So, today, rather than providing you with totally concise and provocatively penetrating social analysis, today's post is a list of things I like about being here.
1. My Job
The administration? No. The red tape? No. The teachers? Not 100% of them. But my students are the cutest creatures on the planet, and I have the best job on the island. They all have a natural curiosity verging on obsession about English / the U.S.A. (for both good and bad reasons), and when the older students try to play the blasé know-it-all, I see right through it and it makes them even cuter. I don't grade, discipline (besides occasionally yell), or spend enough time with my little angels for them to grow to dislike me. I basically show up, sing songs, dance and play, correct pronunciation, teach them fun things about culture, and leave, dragging myself out of hug attacks to get out the gate. Does it get better?
2. I'm Getting Super Fit
On days that I work, I walk a minimum of 5km. Since I have so much free time, I work out nearly religiously (though tonight might be an exception, uuugh). I sweat out anything I eat in the constantly 80 degree F-weather. Any food I buy at the store I have to carry home, so I buy less and am getting ripped triceps. When I am on vacation and don't have a car, my primary way of getting out is walking somewhere really far or taking the bus to the mall and walking around. When I'm on vacation and I do have a car, I swim, hike, or both every day.
3. I'm Working on a Several No-Consequences Projects
Especially when compared to my past academic life (since I was literally fifteen), I commit a huge proportion of my time to loisirs, in the deepest sense. If I do shit in creole, don't work on my cross-stitch project for two months (my present situation), if I don't read that chapter I intended to get to or watch a TedTalk today, what's going to happen? If I mess up that calligraphy I'm working on turns out ugly, who's gonna bring it up? I don't fail anything. I don't lose any money. Nothing hurts. It has allowed me to be spontaneous when the opportunity has arisen and has given me the mental space to re-evaluate my priorities.
4. What is it like to Live Completely Alone? To be Able to Walk around in My Underwear? Now I Know.
Technically I do still have one flatmate during the week. But during the week I typically act like a normal, if unlikeable, human being. Then he leaves mid-afternoon on Friday and there is no one to witness me promenading nude, eating at 2 a.m., screeching along to Pure Prairie League, or wasting my life on Tumblr. I can take as long as I want in the bathroom, I can use every dish in the kitchen at once, I can talk on Skype until sunup. There are no consequences. Given that when I repatriate I'll almost certainly have a full-time flatmate and re-commence my search for a romantic partner, who knows if I'll ever be this free again? Now I'll never have to regret not knowing what it means to eat cereal on the kitchen counter in your undies.
5. I am SO INFORMED RIGHT NOW
Which, I'm willing to admit, can be stressful. But I never have to worry that I'm an uninformed global citizen or not reading enough, because I spend 2-3 hours a day reading news and commentary, which my poor Tumblr followers probably wish I wouldn't do, or at least not share so much.
6. I have Eaten More Avocados and Bananas than Any Wretched Human Deserves and I'm Not Stopping Any Time Soon (by FOB)
7. GUAVA JUICE
8. The Nice Old Ladies from my Creole Class
I've learned more about Martinican culture from them than from anybody else. They're hilarious and sweet. Two of them drive me home on Mondays now. #GodBless
9. (*Knock on Wood*) I Think I'm Actually Making Money
Despite my financial worries at the beginning of this adventure, it appears that I'm actually putting back a significant amount of cash right now. As it turns out, when you can't go anywhere, you're far away from your favorite shops, and you effectively can't get anything delivered, you don't spend a lot of money. Coupled with my tutoring gigs, the ink has turned green, unbelievable as that would have seemed a few short months ago.
10. I've Learned to Appreciate Little Things
By living a far less stimulating life, I've come to get really excited about the small things in life, including my friends' blog updates, mail (more than ever), Spotify Discover Weekly, perfectly ripe fruit, good ice cream, leisure reading, the feeling of line-dried laundry, good health, and sales on food you regularly buy.
11. Getting to the Bus Stop Just as the Bus Rolls Up and Feeling Like a Genius for the Next Hour
12. Online Shopping
I did it some before, but right now my sanity hinges on looking at black cutoff overalls online and picking out gifts for my friends' upcoming birthdays.
13. Seeing the Ocean Everywhere
It's cliché, but seeing the vast ocean enveloping your tiny island home every day on your walk work puts things into perspective.
14. Honestly? Things are Fucked Up Here, but When You Come From the U.S....
Macron married his teacher, but he doesn't have a dozen accounts of sexual assault against him. Any violence or homelessness (/social violence) is unacceptable, but those are bothers here compared to the epidemics in American cities. The unemployed, the under-paid, and the elderly have relatively consistent access to public assistance. I've witnessed a grand total of one public xenophobic insult here, rather than hearing them everyday back home. Each person I've met has hobbies, because they're not nearly so worked to death. Other than assistants still awaiting their social security cards, I don't know anyone who doesn't have health insurance. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
On that somewhat conciliatory note, I still hate it here and can't wait to leave. But I think being grateful is good for you, and I appreciate your wading through this therapeutic exercise with me.
Please enjoy this photo of a cat playing in a graveyard that I took this morning.
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| You deserve it. |
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