For inquiring minds who have wondered about what I actually do at AUW, here is a "day in the life" post. Thought I'd make use of the 50 minutes I have to wait until dinner is served :) This is what I've been up to today:
5:30am: Wake-up time (Yikes!) No, I don't actually have to wake up this early. I think too much cha has disrupted my sleep cycle. I do feel decently rested, though, and enjoy having quiet time to myself in the morning. Still, I'm hoping this does not become a regular thing.
5:30am - 8:10am: Getting ready/chilling time. Today I'm donning a bright blue shalwar kameez top with some crazy colors and designs. I'll try to get pics of my wardrobe up soon for amusement. After getting ready I like to email and read the news and books. I've gotten through some great novels since being here (no internet streaming) and right now am working on Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter. My Kindle is getting a workout like never before. I'm trying to remind myself to take a break from my computer at home since I'm on it so much at school.
8:15am: Catch the van to AUW. The van comes every morning inside the gate of my apartment building and brings me back to the same spot after dinner. It's a nice perk, especially because facing the Chittagong city streets can leave one frazzled and sweaty.
8:25am: Arrive at AUW, walk up to the WorldTeach office and throw my things down on the desk.
8:30am - 9am: Meet with the effusive and formidable editor-in-chief of the student magazine (so excited about this!) and conduct an interview for open editor positions. I love having a job where my background is valued and utilized. I'll get to help the girls by providing workshops on all the different components of journalistic writing and editing as well as being a consistent resource for them from pre-production to press.
9:30-10:50am - Attend a lecture for the new media class for which I am TA. Today we had a guest lecturer, the dean of students here, who talked about how social media has impacted her life and career trajectory. I'm the point person on the students' semester-long blogging project. Good thing I learned da skillz here!
11:00-11:45am - CHA TIME, then back in the office, crossing off items on that to-do list. Luckily the copy machine is across the hall and I have finally learned how to make things double sided - a small personal victory.
11:45am-12:15pm: LUNCH TIME! I count down to every meal I get to eat at the AUW cantina (no, it's not actually called that). But the food is really that good. Today we had chapati (thin, tortilla-like bread), unlimited cucumbers and carrots, daal (lentils) and spicy good mixed vegetables of two varieties. I decided to declare as veg here so I can always get the vegetarian options; they're better and healthier. I'm not jumping off the meat ship entirely, though. I don't think I could ever refuse a German sausage!
(I interviewed a cute Burmese student yesterday as part of a WorldTeach project to profile students for donors of the university, and she raved and raved about said cucumbers and carrots. She said cucumbers and carrots are expensive rarities in her home, and she could not believe the cafeteria served them every day and you can take as many as you want!! It's small things like this that add so many bright spots to my days).
1-2pm: More interviews for the magazine. These ladies make me smile :)
2:30-3:50pm: Make-up Language & Composition class with my Pearls. Unfortunately I was sick over the weekend and had to cancel Sunday's class. (A breakdown of my inevitable and hilarious first visit to a Bangladeshi hospital is to come!) Today we worked on verb tenses and strategies for their first narrative essay assignment. Teaching for me in Kosrae was difficult, here it is enjoyable and fulfilling. I love my students' engagement in class and their commitment to their learning. I also relish reading their writing assignments; each has a unique voice informed by her culture and background.
4-5pm: Meeting with my two Pakistani students who unfortunately had to arrive late for the semester.
5-6:30pm: More to-do list time, cha drinking, and blogging!
6:30-7: DINNER. Yes, it deserves all-caps. Tonight's included more chapati (sometimes we get naan!), spicy daal, a mildly sweet and creamy vegetable curry, and some SE Asian-style mixed veggies.
Now I'm waiting for the 7:30pm van to take my fellow volunteers/friends/colleagues-all-rolled-into-one back to our building. Tonight's plans will include a gathering with the girls to watch more West Wing, eating cookies, and doing some reading. Then I'll get up tomorrow morning (hopefully later) to happily do it all over again. And...already almost October? Time is flying!
