Hello again

A further update -

Did an exchange lessons with someone, I teach him English and he teaches me the local language - really we just converse and point out problems and do a little practice. Anyway, today I was talking about myself and about things I have done and know about, and it struck me that I have done quite a lot, I am NOT just a waste of space, and never have been! H's speeches to me at bomb time drove my self-esteem right into the ground.

Then I taught a group of young kids, boys, and I really don't enjoy it. They are tired after a full day at school and DON'T really want to be learning English, so I have discpline problems at times. It really isn't my cup of tea, and I get stressed by the thought of the lesson coming up all week. How I would love to drop it! But I need the money. If I get enough adult students, I will drop the kids eventually. On the other hand, last year I told myself to look on things like that as an opportunity to learn, rather than as a problem to run away from. Can I learn something about the nature of 'teaching'? About how to relate to young boys?

Got a nice group of cooking students together starting tomorrow.

Later this evening I got a scare when my Mum was taken to hospital with chest pains. She is in her mid eighties. But it seems it is not life threatening.

The stress, and feeling emotional all this week meant that when I came across a photo story about the massacre in Beslan in a magazine while waiting at the doctor's, I burst into tears. I really had to get a grip. But seeing parents taking a last look at rows of corpses that were their children once, was too horrible to bear. My burdens are light compared to that.

When I got home, I spoke to H on the phone about sending D up to the hills tomorrow for her visit. H thanked me for his time here, said he enjoyed last evening .......(wooooaaaah!) People really enjoy talking to a good listener, huh?

I think I will send some emails to H over the next few days, with some validating thoughts.

Livnlearn

"The unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates