So, here I am in Santiago to get my passport stamped. I had a message saying I needed to come today and I would get my passport back tomorrow. But, after I got to the training center and talked to the person with the program, she said I would turn my in tomorrow. So why am I hear today? I don´t know. But, I needed a day to think, as I was in a bit of a funk yesterday. So, I decided to continue my quest for a frisbee....that and an electronic dictionary (I had to think of something I might actually find).
There is a walking street with all kinds of stores on either side and some big department stores. Last weekend I was told that Farabella would have Frisbees. So, that was the first place I looked. They didn´t have frisbees.
I walked in and out of stores. I started thinking maybe I needed a new pair of jeans, or maybe I should buy a sweater of some sort, as I have been wearing the one my host mom lent me for the past, well...since I got here. :)
The store I went into, I don´t even remember which one I was in, was something like Macy´s...a downtown Macy´s where they have several levels. First level perfume and shoes, second, womens clothing, third mens, forth, sports, and then about three other floors. They didn´t have escalators, so I walked up all the stairs to the sports floor, as I got to thinking, maybe, just maybe, they would have a frisbee. Well, the first thing they had on the floor were motorcycles. Yes, motorcycles on the forth floor. Then, I noticed tennis rackets, ping pong paddles, stair masters, soccer balls (futbols), swimming suits....surely, one would think they would have a frisbee! Well, they didn´t. Can you beleive that? They had motorcycles, but not frisbees!
I went into one last store to ask about frisbees and the guy told me it was a summer thing. Then, I asked him how much they would cost. He said they would be 990 pesos. Now, 990 pesos is about $2. These wouldn´t be official frisbees, just the cheapies that don´t fly so good...at least for Ultimate Frisbee. Actually, some cheap frisbees are good...but if they are like the ones we had found last week...they aren´t going to be good.
So, from there, I switched to my newer, more reasonable, quest to find an electronic dictionary...you know, they kind that looks like a calculator. I found it in about the 8th store I went to, gracias to the guy who so kindly told me in nice and easy to understand spanish! He even tried talking to me in English!
I bought the cheaper dictionary, as there were a bunch ranging from $100-$200. Mine was the $40 version and...I must say, you get what you pay for...I should have splurged for a better one...this one only has basic words and seems to be missing some words I need....I was trying to search random words while I was in the store, but I couldn´t seem to think of the ones I use, but never know...argh
**ok, sidenote...there is a guy in the internet cafe that is talking about someone sticking their finger up some guys ass to make him fart....it was kind of funny and random, but really, this guy is starting to tick me off....shut up already***
Ok, so my dicitonary isn´t all that great...I typed in sew and it came up with no words. Then I typed in knit...again, no words available. Then I would type in something like tomar (which I know is to take) and it would give me phrases like...Vas a tomar su medicina (are you going to take your medicine)? Uh...what?
Aye...well, it is time for me to go to bed. I am staying at the hostel with the 4 month volunteers and I have met some very nice people. There are about 4 people from Minnesota.
OH! That just reminded me. So, last week I had my winter camp. The guy that was our leader, Geno, works with the ministry and lives here in Santiago. So, I had called him because I needed to give him some information and, well, I happened to be a bit turned around in Santiago too, so I wanted to make sure I wasn´t wandering around any longer than I needed to. But, then I told him we should meet up for a drink or something later. He says, sure. So, he calls me this afternoon to say he has to teach a Spanish class and wouldn´t have time to meet for a drink but that he was in the area to say hi. So, I walked over to where he was and say hello. Then he goes on to tell me that there were about 3-4 Minnesotans in the new group of volunteers. I said, oh yah? Great! Then he goes on to say that after they said they were from Minnesota he gave a nice Üff Da¨ha ha! I said, oh ya? What did they say? He said they just laughed and thought that was great. ha ha! I love it! Spreading Uff Da around the world!! :)
But, I talked with some volunteers for a while. It was fun. Most of the Minnesotans were from Minneapolis area.
Alright...well, I think I am going to go to bed. Ta ta for now...
jami
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
And, then, all the sudden winter camp was over...
Where did the time go? We had SO MUCH FUN doing winter camp! When it came time to say good bye, I found myself teary eyed...these kids were wonderful!
So, for the last day, we had practiced a song...^Old MacDonald Had a Farm^, since we had visited a farm and we wanted something orginal. We had all made masks out of the random materials we had with us for whatever animal we had chosen to represent. Then, we sang and presented our song to parents and other students. We had so much fun!
Side Note: One of my students told me I was a good singer. I looked at him and said, are you for real? He nods his head, yes. Wow, I said, no one has ever told me that... I typically don´t sing in front of people, or maybe I should say in a classroom setting, but here, I have fallen into this habit of just allowing myself to be stupid-silly. It is kind of refreshing...
The ending was very touching though...our team (it was me and one other girl that worked with these 7 kids), after we sang our Old MacDonald, they told us to sit down. They presented a group thank you that you could tell they had spent time on and had practiced. That was when I might have cried just a bit, or maybe more than a bit. It always amazes me the gratitude I have received from students...because usually, they have given me more than I feel I have given them... I am so happy I am a teacher!
Another highlight for the week, for me, was a student who had such a big heart. We had chatted quite a bit throughout the week. He asked me one day if I wanted to hear his philosophy on life was...I said, of course! He says, everyday is a day to start a new beginning....I love that philosophy! We had a cooking day this week too and we made ice cream in a bag. When we were done, he asked me what I was going to do with the ziplock bags we had used. I said, well...I was going to throw them away...he says, well, I can I have them? I said sure, what will you use them for...he was going to wash them and reuse them. It kind of reminded me how wasteful my lifestyle can be....and how spoiled I really am!(Working in a run down looking school where every classroom seems to have a broken window, where toilets are tubes that lead to some sort of a septic system I seem to always smell at lunch time, really makes me think I could never again complain about school building conditions...)
So, we were finishing up some things last night before we all left and music was playing. The song was...If I had a million dollars. So, I was signing along quite loudly (since my singing ego is now huge) and I turned to this kid and said...if you had a million dollars, what would you do? He says...I would help the poor people of Chile. Then, I would help the homeless dogs. And, if there is something left, then I will do something for myself.
Gosh! That really touched my heart! I had asked other students what they would do and they had responded with typical responses...houses, travel, school, and whatever else...which is just as good and fine...it is their ficticious million dollars so they can do whatever they want....but, given this kid, his actions, the things he was thankful for, the things he didn´t seem to take for granted, his willingness to help clean at the end of the day, and his anxiousness to learn English...It only added to his character to think of others before himself when the list of personal needs, not even wants, could have been so long. Such a sweetheart!
But, I think the true moment of personal satisfaction-joy for me came when we had three spanish-english dictionaries to raffle off and it came down to the last one.....I reached into the names and the name I drew was his. He was so excited....to me, that was worth a million dollars!
All in all though, the week was great. Yes, the ministry of education is unorganized, yes, the English Opens Doors program is very unorganized...but in the end we pulled it together and had an unforgetable week! That is what matters!
Tomorrow I head back to Santa Cruz via Santiago.
So, for the last day, we had practiced a song...^Old MacDonald Had a Farm^, since we had visited a farm and we wanted something orginal. We had all made masks out of the random materials we had with us for whatever animal we had chosen to represent. Then, we sang and presented our song to parents and other students. We had so much fun!
Side Note: One of my students told me I was a good singer. I looked at him and said, are you for real? He nods his head, yes. Wow, I said, no one has ever told me that... I typically don´t sing in front of people, or maybe I should say in a classroom setting, but here, I have fallen into this habit of just allowing myself to be stupid-silly. It is kind of refreshing...
The ending was very touching though...our team (it was me and one other girl that worked with these 7 kids), after we sang our Old MacDonald, they told us to sit down. They presented a group thank you that you could tell they had spent time on and had practiced. That was when I might have cried just a bit, or maybe more than a bit. It always amazes me the gratitude I have received from students...because usually, they have given me more than I feel I have given them... I am so happy I am a teacher!
Another highlight for the week, for me, was a student who had such a big heart. We had chatted quite a bit throughout the week. He asked me one day if I wanted to hear his philosophy on life was...I said, of course! He says, everyday is a day to start a new beginning....I love that philosophy! We had a cooking day this week too and we made ice cream in a bag. When we were done, he asked me what I was going to do with the ziplock bags we had used. I said, well...I was going to throw them away...he says, well, I can I have them? I said sure, what will you use them for...he was going to wash them and reuse them. It kind of reminded me how wasteful my lifestyle can be....and how spoiled I really am!(Working in a run down looking school where every classroom seems to have a broken window, where toilets are tubes that lead to some sort of a septic system I seem to always smell at lunch time, really makes me think I could never again complain about school building conditions...)
So, we were finishing up some things last night before we all left and music was playing. The song was...If I had a million dollars. So, I was signing along quite loudly (since my singing ego is now huge) and I turned to this kid and said...if you had a million dollars, what would you do? He says...I would help the poor people of Chile. Then, I would help the homeless dogs. And, if there is something left, then I will do something for myself.
Gosh! That really touched my heart! I had asked other students what they would do and they had responded with typical responses...houses, travel, school, and whatever else...which is just as good and fine...it is their ficticious million dollars so they can do whatever they want....but, given this kid, his actions, the things he was thankful for, the things he didn´t seem to take for granted, his willingness to help clean at the end of the day, and his anxiousness to learn English...It only added to his character to think of others before himself when the list of personal needs, not even wants, could have been so long. Such a sweetheart!
But, I think the true moment of personal satisfaction-joy for me came when we had three spanish-english dictionaries to raffle off and it came down to the last one.....I reached into the names and the name I drew was his. He was so excited....to me, that was worth a million dollars!
All in all though, the week was great. Yes, the ministry of education is unorganized, yes, the English Opens Doors program is very unorganized...but in the end we pulled it together and had an unforgetable week! That is what matters!
Tomorrow I head back to Santa Cruz via Santiago.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Uff Da!
Oh, one last thing...I taught my students Uff Da! When we were walking through the barn they say...Jami, Uff Da (?) as they were plugging their noses at the smell. I smiled and said, YES! This is an Uff Da!
Gosh, it is music to my ears!
Ahh...spreading Uff Da around the world!
Gosh, it is music to my ears!
Ahh...spreading Uff Da around the world!
Crossroad and Crash
So, on our walk back to the hotel, we stopped at Hiper Lider, which is a huge grocery store...kind of like a walmart. (but, it isn´t owned by wally world, I believe I was told it was a German company, but I will have to research that).
