There is nothing quite like a friendly game to bring out a different side in people. This is a phenomena I noticed a lot in my students when I was teaching full time. The people you least expect can often be the most competitive.
One of the few items not deemed necessary that I brought with me here are a couple of card games, namely UNO and Skip-bo. They were small and easy to cram in a corner of my luggage. I figured they could come in handy every now and again, and besides Skip-bo is my favorite card game. I'm not sure why. I think it is because it is one of the few I can actually win at. Which is nice, since most of the time I lose at whatever game I'm playing, so this one gives me a sporting chance.
Now that all of our assignments are in, exams are finished and we have a small breather before we hit the heavies again.... actually I have started on the heavies because I figured a head start is probably wise, so I am not panicking at the end.... we all have more leisure (the "e" is pronounced as in the word bed...) time. I decided now would be a good time to introduce my flatmates (some of them anyway) to my favorite game. My one flatmate's 16 year old son is on term break and "doing revisions".... Let me digress.....
Here in the UK when you go back over previous information is isn't a review, it is a revision. So everyone was talking about having revisions, and saying good luck with revisions if you have them. I'm thinking revisions of what? essays? no.... what they mean is that they are studying for tests. Either Uni students end of term exams or for secondary students they are doing revisions for the GCE or GCSE. These are the exams that will determine what high school they will attend or A levels (last two years of high school in US is equivalent to A levels or college here)
So, my flatmate's son has been here all week (normally he is in a boarding school) doing revisions. So my two partners in crime, myself and him were all in the kitchen finishing up tea (dinner) and doing the washing up (washing dishes). I decided to grab my cards from my room and teach them how to play. Three nights this week we have now played this game. Hector kept trying to block people's ability to play, and hence never managed to win a game. Yolanda would forget to play her top card, or to turn the next one over. She was determined that it was feng shui for the place she was sitting at the table, especially since at one point I think she had every 12 in the deck in her hand, her discard piles and as the top card on her deck..and she would work up to play the 12 and then play the one in her hand or her discard and not the one on her deck (she did that at least 3 times). Meanwhile, Samar just quietly and deliberately played her cards. When she could block someone's move, she would very slowly while staring at them place the cards down with a look of defiance in her eyes. The same look you get when someone is outright disobeying you and daring you to do something about it. Me, I just went about what I do best, playing multiple cards in a turn and drawing 5 more cards once or twice in the same turn, which usually caused Hector great distress, or not being able to do anything at all. You would have thought it was a high stakes poker game to watch them.
It did however cause much laughter and release of pent up stress from the last 8 months, which was a needed relief and my hope of outcome for teaching them to play. Hector would ask are we playing cards tonight? Just a couple of games and then I will go back and work on my revisions.... and oh, the other unwritten rule is you must eat ice cream while playing, or the left over biscuits (cookies) and muffins from my focus group. (Well I have to have someone help me eat them).... or both.
A few days with no stress and fun with friends should have been what the Dr ordered. It has done wonders for my mental state and physical health.. that and walking a lot again.
So if you ever want to see the other side of people, play a game with them. It can be an enlightening experience, and hopefully a ton of fun too. It doesn't have to be complex and full of exotic strategies, Skip-bo actually works quite nicely.
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