That Rollercoaster Thing

It is not uncommon, here, to have a rollercoaster of a day. And by not uncommon, I really mean 90 percent of our days here. And no, I don't mean a week. Or a month. Or a few day stretch. We're talking wake-up to sleep as our general timeframe.

Many times, I post snippets of what I do. Usually it's an achievement, or something random. Or exciting.

But that isn't, I don't think, entirely indicative of the big picture. And since today was nothing short of a 6 Flags sort of terror, here's example A of what kind of day is a typical one here:

4:45. Wake up. Tiptoe through my host family's bedrooms to get to the bathroom and do necessary, albeit contextually public things.

5:00: Refuse fried food for the umpteenth time

5:35: Try to leave house. Don't have a set of keys (still) so host aunt and I go hunting. 10 minutes later, I'm on my way, although late to school.

6:00: Make it to school. Ready to teach lesson, which we've miraculously done extensive planning for(!). Suddenly, hymnals sound, and impromtu prayer session is held with all students. Followed by impromptu teacher meeting, delaying our class-start by 45 minutes.

6:45: First class of the day starts. Lesson on "advice" using Gossip Girl examples, the Telephone game, and modal verbs goes well!

8:00: Next class begins. Planned activity starts late.

9:13: (10 minutes into 45 minute long activity, for class designated to end at 10:00)--coteacher turns to me: "Class ends at 9:15 today--FYI." Me: "Oh..."

9:15: Class over for the day

10:00: Arrive at mall, where downtime now takes place because on Monday found out the library where I usually crash is closed until May 7. Study Spanish, work on personal projects, and prep for a meeting with a coteacher I've been dreading like crazy, because if the meeting goes badly, my entire two years at the school could be sabataged. This is only a slight exaggeration, if at all.

1:45: Try to leave mall. Encounter an "aguacerro," or torrential downpour, which fills the streets between the mall and my school with arroyos--aka raging rivers. Curbs overflow, rapids take away cars and people, trees become stuck in motorcycle wheels.

2:00: Rain stops. I venture outside, thinking to strategically wind my way through the blocks to school

2:05: Shoes become so irrevocably sodden they cease functioning as shoes. I take them off, and commence walking/wading barefoot through the disgusting, gutterless, rapid-filled streets of Barranquilla (thanking whomever that my tetanus shot is up to date)

2:45: Shoeless, soaked, and feeling dirty not just from the streets, but my brief ride on a bus driver's lap through the last of the raging rivers (no, I'm not exaggerating this at all--they were at least 2 feet deep and I saw three smashed up cars on my way over) (and yes, I had to sit on his lap because I couldn't get around to the real door of the bus) I arrive only 15 minutes late to the meeting. With the stinkiest feet in the world.

3:00: Meeting starts. In the past 15 minutes I have bloodied three hangnails waiting...but meeting proceeds amazingly well!! Instead of the anger I was afraid of (my head coteacher/head of the English department was worried my role in the school was making double the work for her, and had gotten a little...antsy, shall we say, about it...) ...we make lesson plans!! We have innovative ideas!! We're going to incorporate literature (the Hunger Games) into class and I'm given the responsibility of giving homework, which means I can ensure the students get at least some grades that aren't simply "de la corazon," as in, "From the Heart," as in, Bullshit (!!!!!!!) Although I have no idea how this incredible attitude happened, I don't question it. We don't talk about one of the major issues on tap, but I'm happy to let it slide for the moment and ride the accomplishments we had.

5:00: Head to PC office to meet with other PCVs to plan joint English-teacher classes. All downhill from here. Get food and talk with PCV friends, go home to exercise, write, email, talk with family, head to bed...

Other numbers: Tums eaten for newly developed IBS: 8. Tiny bananas discovered and eaten (cause they're just that adorable): 4. Minutes it took the bus to go the normal 45 minutes to the office: 23. Number of beers to finish off the day: 1.


And now, stepping off that rollercoaster...cause tomorrow is another day :)