ANYWAY...we get into the Hiper Lider and all I needed was peanut butter. I haven´t been craving it, but I knew it was there and thought...I am going to buy a little jar. First of all let me tell you, the little jar you know at home is $7 here in Chile...and it isn´t even a brand name! The one I ended up buying was half the size of the small one...$3. I figured it was enough to give me a taste and share it with my host family shoudl they be interested in having some. If not, great, more for me! :) I love peanut butter!
OK...but, also while we were in there, the other volunteer in my group remembered we needed something to wash the white board, as she had written all over it today only to realize she had been using a permanent marker. Well, she has minimal spanish, so I went ahead and asked this guy about something we could use to clean the board...he has to call up Pablo to get the answer,
so while we are waiting for Pablo, he says...hey, you speak English? Naturally, I respond, yes. Then he says...great, what does crossroad mean? I say, crossroad. Then he goes on to tell me he listens to BonJovi and he doesn´t understand Crossroad. I smile and acknowledge his excitement for BonJovi and explain crossroad. Then, you could see him singing the lyrics in his head....ok, and what is crash? I smile and explain. Then, you could see him singing the lyrics in his head again...and Pablo walks up behind me...I look at the man who was curious about the words and say..oh, here is Pablo, this is your last chance, anymore words? He tried to come up with a last word and then he said...uhh...no.
It was just another random moment that made me smile.
Ok...dinner time! Cheers!
Jami
UFFDA!
ANYWAY...we get into the Hiper Lider and all I needed was peanut butter. I haven´t been craving it, but I knew it was there and thought...I am going to buy a little jar. First of all let me tell you, the little jar you know at home is $7 here in Chile...and it isn´t even a brand name! The one I ended up buying was half the size of the small one...$3. I figured it was enough to give me a taste and share it with my host family shoudl they be interested in having some. If not, great, more for me! :) I love peanut butter!
OK...but, also while we were in there, the other volunteer in my group remembered we needed something to wash the white board, as she had written all over it today only to realize she had been using a permanent marker. Well, she has minimal spanish, so I went ahead and asked this guy about something we could use to clean the board...he has to call up Pablo to get the answer,
so while we are waiting for Pablo, he says...hey, you speak English? Naturally, I respond, yes. Then he says...great, what does crossroad mean? I say, crossroad. Then he goes on to tell me he listens to BonJovi and he doesn´t understand Crossroad. I smile and acknowledge his excitement for BonJovi and explain crossroad. Then, you could see him singing the lyrics in his head....ok, and what is crash? I smile and explain. Then, you could see him singing the lyrics in his head again...and Pablo walks up behind me...I look at the man who was curious about the words and say..oh, here is Pablo, this is your last chance, anymore words? He tried to come up with a last word and then he said...uhh...no.
It was just another random moment that made me smile.
Ok...dinner time! Cheers!
Jami
UFFDA!
Day 3
Day 3
We played two truths and a lie, which was fun. Each student needed to write out two things that were true and then one lie. They read them to the class and we decided which one was the lie. Some of them were good liars. :)
The big trip for the day was going to the farm. What a fun time that was! I think we the teachers had more fun than that students! I was looking at my pictures on the bus ride home and laughing outloud!
On the farm, which was set up as a petting zoo sort of place (however, I don´t think anyone really tried to pet anything), so not just any random farm. But, they had cows, pigs, some sort of hairy pig (which I thought was a warthog for a moment but it was way too big to be one), emus, sheep, ostriches, goats, ducks, a llama, geese, a donkey, and whatever else.
They had a little museum at the farm too. The museum was funny...it had an old radio, computer monitor, and some other random household things that were old, but not antique old. Then, this is the wierd and kind of gross part...they had all these glass jars with miscarried animals inside of them (in whatever preserving liquid they need). Random. Wierd. Gross.
We had some time to kill, so we played duck, duck, gray duck. Then, we played sharks and minnows. We had lots of good laughs with that!
THEN, we milked a cow! I had never done that before! It was milking time and they have machines, but they let us give it a go. Luckily they have a little ^kick shield ^ otherwise I would have been kicked! ha ha! And, luckily I had climbed back up the stairs before the cow decided to pee all over the place! Gosh, that was like a waterfall!
We went back to the restuarant area and waiting around. We were waiting to taste the milk (I guess...I didn´t realize this at first). As we were waiting, one of the kids, who competes in Cueca competitions tried to give some instructions then just danced with one of the girls so we could see how it went. Cueca is the national dance of Chile. Come September 18th, independence day, I need to know how to do the Cueca... It is a really cute little dance...it is a very innocent flirting kind of dance.
In this same area...there were stuffed animals. Not the cute colorful plush toys, but the dead animal stuffed animals. The display of these animals was rather unique and I couldn´t hold back my laughter, in fact I am laughing to myself thinking about it right now. First, there was this calf that was in a lying down position, like it was just waking up from a nap...it wasn´t on the floor though...it was on a chair...a chair in which only the half of the body actually fit on! Don´t worry, I have a picture! Then, you know how people mount the heads of animals? Well, they had a deer and a goat, but instead of having them on a back board and on the wall...they were just the two separate heads sitting on two different chairs! It was just so random and so funny...I was almost in tears laughing. One of the students asked me if we had these things in the US. I just nodded my head, but I couldn´t say hardly a thing because I was laughing to hard...then, I finally had a moment to explain to him that, yes, we have these things, but usually put them on the wall, not in a chair. He laughed a little bit with me. ´
So, it was a good day at the farm! Oh geez, too, I had some of the best bread since I have been here...it is bread of the campo...the country...it reminded me of Grammie´s rolls. The slapped on some butter and cheese! Aye! Tastey!
We played two truths and a lie, which was fun. Each student needed to write out two things that were true and then one lie. They read them to the class and we decided which one was the lie. Some of them were good liars. :)
The big trip for the day was going to the farm. What a fun time that was! I think we the teachers had more fun than that students! I was looking at my pictures on the bus ride home and laughing outloud!
On the farm, which was set up as a petting zoo sort of place (however, I don´t think anyone really tried to pet anything), so not just any random farm. But, they had cows, pigs, some sort of hairy pig (which I thought was a warthog for a moment but it was way too big to be one), emus, sheep, ostriches, goats, ducks, a llama, geese, a donkey, and whatever else.
They had a little museum at the farm too. The museum was funny...it had an old radio, computer monitor, and some other random household things that were old, but not antique old. Then, this is the wierd and kind of gross part...they had all these glass jars with miscarried animals inside of them (in whatever preserving liquid they need). Random. Wierd. Gross.
We had some time to kill, so we played duck, duck, gray duck. Then, we played sharks and minnows. We had lots of good laughs with that!
THEN, we milked a cow! I had never done that before! It was milking time and they have machines, but they let us give it a go. Luckily they have a little ^kick shield ^ otherwise I would have been kicked! ha ha! And, luckily I had climbed back up the stairs before the cow decided to pee all over the place! Gosh, that was like a waterfall!
We went back to the restuarant area and waiting around. We were waiting to taste the milk (I guess...I didn´t realize this at first). As we were waiting, one of the kids, who competes in Cueca competitions tried to give some instructions then just danced with one of the girls so we could see how it went. Cueca is the national dance of Chile. Come September 18th, independence day, I need to know how to do the Cueca... It is a really cute little dance...it is a very innocent flirting kind of dance.
In this same area...there were stuffed animals. Not the cute colorful plush toys, but the dead animal stuffed animals. The display of these animals was rather unique and I couldn´t hold back my laughter, in fact I am laughing to myself thinking about it right now. First, there was this calf that was in a lying down position, like it was just waking up from a nap...it wasn´t on the floor though...it was on a chair...a chair in which only the half of the body actually fit on! Don´t worry, I have a picture! Then, you know how people mount the heads of animals? Well, they had a deer and a goat, but instead of having them on a back board and on the wall...they were just the two separate heads sitting on two different chairs! It was just so random and so funny...I was almost in tears laughing. One of the students asked me if we had these things in the US. I just nodded my head, but I couldn´t say hardly a thing because I was laughing to hard...then, I finally had a moment to explain to him that, yes, we have these things, but usually put them on the wall, not in a chair. He laughed a little bit with me. ´
So, it was a good day at the farm! Oh geez, too, I had some of the best bread since I have been here...it is bread of the campo...the country...it reminded me of Grammie´s rolls. The slapped on some butter and cheese! Aye! Tastey!
Days 2
Day 2- fabulous day! We played ¨The wind is blowing^ ice breaker game. Then, we broke into groups and talked about shopping...can I help you?...Yes, I am looking for a sweater. That kind of conversation.
Then, after lunch, we had a plastic bag for each group and gloves to pick up trash on the way to the mall. These kids took off with picking up garbage. I could hardly believe it. They filled the one bag that was required. Then, they found boxes and more bags in the midst of picking up garbage and filled those. We got to this field that is just disgusting and looks like a dump and I looked at the one kid and said...whoa, I think we would need all week to pick up garbage here...he says, no, more like a month. There is just so much garbage. You just wonder...what would this place look like if we did a massive clean up? If there was a more organized garbage system. If you had someone to pick up the dead dogs! Yes, I am not kidding, dead dogs! Dead dogs complete with maggots. Ew! But, thankfully, no we didn´t have any surprise dead dogs while we were cleaning. In the end, our group had 8 bags of garbage. We dumped the bags in a garbage can, broke out the hand sanitizer then hit the mall for our scavenger hunt.
We had made a list of clues for students to read then take a picture with a digital camara of an item that best fit the description. (This was a knock off of another game I played at church with the youth group...if you are reading this, thank you Tiffany for the idea!). The students LOVED it! They were like a football team charging through the mall. In fact, two teams got kicked out of the mall...not because they were running people over, but because it is illegal to take pictures in the mall...I was having flashbacks to when we were kids and my Dad would have us take pictures inside gas stations, ha ha.
When we finished we came back to school, stopping at the grocery store where we had another list (in English) of things for students to find. They were buying things for our cooking day, which is tomorrow. They were so funny too because all the lists were parts of three different recipes, so they were running around looking in each other´s baskets trying to figure out what we were going to make. ha ha...they crack me up!
We did a little recap and had students tell something the learned or something they enjoyed. They all said they enjoyed working as a team to clean up garbage and taking pictures.
So, day 2 went GREAT!
