Finished reading The Shack by William P. Young last night at midnight. Though I'd heard concerns that the book contained such things as God as a woman and terrible tragedy, I found it to be an easy read that challenges the mind. In essence, the story is a religious philosophy loosely veiled through the story of Mack, the middle-aged, hardened protagonist: tragedy strikes (an emotional though not graphic section), Mack hates God, Mack goes on trip to meet God. Through this basic plot structure, the author tackled three key ideas: the Trinity, why bad things happen to good people, and organized religion. Following in the vein of Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (an influence noted even by the author), the ideas work to break lifelong churchgoers out of their preconvceived notions about God.
Young's representation of the Trinity as an African American woman, a Middle Eastern carpenter, and an Asian woman serve to break people away from the preconceived notions of God. As the character Mack claims, perhaps God doesn't look like Gandalf, white flowing beard and aged, after all. And why not represent the Trinity in this way? If God chooses to manifest himself, doesn't it make sense that God may do so however he deems appropriate since both male and female are made in his image and his children are of all tribes and nations? But Young doesn't throw in this characterization just for kicks--it serves a specific purpose in the development of Mack's thinking (and potentially ours right along with him).
Even the discussion of suffering proves insightful, if hard to swallow. God gave man freedom. If man is truly free to make his own choices, then man is also free to suffer the consequences of those choices. Unfortunately, those choices often affect others, hence suffering multiplies. Ironically, while God does not will suffering, he is able to use it for good. Though touched on several times in the novel, I, at times, like Mack, have a hard time wrapping my head around it.
And, similar to (though a little softer than) Miller's book, organized religion takes a beating in favor of relationship. This, however, seems to serve as a strong reminder of Christianity's core values rather than a ridicule of the religion as a whole.
So, is it worth the read? Certainly. I think the ideas can even be vital in evalutaing individual and community faith. Can something like this really happen? Well, it is said, with God, all things are possible. Perhaps it is time for us to reconsider the possibility of divine intervention in daily life.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Work Efficiency? It's overrated.
Went back to work on Friday. If you were to measure my efficiency on a scale from 1 to 10, I would probably get a 2. Maybe a 3. And only because I attended the two meetings I was supposed to attend. The rest of the day I spent gabbing and then staring at my room arrangement trying to figure out the best way to accommodate my largest class (at 33, an outlier this year, thankfully).
My most productive activity at work for the weekend? Uploading my Guatemalan photos to my work computer so I can have them as my screen saver. I'm feeling a little heartsick for Guatemala at the moment.
My most productive activity at work for the weekend? Uploading my Guatemalan photos to my work computer so I can have them as my screen saver. I'm feeling a little heartsick for Guatemala at the moment.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Carne Asada and Other Yummy Things
The teachers made Rachel, Rita, and me lunch yesterday to celebrate our time here. I just have to say I love carne asada. I don't each much red meat when I'm cooking on my own, so to have delicious red meat really hit the spot. We also ate tortillas, potatoes, chile (broccoli and carrots spiced with jalapenos), salsa, and three milks cake.
The only problem with the lunch was that I had already attended two parties thrown by my third grade and sixth grade classes, respectively. The third graders are going to be the future party planners/teachers/CEOs of Guatemala because they sure know how to plan. We had snacks, we played games (find the stickers on the balloons, pinata, etc), we had a dance party (to Tarzan music, of course). The sixth graders are a little more upscale in their celebrations, with a table cloth covering all of the desks that have been pushed together, nachos and salsa, ramen, zucchini bread, grape pop, and popsicles.
The entire day was very sweet. Probably my favorite keepsake will be some of the cards students wrote.
Grateful for my time here, E.
The only problem with the lunch was that I had already attended two parties thrown by my third grade and sixth grade classes, respectively. The third graders are going to be the future party planners/teachers/CEOs of Guatemala because they sure know how to plan. We had snacks, we played games (find the stickers on the balloons, pinata, etc), we had a dance party (to Tarzan music, of course). The sixth graders are a little more upscale in their celebrations, with a table cloth covering all of the desks that have been pushed together, nachos and salsa, ramen, zucchini bread, grape pop, and popsicles.
The entire day was very sweet. Probably my favorite keepsake will be some of the cards students wrote.
Grateful for my time here, E.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Mad Gab Moment
Words, words, words. Some of the most frustrating and most hilarious moments of teaching this summer has been trying to teach vocabulary. Frustration sets in when students stare at me blankly, when I'm not sure if they don't understand because they don't know the language or because they've simply turned off their brains for the past few minutes. Humor sets in with word pronunciation and definitions.
Earlier this week, I was giving the term "sleeping bag" to my fifth graders as part of their list. Having checked the Spanish translation with one of the older, native speakers, I wrote the translation as "sleeping" (though probably it should have been something like "slipin" to keep with Spanish sounds. Alejandro piped up and said, "Miss! No make sense! Sleeping is sleeping?" He had a point, but I wasn't sure what to say since that is what they call it. However, I fortunately had looked up the dictionary word, which was "saco de dormir," and told him that. Suddenly, he shouted, "Oh! Sleeping is sleeping!" and he and the entire class cracked up. It was very much a Mad Gab moment.
It has never occurred to me before this summer, either, how important it is to say beach correctly or to pronounce tidy with a long i. Funny, funny.
Earlier this week, I was giving the term "sleeping bag" to my fifth graders as part of their list. Having checked the Spanish translation with one of the older, native speakers, I wrote the translation as "sleeping" (though probably it should have been something like "slipin" to keep with Spanish sounds. Alejandro piped up and said, "Miss! No make sense! Sleeping is sleeping?" He had a point, but I wasn't sure what to say since that is what they call it. However, I fortunately had looked up the dictionary word, which was "saco de dormir," and told him that. Suddenly, he shouted, "Oh! Sleeping is sleeping!" and he and the entire class cracked up. It was very much a Mad Gab moment.
It has never occurred to me before this summer, either, how important it is to say beach correctly or to pronounce tidy with a long i. Funny, funny.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
New Pet #10
Ludwin and Steven found a new lizard today. I think that makes reptilian creature number 10 while I've been here. This one is pretty big--six inches or so. We'll see how long the little sucker sticks around. Earlier this week Ludwin and Andrew found some baby lizards, only one inch big. Not sure what became of them.
Free Haircuts from the Hair Maestro and Other Group Stories
The four men here this week were truly jacks of all trades. They could paint. They could build. They could fix the plumbing. They could fix the computers. They could build fires. They could do just about anything--one could even give haircuts.
Glenda became Hair Maestro Luigi's faithful assistant as she lined up appointments for nearly all of the kids and several adults. "You must cancel 48 hours in advance or still pay," Luigi reminded us playfully. "This is a very professional establishment." My turn to get my hair cut came on Thursday, and it was nice to sit on the stool and have the length of my hair cut off. My ponytail (or chongo, as Caleb loves to call it as he tussles it each time he passes me) has been getting longer, and though my hair isn't long, a trim is nice. Lui did a great job.
Laura became my walking partner this week. She's a runner, but she willingly slowed her pace for me to join her on evening walks. I've missed quite a bit of my exercise this summer, so it was fantastic to have someone get me back on track. One of my favorite parts of walking, though, is talking. We had lots of little chats about life and plans and teaching and family and all that. Of course, talking makes breathing a little difficult--we just blame that on the high altitude though, nothing like being a little out of shape. With a starry night over head, the steady stream of traffic outside the walls, and the peacefulness of darkness in a safe place, it was a relaxing activity for the end of the day.
After pizza and cinnamon rolls on Thursday (a weird combination, I know. But it was pizza night and Geovany's 10th anniversary, and Marsha and Rachel make fabulous cinnamon rolls, so why not?), I got a chance to chat with Kevin and hear about his family. He's one of those hard working, laid back guys who just enjoys being, I think. Later that night, the crescent moon came out, making a picturesque view. We all stayed up late waiting for Steve's return, so Quiddler, homemade salsa, and fruit came out to keep us all awake and alert.
Last night was the closing bonfire, held for each group before they leave. This week we sat around it a little longer than usual. Doug and Glenda shared some of their life story with me. Doug also told me about his trip to Israel where he went for six weeks to work as a welder--an answer to his prayer that God would show him opportunities to use his talents. After the fire, we played Skip Bo in Pam and Steve's apartment while some of the others finished yet another game of Five Crowns just to have Geovany win again.
I enjoyed spending time with this group. They were very open, and I am thankful that they more or less let be an adopted group member.
Glenda became Hair Maestro Luigi's faithful assistant as she lined up appointments for nearly all of the kids and several adults. "You must cancel 48 hours in advance or still pay," Luigi reminded us playfully. "This is a very professional establishment." My turn to get my hair cut came on Thursday, and it was nice to sit on the stool and have the length of my hair cut off. My ponytail (or chongo, as Caleb loves to call it as he tussles it each time he passes me) has been getting longer, and though my hair isn't long, a trim is nice. Lui did a great job.
Laura became my walking partner this week. She's a runner, but she willingly slowed her pace for me to join her on evening walks. I've missed quite a bit of my exercise this summer, so it was fantastic to have someone get me back on track. One of my favorite parts of walking, though, is talking. We had lots of little chats about life and plans and teaching and family and all that. Of course, talking makes breathing a little difficult--we just blame that on the high altitude though, nothing like being a little out of shape. With a starry night over head, the steady stream of traffic outside the walls, and the peacefulness of darkness in a safe place, it was a relaxing activity for the end of the day.
After pizza and cinnamon rolls on Thursday (a weird combination, I know. But it was pizza night and Geovany's 10th anniversary, and Marsha and Rachel make fabulous cinnamon rolls, so why not?), I got a chance to chat with Kevin and hear about his family. He's one of those hard working, laid back guys who just enjoys being, I think. Later that night, the crescent moon came out, making a picturesque view. We all stayed up late waiting for Steve's return, so Quiddler, homemade salsa, and fruit came out to keep us all awake and alert.
Last night was the closing bonfire, held for each group before they leave. This week we sat around it a little longer than usual. Doug and Glenda shared some of their life story with me. Doug also told me about his trip to Israel where he went for six weeks to work as a welder--an answer to his prayer that God would show him opportunities to use his talents. After the fire, we played Skip Bo in Pam and Steve's apartment while some of the others finished yet another game of Five Crowns just to have Geovany win again.
I enjoyed spending time with this group. They were very open, and I am thankful that they more or less let be an adopted group member.
Praise God for Silent Ball
After a week and a half of not-so-great second grade math classes, we had a great day this past Wednesday. We completed our meeting strips in a timely fashion (without any broken coin jars to clean up); we reviewed our newest subtraction facts (without me having to write any names on the board); we completed the timed test (without anyone starting ahead of time or continuing to work after time was called); we completed side A of the math worksheet together (together is the key word--that doesn't often happen since so many of them like to rush ahead); and students finished side B independently, giving me an opportunity to help individual students. When I checked my watch, we still had 10 minutes left.
A little conscious of my classroom management with the normal second grade teacher there, I decided we could review the verse since that had gone so well before. So a recitation of Psalm 91 ensued at the top of the little second graders' lungs: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty..." Once again the decibel level shot through the roof, and the temptation to cover my ears was overpowering. After verse ten or so the yelling faded, and it was evident that was all they knew for today.
Having six minutes left in the class now, I pulled out my favorite squishy pink sea anemone (yes, the very one I love to put on bobble-head Shakespeare's head to give him a 'fro) and played Mom's trusty game: silent ball. They all stood next to their desks without saying a word, waiting patiently (well, some not so patiently) for the ball to be thrown their way. The decibel level was at ground level, and the quiet and tranquility was a great way to end a decent class period.
A little conscious of my classroom management with the normal second grade teacher there, I decided we could review the verse since that had gone so well before. So a recitation of Psalm 91 ensued at the top of the little second graders' lungs: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty..." Once again the decibel level shot through the roof, and the temptation to cover my ears was overpowering. After verse ten or so the yelling faded, and it was evident that was all they knew for today.
Having six minutes left in the class now, I pulled out my favorite squishy pink sea anemone (yes, the very one I love to put on bobble-head Shakespeare's head to give him a 'fro) and played Mom's trusty game: silent ball. They all stood next to their desks without saying a word, waiting patiently (well, some not so patiently) for the ball to be thrown their way. The decibel level was at ground level, and the quiet and tranquility was a great way to end a decent class period.
Water Fight of the Century
The group from Pennsylvania was here all week, and they closed out their time with the kids with a massive water balloon war yesterday after school. It was a bit like horses chomping at the bit--all of the kids knew there was to be a water fight. They asked in every class if I knew there was going to be one. All week I have been taking ballons away from them or asking them to put them away; some found them quite tasty to chew on, and even Samy snapped his tongue pretty well by having it in his mouth.
As the buses for the other students drove off, the kids started to amass themselves. Doug and Kevin guarded the adults' (or gringos') stash of water balloons. The kids hurried to do their chores--there were to be no water games until everyone was finished. Unfortunately, that message failed to be relayed to all parties, so several premature water balloons made their way to the feet of unexpectant guerrillas.
Soon, only two were left to fininsh the chores. Rachel did her best to hold the other kids (and the adults) back; I urged Carlos to finish sweeping outside the school classrooms only to discover that Ludwin not only needed to finish sweeping outside the big kitchen, but he also had to mop the tiled floor downstairs. Oh, to be stuck with a chore when everyone else is running free!
Finally, finally, the water broke loose. Water balloons splatted on the patios as several of the gringos took the tower position on the third floor; the kids stood below launching, sometimes with excellent aim, their balloons. It wasn't long before the water hoses and buckets came out. I finally joined the shindig armed with a cup and had to fight Dorcas pretty hard to get at the water spigot. While the rest of us were quite drenched, Rosita somehow had maintained her dry clothing, so Laura and I teamed up to make sure she got soaked by hiding out at both stairwells and waiting for her to descend from the upper level of classrooms.
The only one left to drench, then, was Ludwin. I tried my best, but since he is more familiar with and more nimble on the grassy hillside, he ended up staying relatively dry in spite of my attempts to soak him.
So who won? It depends whom you ask--the gringos and the Guatemalans tell quite a different story.
As the buses for the other students drove off, the kids started to amass themselves. Doug and Kevin guarded the adults' (or gringos') stash of water balloons. The kids hurried to do their chores--there were to be no water games until everyone was finished. Unfortunately, that message failed to be relayed to all parties, so several premature water balloons made their way to the feet of unexpectant guerrillas.
Soon, only two were left to fininsh the chores. Rachel did her best to hold the other kids (and the adults) back; I urged Carlos to finish sweeping outside the school classrooms only to discover that Ludwin not only needed to finish sweeping outside the big kitchen, but he also had to mop the tiled floor downstairs. Oh, to be stuck with a chore when everyone else is running free!
Finally, finally, the water broke loose. Water balloons splatted on the patios as several of the gringos took the tower position on the third floor; the kids stood below launching, sometimes with excellent aim, their balloons. It wasn't long before the water hoses and buckets came out. I finally joined the shindig armed with a cup and had to fight Dorcas pretty hard to get at the water spigot. While the rest of us were quite drenched, Rosita somehow had maintained her dry clothing, so Laura and I teamed up to make sure she got soaked by hiding out at both stairwells and waiting for her to descend from the upper level of classrooms.
The only one left to drench, then, was Ludwin. I tried my best, but since he is more familiar with and more nimble on the grassy hillside, he ended up staying relatively dry in spite of my attempts to soak him.
So who won? It depends whom you ask--the gringos and the Guatemalans tell quite a different story.
Mayan Numbers
One of the emphases in math here in Guatemala is Mayan numbers. In Pam's opinion, it's a lot of wasted time considering they don't really use them for any practical purpose. Here at La Senda, they mainly learn them for the national math competition the kids participate in. Miss Anita showed me the system: the frame looks like dominoes, upended and stacked on top of each other the larger the number is. Dots, horizontal lines, and eyes symbolize the numbers; rather than having a base of 10, the base is 20 (I think--it goes ones, twenties, four hundreds, etc). I think maybe I've heard about it before. I tried out a few numbers and got them right; however, adding and multiplying them sound like quite a chore to learn.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Market, Drunk Man, Volcanoes, and more
Made it to Antigua on Sunday, sans chickenbus (a bit relieved!). There was a huge festival going on, so central park had book and food vendors set up. Tried a cheese tortilla with lettuce, cheese, and sauce on it. Still don't like corn tortillas much--they look so much better to me than they actually taste.
I love bargaining at the market! In truth, you can find the same products every three or four stalls. Beautiful colors everywhere--in the fabrics of purses, table runners, toy animals, hammocks, leather work, paintings--brilliant blues, reds, pinks, oranges, browns every direction you cast your eye. Walk by the stalls, and they yell out, "Adelante! Come in, special price just for you. I give you it for 80 quetzales. No? Seventy-five. Best deal. Special price, just for you..." You quickly learn to smile and say no thanks, unless of course you want it, in which case you go back and forth, feigning dislike until they finally get to the price you want. One particularly persistent vendor, who haggled pretty heavily with one of the group members to sell him a giraffe, came up to me with another giraffe, trying to sell it to me. After refusing his offer several times, I finally said, "Es muy hermosa, pero lo no quiero (It's beautfiul, but I don't want it)." He chuckled and went away.
