I crawled out of bed, fixed my yogurt/granola breakfast and ate. I came back upstairs and found something suitable to wear. I did not put on make-up. This is the first work day I have gone au natural.
So, I get to the bus stop and wait. Luckily there is a seat and luckily this is a 6 peso bus (a/c). I sit; I start to get nauseated. The a/c isn't really working, so I open the window a bit (earning a scowl from the girl next to me who is obviously not nauseated!). That makes me feel a bit less claustrophobic, but not better. The driver seems to realize the issue and think it's a game, so he starts slamming brakes and accelerating rapidly. I will need to purchase a neck brace when I'm home for Christmas.
My mind plays games with me about how I'm sick. About how I need to go back to bed to sleep it off. I get more nauseated and imagine myself throwing up as I get to school. I play the conversation with my principal in my head (Vomité. Regreso a casa.). I can't do it. I picture my wild 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders and encourage the desire to be in bed....
I gather up my things and head to first grade.
After my three morning classes (remember I usually have two), I am beat! I grab an ice cream (homemade by the recreo-selling-ladies and delicioso)- chocolate- and wander off for a diet coke. The ice cream makes me feel better mentally, but I'm still blah. I realize I have a tension headache. Everyone is mildly concerned. I don't seem myself, yada yada. (I am thankful for these people that already know me well and care enough to be concerned) I soldier on to 3rd grade which to my surprise went very well. Minus the issue of the heat. We had to turn the fans off for a bit because they were making flashcards (a completely new concept to them, yet a staple in foreign language learning) and the fans made the cards fly everywhere.
I was drenched at this point.
Time for sixth grade. God bless 6th grade. It's like walking in the garage door and plopping down on the couch. I walked in, started class a bit differently (by writing something on the board for them to copy), and seemed to have more participation.
We reviewed for their test that will be next Monday. Yesterday in 6th grade and last week in 5th grade, I got very sidetracked explaining some cultural things to them. This curriculum has zero culture, which is fine since their goal is speaking, but culture is at least half of the goal in the States (or at least in Nashville). Since I'm here and can give authentic cultural info, why not?! I have declared Thursdays in 6th grade culture days. Now, in the US, a day set aside for culture is a big no-no. They call it culture Fridays because it's an easy throw away day and often in the native language as opposed to the new one. However, I think these students will actually benefit from the consistency of a set-day. I also know that there's not a good way to "fit in" culture contextually in 6th grade. Their questions that led to a cultural discussion were not on-topic with what we were studying; they were just curious. Now, they can be curious on Thursdays.
My previous discussions with them has been about school, so Thursday, I'll show them my yearbook and we'll make a Venn Diagram to see the similarities and differences. We'll also listen to some classic country. Yikes! If I'm really on the ball, I'll have the words typed out for them and they can sing along.
As I finish this blog, I realize I never got around to my title. I feel I'm not sick, just worn down. I walked to Walmart yesterday to buy treats for students who made a 10 on their tests. It was 2:00 and the sun was beating down. I probably got overheated and a bit dehydrated. We are out of water and haven't bought any, so my intake is based on when I buy it at the Oxxo. I probably had gotten behind, but just behind for me, not the average water consumer. I wasn't dehydrated and ready to pass out. Just feeling blah (probably-this is a self-diagnosis) from heat yesterday meets earlier rise time than desired.
I have since taken some advil to relieve the headache and have napped some. I doubt I'll go to yoga tonight. Instead I'll just take it easy. My sympathy pains are with those of you suffering allergy fits due to the change in season. No change here. Just hot, hot, hot. Maybe my body is just used to feeling a bit blah with the fall, and though it misses fall, it hasn't missed the blah...
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