Rain Day

Today is the start of a four day weekend for me...so how did I spend it? Doing laundry and then off to Isma's house to eat with his family (aka not cooking myself), lay on the bed and play a game, watch Isma and Guille play flight simulator, and basically do nothing. Did I mention that it's been raining all day? That perhaps explains it. Rain makes for lazy people.

Around 7 Isma and I woke up out of our lethargy and went to buy paddles to play Pádel. Or paddle? Or padel tennis? Anyway, it's like tennis but on a smaller court, with raquets that are more like bats, and the balls are depressurized tennis balls. It's exciting thinking about starting a new activity together. We spent half of dinnertime thinking about who could or would want to come play with us. Hopefully it will stop raining next week and we can try out our new paddles!

If you're curious, here's a link about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padel_tennis .

And here's some pictures of us playing in Torre Nostra:



We're not too good at it, and I uploaded the only picture in which I don't have silly looking form, but let's see how this goes!

What's your name?

His name is Juan, my name is Erica and DON'T YOU FORGET IT.

That's the rhyme I'm teaching the second graders, but I'm still forgetting!
This Monday started the first week with my classes instead of initial evaluations of the kids and preparation, like I was doing before. Twelve kids at a time line up and file into my tiny classroom to play games, get yelled at for talking out of turn, and listen to phonics on the computer. This week also begins an overwhelming endeavor: learning over 200 names. As my mom said, I think that seating charts are in order. Not to control the kids...but to control where the names sit! (Sara is in the right corner...ok...) I was smart and had the third graders make name tags. Hopefully I'll memorize their names quickly and will be able to disuse of the labels.

I have also discovered that I need to give the kids lessons in using the computer, following directions, and being nice. Let's see how I do that all in English for Spanish speakers. I am very proud of myself, though. I have not used Spanish with the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd graders one bit. Yay!

New Job

A week ago Monday I had two interviews, one for a school that wanted a preschool English teacher, and one who wanted a conversation teacher for 1st-3rd graders. I got the job from the second interview, and started Monday at the school. I'm very happy with the situation.

And so begins again the daily commute beginning before the sun rises. This year the commute is much better, though. I listen to sermons, books, or music on the i pod on the bus, and then two more subway stops until Porvenir, the school. The first day I was so confused, but the teachers and other staff were very friendly and helpful. At lunchtime I found the cafeteria (goal #15 accomplished!!), but couldn't find the food. Imagine being faint with hunger, seeing a room full of teachers eating good smelling food, and no fount of said food in sight! So, I decided to solve the problem by forgetting my language skills of any sort, staring, and then asking, "¿Qué hago?" (What do i do?) I couldn't have asked...where do we pick up the trays? -or- Could someone show me where lunch is served? Instead of my caveman sounding question. Oh well. I survived. And even had someone to talk to during lunch (shouting over our echo off the concrete walls). After lunch I found the bathrooms (goal #2). After lunchtime I filled my water bottle at the same newly found bathroom, trying to end the huge headache I'd gotten by lunchtime probably from dehydration (perhaps stress too). Filling water bottle (goal #4).

By today I had a rough schedule of my classes. I will be seeing each 1st-3rd grader once a week. I'll start teaching in a couple weeks. Up till now I've gotten some keys, rearranged the desks, put up posters, cut out a bazillion visuals, read through the kids' text books, made copies, and done recess duty.

I'll keep you posted...things will pick up more when the kids start coming to my class closer to October.

Isma Comes Again

Actually, it's the same visit from August, but I wanted to post the pictures now, rather late. Notice: Isma had the camera most of the time. But I did sneak a few shots of him! Thanks Linda and Sonny for letting us stay at your house...we had a wonderful time!

Summer with Isma

Visit from Panama

Around the middle of August, I got the opportunity to spend a few days with my friend Arielle, who was in the country to visit family and go to a friend's wedding in Arkansas. Such fun! We went to the Cuban sandwich shop with Isma, wherein I embarrassed myself by failing to understand a word of Spanish (and how is it that I've lived in Spain two years??). Later, we played Bananagrams with Sandy and the rest of the girls and Isma took a look at their computer (qué majo, no?).

The pictures I have are from the weekend that Laurel and Arielle came up to the lake, the week before Isma came to visit. We beat ourselves up on the tubes, swam, played...of course...bananagrams, and generally had a good time. I've posted some pictures of us being lazy and of the awesome sunset that evening, if you follow the link below.

Arielle Visit

Bananagrams

It's like banana phone (the song is playing in my head), but without real bananas and very fun to play. Coolest game for word lovers! We found the game a couple years ago, courtesy of some friends (thank you Marti!!!). I'm so excited, I even have a post-game picture from this summer!

Rewind

Rewind back to July...and I'm posting the photos I took from the Collins' family reunion now. Mostly people shots...I tend not to take pictures when I'm swimming, in the canoe, sailing, biking, or biking. I leave those pictures to those staying behind. :) I do wish I had that photo with the running trophy, though. Hmmm...guess it will have to do in Mom's album in Facebook.

Fourth of July 2010