My favorite purchase of the day were two little lizard/iguana key chains. I was only going to buy one for little Ludwin, but I couldn't pass up the laughter and the deal of buying two at a cheaper price. I asked the vendor (yes, in Spanish!) if iguana eyes were really red in truth as portrayed on the key chain--it looks a little demonic. For some reason he found this a particularly humorous question, so he kept giving me reasons ("Quizas... o quizas... perhaps this or perhaps that") in the midst of his laughter, but my Spanish comprehension broke down after the word perhaps so I'm not sure what his suggestions were. I always find it enjoyable when I can make a random stranger truly laugh (although I usually do it quite by accident).
One of the team members treated me to a cup of coffee since I helped them with their bargaining in the market (delicious! much better than any coffee I make), and then we waited for Lito to show up. I've decided that Lito with a mustache looks very much like a hispanic version of Uncle Buddy (props to you, Uncle B!). Since Lito was coming from his soccer game, he was 30 minutes late, during which time a drunk guy came up and started talking to us. After telling us about 100 times that he spoke English and Spanish, he related how he lived in Oklahoma City for 2 years until he got caught by police without papers. Poor guy. Reminded me of Jose. The men from the group were not too excited about him talking to us, and I was afraid a few times that we were going to have a knock-down, dragout session in the middle of Antigua. Fortunately, it didn't come to blows, and Lito showed up to take us home.
Bible school started today. I'm going to hear "Jesus Loves Me" at least 20 times this week. At least it's the cool version with a beat and hand motions. Good thing I'm past the age where I worry about what people think when get into the song and motions. I have to admit I like it.
I think little Ludwin and I've bonded over his iguana. I showed him the little story I wrote about his iguana on my blog, and he asked me to print it out for him. Evidently, the poor little guy sobbed the night it died. He's been hanging around a lot more lately. He sat with me during prayer time for fifteen minutes, leaning his little head on my shoulder while we watched the candles flicker and listen to the music. So hard to tell what little kids are thinking.
I also helped Lupita finish a volcano today. Rachel helped her make the mold on Saturday, so today we put on a chalk and water mixture to form a hard crust before painting it. We also ran a practice verson of the volcanic explosion so she knew how to do it for her class tomorrow. I think it turned out well! Between Geovany's artistic input and Andrew's eagerness to help us collect twigs, leaves, and grass to glue to the base, it turned out quite nice.
Tomorrow: more Bible school, math with the second and third graders (too bad Bible school doesn't cut into that subject), dinner with the group. I'm trying to remember the last time someone offered to cook every meal of the day for me. I'm not used it, but I'm thankful the group is so inclusive.
I love bargaining at the market! In truth, you can find the same products every three or four stalls. Beautiful colors everywhere--in the fabrics of purses, table runners, toy animals, hammocks, leather work, paintings--brilliant blues, reds, pinks, oranges, browns every direction you cast your eye. Walk by the stalls, and they yell out, "Adelante! Come in, special price just for you. I give you it for 80 quetzales. No? Seventy-five. Best deal. Special price, just for you..." You quickly learn to smile and say no thanks, unless of course you want it, in which case you go back and forth, feigning dislike until they finally get to the price you want. One particularly persistent vendor, who haggled pretty heavily with one of the group members to sell him a giraffe, came up to me with another giraffe, trying to sell it to me. After refusing his offer several times, I finally said, "Es muy hermosa, pero lo no quiero (It's beautfiul, but I don't want it)." He chuckled and went away.
My favorite purchase of the day were two little lizard/iguana key chains. I was only going to buy one for little Ludwin, but I couldn't pass up the laughter and the deal of buying two at a cheaper price. I asked the vendor (yes, in Spanish!) if iguana eyes were really red in truth as portrayed on the key chain--it looks a little demonic. For some reason he found this a particularly humorous question, so he kept giving me reasons ("Quizas... o quizas... perhaps this or perhaps that") in the midst of his laughter, but my Spanish comprehension broke down after the word perhaps so I'm not sure what his suggestions were. I always find it enjoyable when I can make a random stranger truly laugh (although I usually do it quite by accident).
One of the team members treated me to a cup of coffee since I helped them with their bargaining in the market (delicious! much better than any coffee I make), and then we waited for Lito to show up. I've decided that Lito with a mustache looks very much like a hispanic version of Uncle Buddy (props to you, Uncle B!). Since Lito was coming from his soccer game, he was 30 minutes late, during which time a drunk guy came up and started talking to us. After telling us about 100 times that he spoke English and Spanish, he related how he lived in Oklahoma City for 2 years until he got caught by police without papers. Poor guy. Reminded me of Jose. The men from the group were not too excited about him talking to us, and I was afraid a few times that we were going to have a knock-down, dragout session in the middle of Antigua. Fortunately, it didn't come to blows, and Lito showed up to take us home.
Bible school started today. I'm going to hear "Jesus Loves Me" at least 20 times this week. At least it's the cool version with a beat and hand motions. Good thing I'm past the age where I worry about what people think when get into the song and motions. I have to admit I like it.
I think little Ludwin and I've bonded over his iguana. I showed him the little story I wrote about his iguana on my blog, and he asked me to print it out for him. Evidently, the poor little guy sobbed the night it died. He's been hanging around a lot more lately. He sat with me during prayer time for fifteen minutes, leaning his little head on my shoulder while we watched the candles flicker and listen to the music. So hard to tell what little kids are thinking.
I also helped Lupita finish a volcano today. Rachel helped her make the mold on Saturday, so today we put on a chalk and water mixture to form a hard crust before painting it. We also ran a practice verson of the volcanic explosion so she knew how to do it for her class tomorrow. I think it turned out well! Between Geovany's artistic input and Andrew's eagerness to help us collect twigs, leaves, and grass to glue to the base, it turned out quite nice.
Tomorrow: more Bible school, math with the second and third graders (too bad Bible school doesn't cut into that subject), dinner with the group. I'm trying to remember the last time someone offered to cook every meal of the day for me. I'm not used it, but I'm thankful the group is so inclusive.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Bad Computer
After sitting in the bottom of my suitcase for the past six weeks, I believe my computer has finally learned its lesson. It has decided to work again. We'll see how long it takes him to feel cantankerous again.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Cowboy Day
The apparel of the students today was clearly western in celebration of what has become the school's annual Cowboy Day (a fundraiser). Excitement ran high as instead of futbol, gunfights filled the air. It was strikingly similar to a Western Day back home, with one key difference--students are allowed to bring toy guns here. Several times today--usually when I had toy guns pointed at me--I had to chuckle at the vast difference between the paranoid laws we've had to enforce in the U.S. and the freedom here. I toted my camera around to each class, figuring it was a perfect opportunity to snap some cute photos. My favorite? The third graders waving their hats and shooting their guns at me. I'll try to upload it another time.
Vaquero Day started full force a little after three o'clock. Each grade had nominated a cowgirl and cowboy from their class, and the class that had raised the most money won the competition. Then, parents and children could play ball, eat, throw darts at balloons, or play bingo. I was holed up in the bingo room, where a very capable fifth grader ran the show. Afterwards, my friend Linda was finishing up her nail-painting station, so I had my nails done, too. She reminds quite a bit of my sister Sarah.
School story for the day--well, two, actually. My fifth graders, helping get ready for today, told me there was no English class when I arrived. A little skeptical, considering there was no teacher in sight, I decided we needed to do something. We played the vocab game I had planned, and, as is apt to happen with me on a frequent basis, a song popped into my head: The Hokey Pokey. Quite logical, really, since to put is one of their words for the week. I sang three rounds of Hokey Pokey before class was over. Come on, it's a great review of body parts, too. :)
My second grader story for the day--I tried to plan more kinesthetic activities since I assumed the students would be silly with excitement. After twenty minutes of clapping my hands, saying, "If you can hear me, raise your hand," I decided kinesthetic ideas were not the best gameplan. Book work it would be. Surprisingly, the kids were much more attentive than usual, leading me to the conclusion that allowing 3-5 minutes of craziness each class will probably be more beneficial in the long run.
Vaquero Day started full force a little after three o'clock. Each grade had nominated a cowgirl and cowboy from their class, and the class that had raised the most money won the competition. Then, parents and children could play ball, eat, throw darts at balloons, or play bingo. I was holed up in the bingo room, where a very capable fifth grader ran the show. Afterwards, my friend Linda was finishing up her nail-painting station, so I had my nails done, too. She reminds quite a bit of my sister Sarah.
