An Afternoon

After resting at home-- maybe I'll snack if there were slim pickings at school, maybe I'll read or journal or listen to music or just watch the time pass-- I walk back to school.  As I said, it's a short walk but it is hot enough of late that I'm usually
sweating by the time I reach school-- even when I carry an umbrella to provide myself with shade for coolness and anti-tanning purposes (it does not work terrible well as I get hot and seem to be tanning in any case, which would be exciting if I weren't in a country where whitening products are sold rather than self-tanning lotion).  The bell rings as I arrive (or close to my arrival) and I go to class.  My afternoons generally have a class, a recess, and an office hour unless some special event occurs (a teacher's volleyball game or a monk coming to teach about morality).  
All the teachers stay at school for a half hour or so after the final bell while we wait for parents to come and retrieve their kids or for extra courses to begin.  It seems like every teacher teaches in the evening and possibly on the weekends to add to their paychecks.  Nita is a private school and the teachers are paid better than at a public school, so I hear, but everyone still wants to supplement their incomes.  Understandably, since even with the supplement I haven't heard of a teacher making any more than $70 per month (my monthly stipend through MCC is $66). Most make less.  I do not teach extra hours. When I first came, it seemed like doing anything extra would be the end of me as adjusting took
all of my energy.  Now I could perhaps do more, but am still happy to go home and shower and sit by a fan.
My evenings are not terribly exciting, but I enjoy them.  I will either stay home to read or think about lessons or do other solitary time-passing activities and to eat with my host family (or before or after them, if our schedules are off), or I will get on my motorbike and head into town.  I try to spend most of my nights at home, but it is nice to get away for a swim (getting in a pool is magical after a hot day) and then yoga, or a study of Corinthians.  Occassionally, I'll visit or have dinner with friends.  Regardless, I try to cool down-- a cold shower or wet pajamas-- and get into bed around 10 pm (give or take an hour) so I'm ready for the next day.
There's a picture of my week.  Perhaps in time I can give you an idea of my weekends.