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Another Autumn.
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10-28-02
The weather here makes me want to sing.
Specifically, it makes me want to sing Mariah from Paint Your
Wagon. Today, I heard a sound similar to a siren, and the wind was
making noise, so I thought the siren was the wind whistling through the
trees and houses. It turned out to be a siren, but I think that
instance indicates how fierce the wind is. I woke this morning and said
to myself: It sounds like a hurricane outside. It is now
3°C/36°F outside.
On the whole, though, the weather is
pretty good. It rains a lot, but it is also very pretty in the times
between. The weather is supposed to improve soon.
The prices here are very low, by the
standards of American money and prices, but the wages are also very low.
The exchange rate right now is about 407zl per $100. I understand than
a person in Warsaw makes about 700zl each month, but that it costs about
700zl per month to live in Warsaw. Out in this region, the students
tell me the unemployment rate is around 25%. A nurse might work 12
hours in a night to make 25zl. The economy will improve slowly.
The economy of Il-awa is largely based
on tourism. This town wants to become a major ecotourist vacation spot.
Now, by ecotourism, I probably don't mean the same thing the
environmentalist groups do. I mean a place where people come to enjoy
nature. I think there are campsites around here, but there are also
hotels. Some of the attractions in the area include horseback riding,
sailing, swimming (in the summer), bike trails, hiking trails, and
several lake-front benches where you can just sit and enjoy the view.
I am anxious to have people visit
Poland if they are coming to Europe for a vacation. The prices here are
very friendly for tourists (I could eat very cheaply if I didn't eat so
much), and it will help the local economy for
people to spend money here. I also want to buy things I need here
rather than to get them from the States, because that will help the
economy.
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10-30-02
The temperature outside is
6°C/43°F.
Pastor Kris very kindly nailed a
thermometer outside my window, so now I can tell the temperature outside
without opening the window. Inside, it is around 21°C, which is
rather comfortable.
Yesterday was an interesting day for
teaching. In one of my classes, only two people showed up for class.
Looking at the roll later, I found that this was half my class, but it
still made the exercises go o fast that we did the homework assignment
in class out of boredom.
Today was the very first test. The
teaching materials arrived from Gdansk, and we copied the tests right
out of the reproducible book. My class was somewhat less than thrilled.
Oh, well. We took the test, and everyone finished in plenty of time.
I am very disappointed with the
homework from that class. Homework counts for almost 1/6 of the final
grade, and I should have given them all zeroes for not completing all of
the homework. I decided, however, to show them mercy and give them half
credit for doing most of it. Next time, the axe will not fall so
lightly. Doing the homework is the only way they will learn the
language, especially with the semester being as short as it is. I think
I will have them copy the definition of MERCY after I tell them they
have received it. Now, I have seven tests and six essays to grade.
Guess what I will be doing with my "free" weekend.
Mind you, I am not complaining. This
is part of being a teacher, and I knew that coming into this. I only
mention it to let all of you know what is happening over here.
Actually, I'm enjoying myself, and my strictness with the students is
only because I want them to get all they can out of the course. What
did I do during the 75 minute test? I read. *grin*
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11-1-02
I was hoping to make a trip next weekend and
visit the American couple in Elk. Unfortunately, I found
out today that they won't be there next weekend. Perhaps another time.
We got a washing machine, and it works
very well (I also now have a microwave, so I can do a little cooking
(and I've given up my "Jewish" habits (mostly))).
The students here are much like the
students back home. They listen to pop, rock, techno, and metal (though
some of them like Classical); they like anime and manga, Magic: The
Gathering and other card games; they tend to wear more subdued colors,
though some of them wear bright reds and greens; they complain about the
amount of homework they have.
The theater in town is now showing
Minority Report. I hope to go see it soon. Yes, I'll be able to
understand it. Western movies in Poland are in their original languages.
They just have Polish subtitles. Maybe Adam will go with me to see it.
Adam is a great guy, but he's very
busy, as I am. I only see him for about an hour every other day. I
need to ask him about the gatherings in Ostróda. I should have
enough ducks in a row this next week that I can start an English club.
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11-2-02
Yesterday, I realized something when I was walking
with Pastor Kris. I haven't seen any women here in Poland
immodestly dressed, and that pleases me. I wonder if that will still be
true when the summer comes. I can always hope.
I have gained two new pupils. They
will be taking private lessons from me on Saturdays.
I spent this morning grading tests.
I spent most of the afternoon doing the same. These tests started
giving me a headache. This was not because they were difficult to
grade, though in some cases, the handwriting made it quite difficult. I
tried to decypher the scrawls of some of my students as best I could,
but there is a limit. When I reach that limit, I say, in the words of
my mother, "If I can't read it, it's wrong."
My students are going to receive a
lecture this next week... before the lessons begin. I can tell that
they haven't been getting enough practice at home, so I've decided to
increase their homework. I'll assign all the problems instead of evens
and odds, but I'll probably do evens and odds during class for checking.
I remember looking over the homework
during the tests, and I told one young lady that I could tell she was
going to get a good grade. She had done all her homework. Do you know
what? I was right. She is the only student, so far, who has gotten an
A on the test. I had one student who only got 23% of the possible
points. I don't think the test is too hard. I believe the problem is
effort. Many of the tests have whole sections that have been left
completely blank, and I didn't see a single student who was flustered
when I announced the time was up. Most, as I believe I have already
mentioned, were rolling their eyes and making other signals of boredom.
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11-5-02
Adam, Kris, and I had our first staff
meeting last night. We discussed the tests, homework, the students, the
schedule of units, and the possibility of a third teacher joining us.
Adam and I don't think the tests are
too hard. Adam says the first test in any class is like a face-full of
cold water. It's a shock. I told Adam I think the students would
benefit from spending three classes intead of two on each unit. He
agreed.
I will start working on vocabulary
this week, because I haven't done much with it. I think that will
largely become part of the homework.
Kris added some insulation to my
window today. I'm glad of that, and I hope it help to keep the heat in
my room.
The temperature outside (at 12:30) is
2°C/35.6°F. P.S. I finally beat Adam at chess last night.
Yours truly and Kris's family (I'm the one on your left).
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