New Year's Day in Lockdown

 Happy 2021 every reader of my blog!   I woke up today knowing the new year has arrived in Turkey, but not yet in the USA.  I felt anticipation, even though I am thousands of miles away.  My heart and soul are still in sync with America.

I feel it's going to be a good year. We will appreciate small aspects of our life like never before - having drinks with a friend, going to restaurants, going to the movies, having visitors in our homes.  And big events will be even more memorable - weddings, family reunions, graduations.

We will have a new president.  Thank God.  For most of my family and friends this is a "huge" relief.(Hope Trump doesn't mind me borrowing one of his infamous words from his infinite vocabulary.) My hope for the new year is civility and rationality will return to America and Americans.  America is a country founded on individual rights.  But that does not mean we have the right to degrade others for the color of their skin, or who they love, or what faith they have or have not.  Our current president, in his oh not-so-subtle-ways, gave permission to judge one another.  I don't understand how anyone could admire, much less support, such a leader.  In this new year, a dignified man will replace him and a woman will be by his side as vice-president.  Amen.

Going forward into this year, knowing I am now working in Turkey make me uneasy this morning. Actually, I'm doing more than "working" I am "teaching."  I am happy when I'm teaching.  I love teaching.  I love teaching literature and teaching writing. My experience with my 9th, 10th, 11th grade students has been rewarding in every way I hoped.  Online teaching is a new challenge and I am proud of myself for tackling it.  However, not knowing when online instruction will end, and when I will experience classroom teaching again, distresses me.  

I also have a class of 12th grade IB students.  This class is stressful in a way I've never experienced.    A new IB Language and Literature curriculum is being assessed this year.  Enka School requires continuous assessment using IB modes.  The literature instuction is done in 11th grade.  Understand this is a class based almost solely on students writing analytic papers and doing oral analysis time and time again.  These papers and mock orals, as they are called, are worth 20-30% of their term grades! This is like college folks....when one paper is worth a third of your grade, remember?  I do not enjoy seeing the pressure these students face.  And I don't enjoy administering it.  The grading of these assessments is another challenge.  Turkish students have been reared to question every mark, ask for clarification, and  challenge the mark, albeit respectfully. This scenario demands giving as much feedback and justification of my marks as I possibly can.  Remember, the marking is on line!  For me, grading on line takes twice as long as pen to paper.  This week there was a clash of interpretation of one of the new course requirements initiated by an amendment IB sent regarding the pandemic.  This new interpretation is causing tension and stress among teachers and students, ending with rushed changes and postponement of the major IB Oral assessement.  Needless to say my passion for the IB program is being sucked from me at the moment.  I'm sure it will rise again once the muddy waters have cleared.   

Jim just called to wish me a Happy New Year.  I cried for the first time on a call.  I miss him.  

I am preparing to go home January 23 for our semester break --almost 3 weeks.  But, getting home is a struggle in this pandemic world of ours.  Turkey is now requiring a Health Code to fly -- not a big deal, I got it.  But, there is a question of whether I need a negative Covid test to fly.  So, I'm finding out how to get one before I leave.  It has be be within 72 hours of flight. Then I need another one to fly back.  I'm buying my ticket this weekend.  For those 3 weeks I will celebrate Christmas and New Year's. Snuggle on the couch and watch TV.  Order from Amazon and get delivery at my doorstep.  Cook at my stove with all familiar ingredients.  And - knowing myself - in between I'll be planning my next literary units.

HAPPY NEW YEAR fron ISTANBUL, ya'll! 


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