The Best Part of the Day

The bell rings at 4:50 and I make sure I am at my desk because that is when the girls come in to clean the office. When I started 3 months ago, there was just one, Jin, who would talk to me. Now it has grown to be about 7 who stand around and pretend to clean. We chat and laugh...usually a little too loud but nobody complains. One of the girls said "I look forward to this all day" and I have to admit it is the best part of my day, too.

One girl is remarkably shy which only means that I must torment her. Everyday I grab her arm and ask her questions. At first she would just keep her head down and laugh with her hand over her mouth. Now she looks at me and laughs with her hand over mouth. She even says a few words. Very sweet girl.

It is amazing how much the students English has improved. Jin was talking to me yesterday and she sounded so natural I could not believe it. The other girls speak...sometimes in complete sentences. I usually speak slowly, but one girl got fed up and said I need to speak faster. When I did speak at a normal speed, they could all understand me.

As it turns out, good fun can lead to a good education...everyone wins.