The Americans work hard, too hard. Making the change back, even if we were only gone for a year, was a difficult transition for all of us. The boys were exhausted- not just the long school day but the tremendous amounts of homework right from the start. I had the joy of walking into yet another empty classroom- no resources, no materials, no curriculum. Well, there are some Singapore math books. And there was a bit of training on that. But mostly I have been spending every minute writing, designing, aligning. Mbalia suffered too, completely unused to whole days away from her family.
After these first few weeks we are getting acclimated, though I am not sure it is a good thing. I don't want the days and weeks and months to fly by in a blur of work and activity. I hear colleagues- newly arrived colleagues- talking about the pace of things here. They are comparing it to their previous environment in South America, where the afternoon siesta is also big. It sounds like they think it is ridiculous to close a business in the middle of the day and there is even a little bit of outrage tinting the edge of their words.
"But if the whole country is taking a break," I begin cautiously, "then you should just go home and have a big lunch with your family like everyone else." I can't help but see them as foreigners pushing against a perfectly well run system, albeit different than their own. I want to tell them it is ok to slow down and create a richer, more fulfilling life. I believe this now. I am a complete fan of slower paced days and valuing family time. Stop what you are doing and go home for lunch. Sit down, talk to your kids, spend some good quality time checking in with everyone before heading back to work. There should be time to honor family every day, not just on the weekends.
It's easy to say this but, of course, I have buckled under the pressure. I have eaten lunch at my desk, while working, more than half of the time. I work through lunch, I work once school is out and then I come home and start work again. I am hoping to get it under control, but it is clearly an illness. A yucky, life sucking illness. Those crazy Americans.
On the other hand, there are some benefits to being back in the fold. One is a definite sense of community. Because Americans work so hard, they are pretty good at mixing social play in there too. Boundaries are not as clear and rigid.If you're going to be working 24/7 you might as well sprinkle on some friendly mingling just to keep you going. We've already had one back to school welcome at the principal's house and this Friday there was a soccer game -students against faculty- that drew small crowds to the field after school. Kids were running around playing on the sidelines, younger siblings from home came to join the fun and all that was missing was the smoke of a BBQ. There are many more events planned, from the traditional welcome back picnic to other family centered events. If you don't know many people in town, these are a great way to network a bit. And for one of my social shy guys, it is a great way to play with kids without all the formality of a play-date and your-house-or-mine details.
But it does mean mixing work and play. And the part no one really mentions is that at many of these events, attendance is slightly less than voluntary. Presence is expected. You are left to plaster a smile on your face and make small talk with your colleagues. You mingle with parents of your students while your students themselves are weaving between groups of chatting grown-ups. I see the American in all of this in a way I did not just a year ago. It is interesting to view my home culture as such a foreign entity. I am happy to be looking at it with new eyes.
As with all things, there are perks and pesters involved with returning. I am trying ever hard to be true to myself while navigating the rigors of the system. And I hope I will not spend all my good writing solely on curriculum documents (much as I really do love that kind of thing- teacher nerd that I am.) I vow to find a few nuggets of humor or interest or plain old observation to post here weekly.
Here's a picture of a building I have been feeling a bit of kinship with lately- it appears indestructable- made of concrete, but is falling down like a house made of flimsy playing cards and no one is even trying to raze it- or fix it- they are just letting it stand, neither up nor down. While I can't really imagine how it came to be in this state, I find it oddly beautiful, a sculptural piece of art.
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| The perspective is slightly off and I am still stuck with only my phone camera but this gem of a building sits on its own lot- half way to glory and half way to despair |
