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January 30, 2007
A Day of Complete Frustration
There are times here when I go through absolute frustration--- whether it be for seconds, minutes, or even a day.
Yesterday was one such day. Its amazing how the school system works here. None of the students buy textbooks because they cant afford them... So, instead, you have to make photocopies of the textbooks in the library. ¨Where is the book?¨I ask the librarian. She tells me its not in the library. So I returned to Dra. Shrimpton who told me she gave the book to Will, who let Carla borrow it, or handed it over to Rosa, who left on the table, where Manuel picked it up. ¨Where is the book?¨I ask Manuel. He tells me he put it back on the shelf. So I look on the shelf to find that its missing again. And then I find myself back in Dra. Shrimptons office where she tells me that Manuel returned the book to her in person, but must´ve not realized.
It was only then, after an hour of searching who had the book, that I could begin looking for the second of 5 books to make photocopies.
And the process works like such: Once you find an actual book to copy in the library (where the collection is bleak, might I add), you can´t even copy it yourself. I mean, you can if you want to stand over the copy machine for hours and hours. But most students just generally hand their books over to the poor woman that works in the copy room, sweating over books every day for hours. And, depending on the tip you give her, she´ll copy your books quicker, faster, double sided, with holes--- it all depends. You just have to know how to work the system.
You just have to know how to play the game. I think yesterday I truly appreciated my American education. Most definitely.
But, despite all the drama, I had a nice long talk with Dra. Shrimpton, and we even broke out into English a bit. She´s a graduate of Cambridge University and a very very interesting person. And she speaks Spanish like a Yucatecan.
In other news, I just came back from a test with Marcela´s class. I have a lot of hw. to do and an essay to write for tomorrow.
Time to go.
Posted by jlsumich at January 30, 2007 07:32 PM