February 26, 2013

I had the most horrible dream, or perhaps nightmare, last night in which I had accepted to be put to death, but once facing the stark shower-like enclosure with jets popping out of its wall to let out whatever poison would kill me, I had a change of heart and ran out of the place in a mad scramble to keep anyone from yanking back inside. I woke up in a terrifying cold sweat, but glad to be alive and kicking you could say.

I texted Damira to let her know I had changed my mind about meeting her at eleven to visit a seamstress who could shorten a couple of calf-length skirts I still have a around. We agreed to do it next week when I won’t have any more afternoon sessions at BGU.

Jennifer called to say she was going to be in Bishkek on Thursday and Friday for a retreat and wanted to have dinner with me alone. We settled on meeting at seven in the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel and then decide where to eat that evening.

After stopping at the ATM to withdraw another $200.00 so as to gather enough cash to pay my rent on Friday, I took the trolley to the university under leaden skies. This was the fifth day without sunshine and it began to remind me too much of winter days in Seattle.

The session on teaching collocations went rather well as the teachers had not been exposed to the games and matching activities I had brought in. The presentation worked out very well until I got to the song I wanted for them to listen to but for which we had no speakers available. Only fourteen teachers were present today and yet no one could tell me where the other seven or eight were at.

On my way home, I stopped at the little bakery, which had been opened every time I went by, but with my luck, it was closed today. I found another convenience store nearby and bought some bread there hoping that heating it in the non-stick skillet will to the trick of bringing it back to life.

I had dinner while watching highlights of the Fashion Week in New York realizing that most of the designers’ names they were quoting were completely unfamiliar to me. Mariamgul called to say that Forum members were invited to some celebration for a journalist who had been present at the winter break professional development sessions last January this Friday at noon. Since I happened to be free, I agreed to go with them.

One of the teachers at BGU also mentioned a conference taking place in mid-April for which she’d like me to present a workshop and I told her I’d love to do something about using humor in the classroom. She was delighted to hear it. In addition to that, the American Studies Association will hold its conference in May, and Elvira has asked me to present a paper there as well.