School story for the day--well, two, actually. My fifth graders, helping get ready for today, told me there was no English class when I arrived. A little skeptical, considering there was no teacher in sight, I decided we needed to do something. We played the vocab game I had planned, and, as is apt to happen with me on a frequent basis, a song popped into my head: The Hokey Pokey. Quite logical, really, since to put is one of their words for the week. I sang three rounds of Hokey Pokey before class was over. Come on, it's a great review of body parts, too. :)
My second grader story for the day--I tried to plan more kinesthetic activities since I assumed the students would be silly with excitement. After twenty minutes of clapping my hands, saying, "If you can hear me, raise your hand," I decided kinesthetic ideas were not the best gameplan. Book work it would be. Surprisingly, the kids were much more attentive than usual, leading me to the conclusion that allowing 3-5 minutes of craziness each class will probably be more beneficial in the long run.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Everybody Shout
The third graders have decided the past few days that it is a fun idea to hide from the teacher before class starts. This morning, Ludwin was piled in among the bookbags, Yeny fit neatly between some large cardboard boxes and the table, and Mimi hid rather conspicuously behind drink boxes next to the microwave. Now, considering there are only five of them in the class, the noticeable shrinking of class size was quite telling. Nevertheless, they find it amusing. We'll see how many more days it lasts. Surprisingly, there have been no more visits from Lui the Iguana.
The last few days we have talked about the letter R--the R Bully, according to our language book. The third graders have really gotten into the R-Bully cheer. They stand in formation, strike various poses, and shout the words loud and clear: "R is a bully, he likes his own way, he tells all the other vowels just what to say! A-R says R! O-R says or! All the other vowels say, 'Er, er...Yes, sir!'" It's quite entertaining.
My other favorite is when they get into reciting the Bible chapter of the year. Having extra time in my second grade math class one day, I asked them to stand up and recite Psalm 91. Those 17 little voices really blew the decibel level through the roof. My ears were hurting! But they sure knew their verses. :)
Tomorrow is Cowboy Day. Yeehaw!
The last few days we have talked about the letter R--the R Bully, according to our language book. The third graders have really gotten into the R-Bully cheer. They stand in formation, strike various poses, and shout the words loud and clear: "R is a bully, he likes his own way, he tells all the other vowels just what to say! A-R says R! O-R says or! All the other vowels say, 'Er, er...Yes, sir!'" It's quite entertaining.
My other favorite is when they get into reciting the Bible chapter of the year. Having extra time in my second grade math class one day, I asked them to stand up and recite Psalm 91. Those 17 little voices really blew the decibel level through the roof. My ears were hurting! But they sure knew their verses. :)
Tomorrow is Cowboy Day. Yeehaw!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Iguana Goes to School
There once was a green and brown striped iguana who lived on the rock coast of Guatemala. He enjoyed his life, basking in the sun, taking a dip in the sea whenever he felt a little too dry. Iguana's only regret was that he could not go to school. "But Mom," he would say, "Why can't I go to school with all the other kids?"
"Dear child," replied his mother. "You are an iguana, not a boy. Besides, everything you need to know you will learn right here." Iguana was not content, but he could not think of a reason to argue with his mother.
One day, a little boy named Ludwin caught Iguana sunning himself on a dry, flat rock. Ludwin, excited to have a new pet, put Iguana on his shoulder and went for a very long ride. Poor Iguana! He was so scared, but all he could do was hang on for dear life through the twisty curves on a road that went up, up, up. Soon, Iguana and his boy Ludwin arrived at a big white building where there was a vast, dirt yard to run around. There was hardly a rock in sight!
Fortunately for little Iguana, who realized his name was probably Lui since Ludwin kept calling him that, there was still the nice cool shade of a tree near the house when he needed to rest. He had not yet found his warm spot, although his boy Ludwin's stomach seemed to be the next best thing to his rock back home.
Lui adjusted to his new home rapidly; the only thing he hated was his little rope leash. Oh, how he yearned for freedom when his boy put that on him!
One day, Lui found himself inside a big bag. If he peered up, he could see his boy Ludwin's face through the crack at the top, but suddenly his face started to disappear and zip! just like that Lui found himself in darkness. The bag swayed back and forth, nearly lulling Lui into a deep slumber. Suddenly, light poured in again and his boy Ludwin was back, pulling him out of the dark chamber.
His boy Ludwin let him explore all sorts of new things--new hands, new table tops, new clothes--when suddenly Lui realized...wait, was that a whiteboard? were these desks he was climbing on? were the students listening to a teacher? Oh, joy! He was in a classroom. He, Lui the Iguana, would be the first Iguana in his family to go to school.
Realizing what an accomplishment this would be, Lui sat patiently on his desk and did his best to listen and blend in. When he got cold, his boy Ludwin kindly placed Lui on his stomach where Lui could feel the boy's breathing and the soft touch of his boy's shirt. When Lui needed a new view, his boy Ludwin let him lie in a nice, comfortable bed of a jacket on the girl Paula's desk. The only distraction occurred when his boy Ludwin kept shoving his face into the hand of the lady who talked so much. Lui wanted to cry, "No licking hands now! I'm here to learn!" Alas, the boy Ludwin had not yet learned to talk Iguana and did not understand.
Before long, the school day was over, and Lui looked forward to sleeping on all he had learned that day: reading, writing, numbers, addition. So much to think about! But how exciting it was--and just to think! Tomorrow was a new day, and he could learn even more things then. Lui the Iguana could hardly wait as he curled up to sleep on his boy Ludwin's stomach for the night.
"Dear child," replied his mother. "You are an iguana, not a boy. Besides, everything you need to know you will learn right here." Iguana was not content, but he could not think of a reason to argue with his mother.
One day, a little boy named Ludwin caught Iguana sunning himself on a dry, flat rock. Ludwin, excited to have a new pet, put Iguana on his shoulder and went for a very long ride. Poor Iguana! He was so scared, but all he could do was hang on for dear life through the twisty curves on a road that went up, up, up. Soon, Iguana and his boy Ludwin arrived at a big white building where there was a vast, dirt yard to run around. There was hardly a rock in sight!
Fortunately for little Iguana, who realized his name was probably Lui since Ludwin kept calling him that, there was still the nice cool shade of a tree near the house when he needed to rest. He had not yet found his warm spot, although his boy Ludwin's stomach seemed to be the next best thing to his rock back home.
Lui adjusted to his new home rapidly; the only thing he hated was his little rope leash. Oh, how he yearned for freedom when his boy put that on him!
One day, Lui found himself inside a big bag. If he peered up, he could see his boy Ludwin's face through the crack at the top, but suddenly his face started to disappear and zip! just like that Lui found himself in darkness. The bag swayed back and forth, nearly lulling Lui into a deep slumber. Suddenly, light poured in again and his boy Ludwin was back, pulling him out of the dark chamber.
His boy Ludwin let him explore all sorts of new things--new hands, new table tops, new clothes--when suddenly Lui realized...wait, was that a whiteboard? were these desks he was climbing on? were the students listening to a teacher? Oh, joy! He was in a classroom. He, Lui the Iguana, would be the first Iguana in his family to go to school.
Realizing what an accomplishment this would be, Lui sat patiently on his desk and did his best to listen and blend in. When he got cold, his boy Ludwin kindly placed Lui on his stomach where Lui could feel the boy's breathing and the soft touch of his boy's shirt. When Lui needed a new view, his boy Ludwin let him lie in a nice, comfortable bed of a jacket on the girl Paula's desk. The only distraction occurred when his boy Ludwin kept shoving his face into the hand of the lady who talked so much. Lui wanted to cry, "No licking hands now! I'm here to learn!" Alas, the boy Ludwin had not yet learned to talk Iguana and did not understand.
Before long, the school day was over, and Lui looked forward to sleeping on all he had learned that day: reading, writing, numbers, addition. So much to think about! But how exciting it was--and just to think! Tomorrow was a new day, and he could learn even more things then. Lui the Iguana could hardly wait as he curled up to sleep on his boy Ludwin's stomach for the night.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Basketball and Books
Lesbia, one of the teachers here, is a big basketball fanatic. Today after school, she and I teamed up against six or eight kids to play a game with the one basketball hoop here in the dirt field of La Senda. I don't know who was winning when the kids left for dinner, but we had great fun. Between Lesbia's contagious (and continuous) laughter, Caleb's tall reach stealing the ball from me 75% of the time, Steven's attempts at dribbling, Jef's passing-the-ball-under-his-leg trick (quite hysterical, considering he's probably 3.5 feet tall), and Wagner's steadier shots, it was an entertaining afternoon (and a good bit of exercise for me).
Finished reading Pigs in Heaven last night. Great book! I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, Bean Trees, but maybe it's all a matter of timing in life. Pigs is about Taylor, a near thirty woman, who has adopted a Native American girl quite unintentionally--the girl's aunt gave the toddler girl to Taylor at a restaurant on the side of the road in Oklahoma. Four years later, Taylor finds herself at the mercy of a Native American lawyer and the Council who say that the girl was illegally adopted. Taylor runs from her problems, but with the help of her mom who decides to live in the Native American community to try to covertly investigate and underwstand the situation better, she eventually deals with it. Not only is it a captivating story with characters I could vividly imagine sitting at the kitchen with me, the writing is beautiful. Barbara Kingsolver is a master at description and comparisons, clearly painting pictures in my head and helping me envision the southwest--somewhere I've never been. Very enjoyable read.
