As you know, I was sick for a bit and then, of course, there was the frightening thought of a cranky canine looming over me so I hadn't been back to the park in quite awhile. I'm feeling better and I've got that post-sick boom of energy, probably a product of cabin fever as well, and I was ready to start moving again. I decided I needed a run.
Needless to say, I was not thrilled about having to pass by the same place where the dog was, but it's really the only place in my site where I feel safe running alone. I was also really tired from working with a gaggle of crazy 6 year-old's today (more on this later), but I knew this would be good for me.
So I put on my metaphorical big girl undies and my baggy comfy pants (to draw less attention), puffed out my chest, and started my 10 minute walk to the park, reminding myself I can be a bad bitch if I put my mind to it. (Not really, but I can try.)
I had walked just one block when I ran into an old neighbor I absolutely love, whom I haven't seen in ages and she stopped to walk with me for part of the way so we could catch up. She said I seem more tranquila now, more comfortable here, which is true but not necessarily the best timing since I still had that perro bravo on my mind. We parted ways and I puffed back up, telling myself not to be afraid, mostly because I know they can smell it.
I made it to the park intact, no chunks missing from this big booty today, and when I got there and started to run, I passed by a small group of kids working out together, some kind of running team and immediately started hearing whispers of "Chelsea" "Teacher" and little girls smiling shyly at me. I smiled and kept on running. When I got to the back end of the park, I looked through the patch of trees only to find a view of, I shit you not, a rainbow over a volcano. Obviously I don't carry a camera on me when I go for a run, especially if there's a chance I'll be eaten on the way, but that kind of made it even better. Like this picturesque moment was a small reward only for those who sucked it up and stepped outside. Awesome. (And by awesome, I mean it actually inspired awe.)
So back to the 6 year-old's. This was something else I was absolutely dreading. A somewhat pushy parent bullied a councilman into giving her my phone number and called one day to ask for a favor and said she'd be at my house in ten minutes (yeah she also knew where I lived as most people in Pujili do). She asked me to help with a small group of kids at the Catholic elementary school across the street from my house during summer vacations and I obliged, helping out a few days a week for about a month to get them caught up on their English. The class was exhausting because I spent 2/3 of the hour asking them to sit down over and over, but there were only about 10-15 kids and they were cute and I didn't have anything else to do since school wasn't in session.
Fast forward to September when the pushy parent calls to say she's coming over in ten minutes to say thank you for helping them. She brings a carton of peach juice and some chocolates and I'm just thrilled to be getting paid in chocolate again and naively happy for the gratitude she's showing. Then she asks for another favor, of course. She wants me to continue giving English classes at the school. I say okay and start explaining my squirrelly schedule. She asks if I can have a meeting with her and the head nun later that week at 7am. I'm no longer thrilled as I am not really a functioning human at that hour but I agree.
She arrives at my house promptly at 7am and we walk to the school. When we get there the doorman says the nun isn't there. Pushy parent calls the nun, she had forgotten about the meeting and she was in the church helping with mass. We agree to walk over and meet her at the church so there I am, in the back of a church as a nun is begging me to change around my schedule to accommodate the kids. I resist a little as I'm already stretched thin (now that everyone is realizing how little time I have left and are finally taking advantage of me, in a good way). Sometimes when people here are asking for a favor they say "por Dios" along with their por favors and it's kind of like saying "do it for God". Let me emphasize the scene: in a church, nun begging me to do it for God. Now, you know I'm not a religious person but I have a loose belief in karma and superstition, plus I'm kind of a doormat, and WWJD, y'know? So I said yes.
Because I was sick and needing rabies shots so much, I had to postpone a few times until I finally made it and there were THIRTY FIVE screaming 6 year-old's, basically ignoring my presence, and all of their parents outside waiting for them and taking turns knocking on the door because the nun forgot to tell them I was coming. (Seriously forgetful nun.) I made an attempt to do some diagnostic assessment for about 5 minutes before I got so overwhelmed by the constant interruption of parents that I just said "Forget it! I'll be back next week when everyone is ready."
This is next week. All day I was dreading going back into that room full of tiny, sweaty, screamy humans. I even told 3 people at the high school today how much I didn't want to go and spent a good 30 minutes debating backing out. I got there and was relieved to see only about 15 crazy little people. We worked on some colors and I said "sit down" about 76 times, but I think they enjoyed it a little. The rainbow of the event: I told them they could leave and they all got up and got in a line in front of me so that each one could give me a hug before they left. I melted. And mentally resolved to continue the class even if I lose my hair or mind while I'm at it. Besides, bald is the new blonde, right? ;)
It's amazing what a rainbow and some tiny hugs can do for your attitude.
No comments:
Post a Comment