Back to School

---

9:42 p.m. Only 9:42 p.m.? I thought I got in the shower at 9:42... hmmmm...

Two kids stole my only two pens today. I'm using Jessica's now

Today began with another early rise and breakfast--dumplings and... some salty, beefy meet . Helped Miss Marjorie make sandwiches for lunch.

After breakfast, we carpooled to Petersfield High School, a school just across the road from the AOC. We were lost (metaphorically) at first--anyway, long story short, there was a log of disorganization about our arrival, what we were supposed to do, etc. Perhaps the high school wasn't really expecting us...? Dr. Kenney went into leader mode, though, and tried to get a plan for us, and we ended up with a great day observing and participating in classes. I talked to a lot of teachers and got their perspectives on things--the Jamaican education system in particular. And I talked with some about Korea, teaching English there, etc. Some of my old skills paid off. Anyway, I spend most of the day with Miss Morales, who I also helped grade stuff. She bought be chicken and rice and a drink during break (even though I'd brought lunch--she wanted to show me some Jamaican hospitality perhaps?), and we had a great convo about teaching writing.

Being in the school made me miss Korea because it reminded me a lot of it--the teaching, the teachers' room, interacting with other high school teachers...

Dinner tonight was a delicious "yellow snap fish" (?) on the bone, rice, and fresh veggies. Our homestay mom is taking good care of us. I hope she knows we appreciate it.

Tomorrow? I'd like to go back to the school, but who knows. Because of some of this scheduling stuff (and uncertainty if the school has anything we can really do for them), Dr. Kenney suggested maybe we should just do some work for the AOC tomorrow. But I want to be in a classroom again. Plus, we said we would...

Anyway, at the least, I feel more connected now, after today, and I've begun to have some meaningful experiences and conversations... so that's good. And, as I've learned over the years and through other trips like these, it's not about doing. It really is about the people, whatever exchange we can manage in these few days. But we'll see, then, what tomorrow and tomorrow bring...

---

Photos

Petersfield High School Student Assembly
Evidently, the students meet at the beginning of each week for an assembly, where they pray, sing, make announcements, and, interestingly, sing their national anthem. They announced our presence at this assembly, of course...

Petersfield High School
Through the teachers' room window. Jessica and Zac are doing some filming--way to be proactive, guys!

Petersfield High School
Same shot, but with more students

Focus, Alexis.
That's all I'm going to say.

Inside the teachers' room
Trevor and Daniel, ready to roll.

Canteen and kids
Jessica and Zac hanging out by the canteen

Comments

[tasanie dwyer]

petersfield high is the greatest school ever

[henry]

i love my school so much!!!!!

[shanice]

look at my school

[selena johnson]

the school environment
its great

[rtoyeka thompson]

best grade
the grades for royeka thompson

[oscar mellis]

nice to see my old school
nice to see a glimps of my old high school you know this is your boy oscar shout out to all my class mates and teachers