The “break” that wasn’t

This week at Dom Bosco was “interopçõa lectiva”…. Basically it is a week long break in between the 2 quarters of this semester.  Helen and I talked about going somewhere fun since we have this random free week.  However, I am a very skilled procrastinator and didn’t get around to making any crazy plans. Which is good for two reason. 1. This “break” was not an actual break… I have been at school every day this week (except Thursday because that was a national holiday – more about that later!). All of the teachers have been working on recording grades in the “livros de turma” that contain hundreds of tediously written grades for each homeroom. For real, writing grades out for 40 kids in pencil and then writing them all again in pen? Its kinddd of a pain. But what are ya gonna do?! And reason number 2 my procrastination has paid off : our visas expired about two weeks ago and Peace Corps put all Moz15 volunteers on Stand Fast. That’s code for “you can’t leave your site.” So really, it’s a good thing I didn’t plan anything! Some things just work out that way…

In other news, the students this week took turns working around the school and having little “mini retreats” where they play games and watch movies and whatnot for the day.  So since I’m not a “director de turma” and I don’t have my own fancy grade book – I’ve been creeping around school seeing what everyone else is doing. I’ve been roped into playing something that resembled Simon Says and weaseled my way out of the Moz version of Duck Duck Goose that has been modified to include throwing things at the runner. I’ve worked a little – mostly just because my students think its funny for me to use a hoe out in the fields.  The last time I had to “control” students was before I knew any of them, the first week of school. Well this week, not only were they excited to have me there with them – but I knew all of their names and could actually WRITE their names down! Which is a HUGE improvement from not being able to readdd their names. I mean, when there and N’s and G’s and H’s all next to each other – I don’t know what to do with that. Ha!