November, november, november... you've come and gone so quickly!
It has been an interesting month, with its many ups and downs, trials and tribulations. As most of you know, I was diagnosed(? is that what you say about a hernia?) with a hernia. Alas, the cute and chubby kindergarteners gave me a hernia! Sometimes you just gotta pick em' up and move them around a bit. It takes waaaaaay less time! But I learned my lesson there, don't lift anything or anyone that is almost as heavy as you are. I already knew that it was a hernia before going in to see the doctor, after researching on the internet. He advised me to get it surgically repaired and we scheduled a surgery on the spot. So, I canceled my gym membership, stopped running and working out, started to be a lot more conscious of things I was lifting. It didn't hurt, but being aware of my bodily defect was/is a very tiresome thing. Not to mention, there is a great risk of the tear in the muscle tissue getting larger, or the bowel strangulating, pretty much NOT good things, so that made me all the more conscious. The hernia became not a painful ache, but a conscious aching. Something that I was constantly aware of, and feeling uncomfortable just knowing it was there.
November in the Kindergarten was a beautiful time of settling into the daily rhythm, relaxing into new crafts, new circles and stories. With my ease and relaxation came a new energy in the children. They also began to relax and come to school with a more calming energy and more presence and confidence. It is a constant reminder for me , working with young children. If I am stressed out and exhausted, they will push the buttons deeper and harder, and if I am calm, confident and at ease they will reflect that back to me. Being a kindergarten teacher is such a humbling profession in this way. I made beautiful paper lanterns with the children, and sang many songs of light and beauty, strength and generosity... and we planned our lantern walk at school. The parents came and brought with them a feast of delightful foreign foods to share. We walked around our school campus in the dark of the night, our lights beaming with love and our songs echoing out into the city streets. I gained a new trust in the parents and a new understanding I think. They saw the beauty in what I do, and even though they didn't have the vocabulary or the questions to ask, I know they could feel the magic...
Thomas and I continue to explore and adventure out into the city... Our scooter is a fine chariot, scary, dangerous and thrilling as it may be. We have explored the temples around lotus lake, the fishing ports at the south of the city, the many night markets, day markets too, and remain completely in awe of the busy and bustling culture surrounding us.
Then my surgery week came, I had my sub lined up, everything prepared, checked in to the hospital only to find out that they couldn't proceed with the surgery because I wasn't healthy! So they sent me home and I had a lot of time on my hands, and a huge relief. I was also let down because I had prepared so thoroughly to have the surgery and I was very very nervous, and it came as quite a shock that it wasn't happening. Shock and relief.
Thanksgiving brought a delicious turkey to our door. A parent in my class ordered a turkey dinner from the French chef downtown, to be delivered to us. And then the local government elections began. What an exciting and overwhelming experience that was! Imagine day and night, little blue trucks with their loudspeakers blaring out political campaigns, people gathering every night in our park to rally in support of one of the candidates, constant fire works, and all of it in a foreign language... We couldn't understand the political aspects of each party, and so just watched, as bystanders, the entire thing happen! Think about political races in the states and then turn it up about ten notches! Complete madness... Whew. We were happy when the elections finally happened, and the former Mayor took the chair for another term!
After thanksgiving, without having had my surgery, we had an unexpected trip down to the southern tip of the island yet again. We met some friends there and lounged on the beach for one last time before the winter winds really got wild.
I am preparing for two more weeks of school and then a long journey across the world back to my homeland, I can't wait! Sending love, would really enjoy hearing some stories from you all out there. xo
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