I know. It's a world-record. Three posts in four days. Do try to control yourself.
So, when I was clearing out some folders and notebooks from times past (Dad, fewer things to move!!) I ran across this letter that I wrote during a class while I was in Russia. Yes, I would like you to think that I was always listening during those afternoon lectures, but I wasn't. :) I found the letter pleasing to read, and I decided to copy it here, and tag as many of the people mentioned as possible, so we can all reminisce together. I didn't date the letter, but it would have been written in the fall of 2001.
Dear Jooiee [Joy Huizinga; college roommate and close friend],
Sometimes listening intently to political convos is just not a realistic option. It is at these times that writing to a good friend is a good alternative.
I have now been in Russia for 61 days. I will be here for 45 more days. These facts seem strange. Please note that I just counted those numbers up- I'm not keeping track, so wipe that smug, "Leslie, you know Better!" smirk off your face, chica! :)
But anywho, I've been at my host family's house for almost 2 weeks now. Things are going reasonably well. They have two cats (one hates me) and a rat (which resides in my room). Masha (short for Maria) is 19, and my primary contact. Zhyenya (short for Yevgeny, Russian equivalent to Eugene) is 14, and your typical squirrelly baby-teen. Mama Vera is petite, smiley, and seems to have at least a small obsession with beauty or appearance. She's a good cook. Papa Zhyenya is kindof burly and a little awkward with me, in an endearing sort of way. We all get along alright. The parents speak no English, which is an interesting exercise for us, considering my pathetic Russian language abilities (or lack thereof).
This Thursday is a party for out group and the Russian students that help us. There are two bad things implied in the previous sentence. 1. We're expected to prepare talent show type things for the entertainment (singing, playing an instrument, skits, poetry, dances, etc.); and 2. the second half of the party will be a dance, wherein I will struggle to extricate myself from multiple, well-meaning Russians, who are trying to pull me onto the dance floor. I'm singing a Jennifer Knapp song. Sid, our student assistant, is accompanying me on the guitar and vocally. I think another girl (Maria) is going to do some harmony, too. We've yet to practice, though the party is day after tomorrow. No need to rush into these things... Oh, it's a dress-up in a costume party, and let me tell you how much I would love to shop at a second hand store! No resources!!
In other news, I now again have two new second cousins that I've never seen. Preston (born a couple of days ago) and Sarah (born the week I left). This seems to be a regular occurrence lately. Christmas is going to be so wonderful. Whenever I think about it, I smile inside. Warm, cozy home. Family and friends. Candlelight Christmas Eve service with church family. American Christmas food. Excitement and secrets. Relaxation and safety. My own culture. Whee!!
I wonder how you are. I wonder if you like your classes; if you're tried unsuccessfully to study in the Philathia lounge lately; if you've eaten a cheese popper from Alpha in the past week; when the last time you put on mascara instead of being productive was (sorry about the awkward syntax there). I miss you, Jooiee. I miss knowing what's going on in your life and talking for a long time and even not talking sometimes. You're a nice girl. IYQ.
Here's a list of people I miss and would like you to greet for me, ok? Jessica Gillet. Becky Monoit. Liz Sprankle. Renessa Rauch (if she hasn't left yet). Kristen Riddick. Kate Millin. Julie Galle. Megan Reeder. Katie James. There are more, but I don't want to overwhelm you.
I went to Moscow this past weekend. I had an awesome time. When we go back at the end of the semester, I'm going to take a picture of me running toward the embassy, like the girl on The Saint. [this didn't happen because of 9/11, which occurred during my semester in Russia; I decided it wasn't worth the risk of running frantically toward the embassy with everyone on high alert, even at the cost of a super-cool picture]
I miss you and will see you in a couple of months.
Love,
Leslie :)
Monday, April 16, 2012
New Article on Inspired by Family
Hey Kids! My latest article on Inspired by Family online magazine has gone live! If you want to read it, you can follow the link to the right. It's the one about goldfish. Happy reading!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Rollin' With the Punches
Today I took eight of my students on the public bus to Wal-Mart to give them a chance to use some of the new grammar we've been learning. Each month we get to do something like this, as part of the curriculum. It's great; one chance to do teaching the way I would like to- fun, real-life stuff.
So after attendance this morning, we headed out to the bus stop. All the students got to ride free with their ID cards. I, being merely a teacher, got to pay my own way. Whatever.
We arrived at Wally World and I gave the run down: do this; don't do that; be back here for the next bus at 9:20 sharp. DON'T be late; we WILL leave you. :) Have fun! We went our separate ways.
I sat in the entryway for about 10 minutes, finishing some grading I had brought along. About every five minutes, an obnoxious recording of "Bob the Builder" would go off in one of the games behind me. I headed into the store to pick up a couple things I needed, and checked out just in time to get to the meeting place a few minutes early.
As I walked out of the store, I saw a bus pulling away from the parking area. I had a moment of panic, but then thought, "Nah, that can't be our bus. It's five minutes early!" As the bus turned, I could see the number on the back. 7. Our bus.
I looked over at the bench by the stop. Two of my eight students were there. No good running for it. I couldn't leave 6 students behind. I closed my eyes and took a breath. The next bus comes in 30 minutes. That will put us back at school about 20 minutes after my next class starts. Less than ideal.
I stroll slowly over to where my two students are calmly chatting, oblivious to the fact that their bus just took off. "Hey guys," I said.
