First day of class

We had our first day of class on Monday, and I have to say it was the most bizarre first day of school that I think I've ever had. I woke up around 5 to eat and watch the sunrise then headed over to school around seven to finish up some lesson planning. At around 7:45 some of our grade 7 learners (students is used for college level only) rang the bell to tell everyone to move quickly to the schoolyard. At around 8 someone sounds the most shocking school bell in existence. It literally sounds like an air raid alarm. Absolutely terrifying and it happens twice a day.

We then had morning assembly in which the principal or one of the other teachers leads the learners in song and prayer then makes announcements while the teachers stand in front of them in the schoolyard. It is FRIGID. The wind is insane in the mornings and often causes small sandstorms, but none of that mattered to anyone because they were too busy gawking at me the entire time. Thus, I've also learned to live with feeling like a bit of a circus freak. People want to stare at everything I do. I can't eat lunch outside anymore or none of learners will remember to eat their own food. Too funny. I've also learned to deal with an absence of teachers. My principal and about half of our teachers are gone for the entire week to go to workshops. Absent teachers is more of the norm than present ones, or at least that's the impression I've gotten so far. Substitute teachers are unheard of so we just have classrooms full of kids with no one watching them. Since my classes haven't been worked into the school timetable yet (and may never be), I've just been pulling interested learners out of the classes missing teachers. The learners are so respectful and can't wait to hear whatever it is that you have to say which makes the rough times much easier to cope with.