What is brown and sticky?

I was having a complete off week. Vacation definitely got me out of the swing of things and I have still not fully recovered. I was more forgetful (example: I thought it was Wednesday and completely missed one of my classes because turns out it’s Friday), I had zero control of my classes (that’s pretty standard though), and I apparently can’t teach (or do simple math, seven times six will never be 48). After missing science (oh darn) I stopped in the middle of my next class and cracked a joke, one of my Popsicle stick favorites. I do not expect my students to laugh. They never do. I tell the jokes to make myself laugh. Their English is nowhere near the level it would have to be for them to understand any of the jokes. As if my (stolen) jokes were not funny enough, part of what makes them even more funny is watching how blank my students look when I tell them. They stare at me laughing in utter confusion, again I recite the jokes for me. Then I pick up the lesson right where I left off and they are even more perplexed.

Today was different. One of my students laughed at my joke. I am confident she did not understand the joke. It did not matter, echoes of her laughter turned the whole day around. For the record, maybe I am not funny. I have only found very few Americans who appreciate those jokes the way I do.

While my students may not be in to Popsicle stick jokes the way I am, they dig analogies. They make them up all the time (or use ones I have never heard of) whenever an opportunity to presents itself. Earlier this week my class of 71 was completely silent for all of five seconds, long enough for one of my students to shout out, “madame, we are smoky monkeys!” I was at a loss for words. I started laughing because that is what I do when things do not make sense. The amount of bellyaching laughing I do here is one of the greatest benefits of living in Lesotho. He kept repeating himself, obviously frustrated with my unconcern. After way more than necessary explanation (which is usually protocol in these situations) it clicked, my students were confused. Reading this you are probably able to distinguish exactly what a smoky money is. Please understand my laughing started an uproar of 71 (average age 15 year olds) shouting explanations in accents that are extremely difficult to decipher.

I may not teach a lot. Actually I teach a lot. My students may not understand enough to learn
any concepts in eight-grade math. On the other hand we have a LOT of fun. My students are a riot and incredible for my ego.

Answer: A Stick