When I turned 60 I had meant to keep up the blog about that, but as you can see I have not. This partly because getting into the blog is often very complicated as I have two google accounts and I just get sidetracked into their system and cannot get onto the blog, but tonight I have made it much to my delight as it has been a great day.
I flew out to Kyrgyzstan on Friday, we left an hour late (something to do with the police checking passports? We were never told what the problem was just that we were delayed.) which meant that my connecting flight could be an issue as we were due in just after I was due to leave. So I tried to notify the hostesses. One went by, so I tried hailing her, but she flagged her finger in the air in a wait gesture implying she would return, but she did not. So I pressed the call button but the stewardess who came could not speak English, she went away and did not come back with anyone who could, so I had to call again and this time ask her to get someone, who did eventually come and said they would arrange for the onward flight to be delayed or arrange something. So I relaxed till a message went out that was inaudible beyond something re transit. Given that this might be an instruction e.g. go to the front of the queue I again tried hailing someone to help me who just rushed by, when she passed by again I again tried asking her but again the finger (not the usual rude one, but the one that says wait) this time very emphatic without a backward glance or attempt to help. Air rage surged in me as I yelled could you just answer me. No she just ignored me and went on by and huddled with the other stewardess at the front of the plane looking at me. I pressed the button, the huddle hesitated that then sent the woman who could not speak English and again could not help and just went away. I pressed the button again, again she came and again I had to ask for someone who could speak English. They eventually returned and said someone would meet me at the airport and ensure I get the plane. Once off the plane I eventually located this person, who proceeded to run me through the airport and get me on the plane. He did not help me with my hand-luggage but seemed to think me a fit and healthy 60 year old so capable of running with it. I am not sure my body agreed with him. We then proceeded to wait for a few more people and a bit more time, so I trusted that meant this time (I had had the same dash last time I flew with them) my bag would be transited too. Wrong. Luckily they have a good missing baggage report system at the airport. A nice German couple planning to spend just one night in Biskek were just ahead of me reporting their lost luggage and had to change their travel plans to pick their luggage up on Sunday, but my plan was and continued to be to come straight to the school two hours away. My head teacher and her husband kindly meet me at the airport, partly to help with the luggage, but instead took control off my missing luggage form and have rung each day trying to re-unite me with it) When I left Kysyzstan I had left my coat behind but I had forgotten that I had left some shirts and a skirt here. So while I did not have any toiletries, or the books and work I had for the children, and some other more personal items; as a result of her efficiency, I did have a change of clothes. And tonight the hotel owner has kindly turned up with the bag. I think he might have gone all the way to Bishkek to get it which is ironic as the nice young German couple having been reunited with their luggage yesterday, also came down here today!
I spent Sunday talking to my boss and up at the school getting today's lessons ready with the help of the music teaching, apart from an emotional hug in greeting , it was like had never been away. I do not know what feels more surreal in fact, my life here or back home, as it just feels wonderful to be here and see the friends I have made here, but I still pinch myself to think I got to do this in the first place.
Anyway today it was class time. My main idea was to revise some of the work I have done with the children and to see what progress they have made. The school now is bigger than it was last year - a pre school, two year zero classes and then the children I taught previously. I tried tiptoeing in hiding behind some gorgeous flowers my Head had presented me with at the airport and which I thought I could take to the school to share with everyone, but one of the classes spotted me and came out, the children all giving a very nice - happy but polite hello. It felt very emotional to see their teacher. Then the other class rushed out with more of a hug and again great hugs with their teacher - they are both wonderful women with so much experience it is a honour to work with them. I popped over to the new canteen to say hello to the cook (who had made a cake in my honour) where the new pre - schoolers greeted me in English and then into my first class. Year 1, previously year 0. They have a new teacher,who speaks English, and she has them taught well. One of the students pointed to the English poems and story I had put up on their wall the day before obviously pleased with this new addition to the classroom. They were all able to ask each other their name (they are 6), then I tried singing some of the songs we learned and they remembered lots of the words and all the gestures ahead of me doing them. They then worked together to write the alphabet on the board and sang the alphabet song - so very good. Similar situation with class two, previously one, who remembered all their colours and some of The Balloon Song which we had learned rather quickly at the end of the year and they did even better with Walking Through the Jungle which they had learned in their first term. Considering no one has done any of this with them since last May pretty good. They are all reading and writing in English. Then year three who loved playing What's the time Mr Wolf, which was new work for them. I was also asked to do a circle time with them and they managed it -telling me what they have been learning since I saw them last. I also gave them a five sentence dictation - which reminds me I need to mark it before work tomorrow so had better go. I would never think to give 10 year olds dictation but they really like it and seem to be good at it. When I think how hard it was doing book work with them at the beginning of last year as only one of them could read and only one or two had any idea of how to do it and now they can all read and write in English it seems a miracle to me. So, so far it is definitely worth this return and clearly my colleagues are doing a good job, but I think and hope that it is also useful for the children and my colleagues that I reappear and do this couple of weeks with them.
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