Day 21: Tests Reveal How Patient We Are

April 23rd, 2011

Days Left to Journey: 36

Training Kilometers Cycled: 635 km

Amount Raised: $10 USD

SBI aka Genius.

Before arriving at my teaching site I learned that there's a class called SBI and they're the "genius" students. I began to have a number of convoluted images of them: students connected to a school mainframe via fiber optic tubes, children with Coke bottle glasses, or maybe a class room where the students teach the teachers. I really didn't know what to make of it. After teaching them for an entire year, they're just cool nerdy kids with stellar English. They tell me that they feel out of place sometimes; expected to constantly study, enter competitions, and win gold medals for the school, yet in an environment where playing with their friends is the main way to keep sane at the boarding school. I've got a soft spot for them.

Testing the Genii Internationalus.

The purpose of their class, essentially, is to take and pass the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) Exam. This exam is like an international General Education degree. Today was the English speaking portion of their test - their topics ranged from stress to giving speeches.

Here they are waiting to test. For about 20 students the IGCSE organization thought that a single examiner was a great idea. We were there for nearly 7 hours. I must say though, that the examiner has stamina. I was complaining after helping the students review for 2 hours the day before. I've got my fingers crossed for their results, especially those that have worked their butts off.

Bus2Bike.

Right after I rushed off to the Bike2Work office to just hang out: friendly people, great wi-fi, and free food. If I was in college, I think I'd fail my classes just to go there. I got to see some of the Srikandi, meet some of the Bike2Campus (under the parent Bike2Work organization), and just chill.