So what is it that you do, exactly?

It occurred to me the other day that my friends and family back home don't know what it is that I'm doing over here. Many of them have the basic details down: Katie's in an obscure former-Soviet country named Moldova teaching English to kids. But that's a pretty vague picture. So, I felt like I should share more about what has been my "life" for the past 7 months.

I teach in a public lyceum (that's British English for "high school," in case you didn't know). Moldovan Lyceums have 1st-12th grades, and students generally start learning English in the 2nd grade. I teach 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. For some of my classes I team-teach with two different Moldovan partner teachers (part of the PC's effort to make a more sustainable impact). This means we plan lessons together and divide classroom responsibilities. I help them improve their English and offer ideas on new teaching methods. And they help me learn the ropes of the Moldovan Educational system (a daunting task in and of itself). In the rest of my classes I teach alone. My lessons are 45 minutes long, and I meet with my students between 2 and 4 times a week. On a typical day I am at school from 7:45-1:30. I go home for a quick lunch break and then have English clubs or tutoring until 4 or 5. The rest of my evening is spent planning lessons for the next day (What can I say? I lead an exciting life).

Because teaching is a truly bi-polar experience, I've compiled a list of "loves and hates" ("likes and dislikes" just doesn't cut it). I think this does the best job of conveying the ins and outs of my school life.

I love when 24 4th-graders yell all at once, "Hello, Miss Kate! How are you?" whenever I walk into the classroom.

I hate when kids don't do their homework and then wonder why I get upset.

I love that, with my older students, I get to use the English language as a means of talking about things like poverty, the environment, and racism.

I hate that when kids act up, there is no principle's office to send them to.

I love when I teach a tough grammar topic, and my students understand it.

I hate that when I discipline students I have to do it in a language that I haven't yet fully mastered.

I love when students that I had started to think of as "hopeless" prove me wrong and show a desire to learn.

I hate that here in Moldova, cheating is a generally-accepted fact, not only among students but among teachers.

I love when my students understand my jokes (especially when I attempt to use sarcasm in Romanian).

I hate when students feel they have the right to disrespect my authority, simply because I'm young, female, and "nice."

I love that my job allows me to work with 9-year-olds up to 18-year-olds.

I hate not having my own classroom (especially because that means I can't put visual aids, student artwork, etc. up on the walls).

I love when my students walk me home from school.

I hate that the curriculum and supplies I have to work with are often dreadfully inadequate.

I love that my job is different each and every day.