Then, after lunch, we had a plastic bag for each group and gloves to pick up trash on the way to the mall. These kids took off with picking up garbage. I could hardly believe it. They filled the one bag that was required. Then, they found boxes and more bags in the midst of picking up garbage and filled those. We got to this field that is just disgusting and looks like a dump and I looked at the one kid and said...whoa, I think we would need all week to pick up garbage here...he says, no, more like a month. There is just so much garbage. You just wonder...what would this place look like if we did a massive clean up? If there was a more organized garbage system. If you had someone to pick up the dead dogs! Yes, I am not kidding, dead dogs! Dead dogs complete with maggots. Ew! But, thankfully, no we didn´t have any surprise dead dogs while we were cleaning. In the end, our group had 8 bags of garbage. We dumped the bags in a garbage can, broke out the hand sanitizer then hit the mall for our scavenger hunt.
We had made a list of clues for students to read then take a picture with a digital camara of an item that best fit the description. (This was a knock off of another game I played at church with the youth group...if you are reading this, thank you Tiffany for the idea!). The students LOVED it! They were like a football team charging through the mall. In fact, two teams got kicked out of the mall...not because they were running people over, but because it is illegal to take pictures in the mall...I was having flashbacks to when we were kids and my Dad would have us take pictures inside gas stations, ha ha.
When we finished we came back to school, stopping at the grocery store where we had another list (in English) of things for students to find. They were buying things for our cooking day, which is tomorrow. They were so funny too because all the lists were parts of three different recipes, so they were running around looking in each other´s baskets trying to figure out what we were going to make. ha ha...they crack me up!
We did a little recap and had students tell something the learned or something they enjoyed. They all said they enjoyed working as a team to clean up garbage and taking pictures.
So, day 2 went GREAT!
Fly Mugs
You those mugs with the flies painted on them to make you do a double take. Well, we sat down for tea and I kind of laughed..ha, this is one of those mugs with flies painted on them..ha ha...but, as I was laughing to myself and brushing my thumb over the fly...it turned out it was a real fly, which only made me laugh harder and, actually, I just started laughing outloud. You just can´t help but laugh sometimes...it is all you really can do.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
First Day of Camp
Well, I am in melipilla. We had our first day of English Camp yesterday and it was...a long day. Things are very unorganized to say the least. It has just become known and expected. Everything is last minute in Chile....and you just have to say, ok.
When we all got together in Santiago on the 4th, we were put into groups and asked to make a supply list. And, we were told 60 students were registered. Sounds great, eh?
Well, we arrived to Melipilla, to the one and only hotel in town, Hotel Truncas. Because not everyone was here, me and another volunteer who lives here went for a walk to the mall for something to eat. For the most part, this is a nice town, a bit bigger than Santa Cruz, or maybe alot bigger. They have a mall and a movie theatre. I have been craving a trip to the Cine. Then, we walked by the school we would be working our Camp out of...I realize now that I have been truely spoiled with my placement in Santa Cruz.
We came back to the hotel around 5pm to meet up with the others. Turns out, no supplies were ordered and our 60 students were 15! The program had asked students to reapply, making them take a test. Most students had already started their winter break when this information was relayed to the schools where the students had applied. ARgh! So, two things annoy me right now...why was there a reapplication process? Why would you deny students, who wanted to take a week of their winter break, a chance to learn English? I would rather start at square one with learning English with a group of students than denying them the right just because they didn´t pass some stupid test.
So, we are 5 volunteers working with 18 (a couple of others showed) students. We are stepping all over each other, piping in comments that I believe only confuse the students...things are just chaotic...and we all talked about it yesterday, with hopes that we have come up with a better plan for today. We started camp yesterday at 8am and ended at 6pm. Then, during dinner, and after dinner, we reorganized. Today we are starting at 10am and ending at 5.30pm. We have a solid schedule of events for today and I have high hopes. Yes, we will still be winging it a bit...but it is better.
Luckily, we have a very cool coordinator in our group. He just got back from being in England for a year. When I say just got back, he just got back two weeks ago. He is Chilean, not English. But, he has apologized for the lack of organization of the program and he is just as frustrated by it as us. Knowing that, we are all working together to pull something off. We have to...I don´t want to have these kids walk away thinking they wasted a week of their vacation. Of course, they might not have had anything else to do...as kids here don´t work when they are high school. Their job is to go to school. And, many of them have a good English base...so they are easy to work with and they truely want to be there, otherwise they wouldn´t take an hour long bus ride everyday. But, I think the other kids would have truely wanted to be here too.
Where has my time gone?I better get ready to go to school. I had a little bit more for breakfast this morning as I could hardly eat the food we were given at school yesterday. It is terrible to say...but I couldn´t handle...first of all, the mass of dogs in the field out back taking turns humping the bitch...(the term bitch for female dogs just took on a whole new meaning in my mind)...then, the toilets that don´t flush but have a giant blue PVC pipe connecting them all (they hose out the bathrooms in my school, and now I know why...thank God for the teacher´s bathroom), then the dirty walls in the cafeteria. That was enough for me... AND, remember the warm coke I thought I drank on the bus going to Puerto Montt? Well, it really was coffee...they just put in so much sugar it tastes like warm coke! Aye...my teeth!
Alright, all is good though. You just smile and keep going on...The kids are too nice to not want to keep moving ahead...
Cheers! Jami
When we all got together in Santiago on the 4th, we were put into groups and asked to make a supply list. And, we were told 60 students were registered. Sounds great, eh?
Well, we arrived to Melipilla, to the one and only hotel in town, Hotel Truncas. Because not everyone was here, me and another volunteer who lives here went for a walk to the mall for something to eat. For the most part, this is a nice town, a bit bigger than Santa Cruz, or maybe alot bigger. They have a mall and a movie theatre. I have been craving a trip to the Cine. Then, we walked by the school we would be working our Camp out of...I realize now that I have been truely spoiled with my placement in Santa Cruz.
We came back to the hotel around 5pm to meet up with the others. Turns out, no supplies were ordered and our 60 students were 15! The program had asked students to reapply, making them take a test. Most students had already started their winter break when this information was relayed to the schools where the students had applied. ARgh! So, two things annoy me right now...why was there a reapplication process? Why would you deny students, who wanted to take a week of their winter break, a chance to learn English? I would rather start at square one with learning English with a group of students than denying them the right just because they didn´t pass some stupid test.
So, we are 5 volunteers working with 18 (a couple of others showed) students. We are stepping all over each other, piping in comments that I believe only confuse the students...things are just chaotic...and we all talked about it yesterday, with hopes that we have come up with a better plan for today. We started camp yesterday at 8am and ended at 6pm. Then, during dinner, and after dinner, we reorganized. Today we are starting at 10am and ending at 5.30pm. We have a solid schedule of events for today and I have high hopes. Yes, we will still be winging it a bit...but it is better.
Luckily, we have a very cool coordinator in our group. He just got back from being in England for a year. When I say just got back, he just got back two weeks ago. He is Chilean, not English. But, he has apologized for the lack of organization of the program and he is just as frustrated by it as us. Knowing that, we are all working together to pull something off. We have to...I don´t want to have these kids walk away thinking they wasted a week of their vacation. Of course, they might not have had anything else to do...as kids here don´t work when they are high school. Their job is to go to school. And, many of them have a good English base...so they are easy to work with and they truely want to be there, otherwise they wouldn´t take an hour long bus ride everyday. But, I think the other kids would have truely wanted to be here too.
Where has my time gone?I better get ready to go to school. I had a little bit more for breakfast this morning as I could hardly eat the food we were given at school yesterday. It is terrible to say...but I couldn´t handle...first of all, the mass of dogs in the field out back taking turns humping the bitch...(the term bitch for female dogs just took on a whole new meaning in my mind)...then, the toilets that don´t flush but have a giant blue PVC pipe connecting them all (they hose out the bathrooms in my school, and now I know why...thank God for the teacher´s bathroom), then the dirty walls in the cafeteria. That was enough for me... AND, remember the warm coke I thought I drank on the bus going to Puerto Montt? Well, it really was coffee...they just put in so much sugar it tastes like warm coke! Aye...my teeth!
Alright, all is good though. You just smile and keep going on...The kids are too nice to not want to keep moving ahead...
Cheers! Jami
Monday, July 21, 2008
Quick Note...
Hey,
Well, I wanted to drop a quick note this morning, so everyone knows I am alive. My Dad had dropped me an email saying I hadn´t written since my last blog in which I mentioned the other volunteer being drugged at the disco...so, I got to thinking maybe I should get on this morning and blog in case anyone else was worrying. :)
From Castro we went to Puerto Varas, which is a cute touristy town near Puerto Montt. It was a very nice town. People were polite. We rented a car as a group and drove to Volcan Osorno. Osorno was beautiful! I found myself kind of nervous on the drive up, thinking all sorts of catastrophic terror thoughts, like a volcano suddenly erupting. The guide book mentioned that Chile is the most volcanic country with x-amount of volcanos that could potentially blow at any moment. Seeing how there are two erupting right now, I just let my mind wonder. I do that every time I fly now too. Gosh, I might be closer to sitting still than I thought. :)
Anyway, after another overnight bus back to San Fernando where I was dropped off on the highway because the bus didn´t go to the terminal (Ana´s brother got up early and met me at the bus stop, the highway isn´t a safe place period). Then, I arrived to Santa Cruz around 10:30am. Felipe was having a girl visit from Santiago (kind of like a date...she was an old friend). Turned out the whole family had come (if this was a date...I sure as heck know I would me mortified to have my whole family come along...). So, basically it was no rest for me, which hurt because I hadn´t slept much on the bus, since I had dreams of missing my bus stop and kept waking up.
So, yesterday I took the bus to Santiago and then to Melipilla, where I am right now. We have winter camp starting today. I thought I would get all kinds of sleep last night, seeing how I am in a comfy hotel. That wasn´t the case...I am ready for a cup of instant coffee and maybe some water.
With that being said, I will write more later when I have a chance, I need to get moving...
Hugs,
Jami
Well, I wanted to drop a quick note this morning, so everyone knows I am alive. My Dad had dropped me an email saying I hadn´t written since my last blog in which I mentioned the other volunteer being drugged at the disco...so, I got to thinking maybe I should get on this morning and blog in case anyone else was worrying. :)
From Castro we went to Puerto Varas, which is a cute touristy town near Puerto Montt. It was a very nice town. People were polite. We rented a car as a group and drove to Volcan Osorno. Osorno was beautiful! I found myself kind of nervous on the drive up, thinking all sorts of catastrophic terror thoughts, like a volcano suddenly erupting. The guide book mentioned that Chile is the most volcanic country with x-amount of volcanos that could potentially blow at any moment. Seeing how there are two erupting right now, I just let my mind wonder. I do that every time I fly now too. Gosh, I might be closer to sitting still than I thought. :)
Anyway, after another overnight bus back to San Fernando where I was dropped off on the highway because the bus didn´t go to the terminal (Ana´s brother got up early and met me at the bus stop, the highway isn´t a safe place period). Then, I arrived to Santa Cruz around 10:30am. Felipe was having a girl visit from Santiago (kind of like a date...she was an old friend). Turned out the whole family had come (if this was a date...I sure as heck know I would me mortified to have my whole family come along...). So, basically it was no rest for me, which hurt because I hadn´t slept much on the bus, since I had dreams of missing my bus stop and kept waking up.
