Packed

I am just about all packed for the trip back to Budapest.  I know hubby really doesn't want to check baggage - it is truly a pain in the *ss waiting for the bags to be unloaded from the plane in Newark - but I want to buy gifts for myself and family, so I will defy him!  I decided to use one of Grandma Berry's suitcases.  It is smaller, lighter, and still on wheels.  That also gives a part of her a chance to get back to Hungary, where her parents were born.

I rolled 10 rolls of film - HP5, 24 shots each- and packed a bunch of 120 film, including two rolls of colour!.  I am bringing three cameras - Holga 120, La Sardinia for the 35mm,  and the T1i.  I that's it.  I have brought more on other trips, but trying to travel camera light.  Bringing a couple of small sketch books too.  I love to take notes when I travel and have been thinking of having this be the subject of my zine when I take the workshop at TCNJ in May.

I have continued to practice the Hungarian, but Hubby and Millie do not know how to answer me back.  No idea why....

Sziasztok!

Independence

There are lots of things changing in education in NJ and the country.  Some - hell, many - teachers are considering leaving the profession.  I believe much of the legislation and change is designed to push the best ones out, leaving the field with the naive, easily duped ones.  Those will be the ones most likely to take low pay, very long hours, poor curriculum, and no interest in the well-being of their students.

I think about quitting on a regular basis.  It is never due to the happenings in the classroom.  It is always a result of some other terrible thing tossed our way.  But like a stubborn little woman, I keep on plugging away.

One of the independent presses I buy books from has a book coming out on the young set.  It's supposed to be about empowerment in this era of uncertainty.  I know I will buy it.  But the dilemma is whether I buy it for myself, or to put it in the classroom.  I have so many students who cannot make decisions for themselves.  Oh sure, they decide to drink like crazy or smoke or do other drugs.  Very adult of them of course.  But when it comes to a decision regarding a project, their future desires, or even what to get for lunch (love lunch duty), they cannot make a decision.  I have students who freak out with every new assignment.  If they have not been told exactly what to do, they panic or sit there stumped.  And that is not to make fun of them.  It just troubles me.  Have the parents/guardians caused this lack of independence by coddling their charges?  If there is ever something negative in their lives, mommy or daddy call the school and harangue those responsible.  Or are those non-educators responsible for education legislation to blame?  Who cares about independent thought when all that matters is filling in the right bubble on the standardized test.

So I will keep trying to make my students independent thinkers.  I will not put answers in their mouths.  Because that is not synonymous with teaching.

Szia!

So the problem with studying a language when no one you know speaks it is that when you try to use it, you get "I'm going to be using English the whole time we are there."  That's what hubby keeps saying to me.  Duh.  I am just practicing.

I think I will do better talking to Millie in Hungarian.

"Mrs. Vasa, why don't you have kids?"

"Because I have Millie and Mr. Vasa.  That's two kids right there."