My short little jaunt to school etc.

Like a good girl I listened to my mom.

I took a taxi every day last week becasue I was sick. I didnt want to walk the 15 minute walk and breathe in the cold air. Last thing I needed was a sinus infection.

I am fine now, more or less, and I walked yesterday and today. What I had forgotten was how observant I get at that time in the morning especially with my headset on.

So out of my walk yesterday morning a very important question has arisen; Why do old men dye their moustaches? Who do they think they are kidding? ESPECIALLY when they have snow whilte hair!!

I also realized that cars in fact speed up when they come to a crosswalk. Is this Bulgarian road rage? or do they just want to scare the bejeeezuz out of pedestrians? The odd car does stop though.

Yesterday I had no voice. It made for an interesting day. I am almost 100% today, and this was recieved with applause much to my embarrassment. So yesterday I had them write essays again. They really are brilliant. I need to have a couple of them type them out so I can post them here. Ava, the girl who wrote about Voice last time (I joked with her that she could write about NO voice this time, given my condition yesterday) wrote a piece called "Fly chicken Fly!!" which turned out not to be about our flu-riddent friends but about courage and taking flight. Brilliant girl. I do hope she becomes a writer.

So after putting my students trought the grueling exercise of pouring their hearts out to me in 30 minutes flat, they demanded I write something. I siad I write every day on my blog, and they wanted the address. NO WAY was my answer, so they begged and peladed for an entry. I, in a very brave moment printed out Grief and had a good student read it.

I was very pleasantly surprised! Not only were they totally absorbed, but they were totally silent for a while and then applauded. They asked pertinent questions and asked for copies. Then at the end of the class a few came and hugged me and said they were glad I shared that with them. Who would have thought. Teenagers. They get you every time!

In my next class one student asked me why I hadnt graded their last essays. Now when I was a student, I would spend hours on essays. I was unsure of my English skills so I would just KILL myself. Maybe that made them too contrived, but I remember time and time again handing something in, with shaky hands, hoping I had accomplished my aim, only to get back a 60 or 70. Now I ask you this; WHO DIED AND MADE MR. GIBSON A WRITING EXPERT??

So my answer to Ivan was; Who am I to judge your writing? I can correct your spelling and make suggestions on how to express yourself better, but who givesme the right to say "This pice of writing, from your heart, is only worth 65%?" And Ivan threw up his hand and said "YES! You are the FIRST teacher to ever say this! You are right!"

And I said "Of course I am right!!"

When I told my honey this, he said "You are not a teacher. You are a guide. They will remember you forever, and you have probably changed some of their lives forever."

Every teacher wants that. At least those who do this job for the right reasons. Its funny that I fell into this but I seem to be doing OK. I have two people to thank for that; My mom who always tried to answer my unending questions (even when she would say "You dont have to know everything") and of course Philip. I'm blowing you both kisses.