New Year

Three teachers were coming back through Turkey. Many folks from this region were flying to Saudi Arabia for the Hojj Festival. The airlines, apparently not too good at planning, diverted all flights from Turkey to Saudi Arabia at the last minute. We opened school down three teachers.
Quite a bit of snow is falliing - a good thing for a desert area. But it makes things tough in a land where snowplows are unknown. We've got a total accumulation of well over half a foot, ice now on the bottom.

One of the missing teachers is bringing back a cable that I need for my digital camera. All pictures posted thus far are those others have shared with me. I intend to journal through photos more in the coming year - that is what this blog was originally for. I've got a new (third) blog for inspirational poetry.

poemsthatinspire.blogspot.com

Two poems are there, and when the Spirit moves I intend to add more.

Winter Break

I stayed behind to learn Dari but....

I also took over the administrative functions, since we were shut down.

I also decided to spend time doing some extra running.

I also decided to get some extra rest.

I also decided to do some extra reading, and internet posting, writing see a few movies.

Not only that, but a big cold snap came and started to break pipes, break pumps (we pump well water) etc. Guess who is responsible?

I have learned (a little) extra Dari. But I'm ready to get back to teaching, too.

Open Letter to the Wissinoming Dog Lovers

You would not believe the bad treatment dogs get here. Then again, you would not believe the bad treatment people get here.

We brought in a puppy from the street and the teenage daughter of a teacher fell in love and adopted her. Perfect situation? for a little while - We kept her for over a month, but some others objected, and since we all live together in the same housing....

Any dog you see in the street (there are tons of puppies and a few stray dogs) will put it's tail between its legs and whimper as soon he recognizes you as a human. Everyone, from tots to old "white beards" kicks at dogs (even from behind burkhas). Our own school employees would kick at OUR puppy in OUR yard. I did not win this battle but......

I'm teaching the kids to think. Indoctrination is what has always passed for education here. So it's cause and effect, compare and contrast, reasonable inference, logical analysis, all kinds of critical thought all day long in every subject. The kids in my sixth grade love it - challenging what the teacher says? Questioning what was written in the book? UNHEARD OF!!! If you repeat back what I teach - you fail. Questioning the status quo: just the thing the pre-teen brain was designed to do. If a generation of leaders grows up thinnking here, well, this region will never be the same. Thinking leads to feeling, and thinking and feeling together can lead to Life. But it will take time, we will have to persevere over the long haul.

Stick with me, its worth it.