This week we had a ton of finals. Some went good, others not so much. It's been a crazy week of grading and making tests and I'm so glad it's over. I still have some work to do, but I have a while to do it.
Today is Friday and so we had a party day. Marshallese are notorious about being late everywhere. They are usually within 30 minutes of on time for school. Today most of them didn't show up until an hour after we were suppose to get started. We watched Spiderman and then someone brought in this giant boom box. I haven't seen one of those since the 90s. It was pretty sick. They turned on some cultural music and cranked the subwoofer up. It was pretty fun. I had to keep telling them to turn it down because I was afraid one of the higher administration would make us turn it off. Everyone was being chill and relaxed though since it was the last day.
We each drew someone's name the week before and everyone brought gifts for people. It was really exciting opening the gifts. Some people went all out for there friends and got shoes and shirts and stuff. The kid that drew my name got me a t-shirt that says Marshall Islands. It's really cool and I'll wear it here and in the states. The girl that I got a gift for is super new here and so I was looking forward to getting her something because I want her to feel welcome. Unfortunately she didn't show up. It all worked out though because one of the other girls in the class is really quiet and not good friends with a lot of people. She threw down and got a bunch of stuff for Meesun, another girl in the class. But I looked around and no one had gotten her anything. I don't know who drew her name. I felt really bad but I had the gift I had gotten for Maniana, so I gave it to her. Fortunately I hadn't put a name on it and I don't think she knew the difference. It was a beach towel with a huge eagle on it. A couple of the girls got me some cool stuff as well. One bought me a mug that says Majuro, Marshall Islands. The other one got me a cultural necklace with the hardwood things. It's very islandy.
After that we were leaving to go to chapel and I saw a big group of people. I found out they were watching Edward, one of my students who is bigger than most of the highschool kids, and this kid I'd seen floating around. Sancha was there too and she looked really upset and scared. Everyone was super serious. I started asking people what was going on and one of the girls told me that this guy was after Sancha and she didn't like him. I went up to Sancha and asked if she was ok and she nodded her head. I asked if he did anything and she shook her head. I could tell by the way people were acting that he kinda had though. Edward told me he had been drinking and pretty soon several people had confirmed that fact. I went and told the principal but the kid had disappeared. I was really angry because he had messed with one of my girls. Sancha is the probably the most conservative girl in the class and the last one I would suspect of leading a guy on in the wrong direction. Some of the girls in my class are flirty, but she seems more reserved.
We were hanging out after chapel and most everyone had gone home but my class. The girls were doing some Hoola dancing and messing around. I looked outside and saw the sketchy kid come back. I ran out and grabbed him and told him he was going to the principals office. He asked, "Why?" and I was like, "After all the crazy stuff you've pulled today do you really have to ask?" I grabbed his arm and got him started in the right direction. I told the principal that the kids said he had been drinking and that I thought he was inappropriate with one of my students. The principal pulled out his counselling stuff and started asking him a ton of questions. The guy admitted to having drank alcohol and come to school. He said he liked Sancha for a long time and he was just telling her he was interested. After 15 minutes of this back and forth I left and hung out with my students. One of the girls told me that he had hug her and she told him not too and she left and he ran after her. She said both her and Sancha were afraid of him. Sancha just said that he asked her out and he didn't do anything inappropriate. Some of these islanders are really shy about stuff and most wouldn't talk to me about stuff like that. They keep things secret, even really bad stuff that happens. I could see she was really upset and scared and so I think this kid definitely went over the line. Maybe she doesn't want to get him in trouble.
The principal talked to him and sent him home. He told him that there would be consequences after break. I'm really unhappy with the lack of severity toward being drunk at school and questionable actions with a girl. I was going to tell the kid to never go near her again and scare him as best I could. When I was there the principal seemed to treat the whole thing with way too much calm. I told the girls to tell me if he bothered her at all. Hopefully they will tell me if it happens.
That was an exciting ending to a very fulfilling semester. We'll be on break the next couple weeks and have tons of fun planned.
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