Small Victories

August 20th marks one month in Brazil and two weeks of middle school under my belt.  This is, in actuality, an enormous victory...but that isn't what this post is about.  Huge victories don't just happen; they are composed of many smaller ones.  Let's celebrate...a little:

• A seventh grader informed me that he told his grandmother that "my science teacher is punk."  (Why this conversation was going down with his old bitty and not some other relative was moot.)  That's all it takes these days: a wrist tattoo and an out of control faux-hawked do.   I'll take it.

• I gave my sixth graders serrated knives on the their first lab activity.  Hashtag: callmecrazy Hashtag: raisingthebar Hashtag: everyoneleftwithtenfingers

• The Korean kids at my school often speak to each other in their native tongue.  Which is why every time I hear them say "hello," I involuntarily laugh a little and half expect this guy (pictured) to show up. (If you have never seen "Arrested Development," never mind.  Also, go watch it.)  It seriously never gets old.

• My sixth grade math-teaching colleague informed me that some of the boys were attempting to spike their hair in class, asking each other, "Do I look like Mr. Stetson?"  Also, thats what they call me.  (Between us, I need a haircut badly; its getting a little out of control up there.  Glad someone's impressed!)

• On the Portuguese-language front, the proper nouns, prepositions, and pronunciations make me bang my head on the table but at least I'm killing the verb conjugations (present and past tenses)!

• Bought wall paint for my apartment, joined a gym, and replaced my watch battery all without using any English!  Full disclosure: there was no Portuguese used either; thank you, español!

And this is why they're called "small victories."