random notes

Considering how much time I have spent in a PC bang in the last two weeks, I have done startlingly little in the way of updating my blog.
So, this week has been full of ups and downs. We have been taking it really easy. Just sitting around. It is SO hot here. You have no idea. I've been hot in Canada, but never hot like this. When you step outside, it's actually like opening an oven. Not just saying that, it actually is, I promise. The wind does not help, it's like trying to cool yourself by open-mouthed heavy breathing on yourself.
The frustrating class continued to be frustrating and difficult to motivate. They finally talked to Rodrigo though about what they wanted, and it was more group activities. They will talk to eachother, but they are too shy to talk to the teachers. So last night Rodrigo and I put together a big shopping/running errands roleplay. It went well! We are cutting out curriculum (now that we have written the test) to make time for more interesting activities and practice. The marks don't matter, so really it doesn't matter if everything gets covered, as long as the important things for their test are covered, so they can show their principals a mark. Of course, it'll be a good mark.
Why, of course? Because we're marking out of thirty, and the requested mark distribution is 30 - 1, 29 - 2, 28 - 4, 27 - 6, 26 - 4, 25 - 2, 24 - 1. So their marks mean nothing. BUT, we have to doctor things so that they fit that distribution. It sucks. It also sucks that no-one can do poorly, because there are a bunch of people who just sat and occupied seats, and do not deserve a mark above 80. It also cheapens the marks for those who made effort.
Not much else to report yet. It's not even sunk in yet that I'm going to Mongolia... in three days. I have so much to do, and so much else to think about. I hope that when I get there I can really be in the moment, and not be distracted.
Well, that's all for now... back to online poker, which I'm playing now. For funsies only, of course.