Ok, sorry guys I've been a bit lazy about posting after getting into the teaching rhythym. To be honest, we're kept pretty busy most days with homework club in the mornings and evenings, 3 lessons and loads of marking. Our weekends have been pretty good, a couple of us went on a mountain flight in a tiny aeroplane around the Himalayas, which was awesome. Last weekend we organised a sportsday for the boarders, complete with tug of war, sack race, egg and spoon and sprints! We did the best we could, given that our facilities are basically just a concrete square with a basketball hoop.
This Sunday, our lives were (literally!) shaken up by the earthquake that hit Sikkim, India in the evening. Alice and I were just lying in our beds marking, while Sarah was in the shower. Suddenly, our beds started shaking, but initially we thought nothing of it because thats what happens when the cheeky students start banging on our door. But it continued and got stronger, and suddenly we were all running out of the school! (Sarah lagging behind a little because she still had to get dressed!) The bizarre thing was that at our schools, in the case of any sort of emergency, we would have had a strict plan (no running, keep calm, line up outside, do the register etc.). But here, it was literally every man for themselves! Some of the teachers were pushing past the students to get out of the building, and no one rounded up the students outside to see if there was anyone left inside!
The shaking continued for about 1.5 minutes while we were standing outside, and it felt quite like being on a boat, a couple of us actually got "seasick". We went back inside after about 45 minutes, but felt a two smaller tremors afterwards.
The next morning was hilarious. All my students came rushing up to me either to "congratulate me on me new life" and shake my hand, or to shout "Happy Earthquake!" as if it had been some sort of festival. There was also a rumour going round the students that another earthquake was due at 2.45pm that day, which obviously never came.
We have finished all the material we were meant to cover in our classes, so our most recent lessons have just been silly activities. I'm filming Prince of Persia with my class 6s and a scary story with my class 5s. Only 2.5 more days of teaching. I've grown really attached to some of my students, but at the same time I'm definitely looking forward to getting back to London, and finally, next Wednesday, HOME!
See (most or you) soon!
Namaste.
This Sunday, our lives were (literally!) shaken up by the earthquake that hit Sikkim, India in the evening. Alice and I were just lying in our beds marking, while Sarah was in the shower. Suddenly, our beds started shaking, but initially we thought nothing of it because thats what happens when the cheeky students start banging on our door. But it continued and got stronger, and suddenly we were all running out of the school! (Sarah lagging behind a little because she still had to get dressed!) The bizarre thing was that at our schools, in the case of any sort of emergency, we would have had a strict plan (no running, keep calm, line up outside, do the register etc.). But here, it was literally every man for themselves! Some of the teachers were pushing past the students to get out of the building, and no one rounded up the students outside to see if there was anyone left inside!
The shaking continued for about 1.5 minutes while we were standing outside, and it felt quite like being on a boat, a couple of us actually got "seasick". We went back inside after about 45 minutes, but felt a two smaller tremors afterwards.
The next morning was hilarious. All my students came rushing up to me either to "congratulate me on me new life" and shake my hand, or to shout "Happy Earthquake!" as if it had been some sort of festival. There was also a rumour going round the students that another earthquake was due at 2.45pm that day, which obviously never came.
We have finished all the material we were meant to cover in our classes, so our most recent lessons have just been silly activities. I'm filming Prince of Persia with my class 6s and a scary story with my class 5s. Only 2.5 more days of teaching. I've grown really attached to some of my students, but at the same time I'm definitely looking forward to getting back to London, and finally, next Wednesday, HOME!
See (most or you) soon!
Namaste.
