Exams, sickness, and music!

Namaste, Saathi-haru!

This week and last week the students at Elim have been taking intense exams. They have 1-4 exams every day for 3-6 hours for 8 days in a row. Since I had only been at Elim’s one week before exams, I am not personally giving any exams. I have been on rotational duty, meaning I go around to each class to see if any of the teachers need anything. Sometimes all they need is a bathroom break, or sometimes they need me to watch the class near the end of the exam period. The children become sooo restless at the end of exams, so the kids jump out of their seats wanting to play games and talk to one another and do anything but just sit quietly! It’s really tested my ability to speak up to 30 children. I’m trusting God to build the assertiveness/sternness-quality in me! It is so hard for me to be straight-faced and nearly mean to children, but as an authority figure to so many children who just want to interact (both fun and bad) with one another even though some are still taking tests, that’s what I need to do! I am enjoying being around so many children, but I definitely have realized that managing large groups of children is not my forte. When I start teaching full time I will have small classes of international students, so I’m very relieved! I am still teaching the young adult Somalian students everyday and LOVE it… smaller classes are more my style!

I will also be taking sort of an administrative position at the school throughout the year and have also been designated the “Resource Leader” who is to push the teachers to be more creative in their classes. Nepalis tend to follow the guidelines very well, but never go beyond it. They’re very book-focused, but do not include much fun in the classrooms. So I am to push the academics by encouraging new styles in the classrooms. I’m excited about this, yet a little nervous because I’ve never worked in a school before. However, the more I understand the Nepali education system, the more I see how I can advise them in certain areas. So as much as I do no want to be the selfish-you-must-do-it-our-way American, I also am excited to hopefully push their academics that will be truly beneficial to the children.

I also had my first sickness. Boo! I’m not sure whether it was the momos (boiled dumplings), unfiltered water, or (gulp) unpasteurized ice cream, but I had quite a miserable 24 hours! And let me tell you, there is nothing fun about being sick in a 3rd world country! That same day I was planning on playing keyboard in both a Nepali and English church service, but realized right beforehand that it probably wasn’t the smartest idea. However, after sleeping a nice long 12 hours (which is very unusual for me) I felt sooo much better.

Also, very exciting… I bought a guitar! They are cheaper here, than the U.S. yet it’s still a good one. I will be donating it to the school and using it all year. This week Tabea (a volunteer from Germany) and I have been leading worship during devotions on guitar and violin. It’s soooo wonderful to have music included in my life here! I can’t explain to you how HUGE this blessing is!

The students have exams this week and then it’s Dashain (pronounced Duh-sigh). Dashain is the big holiday here in Nepal. It’s equivalent to America’s Christmas! So I will have a 2-week vacation! I plan on getting some much-needed fresh air and nature outside of Kathmandu! One week of it will be spent around the Kathmandu area, maybe visiting some friends and family parties. The second week will be spent trekking! I’m sooo excited for this! 3 of my friends and I will be trekking through Kathmandu Valley north to LangTang National Park in the LangTang Himals. I’m so excited to see another side of Nepal, the more rural and natural side.

So that is the update on my first few weeks on the job. After Dashain I will start teaching full time and am truly excited for it. Since it’s a small school I’ve already gotten to meet and know many of the students, and so I’ve met many of mine, and they seem wonderful. I hope all of you are doing well! I’m so thankful for your support!