Yesterday my fast track students took that scholarship test. All two of them. This was brand new information for me two days ago. I was working on the computer in the office when Lek walked in to get some water. I asked her, "Are you nervous about tomorrow's test?" and she said, "Tomorrow I don't take a test." And I paused for a few seconds, thinking she just maybe forgot. "The Teseban test, the test you've been studying for every night?" And she paused for a few seconds, taking a sip of water, "Ohhhh, nonono, I no-I don't take Teseban test, only R.A and Khuan." I really didn't understand, and I looked out the window to see a member of the directing team on her motorbike about to leave the center. Before she could take off, I got her attention and asked her what was going on. And apparently, Lek was right. Only two of my students are even elligible to take that test because none of the other students are the right age for the program; they're too old.

There were a few things runnning through my head within the first hour that this was brought to my attention. Mainly, why didn't anyone tell me this a long time ago? For the last three weeks, especially this last week, I've been running this language class a little bit like a dictator. Three days ago, I made them take an 11 paged test that took an 80 minutes to complete, thinking this was a good exercise before the real deal, two days later. I'm relieved that the two students taking the test know what they're doing and have been on top of their work from the beginning.

At the same time, had I known it was going to be just those two, I would have changed how I ran that whole circus. I would have given those two more personal attention after every class and I wouldn't have subjected everyone else to my nazi-esque regime for the last week. From the very beginning, I know a few of those kids really had their hearts set on that scholarship and I hope they weren't dissapointed when they found out that they weren't elligible. Lek said to me, "It's ok because to study it's important." About six of these students want to keep studying English at night, scholarship or not. It's encouraging to know that they actually want to learn and that no one is making them do it. The night classes aren't ending, but now they're going to be a bit more lax. Now I'll be able to focus on more than just grammar: maybe even read a book with them.