Post 45

This post is coming in a day late, but it'll be posted for the 14th nonetheless.

So. Yesterday.
I'd say yesterday was a lovely, lovely day.
I went to sleep looking forward to the rest that awaited me.
Up so late, but oh so worth it. Dinner with friends, worship. Oh, I'm sure the heavens parted! We sang new songs of praise, growing in worship, growing in community, growing in Christ.

I was tired from the rush home from my afternoon English class, but this student is strong and it's almost refreshing to work with him. He was kind about the many calls I received during our lesson. After all, it was Valentine's Day, and even he had asked to move our lesson up so he could make dinner with his girlfriend.

Crushed, a press of perfumed people, some bearing flowers, all bearing the hot close press of bodies on the 14 tram. A very kind elderly lady made space for me to sit with my bags and my guitar, and given my tiredness from the day's English lessons, I received her generous gesture and responded generously with thanks for her kindness. A few minutes and I'm home, having an early lesson with one of my newer students.

On my walk from San Babila through Duomo to catch the tram, there are many performers out. I wish I could stay to listen to them more, but I'm in a rush. I wish I could join them! Such a lovely evening, all lit up with the night lights and the glow of the people around, so many holding hands. This is so refreshing after an English lesson that was far from easy, as so many children were rowdy. I wonder if I'm losing my touch with these kids. I wonder how to make learning English interesting for them again.

A ride to Lorenteggio, pizza at Picasso Bar, and learning the name of Totò. God is good! I will ask all of the staff their names. It made her so happy! And why shouldn't we all be on a first name basis? I've been going to that restaurant for over a year now.

Last class, what a disaster! We did manage to finally get a conversation going, but it sure took some effort! But the class on immigration, what an eager group of students. My colleague tells me that they never behave this well for English, and that it's clear now that the topic is interesting for them. They shared with me their opinions on a global (or not so global) society, and I shared with them my experiences in Kalisz and growing up between worlds. We looked at some of the advantages and disadvantages of the children who grow up between countries and worldviews, and children who grow up in one solid place, ending on an idea of identity. Then we moved toward the reading we were supposed to have done the week before.
At the end of the class my colleague asked me to print my blog posts on Kalisz for her, and she looked them over while I assigned homework. The last minute or two of class I left for the students to do as they liked. As my colleague and I answered questions and prepared to leave, she looks to me and says, "You're a very special person."

Praise God! I almost can't believe I made it to work on time!
Rushing, gotta catch that bus, gotta catch it!
Sit and wait.
Rushing, can't miss the tram, quick good morning to the lady who sits at the door.

I definitely read my schedule wrong...
I wake up to what should have been a lazy morning.
I wake up this morning with a sense of expectancy.