wednesday, october 21

Monday: went back to the high school. it was okay. i felt useless in some of my classes, either because of lack of Hebrew or because the kids were in advanced English and didn't need my help. in the evening, back at the kibbutz, our group had a lecture from a man who has lived on the kibbutz for 30-40 years. it was interesting but many of the information, about the changes in the kibbutz, weren't new to us.

Tuesday: i worked with the construction man on our kibbutz. i lacquered wooden benches, tables, etc. afterwards, i went to Oshra's house. (our program coordinator, she lives on the kibbutz and has three girls ages 15-12-8) Her refrigerator went out so Jackie, another girl on my program, and i helped oshra move the food into a neighbors fridge and then we went with her to buy another. afterwards, we were headed home for the day when people from the kibbutz invited us to the beach. we went and had a lovely late afternoon swim.

Leaving the beach parking lot, we realized we had a flat tire. we were there about, or over, an hour before the tire was fixed. we knew how to change the tire, but we couldn't get the spare from it's spot- under the bottom of the van. our fourth helper, fourth person we waved down, was finally able to show us which pin to pull to get out the spare tire.

today: i went back to work in the high school. i worked with one 9th grade class, that I've been in before. the kids are very smart and in a pretty high level of English. then i went to a class with 8th grade boys; there were only five of them because they're all, more or less, delinquents. this class was less successful because i was a distraction to the boys. not because of my teaching/helping abilities, or lack there of, but because i was an American girl and they just wanted to ask me questions.

then i went back to a 12th grade class i have been to before. they are in the lowest level of English and are also trouble makers. this class went well as there were nearly the number of teachers to students- which seems to be the key to success with these rowdy boys. (there are five boys in the class)

afterwards i went to a 7th grade class. I'd never been there before and particularly liked it. they in the first year of learning English and, in this class, focus on grammar. i found the kids surprisingly smart considering they are new to the language.

meanwhile, i just got home from playing with kids 6-11 years old in a kibbutz after school program. (Oshra, my program coordinator, runs the program) some of the kids new English, which was very helpful and the others tried teaching me. oshra asked if i want to come everyday and do my volunteering with her, but this would mean not going back to the high school. (the after school program is on our kibbutz) I'm still thinking about what i will do. i really enjoy some of my classes in the high school but find myself bored or frustrated in others.

we haven't started our Hebrew lessons again. they are still looking for a part-time teacher, since we will only have it 1-2 times a week. tomorrow we will have another lecture- this one is about the "security situation in the Middle East". I don't know specifically what this means. I know Ofir, a man who works in the Oranim office and has a law background, will be coming to give the talk. Also, volunteers from Kibbutz Gaton (the nearby dancing kibbutz) will be coming to listen as well.

that is all with me. i am healthy and well. we've had a heatwave the past few days, with temperatures in the mid-90's. thankfully this is breaking and today has been humid/muggy but much cooler.