5:30am: Wake-up time (Yikes!) No, I don't actually have to wake up this early. I think too much cha has disrupted my sleep cycle. I do feel decently rested, though, and enjoy having quiet time to myself in the morning. Still, I'm hoping this does not become a regular thing.
5:30am - 8:10am: Getting ready/chilling time. Today I'm donning a bright blue shalwar kameez top with some crazy colors and designs. I'll try to get pics of my wardrobe up soon for amusement. After getting ready I like to email and read the news and books. I've gotten through some great novels since being here (no internet streaming) and right now am working on Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter. My Kindle is getting a workout like never before. I'm trying to remind myself to take a break from my computer at home since I'm on it so much at school.
8:15am: Catch the van to AUW. The van comes every morning inside the gate of my apartment building and brings me back to the same spot after dinner. It's a nice perk, especially because facing the Chittagong city streets can leave one frazzled and sweaty.
8:25am: Arrive at AUW, walk up to the WorldTeach office and throw my things down on the desk.
8:30am - 9am: Meet with the effusive and formidable editor-in-chief of the student magazine (so excited about this!) and conduct an interview for open editor positions. I love having a job where my background is valued and utilized. I'll get to help the girls by providing workshops on all the different components of journalistic writing and editing as well as being a consistent resource for them from pre-production to press.
9:30-10:50am - Attend a lecture for the new media class for which I am TA. Today we had a guest lecturer, the dean of students here, who talked about how social media has impacted her life and career trajectory. I'm the point person on the students' semester-long blogging project. Good thing I learned da skillz here!
11:00-11:45am - CHA TIME, then back in the office, crossing off items on that to-do list. Luckily the copy machine is across the hall and I have finally learned how to make things double sided - a small personal victory.
11:45am-12:15pm: LUNCH TIME! I count down to every meal I get to eat at the AUW cantina (no, it's not actually called that). But the food is really that good. Today we had chapati (thin, tortilla-like bread), unlimited cucumbers and carrots, daal (lentils) and spicy good mixed vegetables of two varieties. I decided to declare as veg here so I can always get the vegetarian options; they're better and healthier. I'm not jumping off the meat ship entirely, though. I don't think I could ever refuse a German sausage!
(I interviewed a cute Burmese student yesterday as part of a WorldTeach project to profile students for donors of the university, and she raved and raved about said cucumbers and carrots. She said cucumbers and carrots are expensive rarities in her home, and she could not believe the cafeteria served them every day and you can take as many as you want!! It's small things like this that add so many bright spots to my days).
1-2pm: More interviews for the magazine. These ladies make me smile :)
2:30-3:50pm: Make-up Language & Composition class with my Pearls. Unfortunately I was sick over the weekend and had to cancel Sunday's class. (A breakdown of my inevitable and hilarious first visit to a Bangladeshi hospital is to come!) Today we worked on verb tenses and strategies for their first narrative essay assignment. Teaching for me in Kosrae was difficult, here it is enjoyable and fulfilling. I love my students' engagement in class and their commitment to their learning. I also relish reading their writing assignments; each has a unique voice informed by her culture and background.
4-5pm: Meeting with my two Pakistani students who unfortunately had to arrive late for the semester.
5-6:30pm: More to-do list time, cha drinking, and blogging!
6:30-7: DINNER. Yes, it deserves all-caps. Tonight's included more chapati (sometimes we get naan!), spicy daal, a mildly sweet and creamy vegetable curry, and some SE Asian-style mixed veggies.
Now I'm waiting for the 7:30pm van to take my fellow volunteers/friends/colleagues-all-rolled-into-one back to our building. Tonight's plans will include a gathering with the girls to watch more West Wing, eating cookies, and doing some reading. Then I'll get up tomorrow morning (hopefully later) to happily do it all over again. And...already almost October? Time is flying!
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