What a day!

Oh my... I just have to write this down. Today was pretty insane, on a number of levels. Where should I start?

This program is SUPER chaotic. I thought I knew chaos... but I have never seen it on this scale. There are 40 teachers. Today none of us knew where to go or what to do. We did know we had to be at the initial orientation for all students. So, remember I said the director is tough. She scared them from the very beginning. SCARED them. Think about 480 students, shaking in their boots, their first minutes in their new program, in a new country. In the middle of her discussion about how electronic devices are not allowed in class, and should be kept out of sight, someone's phone rang. The director freaked out. She demanded that it be given to her at once. No one came forward. She said we would all sit there until the guilty party came forward. So we sat. As we sat, another phone went off. That student brought her phone forward, but the initial violator still did not. (Bear in mind that the whole time I was sitting there wondering whether I had really turned off my phone. All the instructors were sitting in the front row, staring at the floor, probably wondering the same thing). Finally the director got really mad and made all the students sitting in that one section of the auditorium leave the room. They all had to surrender their phones as they went. We still had an hour left of activities, so we ended up getting stuck in there for an extra 30 minutes. Now the secretary has a whole bag of phones in the office... the director won't give them back!

Bear in mind that these students all just arrived here from other countries... they probably all just got new phones, they probably aren't quite sure how to work them. In any case, about 20 of them are without phones right now, all because of that one person who never came forward, or because of an insane director, take your pick.

When that fiasco ended, we had about an hour until we had to lead orientations. I decided to run and get a sandwich.... only to find that my wallet wasn't in my purse. I would have freaked out, but I didn't have time. I just tried to convince myself that it fell out at home. Of course, this is the big city, and it could have been stolen, and how would it fall out at home? But what could I do? I had to go teach.... with no plan, and no lunch even.

We didn't even know where the small level orientations were to be held, etc. We found out 5 min ahead, with no class lists, no plan. Considering all that, it turned out well. Everyone kept asking if I was ok with it (as a new teacher). That part was fine... I am definitely used to the spur of the moment/last minute changes, etc. Everyone said I did a good job with my part... and it was fun. Being with students again was good. After that, on the way back to the office, talking to the other teachers and trying to take everything in, I walked into a fire hydrant. I was embarassed but no one noticed. It was really bad, though... and now I have a baseball (well, maybe golf ball) sized bump on my knee. So, fearing identity theft, not really being able to walk, I sat down with my new partner teacher to talk about the class and plan for the rest of the week. She seems ok... I can tell she will be really helpful because she has taught this class before. When she wanted to go home I stood in the sweltering heat for a while waiting for the bus, trying to convince myself that my knee didn't hurt and imagine my wallet safe in the apartment.

Never again will I complain about teaching conditions. Here I have no desk, no chair, no copier access, no supplies. If the swelling goes down on my knee I may go out and get some markers and paper at least.

Did I mention it is 98 here today and TMH has no air conditioning? I am now in his apartment, sitting in the dark (It actually stayed pretty cool in here with the windows down and the blinds drawn) with ice on my knee, trying to recover and plan for tomorrow. I ate a little food, too, which is always good. And, most importantly... my wallet WAS here, thank goodness.

All's well that ends well? I have a good feeling about tomorrow.