On Saturday, I had a meeting with all of the guardians and parents and directors of the school. As expected, it started an hour late and lasted twice as long as it needed to, with people complaining about the normal things. About 500 people packed into a gym to talk about a trimester worth of school, can't be all that productive. The only surprise was that our director announced his transfer to another school, effective as soon as we get a new director. One of the pedagogical directors, Evaristo, has already been asked and turned down the job of director. He was my choice (as if I have one) because he's forward-thinking, open-minded and enthusiastic. Oh, well. He (Evaristo) said that the likely new director is more along these lines than our current director.
After this big meeting, we split into individual turmas to give the grades to the parents and guardians. Of course, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to actually speak with them about how their students were doing, but I came to find out why they never come to talk with me. I told them the general situation of their students, some things that were going on in school, etc. And their reaction was, "Can we just get the grades already?" So I gave them out, and they left immediately afterwards, without a word for me.
I walked up to Dona Flora who was there for her daughter who had just received VERY poor grades. Dona Flora complained that nobody told her what was going on with her daughter, so she couldn't have known to help.
The post office lady, whose son is another of my students, keeps insisting that I make her son go to the board every class to make him study harder.
The other 8th grade Biology teacher uses my lesson plans exclusively for her lessons, but uses them just so she can do less work (she doesn't actually implement the lesson, just the information which is simplified for the sake of the students). On Monday, she greeted me with an arrogant smile and an upturned hand, meaning she wanted my next lesson plan.
The binding theme to all this is responsibility. It seems to me that I am surrounded by people who don't want any of it and expect things to get done. And so, by being responsible, I get used. I'm really tired of it - the complaining, the persistence, etc. And my students do the same thing. They wait until after all is said and done to complain instead of taking reponsibility before there is a problem. Most of them.
I realize Mozambican society is non-confrontational, but even Mozambicans complain about it. So I just urge my students to take responsibility and see what happens from there.
On Saturday, Jenna, Matt, Tiffany and I traveled to Chris' place to go to the discoteca and see his site. From the moment we arrived to when we left, it was a nice social atmosphere, catching up with people I hadn't seen in quite a while and meeting some new people. I now have some visits I have to make, and soon!
On Sunday, after getting about 1 hour's sleep after a lot of beer, on a nice hard ground, Jenna and I got a magical ride from Peace Corps halfway home (just in the nick of time, as she was getting harassed by a crazy guy) then a quick chapa the rest of the way.
I arrived at home about 1 PM, enough time to plan a lesson and take a short nap before going to Marcilio's sister's christening party. Ahem, a BYOB christening party. So we arrived at 4 PM, sat and talked with a German guy who's married to Mercilio's other sister (or cousin, I don't remember), who Nanosh and I called Dieter because he just seemed like a Dieter.
At this point, I was almost passing out in my chair, from going through detoxification and sleep deprivation. But sure enough! At 6 PM we got started with dinner and out came the obligatory beer (we bought) and within minutes I felt my good old alcohol-dependent self.
We ate and danced like kings, jetting out for a movie at the Canadians (I should have gone straight home, but hey...) and getting home at 10:30 PM. I was still pretty wiped out yesterday, but made it. Today I feel recovered, but I'm going to avoid ever getting so dependent on alcohol to just feel normal. It was really only one night that did it, but I didn't like the idea of having to drink to be in balance.
I can see how come there are so many alcoholics here.
Peace
John
