Ok, I suppose it is my turn to blog again. My thoughts are somewhat scattered at the moment but will do my best to share new information about Saipan and/or things I have been thinking about in our experience thus far.
First, teaching has been going well. My classes are just about finished with unit two and have either started or will soon be starting unit three on verbs. My students are very interesting in that they are all so unique (I’m sure every teacher makes that statement) in back ground and ability. My students know a lot about grammar if you consider the fact that they have had new teachers just about every other year. The strange thing, however, is that they do not know certain phrases or figures of speech that kids on the mainland would have a better understanding of, for example, take the phrase “I’m not going to ‘sugar coat’ anything.” I used this phrase when I was lecturing them about proper classroom behavior. So I had to explain what it meant. On another note, our first of four quarters is nearly over as our grades are due in the office by October 12. Some kids will do well and others not so well in my English class. Some of the teachers at SCS, including my wife, tutor. I had not been asked until just the other day. A parent would like me to help teach his son English one on one for three days out of the week for extra help. I told him I could do one day, but would like to pass on the other two as I have a lot of reading as an English teacher. I did tell them that I knew someone who would be interested and I will give them that person’s information tomorrow. I relish the idea of tutoring and making extra money, but I have a lot to grade and my free time is important to me. If for some reason I need to make more money perhaps I will open myself for more tutoring later in the year. Lastly, forensics league had its first meet on Saturday. I had a lot of students say they wanted to join, but only two have really showed “true commitment” and a desire to compete. Perhaps more will join before the year’s end. I listened to two hours of poetry as each school must provide one judge per ten students. It was a lot of fun and tuna sandwiches were provided before competition, which was a good thing because I hadn’t eaten breakfast at that point.
The car we bought is running fine for the most part, but it may need a new battery as the one in the car is an 08 and since it is 2010, it is in need or replacing. I must also take the time some day to check fuses to see if any of them are blown as the clock inside and the lights do not work (this could be due to corrosion or intense heat as well. Cars are so funny here because all of them are in such poor condition. The white spots on our car is most likely wax residue from having been polished and left to rot in the sun in the same place for an extended amount of time while at the same time mixing with salty mist/rain that falls during the rainy season. One funny joke I heard the other day from the Chinese mechanic Dong Boo, a friend of the principals, while he was getting ready to tow our principal’s van was as follows : Dong Boo said, “I will take it back to shop and see if I can work my magic, a couple of years ago on Saipan the magic was to get rid of the vehicle.”
Another term I haven’t mentioned concerning Saipan is the term “hashing.” We were given contact information in order to go hashing, but I do not think it is for me. Hashing is an event that people do for fun on the island. It involves machetes, chalk/flags, follow the leader, and sometimes beer/spirits. Usually someone is designated to blaze a trail through the jungle with chalk/flags that people will follow and he/she sometimes tries to throw them off by back tracking ( so you have to be careful to not get lost ) and then while people are chasing after the Hasher, they are creating a new trail with their feet and machetes. Once everyone makes it to the end of the trail, they have a sort of social gathering/party to get to know one another or enjoy the fact that it is the weekend. Usually this involves activities with alcohol. Having left the majority of my partying days behind me in college, I just don’t think Hashing is for me even though it appeals to many people and sounds like it would be fun to do at least once.
Another picture I have included for this blog is a picture of our five gallon jug and the dispenser attached to the top that we bought through Amazon.com. The water we shower with and clean our dishes with is basically rainwater with trace elements of salt within it from the Pacific Ocean surrounding the island. We, like the majority of islanders, use 5 gallon jugs filled with fresh fluoridated drinking water provided by one of a couple companies on the island that provide the service. The dispensers are approx. $20 online depending on the brand you get. If you are going to be on island more than two years or believe a pump to be too rustic a person can buy a stand up dispenser for $50+ that has two spigots one for cold water and one for scalding hot water.
Finally before I go, the last picture at the top is of the boats and fishermen off of the point at Wing Beach where there is a drop off and there is an opening in the reef that allows for deeper water and safe passage for boats. I hope to fish off of the point when I have enough money for a nice pole.
Anyway, that is all for now. Grant Out
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