Goodbye, Miss Christ

I taught my students a very important lesson this week. One that I should have taught months ago. I wrote it out on the board:

I am 'Miss Christine.' When you use my nickname, you take off the 'tine' and I am 'Chris.' When you write to me:

(Miss) Christ = Yesus

This is pronounced Cry-st. Not Chris.

(Miss) Chris = Me

My classroom burst into laughter.

My classes are starting to wind down. I have two days left to teach, and it's devastatingly sad. My students have been writing letters and singing songs while my teachers keep buying lunch and planning one last outing together. Immodestly, here are a few snippets of student goodbyes from about 1/4 of my classes thus far. Students had the opportunity to write anything they wanted about our past 9 months together. My class X's are RSBI, so they have the best English in the school:

Some excerpts from letters- Class X5

"I like your I-pod and your sound player. I like when you are dancing."

"I like your style when you are teaching us, even though sometimes we don't understand what you say, but you are the best teacher we ever met."

"Even though you teach us with games, we still understand about English, more than any other teacher teach us with a very serious lesson. You gave me more experience in my life. P.S. I love your skirts."

"I envy Ms Chris's nose because her nose is very pointed. I like her nose."

"I think I want you teaching English class in my school for a long time because I interested to study English when you came here. When Junior High School, I'm not interested to study that. I'm relaxed when you teach my class."

"I like the way you teaching. You very funny. She always told something about what was happening to her."

"You inspire me to become a teacher, so, thanks for it."

From Class X3

"I like your eye color because I never see anyone that has blue color."

"Hello Miss Chris, it's me ____ (a little boy with curly hair). Of course you know me because we have the same thing. We cannot say 'R' well and I wouldn't forget that because you have the same thing with me."

"I like your job very much because you are a foreigner who want to teach Indonesian students."

"Well I love to see with your skirts. (yeah, you never wear any trousers, even I met you in angkot, you always wear skirts) they are so compatible for you, and I love it. You are good in volleyball too."

"You are so pretty with you skirt the girl in here are envious with your skirt because it's good skirt."

"I hope you come to Depok again. (Maybe you can bring your boyfriend)."

"You are very funny and cute when you speak the Indonesian language."

"You have cool eyes. I hope I can get one of those. I really want to go to New York and see Times Square, Empire State Building, and of course, Statue of Liberty...And sometimes you save us from Bu ____."

"I love you Miss Chris."

"I really like and enjoy when you teach English lessons in my class. You always show your smile and it is make me and my classmate feel happy. When you join in my class you always tell anything you like. Stories about America, place in Indonesia, and anything."

Class X2:

"One critic for you, Miss! I think you talk English so slowly! I know you do that so all of Indonesian can understand what you speaking but my debate coach suggests me to talk with bule who talks English fastly. And he also suggests me to listen to rap music. Maybe I will get a bule who talk quickly next year."

"I like Miss Chris because she makes we save from (you know who) marah-marah. When you came, all of the students say 'Thanks God'...I know you don't like to say goodbye but now is the time to take apple from the tree. Right."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I can't speak English well. So, I choose silent and just look at you. Hehe."

"You're a hero for me."

"Thank you for sharing to us and your patient for teaching us. I really like when you say 'ciyeeee.'"

"When I first met Miss Chris you looked so a beautiful teacher and you were so funny when you said 'selamat pagi' for students of SMAN 2 Depok. Because I wasn't close to you. So I want to know you very much. Do you remember? I ever been to Dufan with you, Miss Alison...I weared green t-shirt and brown short pant. I am big girl."

"I want to go clubbing but a healthy clubbing. Just dance and fun. No alcohol. because I like RnB music."

"Ohhh, if you want rambutan you can come to my house because I have a rambutan tree."

"Don't forget to invite me on your wedding party!"

"You are friendly, confident, and make me laugh. You refresh my brain. And I have new spirit since you come to Indonesia because you so funny...You must try rujak buah because the sambal is very hot and you can really like that food."

"I really like your POINTED NOSE. I really like your BULE EYES."

"I remember first meet you at Smada you speak selamat pagi yeah is a respect for my country...I remember first time meet you in class x2 you appear very hot because ac before on you bring a glass of water because you very thirsty."

