Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Half Way Through the First Week
I am officially a teacher! I absolutely love my kids. Monday was really difficult just becuase it was the first time I had ever been in charge of a room full of kids, however, it seems to be going well so far. My 3rd graders are awesome and soon my second graders should be whipped into shape. We just have a little language barrier problem, but you know, we're getting through it. This is by far the hardest job I have ever had in my entire life, I kid you not. It makes recruiting students look like walk in the park. I am absolutely exhausted. I get up at 5am every morning. I am at school by 6:30. I leave school around 3 then go work out. After I work out, I go home and work on the plans for the next day, that are already written, but need a little work. I end up in bed around 11 and it starts all over again.
So by the time the kids leave at two I'm at my whits end. I absolutely do not yell, ever. I have decided I will not talk over them and I hated when my teachers would yell when I was little. However, since I have very little patience I am completely fried at the end of the day. So I have found a new love in working out. I absolutely love the rowwing machine. I think that is the best invention in the world. Then after I work out I treat myself to a big icecream cone. So everything works out great. All and all I think this is going to be a pretty good year and I have really high expectations for my children.
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I am officially a teacher! I absolutely love my kids. Monday was really difficult just becuase it was the first time I had ever been in charge of a room full of kids, however, it seems to be going well so far. My 3rd graders are awesome and soon my second graders should be whipped into shape. We just have a little language barrier problem, but you know, we're getting through it. This is by far the hardest job I have ever had in my entire life, I kid you not. It makes recruiting students look like walk in the park. I am absolutely exhausted. I get up at 5am every morning. I am at school by 6:30. I leave school around 3 then go work out. After I work out, I go home and work on the plans for the next day, that are already written, but need a little work. I end up in bed around 11 and it starts all over again.
So by the time the kids leave at two I'm at my whits end. I absolutely do not yell, ever. I have decided I will not talk over them and I hated when my teachers would yell when I was little. However, since I have very little patience I am completely fried at the end of the day. So I have found a new love in working out. I absolutely love the rowwing machine. I think that is the best invention in the world. Then after I work out I treat myself to a big icecream cone. So everything works out great. All and all I think this is going to be a pretty good year and I have really high expectations for my children.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Making Lesson Plans
So I have been working the last two days making lesson plans. I can say two things, 1. I now have MAD respect for teachers and 2. I'm exhausted. I have been having to get up at 5:30 in the morning and it is not cool. It sucks big time. However, I can say that I am having fun. I have made a great friend here named Sabine. She and I are exactly alike and can practically read each others mind. We really carry eachother through the tough moments which there have been many the last few weeks. I have never seen such disorganization in my entire life. For example, telling us to order school supplies for the quarter, but forgetting to tell the English teachers that you have to order supplies for all the children and oh yeah, you have no idea what you will need to be teaching, but order the supplies. But on a brighter note, I'm very excited because my friend Reinder from Holland is teaching there for the first quarter. He is one of my greatest friends here and so it is so great to have another person to lean on. Long story short, I love my coworkers, the administration is no different than any education system and THIS IS THE HARDEST WORK I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE!
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So I have been working the last two days making lesson plans. I can say two things, 1. I now have MAD respect for teachers and 2. I'm exhausted. I have been having to get up at 5:30 in the morning and it is not cool. It sucks big time. However, I can say that I am having fun. I have made a great friend here named Sabine. She and I are exactly alike and can practically read each others mind. We really carry eachother through the tough moments which there have been many the last few weeks. I have never seen such disorganization in my entire life. For example, telling us to order school supplies for the quarter, but forgetting to tell the English teachers that you have to order supplies for all the children and oh yeah, you have no idea what you will need to be teaching, but order the supplies. But on a brighter note, I'm very excited because my friend Reinder from Holland is teaching there for the first quarter. He is one of my greatest friends here and so it is so great to have another person to lean on. Long story short, I love my coworkers, the administration is no different than any education system and THIS IS THE HARDEST WORK I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE!
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Friday, January 09, 2004
I'm OKAY
I have gotten severel emails of concern for my safety in the last 24 hours. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am fine. Apparently from what I can gather from the bits and pieces of info I have gotten down here is that a group of Morman missionaries were traveling and one got killed when there ban was attacked. They were driving in a very remote area near the Mexican border. I will be honest with all of you in saying that there are parts of guatemala that you are almost garaunteed to be attacked. This is one of those areas, whichi is why I never ever go into the remote areas of guatemala, ever. Also, the area they were in is an area where a lot of the civil war had been faught. During that time the Guatemalan government told the people that the mormans were spies for the CIA. Due to lack of education, ilitaracy, etc this is still believed in some of the remote areas. Finally, people don't kill you for no reason. From what I have seen here is when you are being robbed if you try to be a "hero" or negotiate through it you end up getting shot. So my strategy is just to give up everything right off the bat. Anyway. I am not triviallizing this in anyway. It is very scary, however I just wanted to let everyone know that I am doing everything I can to make sure I am always safe.
On a different note, the Volcano Fuego was erupting last night. It was absolutely amazing. Iris and I got on the roof to look at it. I have never seen anything like that in my life. I have seen it erupt before, but never like that. It was shooting lava at least 200ft in the air and then it would fall all over the mountain and streams of lava were coming down. It was so beautiful. I tried to take a picture but of course it only comes out as a little red glow. It was so amazing the way the colors and light played on the clouds at sunset. I feel very lucky to have been able to see it.
Okay, that's about it for now. I am starting my spanish lessons again tomorrow after Iris and I run into the city to pick up a package. I am very excited because my friend Reinder from Holand is coming in on Sunday and will be teaching with me for two months. I'll talk to everyone soon.
