Teaching: It's what we do!

Teaching

We get up in the morning, put our Kevlar (Helmet) and IBA (Body Armor on) and go …….. …………. …. … ….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..v….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … Censored..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … …..….. ……… ….. …. … … .. … ….. When we get to work we have a classroom and a large warehouse to use as a shop.

Our Students are Iraqi police, military or SWAT. We are teaching a class on hydraulics right now because they had no one else who could teach it (nice to be valuable like that). Yesterday “My roommate” (NO NAMES) got moved to NTV to give them a hand. We were originally planning for 28 students and only got 18. We have a small classroom with a projector screen.

One thing that is hard are most of my students have more experience than I do, most of them doing it the wrong way but whatever. They like to act stupid to see how much you know and how full of shit you really are. They have never learned anything mechanical in a classroom so it is difficult for them to see a diagram of what they are working on, and then trying to learn from it. Most of them don’t want to see it on a projector and would rather go work out in the shop, because that is how they learn. I totally understand how they feel.

Some Funny quotes

So far it has been a lot of fun. They like to joke around and have a good time while learning. You CAN NOT talk to them about WOMAN, SEX, ALCOHOL and or PORN. They will test you so you need to keep on your toes, don’t be afraid to not answer!

“Mr. P***** here the woman don’t have sex till they get married, is it that way in America”

*They know that we don’t so you must be careful

“All the good girls wait until marriage”

*All of the women in Iraq have sex in hole #2 so that they will be virgins when they get married.

(To my Roommate)

“Mr. Blank why do you carry a pocket knife”

We are all thinking the same thing, for protection….duh

“Um…. To cut stuff at work when I am working on stuff”

Nice Save

“You must change the oil filters….”

“Mr. Blank can we just soak them in gasoline and them blow them out with air?”

“Um…. NO”

The bad thing is they will be standing over a bucket of gas while cleaning a filter and smoking a dam Cigarette.

Electricity

They run a generator while we are at work so we have power, some days they cut it off early (I think because they want to go home). We have two A/C units in our class room ….. But they don’t work …. Yet. Myself and the other mechanically inclined crew could fix a lot of the things that don’t work quickly, BUT we are not allowed to touch any of their hotwired electrical outlets. Insurance reason… I understand.

Security

Lets just say I am not worried about it. Very Confident!

And there is stuff I just can’t talk about on here.

I know I need to write more, I am working on it. I have to be cool about what I can and cannot say. I am guessing the brig is worse then the drunk tank.

Stay awesome and American (thanks Danielle)

Peyton