Endless summer

So another week has gone by and I'm starting to get into a rhythm with my classes. I find myself being less nervous and have a good time with all of my classes. The kids are grouped by their ability level so I have a really easy time with my 10A class and a really hard time with my 10d class. School here is so different from America some kids come just for free lunch or to hang out with their friends. So it is really hard to motivate and teach my 10d class who have no ambition to go to college or even pass the 10th grade. Anyway I get frustrated from time to time but try to keep my cool and be as patient as possible. The other weird thing is no other teachers or administrators check up on me. I could play games with my kids all day and no one would know. The principle is hardly ever at school and the other teachers play games on the computer in the office. So I have a lot of freedom but I have developed my own curriculum that teaches toward the COMET (college of micronesia entrance test). One day I was talking to one of my louder students who likes to joke around, and I told him in America we  would call him a class clown. He looked at me with the most serious face and said "Teacher I am not a clown, I am a person." I laughed hysterically. School is good overall and the kids make me laugh a lot. Living in Madolenihmw is quite a challenge however besides for my roommate Lucas their are no other Americans or non-islanders for that matter. Its hard to break out and meet people in the community because the tend to be a little shy. I have no television or internet and I read a lot. I play basketball with the kids usually and even brought a football up to the fields to play but that didn't go over too well. Explaining the rules to them was no easy task. So I get lonely from time to time and think about how different my life was a year ago at this time when I lived in a house with my friends and was constantly surrounded by people my age. Its okay though because I'm learning a lot too and the only constant in life is change. Last weekend I went to the surf day for kids at Nahlap island and got to hang out there all day and do a little surfing. The water was so shallow on the reef and I cut up my feet and hands. The guy who owns the surf club brought his jet ski and I got to go tubing off the back with another volunteer. Thursday is a holiday here and we have the day off so it'll be nice to have a short week. Anyone with book recommendations I would love to hear them.