Bicycle mode is go!

I finally got around to using the bike that my school was nice enough to give me upon my arrival to this town. It is a pretty cool bike with those twist gear shifters, but I have to disagree with their placement on the bike. They are set in such a way that it is really really hard to see what gear you are in while riding. Seeing what gear you are in while not riding is perfectly fine, but then again, I never really cared to know what gear my bike was in while I was stowing it away.

Anyways, now that I'm using it, I'm beginning to wonder why I did not do this sooner. Remember that feeling when you finally got the BICYCLE in Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow and just started zipping around all over the place because traveling no longer took for freakin' ever and how happy you where to hear that awesome BICYCLE song? Yeah, it is like that. Except in real life.

. . . yeah, that's right. Indonesia is just like Pokemon.

"So we are having a debate contest, and you will be an adjudicator."

To which I wanted to respond: "woah woah woah man, I don't know jack squat about debate. . . and the hell is an adjudicator? Why you be pulling them big words on me man?" But I did not, because that would have been rude. So I just told my counterpart that I did not feel comfortable with that because I had no clue what debate was. Then he responds with: "that's alright, I will give you this handbook." It was as if he knew how I was going to respond long before I actually did, because the handbook started out with something along the lines of: "so you want to know what debate is."

Well played Mr. Counterpart. Well played.

Anyways, that was how I was informed about the debate contest that lasted the last two days. So I read the handbook and learned about motions and points of information and time keeping and all sorts of debate-y things like that. Next thing I know, I'm at practices helping kids out, giving them pointers and how to be more composed while speaking, training them to coming up with instant rebuttals on the spot for what ever might get thrown at them, discussing ways to tear down arguments from opponents. I went from being scared of debate to an active part of the team in a matter of moments. Shoot, I was so attached to the team that if the rules allowed, I wanted to be in the debater's chairs with them. (Man, I would have shown this town how to rip an argument to shreds)

If only my counterpart had pulled that line on me earlier. I could have done so much more with these kids. The biggest thing that I managed to help them with was speaking more slowly. When I first met them, they were speaking as if they would die the second they paused for air. They were speaking way way faster than they were comfortable with, and this resulted in "ummms" every other word or so. I made a point to demonstrate to them how taking a pause is much better than saying "ummmm," to comedic effect.

During the debate, I was being all adjudicator-y. I liked how they gave the time keepers rocks to bang the table with at prescribed intervals. It was supposed to help the kids keep track of their speaking time, but the only thing it did was completely rattle the already nervous kids.

My school sent two teams, and the A team won the whole thing! I was so proud. Especially when they used points I had suggested to them and what not. I was like: "that's my team! *sniff* That's my team!" The B team made it all the way to the semi-finals, but when it came time for their decision, the judges, I mean, adjudicators (see, I can use the word in a sentence now!) took for freakin' ever, then decided that the other team won by one point. This was totally sketch yo. I was suspicious. I mean, it could have been an all SMA 1 Polewali finals, but some one did not like the idea.

. . .and that just goes to show you how attached to the team I've become.

In the hall of the mountian kids

Hahaha, you see what I did there with the title? Oh yeah, I'm so witty. Anyways, this post is going to be about me guest teaching at this middle school that was way out there in the mountains. See, hence the hall, and mountain, and kids part working to punny effect! See, told you I was witty.

That's right folks, jokes work best when you feel the need to explain them out in detail.


So I was invited to guest teach an 2 hour lesson at this middle school that was way the hell up. When I say I was invited to guest teach an 2 hour lesson at a middle school, I mean my counterpart said, "hey, no need to come to school tomorrow. The administrators want me to show you this place that is more than an hour away" the day before.

At 10 in the morning, me, my counterpart, and this administrator set off to this mysterious (to me at the moment at least) and far away land on scooters. We get to the base of the mountain when we are joined by a teacher who teaches at the school we are trying to reach. It was a good thing this guy came too, because these dirt roads where hell. They where all manner of windy and hilly and bumpy and unsafe-y. To make matters worse, the roads were coated with lots and lots of rocks that where about the size of tennis balls. Falling down was a very possibility. In fact, it actually happened! But it was one of those slow motion falls, so no one was hurt. It was at that point that the group decided that the teacher from the mountains should be the one to be responsible for getting my fat ass up the impossible terrain on a 125cc scooter.


The trip was absolutely breathtaking. Trees, rock, mountain, you get the idea. I wanted to take pictures, but whipping out my camera while on the back of a scooter that is already barely staying upright would have probably been a bad idea, so I did not do it. Might have damaged the camera you know?

