Post 9: A Day in the Life Continued

Alright, I think I am going to continue talking about my daily life in these little chunks. Especially because though I took a weekend trip with my school which was fun and has resulted in my current sick state, it can be summarized fairly quickly.

Katie’s attempt at a summary: I went on a three-day-weekend trip with some of the faculty and staff from my school this past weekend. My mentor could not attend so she sent her niece with me to be my personal translator and so she could practice her English. We took a bus there and back which blasts air-conditioning. I bought a blanket for the trip back because I was so chilled on the 9-hour-long drive up. We went to the island of Langkawi which is a popular shopping spot for Malaysians because it’s duty free. There was a lot of shopping. I bought key-chains for my choral speaking students because it’s expected that you bring souvenirs back for friends and family. We went island hopping a little bit (I swam in a freshwater lake and taught a Malay girl how to swim). I road on a cable car (you would think it was a roller coaster with how much the Malays tremble with fear). We even had a BBQ by the sea. Oh, and I slept in a room with four other Malays and there were only three twin-sized beds – COZY! The Malays shopped so much that we didn’t arrive home until 1:30am on Tuesday, and I had to teach that day (oh, and did I mention I hadn’t finished my lesson plans yet?). There.

The drive to school.

Driving to school is pretty uneventful. It’s a fairly straight stretch of road. I turn out of the parking lot and then wait at the light. Someone recently ran into the light across the street so I depend on the countdown for the intersecting traffic because I know when it reaches 30, it means that my light should be green. So I drive to school with traffic zooming by me. The road curves a little left and a little right, but nothing special. The most eventful part is probably the turn across traffic and the hill I have to climb on my motorbike once I’m in the school gate. I drive up past the hall (where we have assembly on Monday and choral speaking practice), past the field, and up and around the canteen (cafeteria) and various school buildings. I park under a little cover, take off my helmet, and usually hear a disembodied voice that says, “Good morning, Miss Katie” or “Good morning, teacher!” I’ll look around and then respond with a wave, a smile, and “Good morning” or “How are you?”

“How are you” is an extremely common phrase. We all say it all the time and read into what people’s responses are on a regular basis. In Malaysia, the reply is the most robotic “fine” you have ever heard in your life. I don’t think they even know what the word “fine” means half the time. Thus, in some of my classes, I’ve told them never to answer with just “fine” because it makes me sad. They have to say “well” or “awesome” or “great” or “tired” or something that’s a bit more interesting. Yes, I realize that we native speakers use “fine” constantly, but when we say “fine,” secondary meaning is discernible by tone. Because of the degree of fluency of most of my students, tone is still in process.

Right, so I walk between the two main buildings and climb to the first floor. I go into the office, punch my little card on the time clock that’s seven minutes slow, sign my name in the teacher attendance book and do one of two things. Option one: I go turn on the computer and the photocopiers because I have some sort of handout I want to print and then make copies of. Option two (which can also be the only option depending on the day): I leave the office, go upstairs, and take out my key to the Bilik Sal (Resource Room). I unlock the door, take off my shoes, and walk across the tile floor to where my desk is in the corner. I drop my bag, unload my various notebooks and prepare for the day. Which may include a peek down at what's happening at the morning's assembly.

Except for Tuesday, I don’t have a class for the very first period of the day so I can sort of settle in and wrap my head around the lesson I have for the day and brace for various student encounters in and out of class.

My usual day consists typically of journaling on my experiences here, reflecting on the lessons I teach, reading, documenting all my activities in the school, talking to students, teaching, arranging programs, informing students about practice, and eating or having tea at the canteen. On any given day, I do all those things with just some emphasis on one aspect or another.

When I’m finished teaching for the day or when school is out (some days, I go home early), I drive back to the apartment, change, possibly have a rest or snack or check e-mail or simply breathe in my apartment for a few minutes before I turn back around and go to choral speaking practice. I’ve described what choral speaking is, but not what a choral speaking practice is like, but that will have to wait for next time.