So, yesterday I took the bus to Santiago and then to Melipilla, where I am right now. We have winter camp starting today. I thought I would get all kinds of sleep last night, seeing how I am in a comfy hotel. That wasn´t the case...I am ready for a cup of instant coffee and maybe some water.
With that being said, I will write more later when I have a chance, I need to get moving...
Hugs,
Jami
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Castro
Here I am sitting in a hostel in the little town of Castro, Chiloe Region, Chile. Chiloe is a large island (in comparison to the other Islands in Chile´s archipelago) just south of Puerto Montt. It has been a rather interesting trip...
First, it started with having to purchase a bus ticket. I was online trying to find schedules and rates, but not having much luck. People kept telling me I would have to travel to Santiago to purchase my ticket, which just didn´t make sense, seeing how Santiago was a three hour bus trip north of Santa Cruz and I wanted to travel south. Also, naturally, it is good to buy your tickets in advance, but how a person would do that during the week was beyond me, if they were expected to travel to Santiago. Well, it turned out that I could buy my ticket in San Fernando, which is about a half hour from Santa Cruz. They don´t take reservations.
Well, the woman who runs the casino at school, this not being the gambling type of casino...it is like the canteen, snack shop, caught wind of my conversation with my host mom about buying this ticket and she said she would make a phone call. Her brother, or some relative, drives buses and would be in Santiago to by me a ticket. I thought, wow, that was easy. She says some dicho (saying) to me...which I cannot remember, but was something to the effect of if you don´t cry we won´t see your tears...meaning we can´t help you if we don´t know you are having problems.
Alright, so this was Friday. Friday night, the woman from the Canteen calls to say that her brother was unable to get a ticket. They were sold out? So, after some phone calls to other bus companies and the bus station in San Fernando (all made by my host mom) she found three tickets remaining on the bus to Puerto Montt for Sunday night. Great! But, again, no reservations could be made. She said, we will get up early and drive to San Fernando, since it was already 9;30pm when we were calling. Then, she thinks...my brother! So, her brother, who lives in San Fernando, went to the bus station and purchased my ticket. 13,500 pesos, which is about $27 US. Not bad. It wasn´t a salon cama (sleeper seat, something like a bed) but it was the last ticket on the bus...so I really cannot complain. We had a family reunion on Saturday night, so her brother would bring the ticket then.
The family reunion was something else. It was all the cousins getting together, drinking, eating, dancing, signing. Immediatly, I was referred to as the Gringa cousin.I couldn´t help but laugh to myself as the jokes that I didn´t understand were being passed around...I started wonder, gee, I wonder what my family looks like to a foreigner who only understands about half of what is being said, if I could even say I understood half. By the end of the night I was frustrated and feeling defeated...I thought I had been doing better at understanding and speaking, but when the family showed up, I felt like I had turned into a moron. I decided to turn in early, as they were planning on staying up until 4:30...which they did. I turned in at 3;00 am.
The next morning, they were asking me what I thought about their family. I said, you all seem very nice, happy, and...unique. They joked and said the next family reunion would be in the US. ha ha...nice people.
An interesting side note on the importance of being able to get together for them....during the first three years of Pinochet, it was forbidden to have any sort of gathering after dark, since he feared groups of people conspiring against him. My host mom said it was a very bad time...we couldn´t even get together as a family. I need to learn more about the history of Chile and of South America....along with the US involvement...the US helped Pinochet get into power. Pinochet provided refuge for Nazi SS soldiers, one of which was just in the paper last week. THe most wanted man from the holocaust...Dr. Death...The Butcher...and they believe he is here in Chile or in Argentina. There is a bank account in Germany with about $1 us dollars waiting to be claimed by someone in the family, but I assume no one does this to protect his identity. He would be 94 years old. It was a very interesting article which I was quite proud to have read, understood, and discussed...
ANYWAY...after the family left, Ana´s brother gave me a ride to the bus station. Before we left, the family all gave me hugs telling me to be careful and have fun...and to make sure I called to check in when I arrived in Puerto Montt so they new I had met up with the others and everything was ok. It is true what they told us about our host families...they will take you in as one of their own.
The bus ride was over night. It left San Fernando at 9:30pm and arrived in Puerto Montt at 8:30 am Monday morning. On the way there, they played Rocky (I have no idea what number). It was all dubbed over in Spanish and Rocky without Sly Stalone´s voice just isn´t the same. I opted to listen to music. After the movie, they make sure you have a blanket and pillow and they close all the curtains. It was a long bus ride and I don´t think I slept alot, but I wasn´t tired when we arrived, so I must have slept some. Before we arrived, they collected our blankets and pillows, served us, what I now believe, was heated coca-cola, and played 80´s music videos. I cannot believe how cheesy 80´s video´s really were. AND; that they still play them here. I had someone say to me...I love Cindy Lauper, do you like Cindy Lauper...thinking to myself...yeah, back in 1988 I liked Cindy Lauper...
Ok...so after I arrived, I went up to the restuarant for a cup of instant coffee while I was waiting for the others who were on another bus from Santiago, scheduled to arrive a half hour after me....we met up and decided to just keep going to Chiloe, then come back to Puerto Montt on the way back...get this bus stuff out of the way!
The bus ride to Castro was 3 hours and it included a 20 minute ferry ride, which was fun...we say some seals. Someone had recommended a hostel here in Castro and it has proven to be very nice.
http://www.chiloeweb.cl/hostales/hcordillera/hcordillera.htm The woman who runs it is great, even if she flat out told me my Spanish wasn´t good. That actually hurt a bit, seeing how I had just been through a family reunion where I couldn´t follow jokes and I seemed to have lost my words. But, slowly, I am letting go and just getting back up on the horse to being patient with myself and communication...
The island is a nice little island. One of the main ¨postcard photos¨of Castro are the houses on stilts. They are really cool, very interesting. We were scheduled to go to a national park yesterday, but with the missing wallet of one person and the arrival of another person we decided to postpone it until today. Now, due to a late night of drinking, we still didn´t make it. I thought to go on my own, since I am obviously up, but I felt guilty going.
We had started out the night at a pub where they had pool tables (long pool tables with very narrow pockets...which was very frustrating). There were a few German guys that were traveling and they joined us for beer. When it got to be 1am, part of the group wanted to go dancing. So, while the others went dancing, two of us turned in...me and another guy. They had my phone number to call so I could let them in when they got home...we didn´t want to wake up the family twice to let us in, drunk gringos.
So, when they called me at 5:00am, I went downstairs, opened the door, and they were holding up the one girl...I thought, oh man, am I ever happy I stayed in...she looks at me and says...I am not drunk. She had been drugged at the discoteca.
So, as I have been sitting here watching the rain, thinking about Castro, Chile, I am not to impressed with it. People have been rude....like when I stopped to ask this woman who was walking in my direction for directions to the fish market....you would have thought I had asked her to eat monkey brains... Another woman at the bus station could care less about giving me information about tickets... There is just a very cold feeling about this area. I am voting we move on from here...we will see how the others feel about it when we get up. Hopefully the the one girl in our group will feel better today. I have only known of one person to be drugged at a bar and she told me it was terrible...all the sudden you are acting drunk when you are not drunk...you lose control......it was a good thing they went out as a group.
Oh my, before I forget, the dog at this house is the greatest dog ever! She looks like a little lamb...a poodle without the ugly poodle hair cut (sorry if you have a poodle and/or like the poodle hairdo...but they are so much more adorable with hair all over). I still don´t know its name...I just call her the Oveja, which is sheep in spanish.
Cheers!
jami
First, it started with having to purchase a bus ticket. I was online trying to find schedules and rates, but not having much luck. People kept telling me I would have to travel to Santiago to purchase my ticket, which just didn´t make sense, seeing how Santiago was a three hour bus trip north of Santa Cruz and I wanted to travel south. Also, naturally, it is good to buy your tickets in advance, but how a person would do that during the week was beyond me, if they were expected to travel to Santiago. Well, it turned out that I could buy my ticket in San Fernando, which is about a half hour from Santa Cruz. They don´t take reservations.
Well, the woman who runs the casino at school, this not being the gambling type of casino...it is like the canteen, snack shop, caught wind of my conversation with my host mom about buying this ticket and she said she would make a phone call. Her brother, or some relative, drives buses and would be in Santiago to by me a ticket. I thought, wow, that was easy. She says some dicho (saying) to me...which I cannot remember, but was something to the effect of if you don´t cry we won´t see your tears...meaning we can´t help you if we don´t know you are having problems.
Alright, so this was Friday. Friday night, the woman from the Canteen calls to say that her brother was unable to get a ticket. They were sold out? So, after some phone calls to other bus companies and the bus station in San Fernando (all made by my host mom) she found three tickets remaining on the bus to Puerto Montt for Sunday night. Great! But, again, no reservations could be made. She said, we will get up early and drive to San Fernando, since it was already 9;30pm when we were calling. Then, she thinks...my brother! So, her brother, who lives in San Fernando, went to the bus station and purchased my ticket. 13,500 pesos, which is about $27 US. Not bad. It wasn´t a salon cama (sleeper seat, something like a bed) but it was the last ticket on the bus...so I really cannot complain. We had a family reunion on Saturday night, so her brother would bring the ticket then.
The family reunion was something else. It was all the cousins getting together, drinking, eating, dancing, signing. Immediatly, I was referred to as the Gringa cousin.I couldn´t help but laugh to myself as the jokes that I didn´t understand were being passed around...I started wonder, gee, I wonder what my family looks like to a foreigner who only understands about half of what is being said, if I could even say I understood half. By the end of the night I was frustrated and feeling defeated...I thought I had been doing better at understanding and speaking, but when the family showed up, I felt like I had turned into a moron. I decided to turn in early, as they were planning on staying up until 4:30...which they did. I turned in at 3;00 am.
The next morning, they were asking me what I thought about their family. I said, you all seem very nice, happy, and...unique. They joked and said the next family reunion would be in the US. ha ha...nice people.
