The daily grind

I’ve been meaning to write this post for quite some time, and since it’s almost halfway through the school year I think I should be able to write my schedule without any trouble…

I wake up at around 6:30 and instantly want the universe around me to just pause so I can go back to sleep. The power has just turned back on around a half hour ago, and when the weather is hotter than normal it makes for an uncomfortable and fitful night. But the digital clock keeps counting up, so I roll over and start the getting out of bed process.

Some 3rd graders playing marbles

I’ve never been fantastic at having daily devotions, but while over here I’ve been trying, and so that is one of the first things on my agenda. The early morning weather is the coolest that it’s usually going to be, so I may start having my devotional time outside. Genius!

Volleyball during break time

Next is breakfast. Six girls sharing one stove can be a hassle, but we don’t seem to have too big of a problem with it. Sharing is easy. My menu can consist of oatmeal, pancakes, rice, bananas, and the occasional apple. I can’t express how much I miss berries and smoothies…

Staff worship is supposed to be at 7:45, but nobody gets there on time so we all trickle in once we’ve finished all the last-minute preparations for that day. We sing a few songs, have a short devotional, and make our way through various bits of staff news. Then, when Mr. John says “Ok, thank you,” we’re off to our classes.

I’m the twelfth grade advisor, so my job is to have worship with them in the mornings, get their report cards together, keep them from ditching school, and planning various high school activities and the senior’s graduation. This year we’re joining with the eighth grade class for graduation, so that cuts down on my personal stress and even has their graduation land on my birthday!

So, here’s the breakdown for my teaching schedule:

8:45-9:30 – 11^th grade Chemistry

9:30-10:15 – 8^th grade Science

10:15-10:30 – Break time!! I get back into the apartment, switch out my books, and then sit down and don’t usually move much until a bit after the bell rings again. This slow island pace really is starting to claim me. Must resist!!

10:30-11:15 – 12^th grade Physics (who would have guessed I would have ever taught this!?)

11:15-12:00 – 10^th grade Biology – (Brittle stars and mitosis and hyphae…)

The crowd for English Day

12:00-12:30 – This is the wonderful half hour we have to eat. We have a few more teachers coming December 11, so my schedule will change a bit. We’re going to be adding one more class to all the grades and will be ending at 3:00 instead of 2:00. So, though that means a bit more work for me, I get a 15-minute longer lunch break!! For lunch we usually just eat whatever leftovers we can find, or I’ll make a quick pot of pasta. As mentioned in an earlier post – carbs, carbs, carbs.

We usually close the door to enjoy a little bit of quiet, except for the occasional day when a dog’s pathetic whining is all that we hear. The poor dog follows one of the local workers to school and gets tied to a post on the other side of the house for the extent of the day. Too quickly though, the time is up and I head back out the door for my last two classes.

12:30-1:15 – 4^th grade science

1:15-2:00 – 9^th grade Earth Science

At 2:00 the beautiful bell rings out its delightful chorus and the busiest part of the day is over. I pick up the classroom for a bit, do any after-school meetings or tutoring, and then back to the apartment I go.

Since the power goes off at 3:00, my afternoons consist of me trying to avoid the heat while somehow being productive and lethargic simultaneously. During this time I usually indulge the social media monster, play with two of our elementary students, do some grading, plan for classes, watch movies, or do something along those lines.

Monday is my town trip day, and that usually takes until around 5:30. We leave around the same time the bus does, usually make 5-6 stops, and I spend too much money and curse the prices. But, town trips are one of my favorite times of the week – it’s a chance to leave the campus! I usually see a couple of my students when we’re over there, and it’s always fun to hear a random “Hi, Miss Carissa!” when I’m not expecting it.

Sunset from our porch

When the power turns back on at 6:00 and as the afternoon drains into evening that is when productivity hits. This is when supper is made, assignments are graded, and workouts are sweated. Evenings are filled with simple joys and visits from our two favorite aunties – “What’s happening?”

As 9:40 hits I usually try to get to bed, because the night is long and power-less, and morning comes sometimes too soon, and sometimes not soon enough. We pray for it to rain the whole night and that there will be no rats scuttling around in our room. 

And that’s the daily grind.