Manbags

There's been an explosion of men carrying Louis Vuitton handbags here. I don't know if they've all rushed out and bought one at the same time, or whether there is a certain date whereby all men have to dig out their bags from the 'spring' section of their wardrobe, or what, but they are EVERYWHERE.

I can't really think of anything else to say about this matter.


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Fridays are always an interesting teaching day. I have quite a few kids classes with great kids who are very bright, lively and good fun to teach and the time with them just whizzes by, normally with a lot of giggles thrown in.

My adult students cross the spectrum, on a Friday, from foundation, through elementary, pre-intermediate and intermediate. All of them are absolutely lovely and we have really cool classes. They work hard, are very serious about learning English, and like to play games and have fun. And, especially the lower two of them, I've really seen make progress.

And then there's my utter nightmare student.

The one that fucks up EVERY Friday for me. The only student on my schedule who I really don't like and really don't want to teach and cannot teach. The only one who totally stresses me out and makes me do a lot silent counting in my head. The only one on my schedule that I have NO connection with and never will. The only one who I cannot get rid of.

He's 12 years old and has 'learning difficulties' akin to Aspergers. And he repulses me (shoes get kicked off, sneezes and coughs come out with no hand in sight, he's often a bit grubby, he's sometimes only half dressed, he slouches half way down in his chair). I'm sorry, but he really does. He repulses and irritates me. He makes repetitive noises with pencils that really grind on my nerves and so so many other things. Something that SHOULD be a quick game can take a whole lesson.

After nearly one year of teaching him, I still feel no closer to him than on the first unfortunate day he landed on my schedule.

His father is a rich doctor, his mother is a doctors wife, he has a twin sister. After nearly one year that is ALL I know about the kid. I try to make the lessons fun for him, which is near impossible. He has special needs. I am not a special needs teacher. Nor do I wish to be. Nor do I wish him to remain on my schedule.

But the chances of me getting rid of him? He'll never leave. He'll never have to go to Juku (cram school) or some other club and need to change days....

Some teachers have said they've refused to teach certain students before. I just can't see that happening though. His sister (in a separate class) and he have been students for years here. They are 'good customers' and 'good customers' mustn't be pissed off. It's okay if the teacher is though, evidently, as I've made me feelings clear to my bosses on various occasions.

My ONE hope is that next week, when his parents come to observe me teaching him (next fortnight all parents who wish to can observe their kids classes) that they'll decide it's not working with me....

My fingers are crossed. For the sake of my sanity and stress levels!