Avocados are in season now. And they are awesome. It's been added to the list of foods I didn't really like before coming here and quite possibly may not like back in the States.
It may seem strange, but many of my students here have cellphones. And not strangely, they have a tendency to interrupt class every so often. And I hate it, even more than in the States. Here, people have barely enough money to live and they decide that a cellphone, to talk with people they see every day, is a worthy investment. But they see the culture coming from other African countries and abroad, and it's an attractive culture.
In any case, a cellphone started beeping during class, though I couldn't tell whose it was. It then got handed to some kid who was hiding it, trying to make it stop. I saw this part and took the phone, putting it in my pocket. A couple minutes later it rang, and the person hung up immediately. This is a common practice - called "sending a beep". You call the person back if you have credit (enough money for the call) and if you're free. And because the kid wouldn't acknowedge it was their phone - whoever's it was - I decided to find out.
So I found the number that had been calling and called him back, fully expecting it not to work and end up bluffing a conversation. But it did work, and I told the voice on the other end that I had a student he might want to talk to. So I asked again whose phone it was, which got a very quick response. She jumped up and got the phone, to which I added, "Add leave." I figured that this was enough of a lesson to not bring cellphones, costing someone's credit card and embarrassing her in front of a friend. But I did not make my point strongly enough as she tried desperately to get back into the room to get her things.
It was the last period, and as she had been kicked out of class, was headed home, but not without her bag. I told her she had to wait for the end of the lesson, but she kept knocking and slightly pushing on the door. Finally, she just charged in, grabbed her bag and left. I chased after her and talked pretty loudly with her about what she just did. I asked her name so I could give her a red falta, and she gave me a bogus name.
When I got back to class, I asked the chefe to point out who she was, and he barely knew. So I'm going to talk to Laurenco about the situation and see if I should give the red falta or simply have her speak with him. Given that my actions were unorthodox, if not questionable given that I was spending someone else's money, we may just call it a draw. But giving me a false name? That's pretty BS if you ask me...
Things are heating up in Iraq and Turkey as the US gets even more belligerent and the world lines up "with" or "against". It's strange hearing this all from here, and strangely comical when not bogged down with details. Especially when actors take political stances and they get more attention for their politics than for their acting. And really, are they acting any more if they're just using their power as a vehicle for a statement?
Peace
John
