Meanwhile...

Meanwhile, while life goes on, and Arik Sharon is on life support, ordinary people have to support themselves. Well, I went to work today, though it's not my regular workday. I was promised that it will be traded off for one of the days I'm missing to go to New York.

I really didn't want to go. It meant teaching a class that rarely attends and never pays attention, and they're so behind that I can't imagine how they'll pass the state test they're supposed to take at the end of the year.

I kept muttering that it really didn't pay to go. What if they don't show and I've traveled for nothing? Boy, was I looking for excuses.

Then I started on my way, getting very bored waiting for the bus or a ride. Finally the bus came. I got on without much enthusiasm and asked very humbly: "Is there any chance that you'd let me off at the T Junction?" (since it's not on their route) The driver said: "NO, but for you, yes."
"What? I asked."
"You have a million dollar smile," the young driver replied.
I floated in shock to my seat.

And he did let me off on the junction that goes to Beit El, where I teach. Just in front there was a school bus which had stopped on its way to Beit El. I was a good minute's walk away and saw it start to move. But suddenly it stopped and waited for me! Maybe this day was going to turn out better than I had thought.

I discovered that a kid I've been teaching, who's at the end of high school still doesn't know so many basic things, like the days of the week in English, so I decided to make up a bunch of charts with all sorts of important words and phrases. I filled three pages with my "Basic English" and printed it off for today's students.

I told them that they had to learn everything on it, and they would be tested when I returned. It took them a while to really participate, and then I heard the surprising, or surprised: "Wow! This is really something!" Apparently this is how they want to learn. Of course, it doesn't really prepare them for texts, but it gives them lots of vocabulary and test-taking knowledge.

I distributed copies to a lot of other teachers. You'd think I was a textbook writer.

Finally, time to go home. At least there was a school bus to Ofra, half way home. Just as I was walking to catch it, I saw a van with a neighbor, obviously her transportation home. I asked if there was room, and there was, so I got a ride home.

Thank G-d, a good day. A very surprisingly good day.