a day (or two) in the life

This post was written on Wednesday, December 1.

Just for fun, and so you have an idea of what an average day looks like, here’s a play-by-play of my day today.

6:20: woke up

6:30-7: morning prayer

7-8:30: read the newspaper, got dressed, reviewed/modified the day’s lesson plans

8:30-9: breakfast

9-12: taught 4^th grade English class at Pakkil Lower Primary, and 3^rd grade at Mooledom Lower Primary

12:30-1: Lunch

1:30-2:30: taught 4^th grade at Buchanan Lower Primary

2:30-3:30: checked email and studied Malayalam

3:30-5: Visited the girls the KNH hostel, a home for underprivileged/orphan/semi-orphan students of the various school’s on Buchanan’s campus. We played games, talked about favorite movies, and just hung out. My weekly visits to these girls are based on the principle that any English interaction, whether formal or informal, is good for them. Plus, it’s fun—for all of us.

5-6: taught Spanish to some students from my hostel. This Wednesday, 5PM class is a recent addition to my schedule. They asked me if I would teach them, so I am J I also teach Spanish to 6^th grade students on Thursday mornings. (Who knew that Spanish would be so handy in INDIA—thank you, Mrs. Baker!). It actually helps their English, too. Since I teach Spanish through English, the girls are able to review basic English along the way.

6:30-7: evening prayer

7-8:30: wrote some email drafts, cleaned, finalized the next day’s lesson plans.

8:30-9: dinner  

9:00 (yes, I am an old woman!): read, then went to bed

Since each day is different, here’s a play-by-play of yesterday (Tuesday). Instead of going to different schools, the day was spent entirely spent at Buchanan.

6:20: woke up

6:30-7: morning prayer

7-8: read the newspaper, got dressed, reviewed/modified the day’s lesson plans

8-8:30: breakfast

8:30-9:10: Met with the ‘Writing Club.’ I meet weekly with a group of students from all grades who are working on pieces for the English publication we are putting together. We aim to have it finished by February in time for Buchanan’s anniversary. I assist them with the writing process, editing, etc.

9:10-9:45: assembly

9:45-12:35: taught two forty-minute periods: 7^th grade and 5^th grade. In between these classes, I hung out in the staff room.

12:35-1:15: lunch

1:15-3:25: taught 3 forty-minute periods, all 8^th grade

3:25-4: took the bus to nearby town, Chingavanam, to pick up a churidar I was having altered.

4: tea time!

4:15-5: laundry

5-5:45: taught exercise class (zumba)

…the rest of the evening was spent in the same manner as the first description.

Anyway, between those two days, you get an idea of what an average day is like. It feels like I am always going from one activity to the next, but I’ve found that my busiest days are often my best. Life is good :)

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” -Helen Keller