Current Listening: Crazy in Alabama by Mark Childress
Current Reading: Julie by Jean Craighead George
Recipe of the Day: Recipes from The Dinner Doctor by Anne Byrn

Today has been pretty busy. I got up at 7:30 to get dressed, and went to meet our students and the other chaperones at Cross Keys High School for the Latin American Assn. Youth Conference. There was a pretty good turnout! I have to say that I didn't know all of our participating students, as many of them were not in my ESOL class. Some of my students were there, as well as former students.

Just as I got there, clutching my Krystal Sunriser, our kids were getting the spiel from one of the 7-8 armed police officers in evidence. They were told that there would be no gang nonsense, despite the fact that he saw kids showing their colors. Lovely!

After we signed in, our students joined the line for breakfast, receiving a free t-shirt and backpack with other goodies, including a calculator, inside. I was impressed, and I think most of them were, too, although some of the boys complained about having to carry them. Ungrateful slugs!

After breakfast, there was an assembly in the gym. While waiting for it to kick off, there was salsa music playing, and some of the kids started to dance. I even danced with one of my girls, while I showed her how easy it was. Before we began, all of the students were asked to move to one side of the gym. This caused some balking, I assume because some gang guys were "afraid" to sit next to someone who might start something. Great.

AFter the assembly, students went to the breakout sessions to which they were assigned. I went to a session that was supposed to be for teachers about cultural diversity, but it ended up being some old guy with a non-functioning Power Point presentation, blathering on about getting immigrant kids into college. I was trapped, but I got a free calculator!

Lunch was free, and it was Blimpie sandwiches, chips, and Diet Coke (for me!). I sat with my colleagues, and we talked about school. It was nice.

After lunch, I stuck around in the cafeteria to listen to a Gwinnett County police officer give a presentation about gangs. There was a big turnout, and, while some kids talked through the presentation, many listened. The officer had actual videos of gang violence, beating in, and photos of actual victims of gun violence and beatings. Pretty gruesome. He needs to come to our school!

I asked to leave early, came home, and read a bit of my memorabilia before starting my NOVEL. Yep, National Novel Writing Month has begun. To read my entry, click on the icon above or go to A Year in Angers. I may be neglecting this blog for a while - or, in a procrastinating effort against my novel, I may post even more!!!! Mwah hah hah hah!

I was very close to just chunking my whole idea - to write about my year in France, living in Angers - and write a complete work of fiction. Say, a novel about Latino gangs.... but I have stopped myself. Even though I doubt seriously that anyone will be interested in this project by myself, I am doing it for me, so I don't care...