When I was a Peace Corps volunteer here in Hanhongor I lived a charmed life in which I rarely taught by myself, never had to grade anyone, and never ever ever went to boring teachers’ meetings.

Well this time around I am a “jenkin” or “real” teacher.  As a recipient of a monthly salary of about $250 and a social security book, I am now expected to perform all the duties that the rest of the teachers do.  I write and give countless homework assignments, quizzes, and tests.  I offer extra classes for the good students, extra classes for the bad students, and extra classes for the students who will take the college entrance exams next June.  I have an official Ministry of Education teachers’ journal in which I 1. must write in blue ink, and 2. must never ever ever at the expense of death make a mistake in.  Also as the one and only fluent English teacher on the pay roster in the province I am expected to lead seminars for the other English teachers.  Good thing I kept all the materials Christy and I made as volunteers-a little white out turns a 2002 seminar handout into an instant 2011 seminar!