Notes from Arno: The first few days of school

Well then, these two days have been fun! Ha! I don’t think I have stopped moving since school started and the school still looks like no one is even going to school there. I guess since I really didn’t have any expectations of what the students would be like, I can’t really say whether or not it is what I thought it would be. It is so, so different though…obviously. School starts at 8:30 – or it is supposed to – but we generally don’t get started till a bit after that. School starting at 8:30 to Marshallese means you start your walk to school at that time – teachers included. You also get as many ‘sick’ days as you feel like. It was only day 2 today and Movie – our principle and 3rd grade teacher – was out with a cold. So here, that just means one class just didn’t have school today – they played while everyone else attempted to learn. I attempted to keep one class entertained while I taught another, and tried to get them to practice their spelling words, but that worked for a solid 3 minutes.
My current schedule is:
8:30-9:30 English – grades 5-7 (There is no one in 8th grade this year)
9:30-10:30 English – grades 3-4
10:30-10:45 break
10:45-11:45 English – K-2
11:45-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:45 Science – 5-7
1:45-2:30 Science – 3-4
2:30-3:00 Science – K-2
Science is particularly hard because I don’t really know if they understand much – but I am trying to use as much Majel as possible and explain things in the simplest way possible. It is hard to tell how things are going right now though, all I know is that I am exhausted and can’t wait to get settled and into a routine! That could take a while though. The kids are luckily pretty well behaved – so that helps out a bit. But when I say well behaved – that is Marshallese standards…there are still kids running around that aren’t in school distracting the class and dogs running in an out. It is a hectic environment to say the least.

Away from school life is still great. My family is awesome and I like them more each day. My mom, Mainman, and my dad, Kamot, are both pastors at the church. I had my first church experience tonight too – which was interesting! It was me and about 4 others in church and Kamot was yelling as if he were speaking to a crowd of 1000. I attempted to pick up a few words here and there, but could only understand about 1 out of every 4. My brother shared his hymn book with me, and as hard as singing is in English for me, its even worse in Marshallese! (Whit if you’re reading this, you would be even worse in Marshallese than you are in English and would know even FEWER words! Haha I love you ☺ )

ME, MY SISTER - JOJO AND MY 'MOM' MANIMEM

MY FAMILY OUTSIDE CHURCH One thing that I am really starting to miss is any time alone. The guide book wasn’t kidding when they said your EVERY move is being watched. I can be sitting at my desk, literally doing nothing, and there are kids just sitting there, not talking and just watching. I go to make a call and the entire town makes a field trip out of it! I sit and write lesson plans – it’s the evening social event. I walk to the bathroom, there is a herd of kids waiting for me to come out. I sit down to write a letter – I have 3 kids leaning on my legs, 2 looking over my shoulders and about 4 leaning on a coconut tree next to me! It is crazy to say the least. I feel bad not talking to them, but I quickly learned that that is ok. They just enjoy sitting and watching you. Some are annoying and won’t stop grabbing you, but most are respectful and don’t touch you or talk to you unless they can tell you want to play.