An interesting side note on the importance of being able to get together for them....during the first three years of Pinochet, it was forbidden to have any sort of gathering after dark, since he feared groups of people conspiring against him. My host mom said it was a very bad time...we couldn´t even get together as a family. I need to learn more about the history of Chile and of South America....along with the US involvement...the US helped Pinochet get into power. Pinochet provided refuge for Nazi SS soldiers, one of which was just in the paper last week. THe most wanted man from the holocaust...Dr. Death...The Butcher...and they believe he is here in Chile or in Argentina. There is a bank account in Germany with about $1 us dollars waiting to be claimed by someone in the family, but I assume no one does this to protect his identity. He would be 94 years old. It was a very interesting article which I was quite proud to have read, understood, and discussed...
ANYWAY...after the family left, Ana´s brother gave me a ride to the bus station. Before we left, the family all gave me hugs telling me to be careful and have fun...and to make sure I called to check in when I arrived in Puerto Montt so they new I had met up with the others and everything was ok. It is true what they told us about our host families...they will take you in as one of their own.
The bus ride was over night. It left San Fernando at 9:30pm and arrived in Puerto Montt at 8:30 am Monday morning. On the way there, they played Rocky (I have no idea what number). It was all dubbed over in Spanish and Rocky without Sly Stalone´s voice just isn´t the same. I opted to listen to music. After the movie, they make sure you have a blanket and pillow and they close all the curtains. It was a long bus ride and I don´t think I slept alot, but I wasn´t tired when we arrived, so I must have slept some. Before we arrived, they collected our blankets and pillows, served us, what I now believe, was heated coca-cola, and played 80´s music videos. I cannot believe how cheesy 80´s video´s really were. AND; that they still play them here. I had someone say to me...I love Cindy Lauper, do you like Cindy Lauper...thinking to myself...yeah, back in 1988 I liked Cindy Lauper...
Ok...so after I arrived, I went up to the restuarant for a cup of instant coffee while I was waiting for the others who were on another bus from Santiago, scheduled to arrive a half hour after me....we met up and decided to just keep going to Chiloe, then come back to Puerto Montt on the way back...get this bus stuff out of the way!
The bus ride to Castro was 3 hours and it included a 20 minute ferry ride, which was fun...we say some seals. Someone had recommended a hostel here in Castro and it has proven to be very nice.
http://www.chiloeweb.cl/hostales/hcordillera/hcordillera.htm The woman who runs it is great, even if she flat out told me my Spanish wasn´t good. That actually hurt a bit, seeing how I had just been through a family reunion where I couldn´t follow jokes and I seemed to have lost my words. But, slowly, I am letting go and just getting back up on the horse to being patient with myself and communication...
The island is a nice little island. One of the main ¨postcard photos¨of Castro are the houses on stilts. They are really cool, very interesting. We were scheduled to go to a national park yesterday, but with the missing wallet of one person and the arrival of another person we decided to postpone it until today. Now, due to a late night of drinking, we still didn´t make it. I thought to go on my own, since I am obviously up, but I felt guilty going.
We had started out the night at a pub where they had pool tables (long pool tables with very narrow pockets...which was very frustrating). There were a few German guys that were traveling and they joined us for beer. When it got to be 1am, part of the group wanted to go dancing. So, while the others went dancing, two of us turned in...me and another guy. They had my phone number to call so I could let them in when they got home...we didn´t want to wake up the family twice to let us in, drunk gringos.
So, when they called me at 5:00am, I went downstairs, opened the door, and they were holding up the one girl...I thought, oh man, am I ever happy I stayed in...she looks at me and says...I am not drunk. She had been drugged at the discoteca.
So, as I have been sitting here watching the rain, thinking about Castro, Chile, I am not to impressed with it. People have been rude....like when I stopped to ask this woman who was walking in my direction for directions to the fish market....you would have thought I had asked her to eat monkey brains... Another woman at the bus station could care less about giving me information about tickets... There is just a very cold feeling about this area. I am voting we move on from here...we will see how the others feel about it when we get up. Hopefully the the one girl in our group will feel better today. I have only known of one person to be drugged at a bar and she told me it was terrible...all the sudden you are acting drunk when you are not drunk...you lose control......it was a good thing they went out as a group.
Oh my, before I forget, the dog at this house is the greatest dog ever! She looks like a little lamb...a poodle without the ugly poodle hair cut (sorry if you have a poodle and/or like the poodle hairdo...but they are so much more adorable with hair all over). I still don´t know its name...I just call her the Oveja, which is sheep in spanish.
Cheers!
jami
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Another Completo!
Today was the last real day of classes before Winter break, which starts officially tomorrow at noon.
My day was pretty easy. I had my history class that I am taking. Then I had some free time. I had English table at Lunch. Then the 4th tourism class I work with invited me over for a completo party. I wasn´t sure I needed to eat a completo ever again, but I did because they wanted me to come and that is what they were serving. They kindly left the mayonaise off for me, but I think the guacamole needs to go too.
It was one student´s birthday, so we sang happy birthday. Some students played guitar and sang. I swear every classroom has someone with a guitar. Then, they had sercret Amigos and passed out gifts. The last gift was for me...which surprised me. It was a giant chocolate bar! YUM! I have been craving chocolate!
Then, I was supposed to go to another class, but there was a problem with water, so school was over. I stood around for bit and watched some of the teachers grab a fellow teacher by their arms a legs to do the ¨blanket¨ while singing happy birthday. That was entertaining. One teacher told me that they have to do the blanket with him, because to kick him in the butt 60 times would take to long. So one ¨shake¨per five years.
I went back into the teacher´s room to get my things and some students came in to find me, asking me if I would play frisbee with them. Naturally, I said sure. So we played for almost two hours...just passing the frisbee. It is new to them. By the time we finished a handful of them were throwing some fancy throws. They were saying, catch, grab, throw, high, low, and I broke my fingernail.
So, it was a good day. I had kind of jumped on them a couple of days ago because they enjoyed asking me questions about the US and the things we do, which I like answering, but, when they aren´t doing the work I asked them to do...I have to put my work down. I enjoy helping them and being their teacher...but they need to remember I am their teacher, not their best friend. So, Ana said they mentioned I got upset with them and she said they appreciated me being stern with them and they said they would work harder after winter vacation. So, it is nice to know they understood and that we can keep moving forward.
When we finished playing frisbee, I went to grab my things and walk home. The kids came back up to me...I was worried they wanted besitos, which are the cultural hug-kiss on the cheek, something they do with their teachers even, and even though it is common, they aren´t supposed to do it with me...but they still try, so I feel so cold. But, they wanted to say they enjoyed having lunch, playing frisbee, and seeing me dance to rock and roll music. The one kid wants me to teach him how to dance to rock and roll. So, I said, maybe we will have a class one day.
My day was pretty easy. I had my history class that I am taking. Then I had some free time. I had English table at Lunch. Then the 4th tourism class I work with invited me over for a completo party. I wasn´t sure I needed to eat a completo ever again, but I did because they wanted me to come and that is what they were serving. They kindly left the mayonaise off for me, but I think the guacamole needs to go too.
It was one student´s birthday, so we sang happy birthday. Some students played guitar and sang. I swear every classroom has someone with a guitar. Then, they had sercret Amigos and passed out gifts. The last gift was for me...which surprised me. It was a giant chocolate bar! YUM! I have been craving chocolate!
Then, I was supposed to go to another class, but there was a problem with water, so school was over. I stood around for bit and watched some of the teachers grab a fellow teacher by their arms a legs to do the ¨blanket¨ while singing happy birthday. That was entertaining. One teacher told me that they have to do the blanket with him, because to kick him in the butt 60 times would take to long. So one ¨shake¨per five years.
I went back into the teacher´s room to get my things and some students came in to find me, asking me if I would play frisbee with them. Naturally, I said sure. So we played for almost two hours...just passing the frisbee. It is new to them. By the time we finished a handful of them were throwing some fancy throws. They were saying, catch, grab, throw, high, low, and I broke my fingernail.
So, it was a good day. I had kind of jumped on them a couple of days ago because they enjoyed asking me questions about the US and the things we do, which I like answering, but, when they aren´t doing the work I asked them to do...I have to put my work down. I enjoy helping them and being their teacher...but they need to remember I am their teacher, not their best friend. So, Ana said they mentioned I got upset with them and she said they appreciated me being stern with them and they said they would work harder after winter vacation. So, it is nice to know they understood and that we can keep moving forward.
When we finished playing frisbee, I went to grab my things and walk home. The kids came back up to me...I was worried they wanted besitos, which are the cultural hug-kiss on the cheek, something they do with their teachers even, and even though it is common, they aren´t supposed to do it with me...but they still try, so I feel so cold. But, they wanted to say they enjoyed having lunch, playing frisbee, and seeing me dance to rock and roll music. The one kid wants me to teach him how to dance to rock and roll. So, I said, maybe we will have a class one day.
8th English Song Festival
Tuesday, I woke up feeling like a million dollars, compared to how I was feeling the day before. I went to school and taught my 4th tourism song class. On tuesday´s students pick a song they want to learn the lyrics to. This week was Avril Levine´s ¨I´m with you¨. We made it through the entire song just in time for me to leave to go to the English Song Festival.
We arrived at Felipe´s school and filed into a teacher´s conference room where I saw the Danish kid I had met before. He was going to be a judge with me, along with three other people. Things were very rushed when we got there and I wasn´t too clear on what or where I should be. So, I just went where people told me.
We walked into the auditorium where the seats were filled with students. There was one section for judges, complete with a long narrow table, white tablecloths, a soft florescent light, a candy dish, and glasses for water. I was disappointed the glasses weren´t red with Coca-Cola on them...because I was already feeling a little bit like Paula Abdul on American Idol...
The program started almost the minute we sat down. I opened the folder in front of me and found lyrics for every song being sung, along with a sheet with items being evaluated....those items were in Spanish and all new terms for me! I asked the woman next to me what these things were, she says don´t worry about them, just focus on pronunciation. I said, ok. So, you just want me to judge pronunciation? No, she says, fill them all in. Ok, I reply, so you want me to fill them all in? Yea, but don´t worry about them. Uh...ok? Then she quickly told me what they were...hmm...tone, harmony, something about rythmn, pronunciation, personal appearance, and something about movement. Ok, I thought to myself...as long as I am consistant, it is ok.
The music started. At first I was kind of Paula nice, oh you tried and that was cute.
Then I kind of turned into the Jackson guy, whose name escapes me right now, dude, you have a great voice, but this song just wasn´t your song.