"Teacher, we are on time!" one student replied proudly. He and I had a Come to Jesus talk last week about his consistent tardiness.
"Yeah!" I replied. "In fact, you're early! It's not even 9:20 yet. Did you see the bus leave?"
"Is that our bus??"
"Um, yes. It came early. We missed it."
The students looked at each other. I could see the gleam of recognition. I might have a bit of a situation on my hands, but they've gotten a Get Out of Jail Free card; they're going to miss some class without any penalty. I dig out my cell phone and call my boss.
No answer. I call his boss. No answer. I call the general office phone, mentally demanding that someone answer. I don't have any other numbers. More students filter out of the store, and get filled in on the exciting developments by their classmates. Someone answers the phone.
Happily, my uber-gracious co-worker offers to babysit my computer lab (my next class) until I show up. In other good news, my current students are also in the lab, so they're not going to be late for another teacher. And so. Twenty-five minutes until the next bus. I explain the situation to the students.
"Teacher, I say this morning I should drive. It is better. Next time, I will drive for us."
"Miss Foster, can we get something to eat?"
"Teacher, let's walk back." (yes, that should only take an hour or so)
"Teacher, school finished today. We are go home."
I gave them 15 minutes to get food, giving them a firm reminder that I will leave them this time, even if I'm the only one on the bus back. They chuckle and disperse again. A few stay at the bench with me. Before long the smart phones and iPods have appeared as if by magic. Soon someone's playing an Arabic song that everyone (except me) knows. It's a pop tune, catchy.
Sometimes life seems really surreal. Usually when this happens for me, I'm overseas. I'm eating jellyfish tentacles. On accident. Or looking at the ruins of the Colosseum, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it was around at the same time as Paul. I'm hiking up a mountain, getting a picture next to a pillar that marks a place that's higher than anywhere in the continental US. Or sweating through a church dedication ceremony in the middle of nowhere. But today I had one of those moments in DeKalb, IL.
As I sat on a bench outside of Wal-Mart with six Saudi men, listening to them sing along to an Arabic pop song, I thought about how life is funny. Not always good. Not always bad. But rarely boring.
So after attendance this morning, we headed out to the bus stop. All the students got to ride free with their ID cards. I, being merely a teacher, got to pay my own way. Whatever.
We arrived at Wally World and I gave the run down: do this; don't do that; be back here for the next bus at 9:20 sharp. DON'T be late; we WILL leave you. :) Have fun! We went our separate ways.
I sat in the entryway for about 10 minutes, finishing some grading I had brought along. About every five minutes, an obnoxious recording of "Bob the Builder" would go off in one of the games behind me. I headed into the store to pick up a couple things I needed, and checked out just in time to get to the meeting place a few minutes early.
As I walked out of the store, I saw a bus pulling away from the parking area. I had a moment of panic, but then thought, "Nah, that can't be our bus. It's five minutes early!" As the bus turned, I could see the number on the back. 7. Our bus.
I looked over at the bench by the stop. Two of my eight students were there. No good running for it. I couldn't leave 6 students behind. I closed my eyes and took a breath. The next bus comes in 30 minutes. That will put us back at school about 20 minutes after my next class starts. Less than ideal.
I stroll slowly over to where my two students are calmly chatting, oblivious to the fact that their bus just took off. "Hey guys," I said.
"Teacher, we are on time!" one student replied proudly. He and I had a Come to Jesus talk last week about his consistent tardiness.
"Yeah!" I replied. "In fact, you're early! It's not even 9:20 yet. Did you see the bus leave?"
"Is that our bus??"
"Um, yes. It came early. We missed it."
The students looked at each other. I could see the gleam of recognition. I might have a bit of a situation on my hands, but they've gotten a Get Out of Jail Free card; they're going to miss some class without any penalty. I dig out my cell phone and call my boss.
No answer. I call his boss. No answer. I call the general office phone, mentally demanding that someone answer. I don't have any other numbers. More students filter out of the store, and get filled in on the exciting developments by their classmates. Someone answers the phone.
Happily, my uber-gracious co-worker offers to babysit my computer lab (my next class) until I show up. In other good news, my current students are also in the lab, so they're not going to be late for another teacher. And so. Twenty-five minutes until the next bus. I explain the situation to the students.
"Teacher, I say this morning I should drive. It is better. Next time, I will drive for us."
"Miss Foster, can we get something to eat?"
"Teacher, let's walk back." (yes, that should only take an hour or so)
"Teacher, school finished today. We are go home."
I gave them 15 minutes to get food, giving them a firm reminder that I will leave them this time, even if I'm the only one on the bus back. They chuckle and disperse again. A few stay at the bench with me. Before long the smart phones and iPods have appeared as if by magic. Soon someone's playing an Arabic song that everyone (except me) knows. It's a pop tune, catchy.
Sometimes life seems really surreal. Usually when this happens for me, I'm overseas. I'm eating jellyfish tentacles. On accident. Or looking at the ruins of the Colosseum, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it was around at the same time as Paul. I'm hiking up a mountain, getting a picture next to a pillar that marks a place that's higher than anywhere in the continental US. Or sweating through a church dedication ceremony in the middle of nowhere. But today I had one of those moments in DeKalb, IL.
As I sat on a bench outside of Wal-Mart with six Saudi men, listening to them sing along to an Arabic pop song, I thought about how life is funny. Not always good. Not always bad. But rarely boring.
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