I can't believe we're almost done

5 weeks lefts of English classes, 11 weeks until the English camp, and 12 weeks until we return to the United States. I would be lying if I said that I don't think about this, because it is constantly on my mind.

Coming to Policka in July 2008 changed everything in our lives. Our families and friends where far way, and we lived in a place that was completely unfamilar and foreign. Yes, Czechs have many of the same things we have in the US, but culturaly some things are very different. There are strick gender roles and a general coldness, which took about a year to get used to. Mind you there have been people who have been "warm" with us, but they have been like that from the start. We couldn't communicate with people very well, not even the simpliest things like buying chicken. We learned how to teach ESL, develope lesson plans and how to plan community events. It seemed like eveything was difficult, and the key to the difficulty was the language.

Personally I struggled every week to understand and be understood our first year. Keeping order was nearly impossible at times since my students would choose not to understand when I told them to sit down and not throw things. I was not a teacher or tutor of English language, I was entertainment. At some point I remember telling one of my students to go home if he didnt't want to be here because I was tired of him causing problems in my "class" week after week, since he odviously was not interested in improving his English. His only reply, with a mischivious grin, was that he had more fun here, AKA making my task of teaching as hard as possible, than on the computer. I was laughed at, disrespected, and completely not myself. I gave up on learning Czech about four months in, and it's something I regret, but at the time my day to day frustations with the langauge seemed so big and too hurtful to continue trying to learn. This of course only made things more difficult, and ofcourse put an unnessisary strain on our relationship. Jeremy's progress in the language was visible (and still is), and I became more and more silent and avoided situations where I would have to talk. I didn't want to out with people because I knew that I could not communicate with them in their language, and they would be forced to speak my language, which was unfair, so mostly I stay at home. Jeremy would go out and people would know me only through what he told them.

However, Our second year was completely different. We came back after 3 weeks in the US for the English Camp in July and had a blast. It was the perfect way to start our second year and in a way set me on a different path. During the camp I knew that people would be comparing our camp to all the other camps in the past, but I desided not to care and to just have fun. Yeah, we did things differently, but different doesn't equal bad.

Classes started again, but this year I am teaching both younger kids and adults. I remember being nervous for the start of the new school year, but my worries faded away soon enough. This year has been a lot easier mainly because I can understand way more and am able to communicate a lot better. I really like my classes, and if kids laugh at my Czech I no longer feel dumb, because it's not true. Yes my Czech is a grammatic mess and horribly limited vocabulary wise, but this does not make me dumb. My adult classes have been a treasure for me, because now I teach people who want to improve their English. Sure, my lessons are also a social time for them, however I know that learning English is difficult for them and I can relate. My one class has really taught me a lot personally - when they make a mistake the laugh and then fix it. My first year everything was a bit too serious and I think I missed out on a lot because of it.

We will be leaving in a short 92 days...and we are going to make the most of it. When people invite us some place we say yes, if we see a good Czech movie for 49kc we buy it, and when our favorite resturant makes svickova we eat there. For the last few weeks I have been trying to wrap my mind around the idea that in late July we will no longer be walking the same path to work that we have for two years.

About two weeks ago Jeremy and I both recieved Americorp*VISTA positions in Erie, PA. I will be working with a non-profit called Earth Force, which encourages youth people to get involved in their community in a way that focuses on Environmental awareness and stewardship. My main focus will be on networking with local colleges and public schools. Jeremy will be working with another non-profit, Urbin Erie Community Development Corp, where he will be involved with a community garden project, after school programs for local kids and working with refugrees in the city of Erie. So things are going to change, but change is good, and we have yet another adventure to look forward to.