I realize I haven't offered my token "it's damn cold here" entry yet this year, so here it is.
It's damn cold. I sleep inside my sleeping bag, with capulana pants on, everything zipped up, windows closed, and still wake up cold. I boil 2/3 of a pot of water for a 2/3 full bucket and still freeze my ass off when I stop pouring water over myself to shave. That part is downright dangerous - shake and shave. Then I run out of the bathroom, put a t-shirt on under my dress shirt, then my fleece on top of that. When I get to school, my mouth and hands are still at 50% functionality and I can see my breath. I can see my students' breath too, in front of their crossed-arm, shivering bodies. Many don't have warm clothing, so arrive in their t-shirt and pants uniform - ironically, it's those of us who have the warm clothing who seem to be suffering more.
Every once in a while, I'll get the kids to do jumping jacks if they seem really frigid. But most of the time, we suffer together, but talking and walking keep me considerably warmer.
I came here the other day quite late and got out Nanosh' thermometer thinking "This is the coldest it's been yet!" I let it sit in the main room, and it dropped to a whopping 65 degrees F. Man, I am a weakling. What am I going to do when that's considered warm?
I was about to give my second class of the day when the Chemistry teacher took me aside and said, "The 11th and 12th grades haven't had a Chemistry teacher since the beginning of the year. As people know you're good at Chemistry, I was wondering if you might be able to do it. We'd arrange a Biology teacher to take your classes."
I immediately started considering it - the new challenges, new students (motivated and smart), new colleagues, material, etc. but leaving behind students I've befriended and gotten to trust me over a year and a half. Torn. So I asked some of my students who had shown up for an extra session. I knew how they would respond, but it convinced me that I need to finish the year with them. They need ME, just as much as I need them, which doesn't make for a great long-term relationship, but it'll do for another six months.
Peace
John
