Outdoor Classroom

March 24, 2011

 

The weather turned warm about 4 days ago and ever since then I've been gazing longingly at the kids playing in the schoolyard, on the street, and out in the fields. 

 

I think there is an unwritten rule that once you turn 15, you are mandatorially excused from sports. Since I'm past that threshold, I sit painfully green with envy.  "Why am I stuck in a skirt and blouse while they run and laugh in their little rubber boots?"

 

Bottom line: I'm sick of playing grown-up all the time… I wanna steal that soccer ball and score my own goal!

 

Well, today I re-wrote the rules.  My 5^th grade neighbor was out playing with her little sister.  She greeted me as I walked passed and I sneakily weaseled my way into a game of catch.  Other kids drifted into the street and catch turned to volleyball, which evolved into soccer and basketball (an empty vodka bottle marked the free throw line). 

 

The day's street games drew a little more attention than usual… probably because of the 23-year-old teacher passing the ball as if she we just another 5^th grader.  But they can stare if they want.  This was highly educational.  All the neighbor kids are now fluent in English.

 

"GOAL!"

Some Stuff from the Closet

March 13, 2011

 

One of my fellow English teachers is writing a new curriculum for her 6^th graders and she invited me to her house for lunch and then we were going to work on her "Author's Work" (or her "Crazy Work" as we fondly call it!)

 

I was running a little behind leaving the house at noon, so I quickly rummaged through my belongings trying to find some small gift for my hostess.  The best I could come up with was a deck of "Missouri Playing Cards" and a few pieces of chocolate.  I threw it in some scraps of tissue paper I'd saved from Christmas and called it a gift. 

 

We ate lunch and finished her Crazy Work, then her son (my 8^th grade student) peeked into the room with the cards in hand. 

 

"Miss Flaker, do you know any games?" he asked in anticipation. Ha, do I know games?!? Of course I know card games!  I taught them Speed, Slap Jack, War, ERS, and Spoons. 

 

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, the family sat around the table playing cards, laughing, and singing chants about who was the champion.  And for a few brief hours, they let me be a part of their family.

 

My gift was a mere trinket I dug out of a forgotten suitcase, but they may have been the best gift I've ever given. (And it certainly gave me even more in return.)

Keep It Simple

March 7, 2011

 

March 1^st was Peace Corps' 50^th Anniversary. To celebrate, people hosted House Parties around the world. In Kazakhstan, we did "House Parties" Kazakh style.  In other words, we had teatime at our worksites.

 

"Tea" really means "meal without meat" (and sometimes there is meat.) 

 

We all know what a phenomenal cook I am (*ahem, sarcasm*) so this was a promising endeavor. In an effort to keep it low-key (and spare myself from any kitchen catastrophes), I decided to make pasta salad as one of the "American" dishes.  Easy, right?  I googled: "Simple pasta salad" to find a Kazakhstan-friendly recipe and these are the kind of ingredients I came up with:

 

"New and zesty pasta salad," "frozen vegetables," "dried oregano," "Wishbone Italian dressing," "Bermuda onion."

 

What in the world?!?!  I live in a village in KAZAKHSTAN.  Please tell me, where will I find frozen vegetables, Italian dressing, or a Bermuda onion? (whatever that is!)

 

I decided to do my own thing.  Pasta, vegetables, and herbs.  Done.   Not exactly what cooks.com had in mind, but I think it did the trick.  Tasted like pasta salad to me.