons...
He is the future.