By the end, I had a bit of Simon, clearly you can´t sing.......ok, for those of you that know me, I am not that harsh, but by the end of the show, I had a better grasp on what marks to give.
I was VERY impressed with the talent I saw. There was one group that was rough...I felt bad for them...I have a hard time giving bad marks when a person is trying.
But, for the most part, most of them sang very well and pronounced their English really well. There was a tree instead of three. They have a hard time with r controlled vowels...ar-er-ir in the middle of words. Some of them missed some words...but all in all, they did really good. And, whoa, were there ever some GREAT voices!
So for most popular song: Angie, Rollingstone´s (that was my personal favorite)
Number one performance: Nothing Else Matters, Metallica
Number Two performance: Hero, Mariah Carey
Number three performance: Angie, Rollingstone´s (i think they won two awards...)
The judging process, the behind closed doors process, I completely didn´t understand. And when I would question it, the two women would talk over me IN SPANISH (you would think a couple of english teachers could speak some english). So, I was a bit irritated and I still question the process, but oh well.
So, the English Music festival was fun, it really was. I was happy to be a part of it. I think it was enough experience for me to head to the big leagues...watch out Simon, Paula and (RAndy?) Jackson! I have my eye on your jobs! ha ha...
We arrived at Felipe´s school and filed into a teacher´s conference room where I saw the Danish kid I had met before. He was going to be a judge with me, along with three other people. Things were very rushed when we got there and I wasn´t too clear on what or where I should be. So, I just went where people told me.
We walked into the auditorium where the seats were filled with students. There was one section for judges, complete with a long narrow table, white tablecloths, a soft florescent light, a candy dish, and glasses for water. I was disappointed the glasses weren´t red with Coca-Cola on them...because I was already feeling a little bit like Paula Abdul on American Idol...
The program started almost the minute we sat down. I opened the folder in front of me and found lyrics for every song being sung, along with a sheet with items being evaluated....those items were in Spanish and all new terms for me! I asked the woman next to me what these things were, she says don´t worry about them, just focus on pronunciation. I said, ok. So, you just want me to judge pronunciation? No, she says, fill them all in. Ok, I reply, so you want me to fill them all in? Yea, but don´t worry about them. Uh...ok? Then she quickly told me what they were...hmm...tone, harmony, something about rythmn, pronunciation, personal appearance, and something about movement. Ok, I thought to myself...as long as I am consistant, it is ok.
The music started. At first I was kind of Paula nice, oh you tried and that was cute.
Then I kind of turned into the Jackson guy, whose name escapes me right now, dude, you have a great voice, but this song just wasn´t your song.
By the end, I had a bit of Simon, clearly you can´t sing.......ok, for those of you that know me, I am not that harsh, but by the end of the show, I had a better grasp on what marks to give.
I was VERY impressed with the talent I saw. There was one group that was rough...I felt bad for them...I have a hard time giving bad marks when a person is trying.
But, for the most part, most of them sang very well and pronounced their English really well. There was a tree instead of three. They have a hard time with r controlled vowels...ar-er-ir in the middle of words. Some of them missed some words...but all in all, they did really good. And, whoa, were there ever some GREAT voices!
So for most popular song: Angie, Rollingstone´s (that was my personal favorite)
Number one performance: Nothing Else Matters, Metallica
Number Two performance: Hero, Mariah Carey
Number three performance: Angie, Rollingstone´s (i think they won two awards...)
The judging process, the behind closed doors process, I completely didn´t understand. And when I would question it, the two women would talk over me IN SPANISH (you would think a couple of english teachers could speak some english). So, I was a bit irritated and I still question the process, but oh well.
So, the English Music festival was fun, it really was. I was happy to be a part of it. I think it was enough experience for me to head to the big leagues...watch out Simon, Paula and (RAndy?) Jackson! I have my eye on your jobs! ha ha...
Burning Wood
Many nights I walk home wondering if I enhaled a campfire on the way home. I can taste it in my mouth and smell it in my clothes. The smell seems to fade quickly, so maybe it is just in my head.
Here, burning wood and coal are the way to go. I pass by houses selling espina (coal) on my walk. The other day I went with Ana to the woodpile, which looks just about like how it sounds. There are a couple of organized piles, but the rest is a giant pile. They have a big basket, like a giant laundry basket, which the fill with small logs. They carry it over to the scale....the scale is old fashioned to me...an arm to which they add discs until they are balanced. Nothing digital about it. Then they carry the basket to your car, pile it in, and you take it home.
I still have yet to figure out how much wood we burn...as it seemed as though two days later it was gone.
Here, burning wood and coal are the way to go. I pass by houses selling espina (coal) on my walk. The other day I went with Ana to the woodpile, which looks just about like how it sounds. There are a couple of organized piles, but the rest is a giant pile. They have a big basket, like a giant laundry basket, which the fill with small logs. They carry it over to the scale....the scale is old fashioned to me...an arm to which they add discs until they are balanced. Nothing digital about it. Then they carry the basket to your car, pile it in, and you take it home.
I still have yet to figure out how much wood we burn...as it seemed as though two days later it was gone.
Monday, July 7, 2008
A Man with a Chainsaw...
Before I forget...
The bus stops at bus stations, but it also stops for people along the side of the road. When I was on the bus between Santiago and Santa Cruz, I couldn´t help but laugh when I saw a man waiting for the bus with a back pack over one shoulder and a chainsaw in the other hand. That is something you don´t see everyday! I was kind of hoping he would bring the chainsaw on the bus with him, because it would have made the moment that much more memorable...but, it is alread classic for me. :) (I was riding a coach style bus, so he put it underneath, in case you were wondering)
Everyone takes the bus here, so who knows what else I will see. I like the bus to be quite honest. The people are interesting...and like I said, it is everyday people because everyone uses it.
The bus stops at bus stations, but it also stops for people along the side of the road. When I was on the bus between Santiago and Santa Cruz, I couldn´t help but laugh when I saw a man waiting for the bus with a back pack over one shoulder and a chainsaw in the other hand. That is something you don´t see everyday! I was kind of hoping he would bring the chainsaw on the bus with him, because it would have made the moment that much more memorable...but, it is alread classic for me. :) (I was riding a coach style bus, so he put it underneath, in case you were wondering)
Everyone takes the bus here, so who knows what else I will see. I like the bus to be quite honest. The people are interesting...and like I said, it is everyday people because everyone uses it.
Estoy resfriada...
I have a cold today.
The students have been telling my host mom (the english teacher) that she needs to take better care of me, as though it is her fault. ha ha! Their concern was very touching though. They saw me and said...Jami, are you sick? Oh, no! Do you have medicine? You need to rest. Very sweet.
I guess, as Ana told me, they told her it was her fault because she scared me about the stove-heater in my room. It is a gas heater, propane, andI have to light it every night for an hour before I go to bed. Well, the first night, she was worried I was sleeping with it on and woke up in a panic. But, luckily, I didn´t sleep with it on...but, she just constantly reminds me not to sleep with it on or close the door while I have it on, after all it is gas and that isn´t good for you. Anyway...I only use it when I really need it because I really don´t like using it...but, because she told the students about the fear she had my first night...they think because I don´t use it all the time...I got too cold and got sick....again, cute...but not so...I told them it was simply a change of climate with a combination of traveling this weekend and that it would pass...They reminded me I needed to take care of myself if I was going to travel next week during our winter vacation.
So, this afternoon, I didn´thave any classes, so I came home and ate lunch...I was given a double dose of Kiwi for more vitamin C (which is our typical dessert here), along with a hot lemonade with honey...then, I came upstairs, rested while watching Bourne Supremacy in Spanish. It isn´t quite the same as with English, but it is nice to know the movie so I have a context I know to work with.
Now, Felipe, my host brother, needs some English help. He is the MC for the English Festival tomorrow, so he wants to practice.
Good night!
The students have been telling my host mom (the english teacher) that she needs to take better care of me, as though it is her fault. ha ha! Their concern was very touching though. They saw me and said...Jami, are you sick? Oh, no! Do you have medicine? You need to rest. Very sweet.
I guess, as Ana told me, they told her it was her fault because she scared me about the stove-heater in my room. It is a gas heater, propane, andI have to light it every night for an hour before I go to bed. Well, the first night, she was worried I was sleeping with it on and woke up in a panic. But, luckily, I didn´t sleep with it on...but, she just constantly reminds me not to sleep with it on or close the door while I have it on, after all it is gas and that isn´t good for you. Anyway...I only use it when I really need it because I really don´t like using it...but, because she told the students about the fear she had my first night...they think because I don´t use it all the time...I got too cold and got sick....again, cute...but not so...I told them it was simply a change of climate with a combination of traveling this weekend and that it would pass...They reminded me I needed to take care of myself if I was going to travel next week during our winter vacation.
So, this afternoon, I didn´thave any classes, so I came home and ate lunch...I was given a double dose of Kiwi for more vitamin C (which is our typical dessert here), along with a hot lemonade with honey...then, I came upstairs, rested while watching Bourne Supremacy in Spanish. It isn´t quite the same as with English, but it is nice to know the movie so I have a context I know to work with.
Now, Felipe, my host brother, needs some English help. He is the MC for the English Festival tomorrow, so he wants to practice.
Good night!
VALPO!
We arrived in Valporaiso (not indiana..haha) around 9pm on Friday. The other had made a reservation at a hostel, it was called Hostel Yo Yo. It was a very unique place, very colorful with both colors and people. It was 5,500 pesos a night per person, which is $11 a night. We all shared them same dorm room, which was nice. The bathrooms were rather disgusting though.
The first night we went out for food at a German Resturant. It was good food I had the Peppered steak with a salad. It was delicious. I laughed as someone mentioned the meal was more than one night in our hostel.
The rest of the night was pretty tame, as we had all been traveling.
The next morning, we had a free breakfast! Yep, FREE! Not bad for $11, eh? The breakfast was scrambled eggs with bread. The guy, Chico, told us that the maid wasn´t able to make it, so he would have to cook for us. He did a good job. The food was good, however I did question to myself whether he was using spices or if I was eating the teflon or the flakes of something else that had been cooked in the pan. I decided to just close my eyes and eat.
Valpo is a port city and as we learned from our tour, it wasn´t established as a city until it had been there for a while. So, that is what contibutes to the very chaotic organization (if I can even say there is an organization) of the city. It is houses on top of houses on top of houses. One person in the group made a comment about this city quite possibly breaking every building code ever made. She may have been right. It is certainly something to see.