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I have gotten severel emails of concern for my safety in the last 24 hours. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am fine. Apparently from what I can gather from the bits and pieces of info I have gotten down here is that a group of Morman missionaries were traveling and one got killed when there ban was attacked. They were driving in a very remote area near the Mexican border. I will be honest with all of you in saying that there are parts of guatemala that you are almost garaunteed to be attacked. This is one of those areas, whichi is why I never ever go into the remote areas of guatemala, ever. Also, the area they were in is an area where a lot of the civil war had been faught. During that time the Guatemalan government told the people that the mormans were spies for the CIA. Due to lack of education, ilitaracy, etc this is still believed in some of the remote areas. Finally, people don't kill you for no reason. From what I have seen here is when you are being robbed if you try to be a "hero" or negotiate through it you end up getting shot. So my strategy is just to give up everything right off the bat. Anyway. I am not triviallizing this in anyway. It is very scary, however I just wanted to let everyone know that I am doing everything I can to make sure I am always safe.
On a different note, the Volcano Fuego was erupting last night. It was absolutely amazing. Iris and I got on the roof to look at it. I have never seen anything like that in my life. I have seen it erupt before, but never like that. It was shooting lava at least 200ft in the air and then it would fall all over the mountain and streams of lava were coming down. It was so beautiful. I tried to take a picture but of course it only comes out as a little red glow. It was so amazing the way the colors and light played on the clouds at sunset. I feel very lucky to have been able to see it.
Okay, that's about it for now. I am starting my spanish lessons again tomorrow after Iris and I run into the city to pick up a package. I am very excited because my friend Reinder from Holand is coming in on Sunday and will be teaching with me for two months. I'll talk to everyone soon.
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Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Hump Day
Well I am half way through my first week here. There is not much to report. I have sat through a bunch of "Talleres" or workshops. Holy cow they are so boring. I almost fell asleep today. I'm hoping the teaching part is more entertaining which I imagine it will be. All the people that I am working with are awesome. The group of americans are really cool. I also have a spanish counterpart who is great. She is teaching the SS, spanish and part of the math. She is really cool and I think we are going to work great together. Other than that, there is not much going on...hopefully I will have more fun things to report this weekend.
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Well I am half way through my first week here. There is not much to report. I have sat through a bunch of "Talleres" or workshops. Holy cow they are so boring. I almost fell asleep today. I'm hoping the teaching part is more entertaining which I imagine it will be. All the people that I am working with are awesome. The group of americans are really cool. I also have a spanish counterpart who is great. She is teaching the SS, spanish and part of the math. She is really cool and I think we are going to work great together. Other than that, there is not much going on...hopefully I will have more fun things to report this weekend.
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Sunday, January 04, 2004
Never Flying Coach Again
I am back in Guatemala now and will be here for 10 more months. I am very excited about teaching second and third grade this year, it will definately be an experience. But on to my story. So a woman who I met down here was kind enough to get me a buddy pass to come back down here. I flew stand-by, but my ticket was for first class. Holy Cow. It was awesome.
So here are the benefits of flying first class
1. Glass of champagne before you take off
2. Comfy chair
3. Reading the latest issue of "The Economist" while sipping your glass of champagne
4. Awesome food
5. Having your wine glass refilled without asking for more (and it was in a real glass)
6. Eating with real silverwear
7. Getting off the plane first
I could go on forever. It really was a million times better than coach. Oh yeah and did I mention I went through the short line to check my luggage. I am telling you, that was the only way to fly.
So my friend Mario picked me up from the airport and I spent the night at the house of his mom in Guatemala since my flight did not arrive until 8:30 pm. I got up the next morning, had an awesome pancake breakfast and got into Antigua at around 2:30. Honestly, it felt really good to be back here. I miss all of my family and friends, but I feel very comfortable here. This may be attributed to the fact that it is not frigid here like it was in NC when I was there. But anyway.
I am going to try to write in my blog at least twice a week. I start the orientation for my job tomorrow, yikes, I can not believe I am employed again...scary. Anyway, please do not hesitate to leave me comments. I miss everyone and look forward to seeing you all next October.
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I am back in Guatemala now and will be here for 10 more months. I am very excited about teaching second and third grade this year, it will definately be an experience. But on to my story. So a woman who I met down here was kind enough to get me a buddy pass to come back down here. I flew stand-by, but my ticket was for first class. Holy Cow. It was awesome.
So here are the benefits of flying first class
1. Glass of champagne before you take off
2. Comfy chair
3. Reading the latest issue of "The Economist" while sipping your glass of champagne
4. Awesome food
5. Having your wine glass refilled without asking for more (and it was in a real glass)
6. Eating with real silverwear
7. Getting off the plane first
I could go on forever. It really was a million times better than coach. Oh yeah and did I mention I went through the short line to check my luggage. I am telling you, that was the only way to fly.
So my friend Mario picked me up from the airport and I spent the night at the house of his mom in Guatemala since my flight did not arrive until 8:30 pm. I got up the next morning, had an awesome pancake breakfast and got into Antigua at around 2:30. Honestly, it felt really good to be back here. I miss all of my family and friends, but I feel very comfortable here. This may be attributed to the fact that it is not frigid here like it was in NC when I was there. But anyway.
I am going to try to write in my blog at least twice a week. I start the orientation for my job tomorrow, yikes, I can not believe I am employed again...scary. Anyway, please do not hesitate to leave me comments. I miss everyone and look forward to seeing you all next October.
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