Life on the Ring of Fire: November 2012

No, there hasnt been a glitch. That title does say that I am happy.

Who’da thunk?

It’s amazing that it’s taken thing long in my service for things to finally click, but click they did. The past few weeks have been full of laughing, smiles and bonding - and not with other PCV’s. No I’m talking about my little wonders, my amazing students.

After talking with one of my fellow volunteers, oh months ago now (ahhh time is flying!), I decided that I needed to do more. That’s something that all volunteers feel.. the NEED to do something to make their service worthwhile. I’ve already completed an LKS, taught some classes, gotten around my village.. yet something was missing. I wasn’t entirely happy with the way things went my first year and I was already feeling like I was in a slump that I would not be able to break this last year. Thus the idea of extra speaking practice with Miss Allyson, was born. While this is NOT a sustainable project (I’ll be leaving in 6ish months..) it has drastically changed how I view some of my students, and I’d like to think, how they view me.

We’ve talked about the future, movies, music, peace.. And the ideas keep coming because these kids are so willing to work with me. It’s also a nice change of pace only having to deal with 10 kids instead of a rowdy 36. These kids want to be here so they (most often) put in the effort and some of the stuff that comes out of their mouths.. It just amazes me how smart and generally amazing they are. I look forward to the end of the school day when I have these meetings, knowing that no matter how crappy my day may have started (or ended) these kids will have me smiling and laughing in no time.

Why oh why didn’t I do this last year?!? If I was in this place last year.. I probably would have signed up for a third year (don’t worry Mom..)

Getting to know these kids has been fun. I have these three students, who happen to be in my most frustrating grade 10 class, and they.. are always making me laugh. Eva Nanda is smart and full of life and big dreams and I can only hope that she manages to get far in life. Ghozi.. such a cute kid. He is always smiling and joking and honestly I can’t think of him without a smile on my face. The last kid, Karismawan, he’s quiet. I’m working on getting him to open up but when he smiles, just makes my day. Saturday’s I meet with just them and the last time we met it was pretty much laughing the entire hour. I really wish I could pack them up and bring them home with me, they are so cute! It’s going to be a lot harder leaving in June now.. Grrr

So here are some photos. First is a few (kinda badddd) from when we did tie-dying in English Club.

I LOVE HIM! he is always smiling :)

And here is from my Tuesday speaking group. We talked about peace (I stole this idea from Taylor, check out her blog http://taylorprose.tumblr.com/post/31955336593/international-day-of-peace-september-21 ) While the English is a little funky, I think you can get the general gist of what they are trying to say.

Three cheers to being happy. Who woulda thought it feels so amazing?

love, love, LOVE you all :)

Every November, on the first Tuesday, Americans are given the chance to exercise their rights. They get to choose their leaders, things their money gets spent on, etc. It’s really an amazing right.

Most people, who know me, know I take voting seriously. I can’t imagine an easier thing to do as a citizen. It can only take 5 minutes of your time. For me – it’s the thought that men and women died! They died so that people in the future (us) would be free and have a future not under tyranny. And though our military may be involved in places currently that don’t represent our freedom, they are still putting their lives out there for all of us. (I’m a BIG patriot.. if you couldn’t tell..) So really voting is no something that should be ignored – but it is. The amount of people who actually vote is incredibly low. In 2008, there was a record amount of voters for the presidential election. But that only number around 57% of the population (who were old enough to vote). Were you one of that 57%? It’s crazy. (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html)

Lets look at a few countries – In Brazil, you have to vote, it’s called compulsory voting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting). There is really no excuse. You can be fined for not voting. While that’s a little extreme, it still gets the people out there to the polls. Iraq is another good case. Here was a country that had had major political issues (and yes, still does), but I can remember watching the TV and seeing people’s faces as they voted for the first time. They proudly showed the camera their inked fingers. Where is that pride in the States?

So through all that – if you walk away with one thing – you should vote. And heck, I’ll tell you to vote even if I don’t like the person you want to vote for – I think it’s that important. You don’t deserve the right to open your mouth and complain about your leader if you couldn’t even get off your butt to vote. They also make these nifty things called absentee ballots. You apply for one and then hey! You can vote in the comfort of your own home!

But! Real reason for this post. I HATE presidential elections. I HATE them. The way people attack each other is ridiculous. Why would anyone want to vote for people who attack each other so viciously? It’s just ugh.. It’s wrong and it’s gotten more and more intense as time has gone on.

I applied for my overseas ballot and then two weeks later – boom! – it appears in my email. I got excited and printed it out right around the time of the first debate. Then it sat in my room. Collecting dust. Around the time of the second debate, I finally picked up my black pen to fill in the tiny circles. But I hesitated. Do I really care to pick one of those two men, who verbally attacked each other? It was embarrassing and difficult to watch. Here is our president and a man who wants to be president, acting like 5 year-old's. And the media.. Really.. Binder full of women? Let it go. We all know what he was saying.. and if the other person had said it no one would have batted an eye. It’s dumb and childish to keep picking on that. But, I had had it. I am sick of picking between the lesser of two evils. I know some people feel strongly one way or the other but honestly? They both have major issues. When will there come a time when we get someone who is honest and normal? It’s incredibly hard for an average Joe, who actually knows what’s going on, to get a good start in politics. It’s all about the $$$. No one who is running for president really gets the average American. Is it truly so hard to find someone who knows and is living it right alongside us? That’s what I want. A person I can look up to. Who may have made mistakes, but is honest, who doesn’t promise more change than he knows we can handle, who comes from the heart not a teleprompter (may seem like I’m going after one person, but I’m not).

Will it ever happen? Who knows.. Hopefully in my lifetime we can leave behind the b.s. and get to what matters. But for now, I picked my lesser of two evils. I sealed my ballot with a heavy heart, knowing that my idea of change and progress won’t be coming yet, regardless of who wins.

Will I be upset if the guy I voted for doesn’t win? Yeah, a little. Will I accept whoever is president? Yes, because he is my president and because I am a patriot and I am proud to be an American. I love my country. Shit happens. The nice thing is 4 years down the road – we get to do it all over again!

SO! Go out and vote if you haven’t yet! Be proud to be an American and stand up for your rights which were won through blood, sweat and tears for without their sacrifices, there’d be no us.

I voted. Have you?