The first week is over!

Ask any teacher and the beginning and end of the year suck. It really does. It's a lot of work. And you're tired.

This year's class is going to be fun. Assuming I can get them to stop rolling on the floor and crawling under the desks. Okay, that's only two of them. But it feels like 20 when you're trying to set the tone of the classroom. Pretty sure I don't want the tone of this year set to "shit show" thankyouverymuch.

Funny story. Today I was saying goodbye to 2 of my favorite kids today at school. Yes, I was there on Sunday. And yes, they were there on a Sunday. I said, "Bye y'all!" and one of them without skipping a beat went "Bye yooooooouuu!" Not sure if it was his way of saying y'all or if it was just you. But it was cute.

A Little Perspective

I think that everyone should live in a developing country, or any other country at that. At least for a little bit. It really helps you to appreciate just how good we have it here. And also makes you think how weird things are all at the same time.

Here are the things I noticed and appreciate:
1. Flushing toilet paper. I'm amazed each time I come back. Like, what? You want me to put ALL THIS down the toilet?! Um...ok...
2. Organization and signs. It's like any idiot can figure out how to get around the U.S. Genius!
3. All these English speakers. I know everything you're saying! And I can speak back to you! Clearly. And you totally understand me. Sounds simple, yet so profound.
4. Auntie Annie's pretzels. These are uh-maze! Can't find those things in Honduras.
5. Chocolate. Like 20 different kinds. And you say if I buy two bags I get a better deal? I'm sold.
6. Magazines. In English. That are from this month. THIS MONTH! OF THIS YEAR!
7. Lines. And people staying in them and waiting their turns. Sooooo civilized and pretentious. 

And all this is only the first 10 minutes in the Houston airport. You can imagine how I'm looking at the world. It's mostly overwhelming, but things are pretty awesome here.

*About #2. There is another story here how I accidentally ended up on a toll road and had my picture snapped twice just 4 days after this post happened. So maybe not EVERY idiot can figure it out.

A good time was had by all...

Yesterday I went with two of my favorite people to the movies. We went to see Madagascar 3 in 3-d. I had never seen Madagascar 1 or 2 but they assured me I would understand. Giorgio proceeded to fill me in on 1 and 2 on the long drive to Tegus. And I told them the movie was in 3-d. They were like, uh, ok. Whatever that means.

We ate at the food court, bought our movie tickets and proceeded to enter the theater. They were so confused when the guy handed us the glasses. I told them you have to wear the glasses and things in the movie seem real. They were still skeptical. Like, whatever lady. There's no way THAT can happen.

So we're early. Just sharing candy and hanging out. They're teaching me how to speak in Spanish in the past tense (I still live in the present or future, no need to look back). Then it tells you to put on your glasses. And explains about 3-d. I wish I could have recorded it.

Alejandro was absolutely blown away. And I quote, "It look like scared. Like, I'm scared!" And this was only the first 10 seconds before any of the previews or movie. Sidenote: I know I'm a teacher and all, but I just love it when my kids speak broken English. It's so charming. Now for the previews. He is talking loudly, "It's like right here, in front of us. Whoa." The whole time Giorgio is just giggling at Alejandro.

Alejandro barely spoke 10 words on the way to the movies and may 8 on the way back to Zamorano. But damn, he was impressed with that 3-d movie. Just kept going on about it. During the movie. Loudly. And I let him.  

Giorgio y Alejandro. Just look at these cool dudes. PS-Giorgio NEVER let me take pictures of him when he was in my class.

This blog of "the mines"

So, yeah. It's been awhile. Hard to get motivated to post. Here's a funny story to start things off again.

As a teacher of English language learners we come across all sorts of misconceptions and mistakes. Most of them are so endearing and I only hope that when I speak caveman Spanish it comes across half as charming as when my students make mistakes in English.

These mistakes can also become epidemics if we're not careful. By epidemic, I'm referring to the "Me, no" epidemic that we're still trying to get under control. Instead of "not me" or "it's not mine" the kids, and I mean almost all of them, will say "me, no".

Miss Lacey: Whose paper is this on the floor?
Student #1: Me, no
Miss Lacey: First of all, I wasn't asking whose paper it isn't. And second of all, you say "it's not mine"!

Miss Lacey: If you didn't finish your writing, then you have to stay in on your free time.
Student #2: Me, no. I finished mine.
Miss Lacey: Great. Don't need to know if you finished it. And, it's "not me".

Miss Lacey: Who wants to go to Chicken Drive?
Miss Julie: Me, yes!
Miss Lacey: Sweet. We're leaving in five.

Lately, there's a new one creeping in. "The mines". Instead of saying something is "mine", I hear "the mines". Like, plural. Don't know where it came from.

Today Oscar was taking the tally for a class vote. They voted, he wrote the tallies on the whiteboard. We were voting on what their reward would be for reaching their class goal. We like to take secret-close-your-eyes-vote, but it's really everybody-always-cheats-and-looks-anyway-vote.

The results were (while pretending to cover their eyes):
1. Free time in the classroom-4 votes
2. Free time outside-11 votes
3. Free computer time-2 votes

After the voting, Oscar realized that he forgot to count his vote. He screams, "Oh man! I forgot the mines!" He proceeds to cover his eyes with his free hand (while everyone is watching him) and without looking, makes one more tally for free time outside. A couple of the kids were like, why is he covering his eyes? And I laughed. He wants to be official, duh.