Before this trip, I would much rather labor over a pile of rocks than struggle to teach kids English. Yet here I am, I have done both, and I will miss it.
Every day I see the energy bounce the kindergarteners as they recite the various English they were taught. Everyday I am harassed by Kevin and Esteban as they climb atop my back and my head. Everyday I heard the second and third graders cry their vocabulary in unison. Everyday was a great day.
Today was the last of those great days. The train ride finally ended, the foundation is built, the walls are rising. The smiles of the kids are never fading, the memories we have gained are everlasting. My day started when I was tiredly playing with the kindergarteners. The energy and output is too much for one person to handle and I must give my praise to the teacher. She controls the jumping beans with ease and might. Followed by recess and a break the clock ticked on. First grade came and we tried teaching just one more thing. We had mixed results but in the end we left with smiles staring us in the eyes. The clock ticked on as we drew trees in second grade. Third grade was canceled because they were practicing their folkloric dancing for the classroom inauguration. The clock ticked on as I walked Kevin and Dillon home. My day stopped when they sped off. The clock marked the end of my day and although clocks cannot lengthen literal time, my day felt slower and it felt better. But I do wish it could be just a bit longer.
All 10 work days , especially the 5 teaching days, gave me experience I could never have gained anywhere else.