Our year is almost complete and we are both sad to leave some of the great new friends we have made. However we are also excited to see our family and friends. The year has been fantastic despite the difficulties. The ups far out weigh the downs and make the work and uncertainty worth it.
Teaching in the beginning of this year was difficult. Transitioning and learning the system took some time. The vocabulary, everyday procedures, and process take some adjusting. It often took every ounce of energy I had to not say my school (in the States) does it better. It isn't because your school does it better it is because you are used to that system. All schools have processes and procedures that function really well, based on the students, staff, and sometimes the architecture of the spaces. As an exchange teacher I felt it wasn't my job to question it, but to learn to understand what I was having difficulty with. What I eventually learned was that schools are constantly making choices about how to deal with issues that arise. Often times the choices made have a positive consequences and a negative consequences. The question I that often came to mind was, what are we gaining from this choice and what are we going to loose?
Personally, it took Patrick and I time to find our way around and what was around. This takes as much time as you put into it. We had to learn what the neighbourhood had to offer from shopping to parks to classes. We had to try a variety of things to see what we enjoyed doing as it wasn't different than Colorado. When you start learning this you start to establish patterns and habits. The place starts to feel more comfortable when you have a few habits developed. Those habits were often as simple as when we go grocery shopping or go to the gym. Shopping is interesting here, because most shops close around 5. Neighbourhoods have 1 late night a week and are open on Saturdays but not Sundays. If you are working all day and travelling on weekends it make shopping more difficult.
Making friends and establishing relationships also takes time and is probably uncomfortable in the beginning. It is uncomfortable because you know back home you have all these friends and you know who to call to do something fun, or who to call for problems. When you start in a new place you have to establish and build these relationships. But once you establish these as most do, it is sad to go. And that is where we are at, sad to leave.
