29 January 2007

Running Away

We're a weird mob - us ESL teachers. We are none of us boring. We all have different reasons for doing what we do, we all have stories to tell.

We are of different nationalities, from different backgrounds, and have different beliefs ... and yet we work together, and some of us even live together. We get on together, one way or another.

So when young Sarah joined our particular crew at the beginning of this month, we were mostly a little startled. "She's too normal," was a comment I heard repeatedly.

The whole teaching situation here was new to Sarah, and she asked lots of questions, and everyone pitched in and answered as best they could, and everybody seemed happy enough.

On Sunday morning we wondered why Sarah wasn't teaching her class - its our busiest time and no one can help or cover for anyone else. Her flatmate said when she had left home that morning Sarah hadn't been there, but she had been there the night before.

And that was the end of Sarah. When they checked her room they found her stuff was gone. And on a computer they found where she had booked some tickets.

Yeah, we get some ESLers who "do a runner" from time to time.

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