Teacher Flies Foreign Flags

I can't believe this story. This geography teacher was suspended for flying foreign flags in his classroom.

He's teaching geography. That's the study of the earth. Which has lots of different countries in it.

Yeah, it seems obvious to me.

Flight 5191

I have been reading these profiles of people who died on Flight 5191 and crying. Such a sudden, unexpected death. So many bereaved family members and friends.

Quit Looking at Me!

I come from a culture where it's rude to stare. I live in a culture where it isn't. Not only that, but I have a different skin color from the majority of the people who live here and I behave oddly - not on purpose, but just by virtue of my foreign-ness.

Once, I was walking down the street carrying my baby, and a car full of young men pulled to a halt so that the passengers could stare at me, slack-jawed, until I had walked past. Often, as I emerge from my gate, groups of schoolchildren or even adults stop and gaze.

I assure you that the reason that I draw all this attention is not my great beauty. Sometimes I feel as though I was put on this earth to entertain passers-by by my very existence.

When I'm in the States, I enjoy just walking along, blending in, not being noticed.

Just Some Random Links

Here are some things that caught my eye today.

The Norwegian police found those Munch paintings that had been stolen two years ago. Don't you get the feeling that this would be a great story if we could hear all the details? I hope some day we'll get to know more about this operation.

Deb says, "Get behind me, Mr. Clean!"

And now that I'm teaching a French class again, here's a useful site I found yesterday through an ad in my Gmail account.

First Day of School

There were some glitches in the high school schedule, and the high school class I was supposed to teach didn't happen at all, but I had a good time with my middle schoolers. It was great to see those I already know and to meet the new ones.

I always forget that by the end of the year I had them trained to do things the way I like them done. Now that I'm starting from scratch with a new batch of 7th graders, there's a lot I can't take for granted.

Prayer Before an Operation

from the Book of Common Prayer

Strengthen your servant M., O God, to do what she has to do and bear what she has to bear; that, accepting your healing gifts through the skill of surgeons and nurses, she may be restored to usefulness in your world with a thankful heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Simplicity

Here's a blog I found recently called Simplicity.

There's Just No Job Security Any More

It's a sad world where even a planet can be demoted. Poor old Pluto.

Well, I say that being a dwarf planet is every bit as good. So there.

Here's a Q&A in case you want to know more about Pluto's disgrace.

Happier Person?

In the in-flight magazine for American Airlines, American Way, I read about a flight attendant who has founded a charity in Central and South America. (You can read more about it at her website.) It sounds like wonderful work she is doing.

I was struck by this quote: "Traveling from areas of relative wealth to the desperate poverty of children living and begging in the streets changes you. You become a more grateful, happy person."

I've been thinking about this quote for a couple of days now. Definitely this experience changes you. Definitely it makes you appreciate the amazing bounty you have, in comparison with so many in this world. But does it make you happier?

In some ways, I can see that this may be true. Being a thankful person is a good way to be a happy person in the sense of contentment, not constantly thinking you need more and more. But I think I would be a happier person, a more carefree person, if I didn't know some of what I know about the suffering on this planet. I don't think being happy in that way is necessarily a good goal to have - a sort of "ignorance is bliss" way of living - but I can certainly see the appeal of it some days. Wouldn't it be relaxing never to think about anything beyond your own comfort? Not good morally, but somehow restful.

What do you think? Many of my readers (not that "many" is really the word to describe my readership) have spent time in developing countries. Do you find you are happier as a result?

Horrifying Ordeal Involving Chocolate

This headline is one I just had to click on. I'm sure it was very unpleasant for the poor guy, but I have to admit it made me snicker a little.

#100

I've only been blogging four months, and this is already my hundredth post. It seems as though I should have something profound to say, but hey, why start now?

Home again, home again

Here I am, back in Tecwil. I'm trying to get things unpacked and organized at home, and next comes my first foray into my classroom of the new school year. I'm going to try to put that off until Monday. I'm very excited about starting to get the new books into my classroom library. Hooray! I love having my life organized around the school year. Who but students and teachers get to start again every August?

School Memories

I enjoyed reading this post at HuffEnglish.com. Donna is sharing the school memories of her great-great-grandmother, through a letter written in 1935.

Shakespeare at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Take a look at this link about the world's wildest Shakespeare Festival. Hamlet in a bouncy castle?

More on Blogging in Lebanon

In this post, I wrote that I was looking for some of the Lebanese blogs mentioned in the AP story I read. What I found was mostly in Arabic, which I can't understand.

Yesterday I found this blog, courtesy of Blogger, which lists "Blogs of Note." The author of this one was in Lebanon for a class, left on a boat during the evacuation, and then felt he had made a huge mistake and found a way to get back in to Beirut.

He's not Lebanese, but he's there, and he's posting in English. I couldn't stop reading it.

Doorways

Here's another blog I just found, Doorways Around the World. Beautiful photos! There is a link to submit some of your own photos, if you have a great doorway picture you'd like to show off.

More on Buying Clothes for Children

Well, not surprisingly, some people have rather different ideas on buying children's clothes from the way I do it.

Just point me to those people's yard sales! (Though I wouldn't buy cashmere for an infant or toddler even if it were second hand!)

Air Conditioning

The greatest risk in an American summer is of freezing to death. Air conditioners everywhere keep the temperature indoors at painful levels. I breathe a sigh of relief when I leave church, stores, or offices and feel my body begin to thaw.

Here's an interesting article on the American obsession with air conditioning.

Blog from Japan

I wanted to share this blog that I just found on a teacher site (Adventures in Educational Blogging, a blog by a woman working at an international school in Singapore). It is a fascinating look at little details about Japan and what you see and hear and experience there. It's billed as "a blog for kids about life in Japan."

Lebanese Bloggers

Here's an article about bloggers in Lebanon. I've been trying to find some of the blogs mentioned in the article (none are linked) but almost everything I've found so far has been in Arabic, which I unfortunately can't read.

I feel so sad for both sides in this conflict. Most of the people getting hurt, as always, are people who aren't political at all - they just want to live their lives, raise their children, be at peace. That's true in conflicts around the world.

Yesterday at the church I was attending, someone said, "We need to be sure to pray for Israel." I waited for him to add "...and Lebanon" but he didn't. (This wasn't the pastor - it was someone giving prayer requests during the time allotted for that.) I don't understand this. Ten times as many people have died in Lebanon. PEOPLE. What difference does it make what their nationality is? They are human beings.