Wish I could say the same for Wish You Well--not my favorite read by any means. The writing got in the way of the story. Perhaps it's that it's not the right time--maybe ten or fifteen years ago I would have enjoyed it more. I hope my next-year's sophomores are enjoying it.
Finished reading Pigs in Heaven last night. Great book! I wasn't a huge fan of the first book, Bean Trees, but maybe it's all a matter of timing in life. Pigs is about Taylor, a near thirty woman, who has adopted a Native American girl quite unintentionally--the girl's aunt gave the toddler girl to Taylor at a restaurant on the side of the road in Oklahoma. Four years later, Taylor finds herself at the mercy of a Native American lawyer and the Council who say that the girl was illegally adopted. Taylor runs from her problems, but with the help of her mom who decides to live in the Native American community to try to covertly investigate and underwstand the situation better, she eventually deals with it. Not only is it a captivating story with characters I could vividly imagine sitting at the kitchen with me, the writing is beautiful. Barbara Kingsolver is a master at description and comparisons, clearly painting pictures in my head and helping me envision the southwest--somewhere I've never been. Very enjoyable read.
Wish I could say the same for Wish You Well--not my favorite read by any means. The writing got in the way of the story. Perhaps it's that it's not the right time--maybe ten or fifteen years ago I would have enjoyed it more. I hope my next-year's sophomores are enjoying it.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Moments
While reviewing vocabulary with my sixth graders today, I asked them the English word for ordenado. Tidy! they replied in unision, except with a short i instead of a long i. It was so hard to supress my laughter as I asked them all to repeat the proper pronunciation.
Last night, in the midst of Rita's french-toast making and Rachel's cookie baking, I got to play entertainer for the three boys who joined us for dinner. Here's a sampling of the conversation (various adult speakers).
Let's sit at the table. Everybody want juice? Okay, Jefy, you can only have this one glass. You won't get any more. Steven, come sit down. You want to help, Gerson? Okay. Put the cookie there on the tray. You already drank your juice? Jefy, I told you you wouldn't get any more until after french toast. Okay. All at the table. Who wants fruit? All four kinds? My, you must have a big stomach. Just mangoes? Okay. Who wants to tell me the best story every? "I know!" Yes, Steven? "God." Well, I guess you can't beat that. Gerson? Yes, Jesus is good, too. What did they do? Ooh, french toast is up! Steven, come back from the porch. Okay. Get your plate. Everybody gets three pieces. Jefy, we told you to wait to start eating until everyone's back at the table. No, you can only have peanut butter on two of them. You want syrup? Turkish delight (aka, powdered sugar)? Okay, let me sprinkle it on there. Jefy, drink your juice please. You don't have any more? Okay, just a little more. But that's it. Who wants another piece? Everybody wants one. Sorry, no more peanut butter. You still have room for cookies? You want to lick the bowl? No, Jefy, you don't need to eat what Gerson couldn't finish. You've had enough. And on and on and on.
Now I know why my mom craved adult conversation after a day of babysitting. And that was only an hour and a half, if that.
Last night, in the midst of Rita's french-toast making and Rachel's cookie baking, I got to play entertainer for the three boys who joined us for dinner. Here's a sampling of the conversation (various adult speakers).
Let's sit at the table. Everybody want juice? Okay, Jefy, you can only have this one glass. You won't get any more. Steven, come sit down. You want to help, Gerson? Okay. Put the cookie there on the tray. You already drank your juice? Jefy, I told you you wouldn't get any more until after french toast. Okay. All at the table. Who wants fruit? All four kinds? My, you must have a big stomach. Just mangoes? Okay. Who wants to tell me the best story every? "I know!" Yes, Steven? "God." Well, I guess you can't beat that. Gerson? Yes, Jesus is good, too. What did they do? Ooh, french toast is up! Steven, come back from the porch. Okay. Get your plate. Everybody gets three pieces. Jefy, we told you to wait to start eating until everyone's back at the table. No, you can only have peanut butter on two of them. You want syrup? Turkish delight (aka, powdered sugar)? Okay, let me sprinkle it on there. Jefy, drink your juice please. You don't have any more? Okay, just a little more. But that's it. Who wants another piece? Everybody wants one. Sorry, no more peanut butter. You still have room for cookies? You want to lick the bowl? No, Jefy, you don't need to eat what Gerson couldn't finish. You've had enough. And on and on and on.
Now I know why my mom craved adult conversation after a day of babysitting. And that was only an hour and a half, if that.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Recent Pics
At the Lake of Swans (or Sidney's Lake :)) in Chimal
Our July 4th Celebration--gearing up for food. You see a little red, white, and blue, yes?
Geovany and Me--gotta love self-portraits
Sidney, Haley, and MeThey hail from Austin; Sidney went with me to the mall one night; Haley threw the High School Musical Day
Phillip, Wagner, and Me; Wagner tried to start a fashion trend. It lasted only a short time.
Edgardo made a little Wilson for me. Thanks, Tom Hanks, for the inspiration.
Andrew demonstrating a common request (sometimes verbal, sometimes not) from the little ones--"Will you pick me up?"Anniversary Parties
Little Steven and Pam (sorry, got her mid-blink)
Talking about Memories
One of the many cool things Pam and Steve do for the kids here at La Senda is have anniversary parties. Not only do the kids get a birthday party, but they also have parties for the day they arrived at La Senda. It really is a sweet time. This past week, little Steven celebrated his seventh year here. Steven stood on a folding chair in the middle of the big kitchen downstairs, and next to him stood Pam, who requested that the kids share three memories of Steven from his younger years and four blessings for his life. Then, Steven got to pick who prayed for him. He also got to choose who received the first piece of cake and helped hand out all of the pieces. He received seven gifts in brown paper bags, one for each year he's been at La Senda.
This was the second anniversary party I've attended. The kids love the attention. Center stage, they are on their best behavior as they listen to stories about themselves. I love this tradition--Pam and Steve work hard to make sure each kid gets to feel important as an individual, and the anniversary party is one tangible way they do that.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Grateful for Guatemalan Friends
Linda, Fernanda, and Me Today I was invited to one of the other teacher's homes for lunch after church. Linda and I were assigned to be prayer partners on Friday (another plus for teaching at a Christian school). She is a couple years younger than I am, though we've had about the same length of teaching experience--here in Guatemala, they study to be a teacher when they are in high school and teach when they graduate, around age 18. It was a true test for my Spanish. Linda knows a few Spanish words; her family, none. Her family only got a good laugh from what I said (or tried to say) twice, so I guess that's a pretty good ratio for the afternoon.
I met two of her brothers, her parents, and her niece. We first ate at Pollo Campero, a really good fried chicken place near the mall. I was able to see their house, too, a one story cinder-block building on the grounds of a public school--Linda's mom is the school nurse. We drove to a park with a big lake, pools, and vendors and strolled around the paths. Fernanda, the two-year-old niece, was extremely excited about "agua" everywhere. We enoyed mangoes and pineapple, sliced fresh while at home, and then drove around the center of Chimaltenango so I could see central park, the police station, and government offices.
Then, I hopped on a crowded chickenbus back to Sumpango and was grateful to meet the La Senda kids walking out of Sumpango. They walk up to the city each Sunday to buy candy and other goods. Thus, I didn't have to walk home by myself. I really enjoyed my time and am grateful for Linda's friendship. I was so nervous and excited last night that I hardly slept because I was dreaming about how it would go; then Buddy, the least intelligent of the three dogs here, started barking at regular intervals for no apparent reason around 5:30 this morning and continued for quite some time.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Praise God for Good Days
Part of Colegio La Senda; hill is right of center. Looks better in person. :) The traffic continues to whiz by. Occasionally there's that ear-piercing squeal of tires that seems to last for minutes rather than mere seconds as I wait for the impending sound of a crash. Thankfully, there has been none yet while I'm here. However, the curve in the road and the sometimes reckless speeds make for a dangerous combination outside of La Senda. On the other side, there is a hilltop, a few dips away, that stands sentinel against the sky. Rather than being forested over like the Appalachian Mountains or the wooded areas of Southeast Ohio, there are a few trees that rim the outline, each one clearly discernable. It reminds me of a painting. And, in contrast to the noise of the road behind me, the view to that hill and the shadowy mountains beyond are peaceful.
Thankfully, the last two days of teaching have felt more like that peaceful hillside than the PanAmerican Highway. The second graders still make me glad that I have lunch break right after I teach them, but they're listening pretty well. The sixth graders have started responding a little more, and I feel that they have actually learned each day's lesson this week. The third graders finally understand, I hope, that they need to do their homework when I ask them to. The junior highers are working on a paper, and while there are many kinks to work out, I think they will end up writing a pretty good piece by the end of July. And every day they ask if we're going to read Holes, a good sign to me even if some of the boys pretend not to want to read. Their attention by the time I'm halfway through the chapter proves otherwise.