The city is a hilly port city. They have ascensores that are kind of like a cross between a train and a gondola. It carries you from the bottom of the hill to the top of the hill so you don´t have to walk. It costs about 50 cents. There used to be something like 38 of these Acensores, but now they have something like 29.
At one point we took a bus to the other side of town...let me tell you...whoa! It was better than a ride at an amusement park almost! Up, down, turn left, turn right, turn left again, another quick right, dodge a car, dodge a person, down, down, down, up, up, up...well work 75 cents. Thank God for good brakes and a driver who can multi task! The driver would take money, change money, and drive...even when someone may have been standing on the first step of the bus! ha!
We took a walking tour that was interesting. We followed the outdoor, graffiti, art tour (for lack of a better description right now). I really like Graffiti!
The city is full of colors, but also very dirty.
I had my first Completo...which is a hotdog on an oversized bun with avocado, mayonaise, tomatoes, ketchup, and mustard. I cannot say it was the most dilectable thing I have ever eaten, nor can I say I would buy another one...I really don´t like Mayo...I think I clogged an artery...
The next day, it was raining, but we walked up to the Jail that had been abandoned but turned into a public place for doing graffiti. It was ok. The graffiti was much like the graffiti in the streets, so I cannot say it was any better. Plus, we all thought it would be more developed since it sounded more like a museum...but it wasn´t.
After the jail, we went to the bus station and headed back to Santa Cruz. It was a nice trip. The group I went along with is a very nice group of people...very interesting. It was nice to get away and relax, as well as see something new.
The first night we went out for food at a German Resturant. It was good food I had the Peppered steak with a salad. It was delicious. I laughed as someone mentioned the meal was more than one night in our hostel.
The rest of the night was pretty tame, as we had all been traveling.
The next morning, we had a free breakfast! Yep, FREE! Not bad for $11, eh? The breakfast was scrambled eggs with bread. The guy, Chico, told us that the maid wasn´t able to make it, so he would have to cook for us. He did a good job. The food was good, however I did question to myself whether he was using spices or if I was eating the teflon or the flakes of something else that had been cooked in the pan. I decided to just close my eyes and eat.
Valpo is a port city and as we learned from our tour, it wasn´t established as a city until it had been there for a while. So, that is what contibutes to the very chaotic organization (if I can even say there is an organization) of the city. It is houses on top of houses on top of houses. One person in the group made a comment about this city quite possibly breaking every building code ever made. She may have been right. It is certainly something to see.
The city is a hilly port city. They have ascensores that are kind of like a cross between a train and a gondola. It carries you from the bottom of the hill to the top of the hill so you don´t have to walk. It costs about 50 cents. There used to be something like 38 of these Acensores, but now they have something like 29.
At one point we took a bus to the other side of town...let me tell you...whoa! It was better than a ride at an amusement park almost! Up, down, turn left, turn right, turn left again, another quick right, dodge a car, dodge a person, down, down, down, up, up, up...well work 75 cents. Thank God for good brakes and a driver who can multi task! The driver would take money, change money, and drive...even when someone may have been standing on the first step of the bus! ha!
We took a walking tour that was interesting. We followed the outdoor, graffiti, art tour (for lack of a better description right now). I really like Graffiti!
The city is full of colors, but also very dirty.
I had my first Completo...which is a hotdog on an oversized bun with avocado, mayonaise, tomatoes, ketchup, and mustard. I cannot say it was the most dilectable thing I have ever eaten, nor can I say I would buy another one...I really don´t like Mayo...I think I clogged an artery...
The next day, it was raining, but we walked up to the Jail that had been abandoned but turned into a public place for doing graffiti. It was ok. The graffiti was much like the graffiti in the streets, so I cannot say it was any better. Plus, we all thought it would be more developed since it sounded more like a museum...but it wasn´t.
After the jail, we went to the bus station and headed back to Santa Cruz. It was a nice trip. The group I went along with is a very nice group of people...very interesting. It was nice to get away and relax, as well as see something new.
Santiago...Friday...
Hello, hello!
Well, it was a busy weekend. On Friday, I traveled to Santiago with two of the other volunteers, Josh and Liz. It was nice to see them both and catch up with them on the way to Santiago. It was a three hour bus ride, which may sound a bit long, but it really went fast.
In Santiago, we met up with other volunteers and learned where our winter camp placements are going to be. I am going to be in Melipillo (I hope I am spelling that right..). It is closer to Santiago, so I will be living in a hostel or hotel for a week while I am there...a mini vacation, kind of. There are 5 other volunteers that will be working there too, so the expectation was that we would develop a rough plan with our group along with a list of supplies we needed for winter camp, during the three hours we were in Santiago. Things are very unorganized, of course. And, the idea of submttting a list of supplies is interesting, seeing how we still haven´t received our supplies for our school (supplies like construction paper, markers, tape...etc...). So, we are all rather skeptical about the supplies actually being there...so, we kind of planned activities that would require minimal supplies, therefore, if we have to buy them on the fly it won´t break us completely or we can improvise...we will see how it goes. Maybe we will actually get what we want. Ha ha...we are going to teach Ultimate Frisbee during our camp. I said we need Frisbees to practice throwing...so, realistically, we kind of doubt the possiblity of getting anyway...but I said, let´s shoot for ten and see what we get...you never know! Aim high right?
The rest of the training was a repeat of things we had already heard, so kind of a waste of time...but it was nice to catch up with some of the other volunteers.
There are some volunteers who are in some terrible living situations. I am just SO THANKFUL I have a good placement and I really feel bad for those who are having some serious issues. So, I am praying things work out for them.
After our little get together, I joined 6 other people who were going to Valporaiso...
Well, it was a busy weekend. On Friday, I traveled to Santiago with two of the other volunteers, Josh and Liz. It was nice to see them both and catch up with them on the way to Santiago. It was a three hour bus ride, which may sound a bit long, but it really went fast.
In Santiago, we met up with other volunteers and learned where our winter camp placements are going to be. I am going to be in Melipillo (I hope I am spelling that right..). It is closer to Santiago, so I will be living in a hostel or hotel for a week while I am there...a mini vacation, kind of. There are 5 other volunteers that will be working there too, so the expectation was that we would develop a rough plan with our group along with a list of supplies we needed for winter camp, during the three hours we were in Santiago. Things are very unorganized, of course. And, the idea of submttting a list of supplies is interesting, seeing how we still haven´t received our supplies for our school (supplies like construction paper, markers, tape...etc...). So, we are all rather skeptical about the supplies actually being there...so, we kind of planned activities that would require minimal supplies, therefore, if we have to buy them on the fly it won´t break us completely or we can improvise...we will see how it goes. Maybe we will actually get what we want. Ha ha...we are going to teach Ultimate Frisbee during our camp. I said we need Frisbees to practice throwing...so, realistically, we kind of doubt the possiblity of getting anyway...but I said, let´s shoot for ten and see what we get...you never know! Aim high right?
The rest of the training was a repeat of things we had already heard, so kind of a waste of time...but it was nice to catch up with some of the other volunteers.
There are some volunteers who are in some terrible living situations. I am just SO THANKFUL I have a good placement and I really feel bad for those who are having some serious issues. So, I am praying things work out for them.
After our little get together, I joined 6 other people who were going to Valporaiso...
Friday, July 4, 2008
Was that a horse?
I wanted to increase my time with students and working on their English.
The teachers I am working with are great to work with, but I don´t feel like I am doing enough. Because students wanted to learn Ultimate frisbee and the only time to really do this is after school and because after school my teachers have planned for me to have English conversation classes, I got to thinking...hey, why don´t I have an English table at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then I can open up my evenings on Tuesday and Thursday for Ultimate Frisbee. They liked the idea, so we started the english table yesterday.
First, let me say this, students start school at 8:15 here and their last class is over at 5:30. Some take a 30 minute (or longer) bus ride to school everyday. Every class period is 45 minutes. Two classes are back to back, then they have a 15 minute break. There are two morning breaks and then an hour for lunch and one afternoon break. So, their days are long. SO, it is absolutely encouraging for me to see that I can still get a group of students to stay after school to work on English. At the same time, it is also why it is hard to plan extra curricular activities after school, because some days students have to go home, so there may only be a handful of students....but, I am only just getting started...so I will figure out something.
So, we had our first lunch yesterday. The students had told m the lunch was bad. But, it is a free lunch for them, so can you really complain? It was beans with spaghetti noodles, some jello, and a piece of bread....no beverages, you have to buy those on your own. Come to think of it...I don´t think we have drinking fountains.
Anyway, they ask me, Do you like the lunch Jami? Quite honestly, I did think it was good, so I said yes, I do. They all say, Argh, really? We talked some in English and some in Spanish, as these kids want to help me with my Spanish. I tell them, this is your time to learn English, I will worry about my Spanish somewhere else...they don´t agree with that, so I let them help me.
Anyway, I had walked to school in the morning and then I had walked to el centro just to get out of school. This week, up until today, has been a gorgeous week. I had on all my layers and was just sweating. I hardly wore my jacket. It was so nice. But, all the walking and small lunch (when I am used to a big lunch) had me dragging by the end of the day, so by the time the end of the day hit and the one English teacher asked me if I wanted a ride...I jumped on it. yes! I will take a ride. He gave a couple of other students a ride home too. I could feel myself dazing....all of the sudden I could see something running across the street...I am thinking...what the hell was that? Here it was a horse! It must have gotten loose from somewhere. It dodn´t look like any owner was in sight...I just said, wow, now there is something you don´t see everyday! ha!
I got home and ate two paltas (avocados) on bread. It is very common to smash up una palta sprinkle it with salt and add a bit of oil (does that equal guacamole?). But, then just spread it on bread. It is yummy! But, seeing how I have been eating it for the past couple of few days, I worry my system might revolt... :)
The teachers I am working with are great to work with, but I don´t feel like I am doing enough. Because students wanted to learn Ultimate frisbee and the only time to really do this is after school and because after school my teachers have planned for me to have English conversation classes, I got to thinking...hey, why don´t I have an English table at lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then I can open up my evenings on Tuesday and Thursday for Ultimate Frisbee. They liked the idea, so we started the english table yesterday.
First, let me say this, students start school at 8:15 here and their last class is over at 5:30. Some take a 30 minute (or longer) bus ride to school everyday. Every class period is 45 minutes. Two classes are back to back, then they have a 15 minute break. There are two morning breaks and then an hour for lunch and one afternoon break. So, their days are long. SO, it is absolutely encouraging for me to see that I can still get a group of students to stay after school to work on English. At the same time, it is also why it is hard to plan extra curricular activities after school, because some days students have to go home, so there may only be a handful of students....but, I am only just getting started...so I will figure out something.