"If they are all like your nose, but I love your ears and all those earrings."

"You look like a barbie doll."

"You are a protector for me and my friends from Bu ____. Stttt. Don't tell Bu _______."

"Miss Christ is a brave woman and it automatically make me brave too. I like the day we were going to hang out together to Grand Indonesia and Dufan. She loves frozen yogurt so much and its makes me loving frozen yogurt too...Tell your friends that Indonesia is a cool country."

"Miss Christine Siahaan. Haha"

Class X1

"I remember when Bu ___ was angry to our class. You always make us laugh together. I don't know what happened without you."

"You very kind and friendly so we interact fast with you."

"You make me not confuse."

"On Oct. 30th you and several students cass x1 went to Margo for dinner."

"She said that in America cheating is the worst attitude."

"In memories with Miss Chris, when we have dinner in Margo and listening a music jazz, took a picture."

"Yesterday Miss Chris come to my class and said 'tomorrow will be the last class we study' and I felt so shock. My heart was hurt. And I can't say anything. Miss Chris, I am sorry if I ever made you angry when you teach me. And I want to say I love you."

"I like your laptop."

"Your skin is so white I feel jealous."

"Can you stay here awhile longer?"

"One day, in Wednesday, a women very beautiful came. She's a american. She's tall, beautiful, white skin, brown hair and gray eyes. Her name is Miss Christine Frascarelli. She's my English teacher."

"I feel disappointed when you accuse me cheating when in the test. The fact is I didn't cheat but my friend ask for answer on my test. I forgive it."

"I remember when you told us about scorpion or Brian in your stomach. You always told us about everything that happen on you. You always told us about your journey in Indonesia...You make us happy until right now."

"And when the first time we incited you to have dinner together. You come there, in Margo City. We ear together and I still remember you order bakso. But not spicy, because you don't like it...And not long after that day, I know my grandpa is die. And I dont know how do you know about about the worse moment. Thanks alot of you was gave me support."

"You are the best teacher we ever had."

"I like your style. I am never bored."

"You are different than all of our other teachers. We are never bored, have fun, and we learned a lot."

IPS3

All year, I taught Class XI IPS 3 and thought that maybe they learned nothing from me. Almost all of them don't speak a lot of English (maybe 50 words), and they don't pay attention. None of the other teachers really teach their class. I always see students hanging around outside the class or at the canteen. When I come to class, they are asleep at their desks, on their cell phones, or listening to music. I always have to get them back on track, and usually they get mad at me for raising my voice, shutting their computers, tapping on their desks, and stopping my lesson until they be quiet. Lets face it, they have a reputation for being the worst class in the school both academically and socially. But sometimes, I love them. They give me a few chances and good moments, and when I manage to teach them, it's the best feeling. They can be fun and surprising. Here's from class IPS 3:

"One word that stuck in my head from you, that is "SUCK. Haha."

"My favorite English class when I saw my friends ran on the yard. When we searched some words from 'Happy Valentine's Day sentence. When we act drama. When we played that last game with clapped our hand and we said the number, jobs, and the name of fruits of vegetables."

"I liked when we playing Wizard, Zombie and more. when miss chris said my class is the funnier class. when you teach us about american slang. when first time you came at my class"

"I love when we play drama in our class. And if a group cannot show it. they must run along 5 minutes."

"The most unforgettable class is when we have to act out our drama and we suppost to be ready..but we not ready yet...so we have to run. I like your voice when you teach to us. I remember when you scared with scorpio in your house. we so sorry for your stomach, cause you drink some ice. thank you for your caring to us."

"it make me work hard to understand your spoken English."

"I like you care with my class and always question to us 'how about your holiday last week? you care person."

"sleep"

"I'm so amazing I find more than 100 words only from sentence 'happy valentine's day.' I will never forget it."

"sing a song."

"play game"

If nothing else, at least they recall some of the activities we did and had the opportunity to speak English. At least most of them lifted their heads off of their desk for 45 minutes each week : )

I never really knew how much I impacted my students. I didn't realize how closely they paid attention. They remember everything--events and lessons that happened my first month as a teacher. In fact, they remember the first day they met me.

Most of my students ended their letters with:

never forget us, come back and visit, and keep in touch.

I will.