Then we finally get to the school. They ask me to introduce myself to the class, which I was expecting. Then I open it up to questions and the students were super shy, which I was expecting. Then I was told to take the class for the next to hours, and I was all like "lol, what?" I struggled for a bit, but then when I walked around I noted that the kids were freakin' transcribing things I was saying into the International Phonetic Alphabet. Turns out their teacher majored in Phonetics at college. I was like "holy crap!" Then it was clear what I needed to do.

I was using the IPA to show them how words spelled totally different could have very similar sounds. I was pinpointing the sounds that they were having trouble with and worked on those by contrasting them with sounds that are similar, but not quite the same. I was showing them how spelling cannot be trusted at all when it comes to pronunciation. In short, it was the best lesson I have taught thus far, and I did it all on the spot. The students were nailing pronunciations by the end. They were getting that "omigosh, I get it" look every time I explained something new. They all went from being super quite to absolutely eager to try out their pronunciations on the American teacher. They were all super happy at the end, and so was I. However, what gave me the most joy of the day was that my LINGUISTICS DEGREE has finally proven itself to be not absolutely useless.


Ok, that was a lie, the "omigosh looks" were by far the best part. Anyone who has taught knows what I'm talking about and the effect that look has on a teacher.

Miscellaneous pictures bellow:

So an ETA named a beach after himself. . .

And it is a gorgeous one too. This is the beach I found the seashells at by the way. I took pictures.

lolololol, this is a placeholder, they will be up when I get stuff onto Picasa. I promise

The night before, we were at this other beach that all the locals think is haunted. The story goes that a long time ago, back in the days of old when everyone went to this beach, there where these people who took a boat off. Not too far from the coast, but far enough. You can see where this is going. Anyways, the boat flipped and they all drowned. Here is the horrific part. Because it was such a popular destination at the time, a whole bunch of people had to watch these people, who were too far out to help but close enough to see very clearly, slowly go under.

Anyways, my buddy has the bright idea to get his local friends to take us their in pitch black darkness. I took some pictures of hermit crabs

lololol, more place holder.

I am the only person in school right now

So this Monday morning I begrudgingly get up at at time that is not in the afternoon and get ready to school. I put on my dress pants and button down shirt that I am forced to wear. I think this is because the school likes watching me drip sweat as I try to teach. Then I walk to school to find the place completely deserted, save for a flock of geese. They honked angrily at me, probably because they where upset that I had missed the memo about today being their day to have the school. I wanted to tell them that it was an honest mistake on my part, and that I really did not want to be their anyways, but they did not look to be in the mood for diplomacy.

So I walk to a park bench and sit down. Thankfully, the internet works, so coming to school was not a complete waste of time. Even Facebook works! Hooray! That site is usually banned on my school network. Hopefully they keep it this way. It would save me lots of money that would otherwise be spent at the local internet cafe.

Apparently, today school is out for election day. I really wish they had told me this in advance. You know, as opposed to after I get to school and start freaking out that geese have taken over the place. I get Fridays off, and the combination of this would have been a 4 day weekend for me. I totally could have gone somewhere cool and exciting. But no. Instead I am at a deserted school, dressed in clothes I don't like wearing, nervously eying the geese that I swear seem to be plotting something against me.

BAD NEWS!!!!

The PS3 by the hour shop that I mentioned in a previous post has had its doors shut for the past 3 days straight. What am I going to do? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!?!?!?!?

I be slacking yo.

So many stories to tell, so few blog updates that have come forth as a result. My bad. So, I'm just going to pick a story at ramdom and write about it. I will write the other stories some other time. I promise. . . -ish

What to tell. Ah yes, the two new sea shells in my house. These are some really cool seashells. They are both about palm sized and one of them is mostly white with some pinkish/purpleish on the bottom. The other one is cream yellow. I have never seen a yellow shell before and my friends have told me that finding that shell was amzing because they had never seen a shell that color either. The combination of these two facts makes me think that there are two possible results for the unique color of the shell:

1. I have found something truly rare and beautiful and should cherish it for the rest of my life
2. I have found a ordinary white shell that has sat in the sun after someone/thing pissed on it

I'll try and get pictures of the two on here. Right now I depend on internet cafes for internet. The last computer I used did not have any USB ports on it. (the mouse and keyboad used those old school ports! Man, I don't even know what they are called anymore. ps/2? something like that) Let me check this computer. . .hey! what do you know. . .alright, new goal. Next time I'm here, use this exact same computer, and I'll get some pictures up.