Don't give money to students

I learned not to give money to students today.  It's something that I knew already, but I had forgotten.

I gave two euros to a girl yesterday at DIA, the local supermarket.  I wish that I hadn't, but she seemed sincere enough.  I talked to one of the secretaries and she said that I should not have given the money since there is social assistance for Martinicans.  I didn't know about that.

I've decided not to give money again to avoid consternation.

Otherwise things are going good.  I failed 246, so I'm looking forward to taking Advanced Spanish.  That should go well.  I will probably go to a jazz concert tonight with a fellow English teacher.  The event is in Fort de France.  Most fun things go on there.

Mr. Rangoly wasn't at school today.  I guess he doesn't want to teach with me.  I don't know what his deal is.  Mrs. Dieng was absent for the first time.  I guess she had too little work today.  I'm slowly learning more and more about school life in Martinique.  I must ask more questions.

I saw Hana Wednesday and we had a good time at lunch and just talking with each other.  She lives in Le François and will host a Thanksgiving dinner Saturday night.

There's a students, Ludovic, who is very interested in living in the U.S.  I think he will make it there.  I'll help him to learn how to do it.  I would have had his class today with Mr. Rangoly, but most of the students were not present, thus no formal class.  Oh well, better luck the next time.

Failing 246!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   LOL!!!

Oh, well, you win some, and you lose some.  You pass some classes and you fail some classes!  LOL!

Oh, boy.  I tried my best, I really did, but 246 is a pain in the ass!

I might not bother trying the last assignment now the quiz.  I'm not sure yet.  Though, since I must still pay for the class, I suppose I should still make the effort.

I wish that I had taken Spanish, Chinese or French instead of 246.  I don't know why I didn't think of that before?

Why did I challenge myself with 246?  240 was pain enough... but I passed it with an A-.  Though Professor Dean had a very different style of teaching than Professor Perry.

Oh, well.  It's my own fault.  I was warned repeatedly about Perry and the difficulty of 246.
At least I tried what was difficult.

I'm hoping to pass spring semester.  I'm not sure if I should keep on studying or just give myself a break and recommence studying next Summer.

I think that I can do it especially after taking a break during the winter.  I'll just focus on 285 since I'm doing well at it.  I just pray to God that my literature review earns a good grade.  I did work hard on it, though I wonder what the professor thinks of it?

I think I should give myself the break and just keep things simple for myself next semester, then I'll enjoy myself better in Martinique.  I don't need to chase this Master degree so hard.

In month two

I'm learning more about Martinique.  I just had Toussaint holiday and spent most of it worrying about being paid.  We were paid about a week later than I expected, but things are OK now.

I'm at school expecting Mr. Rangoly, but he's not here yet.  I'll wait for him, but I don't expect him today.

I just spoke with one teacher about Martinican identity.  He says that the youth identify better with African Americans than with mainland French.  I think that makes sense since most Martinicans are black and in general some white French reject blacks.  I know that some white French are racist... but... I have to synthesize what the teacher said into my conception of French race relations.

Well, otherwise things are going well.  I've made friends with Maguy, a restaurant owner in Le Marin.  She's great and very kind to give me free food at times and lets me use the Internet at extended periods of time.

I am learning to socialize at the marina.  Lots of people hang out there.

I'm re-reading Harry Potter 7 for the second time.  I hadn't read it all since it came out five years ago.

I'm in the last four weeks of the SJSU semester--Thank God!  I just submitted my literature review and I pray to God that I earn an A for it.  I worked hard on it, which I'm proud to say.  It was a year ago that I started to slip in my studies and that led to my C- grade the first time that I took the LIBR 285 course.

My work for LIBR 246 is not so bad if I do assignments on MySQL.  PHP is practically murder on me, though I am getting better at recognizing some aspects of the programming.  I pray that I pass that course with at least a C grade, as long as the grade allows me to pass it and earn credit towards my MLIS degree, then I shall be happy.

It turns out that Marielena, a Venezuelan friend will move with her French American husband and their daughter to Sarasota, Florida.  I hope that they adjust well to life there.  I gave Marielena access to an online program for learning English.  I hope that she finds it useful.

As for me personally, I'm trying to decide what to do after living in Martinique.  I don't know for now, but the same ideas come to me... 1. Continue to travel, 2. Volunteer with AmeriCorps in Georgia, 3. Apply for full time work in Georgia, or 4. Apply for full time work anywhere.

I'd like to teach adults next... Indonesia may be a good opportunity for that.  I will wait and see.  I'd be happier going to an African country or to a South American country since I haven't been to those continents yet.

I'll figure it out.  For now, I just want to explore Martinique, visit some of the islands, go to Haiti and Honduras and finally graduate from San Jose State University.

I'm so tired, lol

This is the first week back from the Toussaint vacation and I'm so tired.  My head hurts and I feel... sickish.  I probably just need a serious dose of orange juice for its vitamin C.

I am disappointed in the lesson that I did today at the Middle School of Sainte Anne.  I should have prepared it better.  But, I need to stop being so hard on myself.  I didn't seek help from any of the English teachers, so I shouldn't despise myself so much for it.

I get so worked up only because I know better and I feel that after my experience in France and in South Korea that I shouldn't make the same mistakes anymore.  Though, I'm not a professional teacher and I'm not seeking to be.  I just want to share some American culture with my students and help them to speak English better.

I believe that I'll work out a formula that will help the students to learn English and practice it in class.  It's just taking me a while to remember what to do and how.

I just don't want to waste the students' time nor my own if we end the class with them not feeling that they had learned something useful.

Well, I will do better tomorrow.