I'm grateful for this book of daily readings called, quite simply, A Year with C.S. Lewis. Though I've had it for several years now, I continue to find his insights into life and faith fascinating. The most recent thing I underlined was from June 30: "After the first few steps in the Christian life we realise that everything which really needs to be done in our souls can be done only by God." A comforting thought in many ways--it releases us from the pressure of trying to mold ourselves into Christlikeness, an impossible task. However, I think it's also a call to patience--patience for his timing and trust that God knows what He's doing.
Off to debone a chicken and finish frying tortillas. Making enchiladas tonight, my own improvised Guatemalan version of Americanized Mexican food. It's actually somewhat tasty. And I guess cooking here is teaching me something--who ever thought I would actually boil a chicken? Not me!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Pajama Party and Futbol Americano
No school today in Guatemala--last day of the month. Of course, then, we had a pajama party last night in the big room downstairs. The big kids went to a youth group sleepover, so the littluns carried over their bedding and settled in for the night. I settled between Mimi and Yeny, two of my third grade chicas, on the hard floor. Not much sleep was had. Our movie viewing list for the night included Space Buddies, Facing the Giants (after which the boys wanted to play futbol americano as they jumped around on the bedding), Kung Fu Panda, Prince Caspian, and this morning, Jump In. I think it was around 4 in the morning when they decided they should turn the TV off since it was supposed to be turned off at 2.
Needing some exercise, I decided to run around with the boys this morning. They wanted to play futbol americano still, and guess who got to teach them? You guessed it--moi. They were subject to my limited knowledge of the sport, but I think all of Eric's lessons over the years payed off. Of course we played two-hand touch rather than tackle.
When we switched to baseball, however, I was quickly excommunicated from the field. I'm not sure what my sin was, other than that I tried to get the two most athletic boys to be the team captains to prevent a landslide victory for the dynamic duo. Evidently eight and nine-year olds are more into winning then playing fair. That's okay. No hard feelings.
Needing some exercise, I decided to run around with the boys this morning. They wanted to play futbol americano still, and guess who got to teach them? You guessed it--moi. They were subject to my limited knowledge of the sport, but I think all of Eric's lessons over the years payed off. Of course we played two-hand touch rather than tackle.
When we switched to baseball, however, I was quickly excommunicated from the field. I'm not sure what my sin was, other than that I tried to get the two most athletic boys to be the team captains to prevent a landslide victory for the dynamic duo. Evidently eight and nine-year olds are more into winning then playing fair. That's okay. No hard feelings.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Week in Review
The mighty Pacaya. Geovany says it's the smallest volcano. But hey, I still hiked it, right?
The best lava pic I have. That piece towards the bottom may be the one that eventually fell into our group.
Who cares if we almost got burned? The rock came to us for one purpose, of course--roasting things!
Me, Rita, and Rachel at some ruinsSunday--Off to church in a few minutes. Evidently there is a Brazil vs. USA soccer game today after church, so that will be our afternoon. The kids are rooting for Brazil.
Saturday--Woke up to seeing strangers in the yard. Then I realized they were a group from Guat City here to do a service project with the kids. They played games and made sandwiches; I had the chance to talk with a 20-year old med student named Laura. She was practicing her English, which was a better deal for me because we could actually have a real conversation, something we could not have had had I been practicing Spanish.
The teens go to Chimaltenango for youth group, and this time Sidney and I hitched a ride with Lito and the kids to the mall. We planned to see a movie--Up and Terminator were playing--but we arrived late and they wouldn't let us in. Instead, we walked around the mall, bought ice cream (yummy!), and chatted for a couple of hours. It was nice to be somewhere somewhat familiar.
Rita has made it her mission to exterminate all the flies in Guatemala. Woe to any fly attracted to the smell of food in our kitchen.
Friday--Day of R & R. The group was finishing up painting and organizing classrooms, so I helped a bit with that. It was also High School Musical Day here at La Senda, so the kids watched all three movies and had tons of HSM fun, hosted by Haley, a teen here from Texas.
Thursday--What a day! In Antigua already, Rachel, Rita, and I decided we might as well go for it and hike a volcano. Thus, we signed up with the travel agency in the A.M., shopped a bit at the market, then left around 2 for our excursion. After an hour and 20 minutes or so we arrived at Volcan Pacaya. Armed with a bag of marshmallows and ponchos, we headed up the volcano with our group of 20. What an interesting group, too--people from Texas, England, The Netherlands, Australia, and Germany. For some reason it didn't occur to me that to see a volcano you must climb up hill, so the first five minutes when I found myself already out of breath I was seriously reconsidering it. And then they bring horses along the way, which you can rent if you get too tired, showing them to you at opportune times--like after the last vertical climb. They sure looked tempting! However, I made it on my own two feet to the top after a 1.5 hour hike.
You've seen Wall-E, right? That's what the top of the volcano reminded me of. It was not a pretty green path to the top where upon arrival you peer into a pit of rolling lava. I hear some volcanoes are like that. Rather, it was a barren wasteland. Black rocks everywhere, piled high in interesting formations, kind of like the piles of rubble in the Pixar flick. With the fog surrounding us, it felt a bit like no man's land. And then there was lava. Not pouring forth from the pinnacle, but oozing out of the side of the mountain. The climb to get close was the most difficult for me--walk a step, slide down half of it. It's akin to climbing sand dunes. But when we got close, and we could feel the heat on our right side, it provided a little more incentive to continue the journey. At one point a piece of burning lava rock tumbled into our group, scattering people and nearly burning one of the dogs who had journeyed along for food scraps. After that excitement, out came the marshmallows and roasting sticks and ham, and we all had a nice little feast at the top. Before we left, the clouds cleared off enough for us to see two more volcanoes across the valley, beyond the pillowy moisture still hiding the valley from sight. A grand view!
P.S. Happy birthday, Dad! And happy 37th anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Wednesday--Having reneged on going to Antigua the day before, Rachel, Rita, and I caught a chickenbus outside of La Senda to begin our journey. We successfully changed chickenbuses at San Lucas and arrived in Antigua without incident. Thank the Lord! We checked into El Gato Negro, a hostel recommended to us by David and Katie, and then headed out to explore the city. This included a stop by the ruins of San Pedro and the marketplace. I love bargaining at the marketplace. Find something you like, offer a price, stand there with a sour looking face until the vendor lowers it to a range you want to pay. Great fun. Has to be an interesting study in body language. Though El Gato Negro provided great accommodations, I was awake until 1 in the morning due to the partying in the bar downstairs. Oh, well. Se la vie.
Tuesday--First day without school. Wahoo! Rita, Rachel, and I planned to go to Antigua with one of the teachers, but a huge rainstorm came in and deterred us from travelling. Wagner thought that was funny. The group that was here provided an in-service for teachers, so I attended part of it in the morning and then worked with the junior highers on their homeschool curriculum. They have to take their test before the end of the month.
Monday--Did not feel good all day on Monday. Stomachaches are no fun! However, I made it through the day and found out the "good" news: school was cancelled by the government for the rest of the week. Though I ate nothing all day, I was feeling a little better by dinner and was able to join the group for dinner at a Guatemalan restaurant. There I ate Pepian, a native Guatemalan dish particular to this region. It was tasty! The brown broth tastes similar to stew, though not quite as thick. The chicken leg comes sticking out of the bowl, and the veggies (rice, potato, carrot) sit on a banana leaf on the plate. After a little work taking the meat off the bone and throwing everything in the bowl, it was a tasty treaty (though I could not eat it all, unfortunately).
Saturday--Woke up to seeing strangers in the yard. Then I realized they were a group from Guat City here to do a service project with the kids. They played games and made sandwiches; I had the chance to talk with a 20-year old med student named Laura. She was practicing her English, which was a better deal for me because we could actually have a real conversation, something we could not have had had I been practicing Spanish.
The teens go to Chimaltenango for youth group, and this time Sidney and I hitched a ride with Lito and the kids to the mall. We planned to see a movie--Up and Terminator were playing--but we arrived late and they wouldn't let us in. Instead, we walked around the mall, bought ice cream (yummy!), and chatted for a couple of hours. It was nice to be somewhere somewhat familiar.
Rita has made it her mission to exterminate all the flies in Guatemala. Woe to any fly attracted to the smell of food in our kitchen.
Friday--Day of R & R. The group was finishing up painting and organizing classrooms, so I helped a bit with that. It was also High School Musical Day here at La Senda, so the kids watched all three movies and had tons of HSM fun, hosted by Haley, a teen here from Texas.
