February 9, 2012

When I got to the PedInst this morning, Nigora was nowhere to be found and the dean’s office was closed. My classroom was open and I decided to wait for her there while chitchatting with some of my former students who had seen me come in. There was no power and the room was freezing. Nigora took me to her classroom which had been warmed up a bit earlier and I found only six students out of a group of 22 future interpreters. The dean showed up and seemed genuinely surprised to see me there while commenting that students were still straggling in from their winter break and to give them some time. By 11:20, I still had the same number of students and proceeded with my introduction. When I started to write some questions for them to introduce themselves, the one student with the more fluency, told me this was supposed to be a conversation class only. I told him to trust me as nowhere I had gone for a so called “conversation” class, had the students being able to do just that. Low and behold, they couldn’t even answer the simple questions about their names and the two female students refused to talk at all. A student, originally from Turkmenistan, could not speak but a few broken phrases. The students confirmed this is their last year of studies, so they are expected to get a degree in June.

Nigora, who had reassured me we were going to co-teach this class, had promptly disappeared and came in when we were trying to get the six students into pairs according to their adjectives and opposites. They didn’t know the meaning and asked her for assistance, and obviously flustered that she didn’t know the meaning either and couldn’t translate them into Russian, she asked me to give them clues or the meaning. Needless to say, this is going to be another hard row to hoe. There was a faculty meeting after this class, but the dean dispensed with Nigora’s attendance so she could accompany me to buy the heater and whiteboard. She negotiated with the taxi driver and after several stops, we were able to get both items and had to carry the whiteboard on top of the car, two students and I holding on to the corners through the windows in the freezing weather.

I invited Nigora and the two students to have lunch with me, but they all declined. The whiteboard seller didn’t have the legs for it available at the time of purchase and the students promised to go back and get them and have them installed for me the following day. I still felt uncomfortable leaving such valuable property in that classroom with the flimsy lock I paid for. The students said they could raise the money among their classmates and have another one installed. They refused to have me pay for it.

When I stepped into the café for my usual bowl of soup, the cab driver, who had been handsomely paid for having to wait around, was having tea and invited to me join his table. He must be doing well financially as he has a son studying English in Philadelphia who plans to become an economist.

Elbek came for his class and we played “Concentration”. He’s making fast progress and is able now to ask me lots of questions. I asked him to bring me a few jugs of water from his apartment as I’m running very low. Caroline came by to bring yet more things and we caught on her travels and the latest news on the people of Dushanbe. She still wants to house sit for Marydean so she can get more money out of her living allowance. I feel very awkward about calling Marydean now to let her know Caroline wants to take my place. Me and my big mouth!

I called the dean at the PedInst and let him know that after reviewing the new schedule, I didn't feel comfortable teaching three classes, 90 minutes each, back to back as that would have me teaching for four and half hours without a break. I turned down the first class, beginning at 8:00am, and told him to expect me at 9:30 the following morning. He seemed peeved, but agreed nonetheless.