Bright Green Shoes

All issues float away when you've got bright green shoes on your feet. 

I started off the school year with a bang- literally, thanks to these new shoes I wore for my first day of school. They are these ultra-bright green netted flats that I bought outside a Korean supermarket back in WA, especially for my move to Erbil. Sure, it was not the most practical item to pack into one of my two suitcases, but I figured if nothing else, it would match my bright green and white striped tote bag. And so it did. From ankles on up, I was all miss professional with gray capri-length slacks and sheer black long-sleeve blouse over a black satiny tank top. But one look at my feet completely shattered that air of professionalism. Heh. I admit, it pleases me to think of the shocking effect it must have had on at least a couple people, like a good morning jolt of double expresso shot from Starbucks. Ah Starbucks...

Anyway, it turned out, even I was not immune to the shocking antics of my bright green shoes. I was standing at my locker in the staff room, and someone stood nearby with a pile of stuff in her arms. Inevitably, something had to drop- her roll of scotch tape in this case. It rolled along the slick floor like a lost wheel, and instinctively, I ran after it and stuck out my right foot to stop it, and BAM! My bright green shoes slipped from under me, and I fell mercilessly hard on my left lower back and arm. Man alive that hurt. If I were older, that would have killed me. If I had any pride, that fall would have shattered it. But I am 24, and have no shame, and so I merely hobbled away with a hand on my lower back. Hmph. Who invented circular tape anyway? 

Anyway, the first 3 days have been wonderfully chaotic and exciting. The kids made me forget whatever banal issues we had with administrative affairs, and I went home exhausted but happy. Sort of. I was a bit daunted by the task of controlling a roomful of rambunctious, confused 2nd graders. The poor things don't quite understand the concept of switching rooms for different subjects, and this new state-of-the-art campus must seem like a giant maze to them, and for all the appearance of organization that our program loves to project, chaos reigned that first day, as well as today. Books had not been allocated, the younger kids had no clue where they were supposed to be at which hour, nor which class; half the kids in my math class did not understand English and so clearly did not belong in my regular-paced class, but when I tried to ask them anything, they just looked at me like “no comprendo man (or whatever the Kurdish version of that is)”; there was a roomful of parent-less kindergardeners who were not supposed to have showed up at all that first day, and naturally a few of them were bawling in confusion and baby angst.

Needless to say, that first day, not much learning or teaching took place. Today, though, during my second math period, I finally said screw the role call, and I just taught whoever happened to be sitting in my class, and it was so fun! In retrospect, I perhaps should have taken attendance so that the kids that had run away or were in the wrong class could get sorted out by the supervisors. But regardless of what I should have done, the end result was that a lot of the kids actually seemed to be picking up the things that were coming out of my mouth, and though I have yet to figure out how to manage them with more authority, they listened to me noticeably better the second time around, especially when I threatened them with the detention sheet, heh. I'm learning how to be a hardass here! With a smiley face on my shirt and bright green shoes. When I walked into the classroom for the third session of math (supposed to be two, but I mixed up my schedule so they got an extra dose of math today, oops), and told them they had yet another period of math, they actually cheered. I was shocked. I really think it's the green shoes- they're magic!

At one point, towards the end of the work day, I peered into one of the classrooms in the upper primary building, and when I saw the attentive behavior of the older kids, and the chalkboard covered with more complex-looking ideas, I found myself wishing for a moment that I was teaching one of the older grades, especially 5th grade, which is when they start learning bits of algebra and even geometry I think. But I think I will enjoy teaching the smaller kids the foundational elements of their education. And there is nothing so endearing as adorable little second-graders throwing their arms around you in a big bear hug as if they've known you their entire short lives rather than a mere 2 days. Kids here are very affectionate. Tomorrow, kindergarden begins. More stories to come.