Thursday--What a day! In Antigua already, Rachel, Rita, and I decided we might as well go for it and hike a volcano. Thus, we signed up with the travel agency in the A.M., shopped a bit at the market, then left around 2 for our excursion. After an hour and 20 minutes or so we arrived at Volcan Pacaya. Armed with a bag of marshmallows and ponchos, we headed up the volcano with our group of 20. What an interesting group, too--people from Texas, England, The Netherlands, Australia, and Germany. For some reason it didn't occur to me that to see a volcano you must climb up hill, so the first five minutes when I found myself already out of breath I was seriously reconsidering it. And then they bring horses along the way, which you can rent if you get too tired, showing them to you at opportune times--like after the last vertical climb. They sure looked tempting! However, I made it on my own two feet to the top after a 1.5 hour hike.
You've seen Wall-E, right? That's what the top of the volcano reminded me of. It was not a pretty green path to the top where upon arrival you peer into a pit of rolling lava. I hear some volcanoes are like that. Rather, it was a barren wasteland. Black rocks everywhere, piled high in interesting formations, kind of like the piles of rubble in the Pixar flick. With the fog surrounding us, it felt a bit like no man's land. And then there was lava. Not pouring forth from the pinnacle, but oozing out of the side of the mountain. The climb to get close was the most difficult for me--walk a step, slide down half of it. It's akin to climbing sand dunes. But when we got close, and we could feel the heat on our right side, it provided a little more incentive to continue the journey. At one point a piece of burning lava rock tumbled into our group, scattering people and nearly burning one of the dogs who had journeyed along for food scraps. After that excitement, out came the marshmallows and roasting sticks and ham, and we all had a nice little feast at the top. Before we left, the clouds cleared off enough for us to see two more volcanoes across the valley, beyond the pillowy moisture still hiding the valley from sight. A grand view!
P.S. Happy birthday, Dad! And happy 37th anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Wednesday--Having reneged on going to Antigua the day before, Rachel, Rita, and I caught a chickenbus outside of La Senda to begin our journey. We successfully changed chickenbuses at San Lucas and arrived in Antigua without incident. Thank the Lord! We checked into El Gato Negro, a hostel recommended to us by David and Katie, and then headed out to explore the city. This included a stop by the ruins of San Pedro and the marketplace. I love bargaining at the marketplace. Find something you like, offer a price, stand there with a sour looking face until the vendor lowers it to a range you want to pay. Great fun. Has to be an interesting study in body language. Though El Gato Negro provided great accommodations, I was awake until 1 in the morning due to the partying in the bar downstairs. Oh, well. Se la vie.
Tuesday--First day without school. Wahoo! Rita, Rachel, and I planned to go to Antigua with one of the teachers, but a huge rainstorm came in and deterred us from travelling. Wagner thought that was funny. The group that was here provided an in-service for teachers, so I attended part of it in the morning and then worked with the junior highers on their homeschool curriculum. They have to take their test before the end of the month.
Monday--Did not feel good all day on Monday. Stomachaches are no fun! However, I made it through the day and found out the "good" news: school was cancelled by the government for the rest of the week. Though I ate nothing all day, I was feeling a little better by dinner and was able to join the group for dinner at a Guatemalan restaurant. There I ate Pepian, a native Guatemalan dish particular to this region. It was tasty! The brown broth tastes similar to stew, though not quite as thick. The chicken leg comes sticking out of the bowl, and the veggies (rice, potato, carrot) sit on a banana leaf on the plate. After a little work taking the meat off the bone and throwing everything in the bowl, it was a tasty treaty (though I could not eat it all, unfortunately).
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Perks to teaching elementary-aged children
Taken from real experiences.
- You receive little notes on student assignments that say, "I love you Miss Elizabeth!" (and you can write, "I love you, too!" without worrying about getting in trouble).
- Students draw pictures of you that are intended to actually look like you rather being an examplary piece of satire.
- When students sob for 45 minutes because their last teacher left, you can hold them while you continue the lesson. And, in some cases (Jef), solving the next math equation can calm him down.
- Reading time ends as a group hug. My Level 4 students (3rd graders) love to crowd in close when I read them a story. At first the encroachment on personal space is a bit much, but by the end of the story, I've adjusted. There's a certain calmness that ensues when the story has ended, we've all agreed it's good, and one student rests his head on my shoulder, another leans forward to lay her head in my lap, and the other three lean in and find a resting spot as well. With the slam of the door the magic is broken as seven other students trickle in for math class.
- Grading that gets finished. Though partly due to the number of students, I can actually finish grading several stacks of student work in a night. And plan. And make corn tortillas for the next few days. And hang out with the kids at the house. And go to bed at a decent hour. :)
Daily Life Update
Guatemala is evidently plagued by Swine Flu right now, so the government has mandated that all schools shut down for this week. Last week, all public schools were required to shut down for three weeks; this week, even private schools (like La Senda) are required to shut down or be fined. So, we have a mini vacation. Honestly, I am glad. This will be the first full week off of teaching for me since spring break in the beginning of April. Also, I got sick a couple nights ago and teaching with a stomachache wasn't very fun to do yesterday. It's like the kids knew: let's be more rambunctious because she doesn't have the energy to do much about it! Good news, though--I am feeling better today.
Rita, Rachel, and I may go into Antigua tonight. Our first time out by ourselves! The plan is to take the bus with the teachers who live there so we know our way and then stay in a hostel tonight. Should be fun!
Ate an original Guatemalan meal last night--pepian. It's similar to stew, with a brown, spicy broth served with chicken on the bone in the bowl and vegetables (potatoes, rice) served on a banana leaf. The rice and potatoes go into the bowl to eat everything together. It was tasty, but I'm not used to working for my meat!
Rita, Rachel, and I may go into Antigua tonight. Our first time out by ourselves! The plan is to take the bus with the teachers who live there so we know our way and then stay in a hostel tonight. Should be fun!
Ate an original Guatemalan meal last night--pepian. It's similar to stew, with a brown, spicy broth served with chicken on the bone in the bowl and vegetables (potatoes, rice) served on a banana leaf. The rice and potatoes go into the bowl to eat everything together. It was tasty, but I'm not used to working for my meat!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Rain, rain, go away
The rainy season has started, I suppose. It is good for Guatemala, but I will miss the sunny, clear blue skies of the Kentucky summer. There's still some blue sky in the morning, so I at least get a good dose of sun.
Got to hang out with the kids last night in the La Senda home. We played cards. They also were working on making cards for Father's Day, which is today in Guatemala. Thus, in a couple of my English classes we worked on saying, "Happy Father's Day," "I love you," and "Thanks for being a great dad."
Got to hang out with the kids last night in the La Senda home. We played cards. They also were working on making cards for Father's Day, which is today in Guatemala. Thus, in a couple of my English classes we worked on saying, "Happy Father's Day," "I love you," and "Thanks for being a great dad."
Sunday, June 14, 2009
For You, Mama 1
My daily schedule:
7:30 A.M. Meet with teachers for morning devotions.
8-9 A.M. Level 4 English with 3rd graders
9-10 A.M. 3rd Grade math
10-10:30 A.M. 3rd Grade Science
10:45-11:25 A.M. 5th Grade English
11:30-12:30 P.M. 2nd Grade Math
1-2 P.M. Jr. High English
2-2:45 P.M. 6th Grade English
Afternoons Planning and grading, dinner
Evenings Playing/hanging out with La Senda kids. It gets dark between 7 and 7:30 here.
Food: We can buy whatever we want. Katie and David seemed to make mostly American food (Katie's a great cook, by the way). Rita and Rachel seem to eat a lot of fruits and veggies, rice and beans. I think I will probably end up eating lots of rice and beans, frutis and veggies, too. Lito goes to the market every Monday, and fruits and veggies are really cheap.
Pics hopefully are coming.
7:30 A.M. Meet with teachers for morning devotions.
8-9 A.M. Level 4 English with 3rd graders
9-10 A.M. 3rd Grade math
10-10:30 A.M. 3rd Grade Science
10:45-11:25 A.M. 5th Grade English
11:30-12:30 P.M. 2nd Grade Math
1-2 P.M. Jr. High English
2-2:45 P.M. 6th Grade English
Afternoons Planning and grading, dinner
Evenings Playing/hanging out with La Senda kids. It gets dark between 7 and 7:30 here.
Food: We can buy whatever we want. Katie and David seemed to make mostly American food (Katie's a great cook, by the way). Rita and Rachel seem to eat a lot of fruits and veggies, rice and beans. I think I will probably end up eating lots of rice and beans, frutis and veggies, too. Lito goes to the market every Monday, and fruits and veggies are really cheap.
Pics hopefully are coming.
Guatemalan Firsts
Always some new happenings wherever you go, so here are the new ones for me:
- First little earthquake. Rita and I were eating breakfast at the kitchen table this morning when the building started to tremble. "Wow, it's windy," Rita commented. I looked out the window at the blue sky and the calm tree. "No, I don't think so..." I said.
