It was a typical day for the most part.
First of all, my blog title reminds me of the name Made (pronounced ma-day), a very common Balinese name, typically given to the second child in a family. I have met quite a few Mades, and tonight one more. I actually had a neighborhood child I had never met before in my little home, before I was home, named Made. But more on that later.
Awoke to the local temple prayer tape at 5:50am and was off walking to school by 7:25am. It was already a hot one. I decided to wear loose, light cotton tunic/pants that look more Indian than Balinese and that I bought at the local grocery. Although an all black outfit isn't so bad, today it was hot! I now carry a little towel on my way to school so I can casually wipe off the waves of sweat from my body so when I run into someone before I can reach my third story classroom fan, I don't look like I just came from the shower. Literally.
We always start our mornings with a staff meeting for ten minutes then move to the classrooms to teach. Mine happens to be right above the staff room, also sharing the large bamboo poles that run right in the middle. Logistically a challenge to teach in. I reminded staff that any conversation they have, we can hear. With the ambient noise of the entire building rising up to my room, the first 1/2 hour of the day can be the hardest. I hear entire conversations two stories below as well as my neighbor below teaching, the kids playing on the field, any music playing in the building across the gardens, parents on their phones, etc.
But the kids and I have settled into a routine for the most part, where I ask them a "would you rather" question for attendance. Today's question took one class much too long as they argued if a cucumber was a fruit or a strawberry was really a berry. (Would you rather be a vegetable or a fruit and which one?) The sixth graders, smart, dynamic and entertaining sometimes struggle with group decisions, listening and paying attention. So today's lesson after writing their fables, was Impromptu speaking. That should be a fun journey over the next few days. Pick a topic, take notes, speak and listen to the feedback. So simple...
But all in all the morning passed with little excitement if you are used to the noises, breezes, bugs and hormone levels of middle school kids.
Right before lunch was Grade 8 class. The students are building shelters today made from whatever natural material they can find on campus and in the jungle. Needless to say, they did a great job finding bamboo poles, palm fronds, banana leaves, and such to construct a myriad of designs. I was impressed. No snakes were seen and it beats giving them a role of tape and a stack of newspapers to build a free-standing shelter in the hallway. (We're reading
Lord of the Flies in case you are wondering). My point in this exercise is to explore themes in the novel, teamwork, creativity and connections to our surroundings. One group confessed they had to move locations only after building on a red-ant hill. Bummer.
But after this during lunch, I ran down the hill, across the bridge and up the other side to have lunch at home and feed the kitties. It was scorching hot and I had about 20 minutes to make it round trip. Ahhh, but little did I know there was a cremation in the village. So I looked up as I am crossing the bamboo bridge and see the entire local village coming down the stairs in their ceremonial dress carrying the remains of some dear relative. I stepped aside. I watched all ages come down, saying "selemat siang" or good afternoon as I was passed. There I am in my all back Indian outfit, with a cowboy hat on, my very worn out flip flops full of pebbles, sweltering in the sun. The elders stood near the stairs smiling at me and the youngsters took their clothes off immediately and jumped into the river. The actual cremation is above the temple near my house and then the remains are floated down the river with many flowers and prayers.
I finally made it home, too hot to eat and fed the kitties and turned around to head back to school for my next class. It was so hot I changed clothes so I wouldn't be absolutely dripping. The cremation site is right next to my bungalow, so I was glad to head back to school and avoid the smoke billowing inside. I just left the ceiling fan on for the kitties.
I made it back a few minutes before the kids and was off into the land of seventh graders and
Outsiders, trying to explain what 1967 Oklahoma might have looked like with: Beatles haircuts, Mustang cars and slicked back Greasers fighting poverty with their determination and switch blades. Good luck on that one. I forget sometimes that most of my students have a world perspective, not a US perspective.
At the end of the school day I was in my classroom grading some homework when my phone beeped. Nobody really calls anyone hear because text messaging is cheaper. And since there are no school phones, we communicate with texting. The message was Bamboo Village related. The neighborhood kids were building a fort next to my house, were in/out of my house and the little kitties were escaping. (They are so little they can't jump down from the open walls/windows so are still indoor). I thanked Sarah who said she would stay close and help. I raced home again over the bridge and up the hill. Still hot out, by the way. And I was told today that when the rains come, it is really hotter, stickier and harder to teach with the pounding rain. Yes! More challenges. (sarcasm)
All the kids (about 9?) were playing by my house and few were inside. There are no locks and privacy doesn't really mean anything here. So after a few minutes of saying hello, I had all the kids (ages 4-9) inside (800 sq ft bungalow) lying on the wooden floor, sprawled on the couch, sitting on my Nepali stools, eating snacks and playing with the kitties. It was fun. I think the kids are loving this living environment. I even had two children in my house I had never met before. They live behind me and are Balinese. The sisters, Navali (sp?) and her brother Made were quiet since they don't speak much English. But good to meet everyone in the neighborhood.
About 15 minutes into this I had to leave since as I was walking home (over text) I was offered a car/driver for the night to head into town. So I jumped on that opportunity, told the kids to play outside and found the car waiting for me. I ran out of milk this morning. Not good for the am coffee. But I always seem to forget a quick trip into the grocery turns into about four hours. I left at 6pm and got home by 10pm.
Another teacher came with me at the last minute, we had dinner and as usual ran into GS families and an intern, whose motorbike was broken. So another hour went by looking to fix the motorbike, shopping for my neighbor who loaned her car/driver to me and buying my milk, and the 1/2 ride home.
And when I finally walked in tonight, with my milk and meowing kitties I knew I had to wash the dishes before bed. Otherwise, you invite the outside in. And low and behold, I stopped a pile of tiny ants miraculously carrying one piece of kitty kibble out of my sink. It must have taken them hours. Very determined but I did wash my dishes. Enough said.
A full and vibrant day altogether. And tomorrow comes in about seven hours. Have to move the sleeping kitties off my lap and head to my world of mosquito net, fan and dreams.
After our journey on the boat we went back to Flores Island (where we flew in from Bali) and spent a few days exploring, and getting our feet back on the ground. We went for a rainy hike in the rainforest, saw more rice fields, 
