The first bus came on 09 July at 5:30 am. We wanted to catch the first bus so that we could get to school early and get situated for the first day. I was a little nervous about how things were going to go with the kids. When they first got there, they were supposed to be silent reading in the classroom. That wasn't so bad, and then we had to go to an assembly in the Hall. These kids seem like robots! They memorize and repeat songs and bible verses, and they automatically get in two lines: boys in one and girls in the other. All of the new teachers were introduced at the assembly and also the new principal. His name is Mr. Yew Yi. He is pretty awesome!
After the assembly we took our form classes (homeroom classes) back to the room. Then we had an hour to go over housekeeping items, rules/expectations, and any other announcements that we had. My class was super, super chatty! They would not shut up. I know they were really excited to be back in school to see their friends and everything, but jeez! I cracked down on them though. I was pretty much told by the P3 teachers that I have the class from hell. Awesome! Haha. Oh well, I will make it all work out.
We did a lot of team building/class building for the rest of the day. I was able to get to know the kids a little more and see which kids could work together and all. Pretty much none of them could, which I was already told by previous teachers. Awesome again! I guess we have to work on the whole teamwork thing in my class. I also assigned them to write a letter to me, so that I can get to know each student's interests.
I have quite a work load for the week. I teach P3 (3rd grade) Science, P4 Math & English and I teach two project classes. I don't exactly know what they are supposed to be doing in their project classes yet. They haven't told us, so for the first week we are supposed to work on team building.
I found out on the first day of school in the afternoon that I would be going to Singapore the next day!! What a surprise to me. They tell us a lot of things last minute here. I had to make lesson plans for whoever would be taking over my class, so that they would know what to do. According to my kids, they did not do what the lesson plans said. They sat and read their storybooks all day! I guess my lesson plans never got forwarded on, along with Amber's. Oh well, I guess.
Tuesday: We woke up at 02:30 so that we could get on the bus to head to the airport. The airport here in Jakarta is all open, and has no air conditioning. It is not nearly big enough for the amount of people that come through. We were there very early for our 06:45 flight. You never know about traffic in Jakarta though, so you have to leave early any time you want to go somewhere. When we landed in Singapore (about an hour and twenty minute flight), I couldn't believe it! The airport was amazing. It was so nice with a lot of shops, and it was air conditioned :) There were a couple of ladies who met us at the airport and took us to where we needed to go for our visas. After they took us and we signed a paper, we were free to go wherever we wanted!
The city was so nice! It was clean, it had sidewalks, and you could walk safely across the street without thinking that you would be killed by all of the traffic. Very different from Jakarta. I definitely want to go back there sometime when I get a chance. Good thing I have a friend there that I can visit :) We ended up taking the MRT (subway), which was very, very nice, to a place called Orchard Road. This is the main shopping area in the city. I can't believe how many Coach, Chanel and Louis Vuitton stores there are. They are on like every corner! We went to the bookstore in one of the malls to look at picture books for our classrooms. The books there are much more expensive than they are in the US. I guess not very many people buy English books, so they would be more expensive. After that, we walked around the other malls, and we ate some food in a food court area. I actually had a dish from Singapore. I can't remember what it was called now, but it was chicken with rice and vegetables. It was really good. I am trying to stay away from American food as much as I can.
We had such a short time in Singapore that we really didn't have much time for anything else. We got back on the MRT and headed toward where we needed to meet the lady to take us back to the airport. Our flight was 45 minutes late taking off. I have no idea why. We sat on the plane the whole time, and they didn't tell us anything. Our plane could have been broken for all that I know?!
I was exhausted when we got back. It was such a long day. We had to take some other people home to City Resort, and then the rest of us to Mitra Bahari. I don't know if I mentioned before that I live in an apartment called Mitra Bahari. It's actually a historical building: The Mitra Massacre. It was where the government actually came to our building looking for Chinese Expats and would throw them out the windows of the 24th floor. How awful! We do have a lot of security in our building...that would probably be why.
Wednesday: HOLIDAY! They didn't tell us this until about last week, but we had a holiday. The city of Jakarta elected their new governor on this day. About 20 of us decided to go to a pool party. It was so much fun. It was where the other teachers live that teach at the KJ campus. Their place is like a resort. It's super nice, and they have a mall right across the street. I couldn't believe it. They are super spoiled! Oh well, I like Mitra Bahari, and I am having a great experience going out and about in the city. After the party, we all decided to go out for dinner. I don't think people had seen so many North Americans in one place. Everyone was staring, of course. We took up pretty much the whole room in the small restaurant. On the way back to our apartment, we had an awesome taxi driver. He actually spoke a bit of English since he had been to Australia. He was hilarious. He was talking to us and pretty much asking why we would want to come to a country like this. Haha. He said it is corrupt, and that the polisi (police) just want your money. You can pay your way out of anything here. We were driving along and he saw a polisi ahead, and he swore in English. We all just started laughing at him. He was driving in a lane that only buses are allowed to drive in.
Thursday: Back to school. The students were much better, but they still need to practice teamwork and listening! When I got home after school, I was so lazy. I didn't do anything all night except talk to my mom on the phone and attempt to update my blog. The internet connection is not that great here, so I am sorry to anyone that I try and talk to on Facebook chat or something, and then I am suddenly not there. We are hoping to get a more reliable connection soon.
