Dear Teachers,

Teachers, I am beginning to understand.

I won't say that "I do understand," because I'm sure I don't. I've been at this a couple of weeks now, but I won't claim to have joined the ranks of you who have been doing this for years. But I am starting to get it.

I am beginning to understand what you mean when you say that you work long hours, not just the hours you physically spend in the classroom. I am beginning to understand spending your own money so your students can benefit from better lessons. I am beginning to understand the responsibility you feel for your students, and the desire to see each of them succeed in the classroom, and outside of it.

I am in India, teaching English to refugees from Tibet. Their native languages (some students are from Bhutan, Thailand, and other areas in the region) are very different from English, and so they often have a difficult time with some pronunciations and vocabulary, not to mention the grammar. English is not a tonal language; theirs are. There is no "th" sound in their languages; it's pretty common in English.

Add to this the fact that I'm an American teaching from a British book, and it gets a little confusing.

What's even worse, though, is the fact that the book is not only written in a western country, it's written for western students. The other day we had a lesson in the book called "Practical English: On a Plane." I got smart and asked "Who here has been on a plane?" I was met with blank stares. A few of them shook their heads. So first I had to explain how it works: flight attendants and in-flight drinks and such. Today we had a reading about things that are "Typically British." I had to explain the following terms, because none of my students was familiar with them: pub, cappuccino, espresso, au pair, zebra crossing (a crosswalk), beer, Burger King, and "fish fingers."

So now I'm thinking.. yes, my students should learn what all of these things are. It will make them more well-rounded and able to relate to people in western cultures. But really? I think at this level the cultural gap just makes the lessons that much harder to understand.

We had our Unit 1 test in my Elementary level class on Wednesday. I had a few students (monks, as it happens) who did particularly well -- upward of 96%. I think they've studied English before. It was an eye-opener for me too, because I didn't realize I had to explain what "true and false" meant. I have been writing names on the board because most of the names in the book are ones you don't find here: my students are all named Lobsang or Tenzin or Lhamo or Tashi or Tsering; in the book the names are Marta and Marco and James and Allie and Alessandra. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving them "Marta = woman, Marco = man" on the board at the front, because if they respond with the wrong pronoun simply because they have no idea whether the name is male or female, that doesn't test their understanding of the English language. It was pretty funny how many filled the blank in "Is Magda Polish? Yes, _____ is" with the word "he."

Really, guys? Lol. Of all the western names in your book, I'd hope you'd know that one. And no, I didn't write the test; that's just the one that came with the materials.

I need to find some materials that are geared more toward an Asian classroom. If I can't find any, I might need to make some.

So Teachers, I am beginning to understand. The best of you really do give so much for your classes. I'm only teaching 2-3 classes a day, 4-5 hours total, and I'm feeling it. I can only imagine what it must be like for a new full-time teacher who is just building a stockpile of lesson plans and class projects.

We aren't supposed to make copies except of test materials; there is a sign above the copier reminding us that "all other copies are 2 rupees per page." I've been recommended to collect 20 rupees or so from each of my students to go toward the cost of copying whatever else I deem necessary, but I'm hesitant. Sure, 20 rupees isn't much. It isn't much for me, anyway. Maybe I'll do it and call it close enough, even if I go over it by the end of the semester. I just want them to learn. The book is good, I'm sure, for other students. For mine, though, it's not quite cutting it. I feel like I need to supplement. I want to go online and find articles, flip through books and find passages to use. For the most part, their understanding of grammar is pretty good, and their vocab is pretty impressive. Their reading comprehension is not so hot, though (generally speaking; of course there are exceptions). How are they supposed to improve their English, though, when they are reading selections that they wouldn't even understand the meaning of in their native languages? How can they focus on the language when there is so much else to process, to distract them?

Most of them are eager to learn, though, and sometimes they ask a lot of questions. Whenever we introduce new vocabulary they always ask for more words. We did body parts the other day and they kept asking "What's this? What's this?" pointing to moles and elbows and fingernails that weren't on the list in the book. I have had a couple of students come to me after class and explain to me that they won't be in class for a couple of weeks, usually because they have to go on a trip somewhere. They're not like vacations, they're like "my sister just had a baby and so I have to take over running her shop" or "I need medical care and it's somewhere that will involve me being gone for about 15 days" -- I just had a student come in and tell me that as I sat here typing this entry. I wished him well and told him to study so he wasn't behind when he got back, and he smiled and bowed a bunch of times and thanked me. I mean really, what else can I say? No, you can't go?

I also had to explain to the class on Wednesday that I expect them to do their assignments not because I'm trying to make more work for them, but because I want them to improve. I want them to learn, and learning takes practice. Sure enough, the half of the class that didn't have their assignments in on time handed them to me today. I'm determined to get these students to a point where they can understand and be understood, and I've only got a few months to do it in.

I think I've got my work cut out for me. I better go find some articles.

To hold you over until the next entry, here are some photos.

Old Monk rum, eh? I've never heard of it, but there are an awful lot of monks here, so why not?

Spices and hot peppers for sale.

Veggie burger where you can really see the veggies.

The tailoring shop where we bought fabric to have some pretty Indian outfits custom made. Total price for two full, elaborate salwar kameez? About $30.

The buses and trains here all have sections reserved for women.

Julie getting ready to eat some batura (sp?) and channa (chickpeas and spices) -- yum!

Joe and Steve, I saw this and thought of you guys. Obviously.

Bhagsu is still dirty, but at least they're trying.

This tattoo shop doesn't look sketchy at all!

Preeeeeeeeeeeetty... Bhagsu waterfall.

I feel like I'm on my way to Whiterun...