There have been some particularly memorable classes and experiences that I'm going to share:
- In one class a boy brought a keyring with two pigs on it which when moved, caused the pigs to partake in a sexual action which had the whole class in hysterics every time I turned my back and even more so when I confiscated it and couldn't help laughing myself.
- An entire class mocked the way I say 'scalf' and now say the word in the more ridiculous northern English accent ever and I really hope I don't actually sound like that.
- A few pupils have told me that my English is very good.
- I had one class where there was a pupil who I had never seen before and it turned out he wasn't even in the same year as the class I was teaching.
- While playing 20 questions I put a name of a teacher on the board and when the pupil asked ''is he a teacher?'' one replied ''yes, they're in a porno'' and after I laughed and he asked if I understood him, he went bright red and didn't say another word.
- When the students are talking I automatically say 'shush' and now when people are talking they all use it but say 'shosh' instead.
- It has taken the pupils months to realised that even though I told them I don't speak Spanish, I can understand them when they ask a question in Spanish. It was only last month someone asked how come I can understand them if I don't speak Spanish.
- Once they found out my name is spelt with two c's one class now call me 'Rebekaka.'
- As most of the boys play Call of Duty or GTA, they've picked up the phrase ''what the f*ck'' without knowing what it means so not only do they use it all the time, one 2nd year student asked his classmate ''do you know what f*ck is? and do you practice?'' and then proceeded to ask me - how on earth do you reply to that?
- There is also sometimes problems with their pronunciation and understanding of words which led one boy to declare he was going to wear a dress to a party that weekend, one boy said he likes to do 'drugs' instead of 'draws' (drawings) and then was confused with my horrified expression and one boy said his biggest weakness is that he is 'shite' instead of 'shy.'
Today one of the teachers at the school put on a concert as he is a great singer and in every class this week they'd done a gap fill of one of the English songs he was singing and today during the concert all the pupils were singing along to 'Sweet Caroline' and it's such a great feeling when the students make progress and when the classes have been successful. It's a great school and I've only ever been angry in one of the classes but when they asked if I was angry, they all apologised and asked if I was happier at the end of the class. I'm so thankful to have been placed in the school I am in and I can't believe I've only got two more months until it's over. My year abroad hasn't been the best socially but if I hadn't been placed in such a great school, I'd have left months ago.