So, we had our first lunch yesterday. The students had told m the lunch was bad. But, it is a free lunch for them, so can you really complain? It was beans with spaghetti noodles, some jello, and a piece of bread....no beverages, you have to buy those on your own. Come to think of it...I don´t think we have drinking fountains.
Anyway, they ask me, Do you like the lunch Jami? Quite honestly, I did think it was good, so I said yes, I do. They all say, Argh, really? We talked some in English and some in Spanish, as these kids want to help me with my Spanish. I tell them, this is your time to learn English, I will worry about my Spanish somewhere else...they don´t agree with that, so I let them help me.
Anyway, I had walked to school in the morning and then I had walked to el centro just to get out of school. This week, up until today, has been a gorgeous week. I had on all my layers and was just sweating. I hardly wore my jacket. It was so nice. But, all the walking and small lunch (when I am used to a big lunch) had me dragging by the end of the day, so by the time the end of the day hit and the one English teacher asked me if I wanted a ride...I jumped on it. yes! I will take a ride. He gave a couple of other students a ride home too. I could feel myself dazing....all of the sudden I could see something running across the street...I am thinking...what the hell was that? Here it was a horse! It must have gotten loose from somewhere. It dodn´t look like any owner was in sight...I just said, wow, now there is something you don´t see everyday! ha!
I got home and ate two paltas (avocados) on bread. It is very common to smash up una palta sprinkle it with salt and add a bit of oil (does that equal guacamole?). But, then just spread it on bread. It is yummy! But, seeing how I have been eating it for the past couple of few days, I worry my system might revolt... :)
You want me to dance?
So, Chilieans are really good at doing things on the fly, or making things up as they go.
I went to school on Monday and Cesar said he would like to put on a little 4th of July presentation as a cross cultural learning exeperience. Ok. Cool. So, I go to his class, where they are writing up a little bit of a geographical description of the US and a little history. He has some students working on a dance routine to the twist, which was cute.
Then, at the end of the period he says, be ready for a little rock-n-roll dancing.
I looked at him and said, excuse me?
He says, yeah, you and me will do a little dance to Jailhouse Rock.
In front of the whole student body and staff, you want me to dance?, I questioned, Don´t you think we should practice or something?
Oh no, we will be fine, it is just for fun, he says.
Ok, well Wednesday, as I am leaving school, he says, are you ready to dance?
I look at him and say as ready as I will ever be, of course I said this with a smile.
Then he says, alright, so the students will do the introductions, then you will say something about your country in English and in Spanish.
Oh, I looked at him, you want me to say something too? Ok.
Well, yesterday, all went well. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest though. We did our little program right after second break. We did the program from the balcony of the first building...so, it was a bit intimidating to look down on a crowd of people. When I got up to speak (which I had to prepare and was very happy I had, because right now I am wondering, did I really read everything...did I skip any lines?) I was so nervous, my hands shook just a little bit. Then, I did my dance with Cesar, which went well. The students enjoyed it, so I guess that is all that matters. A little practice would have been nice, as I am not a good follower when dancing with pairs, but oh well...
I was planning some lessons with Ana this week and we started talking about learning spanish and she said something about TV and news. I thought she was saying I need to watch more TV, but then something about her saying, that will be next week, so you will be on the news.
I looked at her and said, excuse me? What did you just say?
She says, oh, they want to do a little something on you being here and you will say something about the program and why you are here...
So, they are going to be filming me ?
Oh yeah, but that isn´t for a couple of weeks.
But you just said it was next week.
Next week the week after, whenever you are ready.
Oh. K.
She says, it is just local news, so only Santa Cruz.
I say, yea, but that is 20,000 + people.
People will see you walking and say, hey, I saw you on TV.
I don´t really want everyone saying they saw me on TV.
So, it sounds like I might be on the local news next week or the week after. Ok...I am learning to just roll with things and not get to worked up about time and preparations.
I went to school on Monday and Cesar said he would like to put on a little 4th of July presentation as a cross cultural learning exeperience. Ok. Cool. So, I go to his class, where they are writing up a little bit of a geographical description of the US and a little history. He has some students working on a dance routine to the twist, which was cute.
Then, at the end of the period he says, be ready for a little rock-n-roll dancing.
I looked at him and said, excuse me?
He says, yeah, you and me will do a little dance to Jailhouse Rock.
In front of the whole student body and staff, you want me to dance?, I questioned, Don´t you think we should practice or something?
Oh no, we will be fine, it is just for fun, he says.
Ok, well Wednesday, as I am leaving school, he says, are you ready to dance?
I look at him and say as ready as I will ever be, of course I said this with a smile.
Then he says, alright, so the students will do the introductions, then you will say something about your country in English and in Spanish.
Oh, I looked at him, you want me to say something too? Ok.
Well, yesterday, all went well. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest though. We did our little program right after second break. We did the program from the balcony of the first building...so, it was a bit intimidating to look down on a crowd of people. When I got up to speak (which I had to prepare and was very happy I had, because right now I am wondering, did I really read everything...did I skip any lines?) I was so nervous, my hands shook just a little bit. Then, I did my dance with Cesar, which went well. The students enjoyed it, so I guess that is all that matters. A little practice would have been nice, as I am not a good follower when dancing with pairs, but oh well...
I was planning some lessons with Ana this week and we started talking about learning spanish and she said something about TV and news. I thought she was saying I need to watch more TV, but then something about her saying, that will be next week, so you will be on the news.
I looked at her and said, excuse me? What did you just say?
She says, oh, they want to do a little something on you being here and you will say something about the program and why you are here...
So, they are going to be filming me ?
Oh yeah, but that isn´t for a couple of weeks.
But you just said it was next week.
Next week the week after, whenever you are ready.
Oh. K.
She says, it is just local news, so only Santa Cruz.
I say, yea, but that is 20,000 + people.
People will see you walking and say, hey, I saw you on TV.
I don´t really want everyone saying they saw me on TV.
So, it sounds like I might be on the local news next week or the week after. Ok...I am learning to just roll with things and not get to worked up about time and preparations.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
La clase de Animacíón---a.k.a...games
This is an interesting class to be part of. It is kind of like summer camp comes to school. You sing songs and play games. We must have played at least a half-a-dozen games-songs, but I only remember two.
First, a song with hand motions...for a moment I thought we were creating the next Grease movie. :)
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Du
Chuui Du
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Du
Chuui Du
Es Tan facil lo puedes hacer
solo necesitas un cierto poder
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui du
Chuu du
To go along with the song, as I said before, are a serious of hand motions and claps...The students had to teach me this in five minutes and then I had to prove that I could do it...so, yes, I got to do a solo for the class...ha ha...
Oh, they also taught me another clapping-slapping routine that has something to do with Huasos (the Chilean Cowboy)...it is very short, but fun...along with a clapping routine, which I was practing on my walk home tonight. It goes very fast and I keep confusing the rythmn. I will practice again tomorrow.
The last game was more active. We had four groups of 6 and we all had a corner we started from. The leader announces if I say 1 you run to the right, if I say 2 you run to the left, if I say 3 you run crossways. Then, he tells you what you group has to do when you get there. Examples...one person is your group must be over your heads (so you have to lift the person up and hold them over your heads...luckily we had the cheerleader in our group). The next time it might be, you can have four feet touching the ground and you have to have three hands on the ground (so you have to step on each other or prop each other up). Another one might be...three people have to be off the ground...and so on. If you fail to do the job...you have to do something. For example....the boy group failed on one item and they had to go up to a random person and everyone had to hug him...just fun stuff, but at the same time, kind of team building stuff.
Oh...there was another game too where there was a song about a cateriller (or something of the likes) and two people sang it, then would stop and ask a person to join their tail. The person would have to crawl through the legs of the first person and whoever else they may have collected along the way...I really don´t know what the point of the game was, as it wasn´t like it was a race between the two people...it was just for fun. I really wish I knew what the song was...
So, there you have a few games from Chile...I hope to have more later....
Time for tea! Cheers!
jami
First, a song with hand motions...for a moment I thought we were creating the next Grease movie. :)
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Du
Chuui Du
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Du
Chuui Du
Es Tan facil lo puedes hacer
solo necesitas un cierto poder
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui Dugua pa
Chuui du
Chuu du
To go along with the song, as I said before, are a serious of hand motions and claps...The students had to teach me this in five minutes and then I had to prove that I could do it...so, yes, I got to do a solo for the class...ha ha...
Oh, they also taught me another clapping-slapping routine that has something to do with Huasos (the Chilean Cowboy)...it is very short, but fun...along with a clapping routine, which I was practing on my walk home tonight. It goes very fast and I keep confusing the rythmn. I will practice again tomorrow.
The last game was more active. We had four groups of 6 and we all had a corner we started from. The leader announces if I say 1 you run to the right, if I say 2 you run to the left, if I say 3 you run crossways. Then, he tells you what you group has to do when you get there. Examples...one person is your group must be over your heads (so you have to lift the person up and hold them over your heads...luckily we had the cheerleader in our group). The next time it might be, you can have four feet touching the ground and you have to have three hands on the ground (so you have to step on each other or prop each other up). Another one might be...three people have to be off the ground...and so on. If you fail to do the job...you have to do something. For example....the boy group failed on one item and they had to go up to a random person and everyone had to hug him...just fun stuff, but at the same time, kind of team building stuff.
Oh...there was another game too where there was a song about a cateriller (or something of the likes) and two people sang it, then would stop and ask a person to join their tail. The person would have to crawl through the legs of the first person and whoever else they may have collected along the way...I really don´t know what the point of the game was, as it wasn´t like it was a race between the two people...it was just for fun. I really wish I knew what the song was...
So, there you have a few games from Chile...I hope to have more later....
Time for tea! Cheers!
jami
Where is Bob Barker?
I just walked home from school and everytime I walk home from school I wonder...where did all these dogs come from? Don´t people watch the Price is Right? Remember to Spay (sp?) and Neuter your pets?
There are MANY stray dogs (and, yes, some cats too). In Santiago, you see stray dogs everywhere too. They are all laying out on cardboard boxes. Some of them look like they might have a home to go home to, others look like they have had their buns chewed a few times too many...it makes me think about Lady and the Tramp when I see these street dogs struttin´about. :)
There are MANY stray dogs (and, yes, some cats too). In Santiago, you see stray dogs everywhere too. They are all laying out on cardboard boxes. Some of them look like they might have a home to go home to, others look like they have had their buns chewed a few times too many...it makes me think about Lady and the Tramp when I see these street dogs struttin´about. :)
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