Friday: TGIF! The day is almost half over. My kids still need help with their listening skills. Haha. We'll work on it. I am sure that things will get better. Well off to my last class of the day.
I am really starting to get used to things here. It's a dirty city that most people would probably not like, but for some reason I do. It's really growing on me. When things don't make sense we have just learned to say, "TIJ." Meaning: This is Jakarta. We just nod our heads and agree.
I have quite a work load for the week. I teach P3 (3rd grade) Science, P4 Math & English and I teach two project classes. I don't exactly know what they are supposed to be doing in their project classes yet. They haven't told us, so for the first week we are supposed to work on team building.
I found out on the first day of school in the afternoon that I would be going to Singapore the next day!! What a surprise to me. They tell us a lot of things last minute here. I had to make lesson plans for whoever would be taking over my class, so that they would know what to do. According to my kids, they did not do what the lesson plans said. They sat and read their storybooks all day! I guess my lesson plans never got forwarded on, along with Amber's. Oh well, I guess.
Tuesday: We woke up at 02:30 so that we could get on the bus to head to the airport. The airport here in Jakarta is all open, and has no air conditioning. It is not nearly big enough for the amount of people that come through. We were there very early for our 06:45 flight. You never know about traffic in Jakarta though, so you have to leave early any time you want to go somewhere. When we landed in Singapore (about an hour and twenty minute flight), I couldn't believe it! The airport was amazing. It was so nice with a lot of shops, and it was air conditioned :) There were a couple of ladies who met us at the airport and took us to where we needed to go for our visas. After they took us and we signed a paper, we were free to go wherever we wanted!
The city was so nice! It was clean, it had sidewalks, and you could walk safely across the street without thinking that you would be killed by all of the traffic. Very different from Jakarta. I definitely want to go back there sometime when I get a chance. Good thing I have a friend there that I can visit :) We ended up taking the MRT (subway), which was very, very nice, to a place called Orchard Road. This is the main shopping area in the city. I can't believe how many Coach, Chanel and Louis Vuitton stores there are. They are on like every corner! We went to the bookstore in one of the malls to look at picture books for our classrooms. The books there are much more expensive than they are in the US. I guess not very many people buy English books, so they would be more expensive. After that, we walked around the other malls, and we ate some food in a food court area. I actually had a dish from Singapore. I can't remember what it was called now, but it was chicken with rice and vegetables. It was really good. I am trying to stay away from American food as much as I can.
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| Chillin in Singapore |
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| I <3 SG! |
We had such a short time in Singapore that we really didn't have much time for anything else. We got back on the MRT and headed toward where we needed to meet the lady to take us back to the airport. Our flight was 45 minutes late taking off. I have no idea why. We sat on the plane the whole time, and they didn't tell us anything. Our plane could have been broken for all that I know?!
I was exhausted when we got back. It was such a long day. We had to take some other people home to City Resort, and then the rest of us to Mitra Bahari. I don't know if I mentioned before that I live in an apartment called Mitra Bahari. It's actually a historical building: The Mitra Massacre. It was where the government actually came to our building looking for Chinese Expats and would throw them out the windows of the 24th floor. How awful! We do have a lot of security in our building...that would probably be why.
Wednesday: HOLIDAY! They didn't tell us this until about last week, but we had a holiday. The city of Jakarta elected their new governor on this day. About 20 of us decided to go to a pool party. It was so much fun. It was where the other teachers live that teach at the KJ campus. Their place is like a resort. It's super nice, and they have a mall right across the street. I couldn't believe it. They are super spoiled! Oh well, I like Mitra Bahari, and I am having a great experience going out and about in the city. After the party, we all decided to go out for dinner. I don't think people had seen so many North Americans in one place. Everyone was staring, of course. We took up pretty much the whole room in the small restaurant. On the way back to our apartment, we had an awesome taxi driver. He actually spoke a bit of English since he had been to Australia. He was hilarious. He was talking to us and pretty much asking why we would want to come to a country like this. Haha. He said it is corrupt, and that the polisi (police) just want your money. You can pay your way out of anything here. We were driving along and he saw a polisi ahead, and he swore in English. We all just started laughing at him. He was driving in a lane that only buses are allowed to drive in.
Thursday: Back to school. The students were much better, but they still need to practice teamwork and listening! When I got home after school, I was so lazy. I didn't do anything all night except talk to my mom on the phone and attempt to update my blog. The internet connection is not that great here, so I am sorry to anyone that I try and talk to on Facebook chat or something, and then I am suddenly not there. We are hoping to get a more reliable connection soon.
Friday: TGIF! The day is almost half over. My kids still need help with their listening skills. Haha. We'll work on it. I am sure that things will get better. Well off to my last class of the day.
I am really starting to get used to things here. It's a dirty city that most people would probably not like, but for some reason I do. It's really growing on me. When things don't make sense we have just learned to say, "TIJ." Meaning: This is Jakarta. We just nod our heads and agree.
Keep up the great work. Go USA!
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