We experience the first rain of the year in India and the 'Cat Murderer of Oslo' slips into my dreams.

Week 8: February 23 - March 1

Monday, February 23:

A new week was upon us, and due to the upcoming exams, there was a new schedule that allowed for shorter days, so we could sleep until 8:30. Assuming we wouldn’t be served breakfast that day since we were supposed to be at school by 10, we ate at home. Well, we were mistaken. As soon as we arrived at DPS, we were intercepted and offered something to eat. So we fought through a second breakfast, which was very delicious but not necessary. Afterwards, we spent half an hour in different nursery groups. In mine, we painted with our fingers and played a game. Then it was time for the substitute teaching, but everything was chaotic, at least for me, because the plan just didn’t work out, which can happen sometimes. I first found myself in a first-grade classroom. After 5 minutes, however, a teacher came and informed me that she needed to take this class for the practical computer exam. So the substitute period ended faster than I could blink, and I joined the room next door with Tina, who was conducting an English quiz as a revision with the children. Suddenly, it started to rain outside, which was really special since it was the first rain in India that we had experienced since our arrival in January. Consequently, the day was also much cooler than usual, which felt good. I began my second substitute hour in a 5th-grade classroom. There, I wanted to do an EVS revision with the students, but again, after 5 minutes, a teacher came and informed me of a mix-up. This teacher wanted to enter the class where Tina was, so Tina was to take over my 5th-grade class, and I was sent back to the previous 1st-grade class. They showed me the substitute schedule, as we usually only see our own hours, and I actually found myself listed for the 4th hour twice. Well, what can you do? In the last minutes of the shortened lesson, I also repeated a bit of English with the class. Later, we had lunch in the conference room with Yashoda and Raghunath, which was very pleasant. Afterwards, we took a little walk in the (actually) fresh air in the schoolyard and encountered a sweet puppy (see picture), who was not in the mood for biscuits and was a bit shy (understandably). Afterwards, we headed home, and not much else happened except for running some errands on the way.🌧️

Tuesday, February 24:

After a short traffic jam, in which our bus was also caught, we reached the school where breakfast started. Afterwards, I spent half an hour in KG 1 observing how the children were already capable of adding and subtracting. They wrote a small review test (yes, they already do that at 4-5 years) and I checked it, adding not only the score but also a brief comment stating which areas were still problematic for each child. My day continued in 4th grade together with Tina. We taught the children some German. Then I taught a third-grade class (my first), but that didn’t go well as my voice broke after the first 10 minutes due to a cold. Hence, I could only teach the students some German at the beginning, and then I let them play Hangman, since I wasn't needed to speak there as much. After the lesson, we took a short trip to a village where one of our Didis from school lives. Her daughter got married in February, and since we couldn’t attend the invitation back then, we congratulated her during our short visit this time. After lunch, we went home and followed our usual routine. So, not much special happened that day, although I want to share my latest mission with you: whenever we have time in school after lunch, I go on a chameleon hunt. So far, I've not been successful, but I won't give up and will eventually spot my object of interest.🔍

Wednesday, February 25:

There are exactly 2 months left until we leave Raipur, which means, when you take the week in Thailand out of the equation, we are now halfway through our time in India. The days go by so quickly, it’s really crazy. Soon we will look back on this quarter, and it will be history, although it seems like it just started...

But now to Wednesday: The nursery, KG 1, and KG 2 children had their last day at school, which they used to capture nice class photos and videos. This meant we sat outside in the shade, watched, and let our souls dangle. There were hardly any substitutions scheduled that day, so we actually only spent one hour in a 4th-grade class altogether. This was actually a high point because after all the noisy classes, this one was very quiet and attentive. This allowed us to truly utilize the time and teach the students some German - who would have thought? This hour was really fun, and afterwards, we really felt that we were full of energy and not as drained as usual when we had to admonish the children. Until the evening, everything was as usual. Then we accepted Poonam Ma'am's invitation and went to a baby shower for her family. The food there was really delicious and it was quite nice. On the way back, we dropped Radhika off at her home, and then I started a new routine: reading Hindi for 5 minutes a day with Yashoda.👩🏽‍🍼

Thursday, February 26:

On that day, two hours were to be covered, each in a 2nd-grade class. Since Tina was supposed to take the 3rd hour and I the 4th, we divided ourselves into both classes. The first was really fun because the class was quiet and eager to learn. At the end, after all the German lessons, they became a bit restless, but we quickly solved that with a movement game. Afterwards, we came into the other 2nd-grade class, which was really hard to manage. Although we still taught some German, the children unfortunately did not listen that they should sit down and raise their hands quietly. Regarding the substitute teaching, it was a mixed day for us. Also, the subsequent chameleon hunt remained unsuccessful. By the way, we are currently at 30+ degrees, it must have been around 32°. After my cold, I finally managed to go back to the gym that day, and in the evening we all watched cricket together as India played and won by an incredible 256 runs against Zimbabwe, who played really well too.🚴🏻‍♀️

Friday, February 27:

At school, there were two substitutions which taught me that each class is different, and biases should always be questioned. My note told me that I was to substitute in a 1st and a 5th-grade class. Accordingly, I made an internal judgment based on my previous experience and assumed that the 1st grade would be more exhausting than the 5th. But I was wrong. The little ones were totally calm and quiet compared to most of the other first and second-grade classes I had taught so far. Moreover, the children were really attentive and participated great in learning German and playing 'Simon says'. This actually surprised me a lot because then I went into the 5th grade, and it was more hyper than I had expected. So, it went exactly the opposite of what I thought. On the other hand, you shouldn’t forget that this was their last lesson in 33 degrees (even though the fan was on), exams start on Monday, and this weekend was free for the children on Saturday and Sunday. To summarize briefly: We played Hangman and 'Guess the word from the emojis'. Afterwards, I went on a chameleon hunt but instead found this beautiful dragonfly posing for my photo. Due to bureaucratic matters, we got home relatively late after lunch, so we only had time for a powernap and a small cup of chai before being picked up by the teachers from Nava Raipur for an outing. The destination was 'Choker Dhani', which is a place in Raipur where you can experience the culture and activities of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is a state in the northwest of India, known for its deserts. Unfortunately, not all teachers could come because the first exam was the next day, but we had a lot of fun with those who were there. We watched traditional dances, rode a train, were allowed to ride a camel, had typical Rajasthani food served to us, and much more. One of my highlights was the 'Snakes and Ladders' game board, which was painted on the ground so that we could cross it as game pieces. Tina almost landed in the top three but had to end up last again thanks to the ladders. It was a wonderful evening, but afterwards, we were very tired.🐫

Saturday, February 28:

At 7 AM, the night was gone because this time we were heading back to Nava Raipur, where the exam period has just begun. Accordingly, we initially didn’t have much to do, other than attend the oral exams of the preschoolers. After that, Tina needed help in the nursery, and I in the first grades, which had to be merged due to the admissions of additional students. Children who have just completed an exam can be difficult to manage, and I find that understandable because in their place, I would also want to go home. So we got through the day and were really exhausted afterwards. However, I was able to mark a small success for myself, as I managed to relate to a child who usually displays difficult behavior, helping them show their true self by being less disruptive and trying harder. After lunch, we took a nap at home and then set off in the evening for a nearby resort. Admittedly, our enthusiasm was limited since we were really done and would rather enjoy a free Saturday evening, especially with the prospect of the next day when we were supposed to attend an engagement party of a family member of a teacher. At some point, we also need time for ourselves. In fact, we negotiated that we would go along in the evening but wanted to keep Sunday to ourselves. Generally, this sounds like a mandatory program, which it isn’t. We are not forced to do anything. After initial exhaustion, the evening outing turned out to be very cool indeed. A principal from another school had invited us, as he and his staff were celebrating the past school year there. Accordingly, his daughter was also present. So the three of us played 'Ludo' (which I would have won if we hadn’t had to interrupt for dinner) and then we could help ourselves at the buffet, and I tell you: I had already suspected it was a 5-star resort, but during the dinner, it became really clear to me. The selection was huge, and the plates were full. There were various cuisines and dishes and even a pasta bar where they prepared the noodles live and to your liking. I almost resisted because I had already eaten so many other delicacies, including a plate full of cakes and pastries (oops), but then my heart won against my mind and after a short walk, I nibbled a little portion of pasta. The chili didn’t bother me at all; the noodles were that delicious! On the way home, I was indeed very sleepy, and Tina, Radhika, and I laughed about everything, especially about my dream from the night before. While it was terrifying, I could hardly contain my laughter later because in the dream, I had become a victim of a notorious murderer, namely the so-called 'Cat Murderer of Oslo.' This person doesn’t kill cats but targets humans - disguised as a cat. What that has to do with Oslo? I have no idea, ask my subconscious. I would give much to be able to crawl into your minds now to see your imaginations of the cat murderer of Oslo. At home, we just fell into bed.🐈‍⬛

Sunday, March 1:

Sunday! Sleeping in was on the agenda, as well as a slow morning with an extensive shower, some fruits, and puzzle blocks. Tina also took care of a few to-dos from her list while I read. After lunch, we got ready to go, because at the mall where our gym is located (which is closed on Sundays), a cute little café recently opened. This is great because otherwise, there’s only Starbucks, and we don’t support that even when we have the greatest craving for coffee. Anyway, we went there, packed with a game and the crossword puzzle block, and we were not disappointed. The selection was huge and we each chose a piece of cake. Tina had an iced latte and I drank a raspberry matcha, which was really delicious. Due to the novelty, the staff asked us for a review, which they also recorded (probably for Instagram advertisement). They even gave us three homemade pralines to try, which was really kind. So we had a good time and brought some pralines home for everyone to taste. Back home, we read and worked on Duolingo, you know, the usual stuff. I also finished this contribution, and here is the update for this week. Oh, and India is currently playing to qualify for the semifinals, so the family is tense.🍰

➡️ How I can update next Sunday, I don’t know because we will be heading off for a week in Thailand, but you will see that and there will be another update at some point. I wish you a lovely March.☺️