It’s been…fun

Tomorrow I say goodbye to this:

The classroom that I spent hours setting up, decorating, and reorganizing…and move upstairs to the third floor.

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks! Let me break it down into a few simple statements scintillating saga.

The day before our week-long Eid vacation began, I stayed a little longer at school to help rearrange a few student schedules. I was summoned to my new principal’s office in which she informed me that they considered moving my classroom.

And I said no.

Not only did I say “no”, but I might have actually said “NO!”

Or heck, it’s possible that I said….

“OVER MY DEAD BODY IF YOU CONSIDER MOVING ME I WILL QUIT AND SPREAD NASTY RUMOURS AND YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD NEVER STEPPED FOOT AT THIS SCHOOL OR EVEN IN THE COUNTRY OF KUWAIT!”

…or maybe that’s just what I thought in my head. Or not. The details are a little blurry. I can’t say that I was feeling overly Christian at the moment (though I was pleading with God at that moment to give me wisdom and words…but the wrong words came).

It was Ramadan. I hadn’t eaten for most of the day. I was exhausted from teaching my hyper, loud students. And I had just spent over a week setting up my classroom. The same classroom that I had spent 2 weeks in June putting away.

So after I left them, I went up to the guidance counsellor’s room where my friend was still organizing student schedules. She took one look at me and said, “oh dear…” and gave me a hug.

I burst into tears.

In front of a student and her mother.

And left the room.

It wouldn’t have been a problem, except that my principal requested to see me again.

Red eyes do not make for a good impression.

We discussed it and came to the conclusion that the 3rd floor Physics room would be plenty big enough for the art materials and desks and the plethora of students that are currently enrolled in my classes.

But nothing was set in stone, I wasn’t to be too worried. Except…I know how this school works.

The next day I was called back to my principal’s office where she claimed that I had acted like a 9-year-old and had a temper tantrum. In those words.

When I saw my Art Department Head, she inquired about the situation, as she had heard from someone else. So I told her what happened. She went and talked to my principal. The principal came and yelled at me for telling someone who did not need to know. I was confused. She is my Department Head. You think she would like to know what was happening to her teachers. It was a shock.

This was two weeks ago.

Yesterday, I was made to sign a written form regarding my actions at the school, causing discord among the staff, as I had said offensive and dishonouring things. (I really didn’t say the things in all-caps that I wrote previously, but maybe they can read minds).

Again, I was shocked. I signed the paper. I didn’t know what else to do. I had never previously been in serious trouble with school administration and this was all new to me.

Last night I woke up at 2am. I couldn’t sleep. At Bible Study on Monday night, my friend Katie had told me that I needed to look at Romans 13 (among others, although she never told me the others). So last night, at 2am, I looked up Romans 13. And then I looked up verses on forgiveness. I read the end of Matthew 5. I looked up verses on injustice. It turns out, Jesus wants us to forgive, turn the other cheek when slapped, carry a man’s bag 2 miles if we are forced to carry it 1 mile, and give when asked.

Convicted, much?

Jesus was treated unjustly, and said that we would also be treated this way by the world. Because He went through it, we would have to endure it as well.

(But at least I don’t need to be crucified. Hallelujah!!)

Today I met with our superintendant. I honestly apologized for my actions, I asked for forgiveness, and for a clean slate.

She honoured my request. And then we had a great conversation regarding our visions for the school. It was good to dream for a while. Maybe we really will get LCD-projectors for every classroom? We can dream.

So I’ve been given a second chance. A new day.

Now…to stay below the radar for the rest of the year!!