Lots of Changes!

 Everyone was busy with grading on Sunday. Final grades were due on Tuesday and people were entering in last minute grades. All morning, I spent moving my stuff into Jen’s room. The boys helped me move my bed and dresser and after moving clothes and whatnot, it was all done! The room looks great and the wall that my bed is against is the same blue as the walls of my room back home! The zebra sheets make it look a lot like home. J That afternoon, some of us SMs and the volunteers from PUC went to the ocean to go swimming for a little bit. I wasn’t going to go because I had so much to do, but Karyn convinced me otherwise and I’m really glad she did! The water was perfect for cooling us off and it was nice to just get out of the house.

The photo doesn't even do sunset justice!
That is the high school building!

Monday was a busy day for everybody. Not only were grades due the next day, but we also had staff meeting and our food shopping trip. Every time we go to Palm Terrace (the grocery store) I cross my fingers, hoping for tomatoes and lettuce. But alas, there was none on Monday. There actually hasn’t been in a very long time! I miss having a spinach salad everyday! L But I’ve quit eating pasta and started eating less rice and bread because those are the things I’ve been eating a lot of since coming here!

The bananas here are delicious, but once they ripen, they go bad in a matter of a day or two! So I always have to eat them really fast or freeze them.

Tuesday was crazy but fairly good day! My kids have been doing A LOT better on their letter sounds and especially a few kids I’m very proud of because before, I had to work with them through every little bit of the assignments, but now, they’re doing more on their own! And the whole class is doing better in their handwriting. In math class, their workbooks taught them about cubes, cones, and spheres. The poor children had the hardest time saying “sphere” but hey it’s a hard word! After school and tutoring, Tony, Jen and I went to the three Ace stores to get a couple things. As soon as we got back, ran with my laptop to the office to enter in my grades for high school. I was hurrying because in 20 minutes, we were leaving to go to Kat and John’s house for curry night. Kat and John had been SMs here before and later on moved here when they were married. They’re an amazing couple of people and have a very cute boy named Ky. The volunteers live in the apartment below the house. The house is still under construction upstairs, but it’s still very nice! I didn’t really want to leave because it felt so much more homey there! No bugs crawling on the couch cushions, nicer kitchen appliances, windows. Ahhh it was so nice! The curry and Asian salad were fantastic as well and John surprised us with a cheese cake! CHEESECAKE! I was beyond excited! And to top it all off, he added some Nutella on top. Oh it was heavenly. After such a great meal, I had a hard time moving!

Oh little Pria. She's always telling me:
"Teacher see? See??"

I am starting to feel more and more at home here in Pohnpei. I’ve finally settled in, and my friends here feel like my family. Sure, we’re all still going to have a couple breakdowns this year, but I think it will be a little easier for us all. Caleb said something that really hadn’t occurred to me yet. We’re probably never going to see our students again after this year. Woah! That’s quite depressing… I’ve grown quite attached to my children!!

So things are getting switched around starting Monday. So since Riley is gone till after Christmas, Chauncey (Jonathan) is getting switched from teaching 2^nd grade to 6^th with Brooke, Jen, will take his class, 5^th grade will combine and Tony will be teaching them, then 4^th grade is getting combined because the local 4^th grade teacher is getting let go (or demoted) and Riley will either be helping teach 4^th or 5^th grade when he gets back. Whew! So much craziness! Hopefully it will all work out!

I also talked to Franky today about the parents in my classroom. I still have at least 3 show up everyday. It's not that I don't like them, they are just not helping their children learn on their own. They're pretty much doing the work for the kids and answering the questions for them. They're helpful in the classroom, but are hindering the learning of the students. I hope they don't take all this offensively. 

Hey if any of you guys have printed pictures of me with you that you would like to send me to put up on my wall I would love to get some! It would make it feel a lot more homey in my room! J My kids also love looking at pictures of my friends and family.

Have a fantastic day all of you! Keep all of us SMs in your prayers!