My second week in Ireland has been nothing less than amazing. This week I began teaching my 3rd class at Johnstown Boys National School. Since I am an English major, the teacher and I decided that I should teach the boys English. Therefore, I decided the novel would be Cool! by Michael Morpurgo, a story about a boy who gets hit by a car and ends up in a coma. I introduced the book this past Wednesday, and then on Thursday, I created an activity to supplement the reading.
Since Robbie (the main character) is in a coma, he can neither see nor move his body. In order for students to understand the predicament Robbie is in, I decided to shut off some of their senses, and have them focus on other ones. The students’ favorite activity was passing a red ball without any communication, except for eye contact with another student. The second activity consisted of pairing the students, and having one student guide their partner, who was blindfolded, from one side of the classroom to the other. Overall, the activities were fun and the teacher gave nothing less than praise.
Also, this week a teacher strike has been assigned for not this Tuesday, but for the following (Tuesday, November 24th). The reason for the teacher strike is because teachers’ salaries are being cut by 18%.
This weekend I went to Dublin for the day with Heather, Alicia (Iowa), and Brittany (Minnesota). Heather and I rode the Dublin City Bus, since it is fifty-five cents cheaper. Before meeting up with Alicia and Brittany, Heather and I decided to go back to Bewley’s to have breakfast and lunch. After lunch, we met up Alicia and Brittany at the Dublin Castle, and we took a tour throughout the property. It was a very amazing experience! After touring the Dublin Castle, Heather and I went to Trinity College to explore the campus, which was absolutely beautiful. For dinner, Heather and I went to the Market Bar, where we dined on nachos and paprika steak. We had a wonderful day and a fantastic night in the city!
My life with the McBain family has been a wonderful experience. My Irish mum is very honest and trusting; I feel like I could talk to her about anything, and she would give me her honest opinion. My Irish dad is kind and quiet, but very informative—I have learned a lot about the country’s history from him. And my Irish siblings remind me of the siblings I have left behind. For example, my Irish brother is always playing on his PlayStation 3, and my Irish sister is very resistant when her mum orders her to clean her room—I love it! From this experience, I have learned that family is family, no matter what. It may not be perfect, but it is home, and there is love.
Also, I found out that the reason I have not been able to post pictures is because I have a faulty USB cable. Tomorrow, I plan on going to the camera store downtown and finding a replacement. Therefore, I am hoping to get some pictures posted real soon.