Saddam Hussein

The imminent hanging of Saddam isbringing back some memories.

He was all over the news when we landed in Saudi that day in 1991. My father knew something was not right. The streets were empty and there was an eerie feeling. The TV screen revealed the real news...Kuwait was invaded. I remember seeing Kuwaiti refugees piled up in trucks with no covers and plywood separating the truck into two. My first thought was that of thirst and hunger in the desert.

Weeks later I was in Pakistan staring into the back of van "Saddam Hussein: The Islamic hero"

Weeks later I was in USA staring into the TV "The evil Saddam Hussein".

For a long time I couldn't make up my mind about him.

The empty window sil

I didn't realize how painful it can be to look at an empty window sil where once there were momentos of memories.
You strip away the memories...there is a haunting emptiness.

Layi vee na gayee, teh nibhai ve na gayee
teri meri oo toot gayee soniyeh, jeeway tutya umber to taara

Can't sleep!

Its almost 3 am here and I can not sleep!

I want to sleep but it evades me. Actually its not like I'm tossing and turning in bed that keeps the sleep away...I'm mostly on my couch, surfing, thinking, surfing, thinking, yawning. I just can't get myself to move towards my bed. Its like, I'm tired, so tired, my legs are heavy...eyes battling to stay open...but I can't sleep.
Sleeplessness is like a high. A high that gives you energy at times to study for exams, to watch cricket matches live a world away, to call someone and give them a piece of your mind, or just think. Think. Its a high. Aur hum nashay meh hain...

Off to bed.

Letting go

So why is letting go sooooo hard?

Loving this new song by Himesh Reshammiya....Vaada Tainu
http://youtube.com/watch?v=r9oi-ZwPSjE&search=vaada%20tenu%20himesh%20reshammiya%20songs

Ram and Sita!

Ok, I'm not much of an Indian mythology bluff but I love reading it! Today we read a book on Divaali (the author's name escpaes me). Just beautiful :) I read it with all the pronounciations (Americans love Hindi names) and the dramatic highs and lows. The kids were glued! An "awe, thats so sweet" went through the room when Rama married Sita and horrific gasp could be heard when Ravana kidnapped Sita! The kids were furious. They really empathized with Rama and Lakshaman. Hanuman was much loved. In the end, the poetic language of the books really delighted everyone. They finally understood what Divaali stood for. Tomorrow we're reading about Eid, then Hannukkah and Christmas on the last day before Christmas holiday.

The best response came from my little Cleaver "Hey, I noticed something. In all the holidays, like christmas, everyone has family and love!" I just added "All you need is family, friends, love, and lots of food for any holiday" Makes me wonder what these kids would say about all the religious and cultural strife in the world around them. Ignorance is bliss.

Now, if my mouth would just turn normal...got 5 fillings done in an hour...totally numb...

stifled

Day in and day out, all I hear from my school administartion is "Get the test scores up at any cost!" I sit in endless, meaningless meetings all geared towards testing 3rd graders. Since Bush came into power and created "No Child Left Behind"law, every child will be left behind. I wish I could teach my kids about the world they live in, the countries, the diversity, the intriguing history...instead I teach them for hours on how to answer "Open Ended Questions"/essays. They know nothing outside of their small town. Thats classic of every American public school now. They live in a bubble. No wonder Americans suck at geography and history. And no wonder they don't know their country's own foreign policies...they just dont know and teachers are not allowed to teach it. Bush has successfully led another generation into deeper darkness. Frustrating.
On a lighter note, I'm going to desi wedding next weekend! Yay...time to take out the saari again!

Well, a little more about me :) Currently stuck in a teaching job in the middle of no where. Actually it is the middle of somewhere, a typical poor city with loads of Hispanics. Don't know anyone here and sometimes the boredom of a single life can be a real killer! Most of my days are spent slaving away at work with "precious" 21 little third graders. Each with his or her own personality and needs.

I am mom/dad, therapist, nurse, entertainer, mediator, counselor, judge, jury and refferree. I teach. I am a secretary, phone operator, coordinator, rescuer, hair dresser, artist, and author. I teach. I am the one you call when your shoe lace is tangled, when your baby brother/sister/cat/dog/hamster chewed up your homework; I am the one you call when someone's head is stuck between a railing or when they are simply stuck underneath a desk. I am the bomb-squad detector and terrorist screener. I am a teacher. I sanitize your hands, find missing gloves, and tell Wohl to leave you alone for the umpteenth time. I am the spell checker, the help icon, and detective of missing lunch money. I am a teacher. I am the manager of messy desks and the lawyer drawing up contracts (I, Wohl, promise to keep my desk clean in exchange for chocolate!). I am the shop keeper who sells coupons "No Homework", "Teacher's Assistant", "Help the Librarain" simply so you will behave! I am the one who wipes tears, shakes dirty hands, tapes ripped paper, finds missing erasers, and tells you "What an awesome job!" even when you wrote two miserable lines all day. I am a teacher :)