- First ride on a chicken bus. Why are they called chicken buses? I don't know. David showed me how to catch it. We had to get some last-minute things for David and Katie's goodbye dinner they cooked for the kids. After running across the PanAmerican highway, we flagged down a multi-colored old school bus and crammed ourselves through the aisles to find seats. We were only going to San Lucas, a five- or ten-minute trip. On the way back, finding seats was not so easy. David and I decided the Guatemalan lady who I ended up shoulder to shoulder with was not too fond of us considering he had elbowed her in the head trying to sit down and I had squeezed into the almost nonexistent space next to her.
- First walk into Sumpango. The La Senda kids got their allowance last night, so eight of them, a nanny, and Rachel, Rita, and I walked into Sumpango so the kids could buy chocolate. Though we were walking along the PanAmerican Highway, it wasn't quite as intimidating to walk alongside it as it was to cross it. Seeing huge charter buses leaning heavily to one side isn't overly comforting, though. It was good to see Sumpango--when I was here 7.5 years ago (I feel old every time I say that!), we stayed in a a little building on the main street there.
- First time overhearing pigs being butchered. They sound like a group of wailing people, and hearing their cries in the early morning is unnerving. The first time I noticed it, I was afraid something had happened on the highway, but cars continued to race by (it sometimes sounds like the Indy 500) and no one seemed concerned. Dorcas was the first to tell me the horrible noise was the pigs. I guess that and the stench that comes wafting on the breeze every now and again are the downsides of living next to a pig farmer. I may not eat bacon for a while.
For You, Mama
Finally, a few pics!
Caleb, Geovany, Me (see Geovany's pic below to see how he has grown up!)
Rita, Rachel, Me (The summer volunteers)
La Senda--notice the new third floor
the kitchen where I cook
My bedroom
Caleb, Geovany, Me (see Geovany's pic below to see how he has grown up!)
Rita, Rachel, Me (The summer volunteers)
La Senda--notice the new third floor
the kitchen where I cook
My bedroomFor you, Mom, since you always like to visualize where I am. ☺
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Highlights from the first 2.5 days
Nothing like being thrown into the mix! Fortunately, I arrived safely in Guatemala. Got to sit next to a Guatemalan weight-lifter (future Olympian?) on the way down who was kind enough to converse with me though I speak in broken Spanish. I found Lito pretty easily at the airport (no thugs!) and he took me shopping. I was hoping for a little bit of help--I wasn't sure what to buy as soon as I arrived, but since he does not speak English and he didn't have any recommendations, I was on my own. But I think I managed okay. And he delivered me safely to La Senda in spite of slightly erratic drivers--blinkers aren't enough here, you just stick out your arm to indicate the direction you're already headed whether someone is in that space or not. A couple of times I thought a bus would side swipe us as it moved into our lane and Lito didn't appear to be moving. Alas, there was no incident. :-) Other highlights:
- I began teaching the next day after I arrived. Talk about overload! Seven classes--Level 4 English, 3rd grade math, 3rd grade science, 5th grade English, 2nd grade math, junior high English, and 6th grade English. All of the meetings on what to do with each class seemed to muddle my mind. However, after going through everything once and getting a better handle on it, I am enjoying it. Second grade went much better today--yesterday it was chaos (poor planning on my part). They are evidently dubbed the "bad" class, and it appears it is so because they don't like to listen and aren't highly motivated. They like to do the work, but they are much more social. So, today we worked on building incentive--charting individual progress, making a class goal, that sort of thing. We'll see how it works!
- The other two volunteers who have been here since February have been invaluable. They are the ones who informed us that we need to disinfect our vegetables while we're here; they also invited me to dinner the first night, which was extremely appreciated so I didn't have to eat along. The other two volunteers for the summer have arrived, and I think I'll really hanging out with them.
- The weather is awesome--high seventies during the day, late fifties/sixties in the morning and evenings.
- Tonight is pizza night. Yum yum! Tomorrow night is a bonfire. Oodles of fun!
- My computer decided to quit working once it crossed the border, so updates may not be as frequent as I hoped.
- The junior high voted to have Holes read aloud to them (the choice was that, Dandelion Wine, or The Horse and His Boy (from The Chronicles of Narnia)).
- Any other thoughts to share are eluding me, but I am grateful for the chance to be here. I am praying that the tasky stuff won't steal my joy and that I can see the ways God is working here. It's pretty cool!
Monday, June 08, 2009
Reminiscence
Found some pics from my trip to Guatemala in 2002. I was at La Senda with a group of 9 from Asbury.
Marta, Geovany, and me
Lunch Time!
Goevany, Me, Rosita
La Senda--then. I'll be on the third floor. Don't worry, there's a roof now!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Love the Kids
Did you know? According to http://www.toybox.org.uk/street_children_in_guatemala.html, "a child was abandoned in Guatemala city [sic] every 4 days" during the last year. I'm grateful that I get a chance to work with La Senda, a place helping its little corner of the world in Guatemala by providing a home for some of those kids that could have been left on the streets earlier in their childhood. Now those kids have a home to call their own.
Sailing the Seven Seas
The wind report is in, and it feels like a southerly wind is blowing in a time of change for my family. Considering my talk with Christina tonight, knowing Eric & Sarah are trying to discern where to go next, looking forward to Sarah and Justin's wedding in the fall, watching to see what David will decide to do for his career, wondering what my new life goals will be after this summer, I find it interesting timing that all of us Davis kids are about to embark on a new, unknown ocean in our lives. Maybe it'll be a brand new sea. Maybe it'll just be deeper waters, a little farther from the shore. Regardless, the times are bittersweet, and ironically, I think most of us are in that place where we can't see beyond the foggy veil covering our future--for some, the veil has fallen one month out, some three, some of us an unknown quantity of time away. I wonder where God is pushing us as we navigate through the third decade of our lives. At least southerly wind is warm.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Five days...
...and I'm leaving on a jet plane to Guatemala! Still working on getting things together. A friend bought some markers and pencils for me to take down for the kids. Pretty cool! Got registered with the embassy and am finishing up sending support letters. Plan to do the laundry and pack the bags tomorrow and Saturday so I can enjoy a little bit of time with friends before heading down.
Did you know? Guatemala is hosting the World Convention of Mayan Archeology later this month--June 19-21--in Antigua, a city close to where I will be. Get a run down at http://guatemala-times.com/culture.html.
Did you know? Guatemala is hosting the World Convention of Mayan Archeology later this month--June 19-21--in Antigua, a city close to where I will be. Get a run down at http://guatemala-times.com/culture.html.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Science Books & Mad Libs
I ran around yesterday trying to get everything purchased that I think I'll need in Guatemala. I've got the bug spray, the sunscreen, the aloe, the toiletries--hopefully I'll be set for two months. I even took an hour or so and stitched up my suitcases. New seams won't make them thug proof, but hopefully it will prevent any item falling out unnecessarily.
Realizing I had a Barnes and Noble gift card, I ventured out to the store to see how much was left. Though I only had about $3, I ended up with, I don't know, $30 worth of stuff? However, the exciting news is that I bought my first materials for the science class: Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science books on volcanoes, rocks, and rain. For the first time in a long time I'm excited about science. The volcano book is my favorite--it has awesome illustrations and directions for building your own baking soda explosion.
My favorite Englishy purchase is a book of Mad Libs. Great way to teach part of speech, I think. _______________ (name of person) will have a ________________ (adjective) time in ____________________ (place) this _______________ (noun)!
Realizing I had a Barnes and Noble gift card, I ventured out to the store to see how much was left. Though I only had about $3, I ended up with, I don't know, $30 worth of stuff? However, the exciting news is that I bought my first materials for the science class: Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science books on volcanoes, rocks, and rain. For the first time in a long time I'm excited about science. The volcano book is my favorite--it has awesome illustrations and directions for building your own baking soda explosion.
My favorite Englishy purchase is a book of Mad Libs. Great way to teach part of speech, I think. _______________ (name of person) will have a ________________ (adjective) time in ____________________ (place) this _______________ (noun)!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Oh, cuan lejos llegaras!
My roommate bought me a copy of Dr. Suess's "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" in Spanish for my birthday, and it arrived in the mail yesterday. Wahoo! I promptly practiced reading it outloud, and while doing so, I recalled that there are a couple of pages where the rhyming really gets you if you're not careful...and it seems to be the same in Spanish, too. Of course, my tongue isn't quite used to all those Spanish words (but hopefully it will be by the end of the summer!). Way to go, Roomie, on a great b-day gift!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Teaching Schedule
Found out this week that I'm not only teaching English, but I am also teaching 3rd grade math and science. That should be a trip! Anyone have free National Geographics I can take down?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Guatemala, here I come!
So, it looks like it's actually happening! If things continue to go as planned, I will be on a plane to Guatemala on June 9. Woot! Woot! I will be teaching English in a school for K-8 students, including both city kids and the kids from the home. Many details are still in the works, but I'm looking forward to it! Now if I can just get through all of the end-of-the-semester grading, tests, and make up work...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
All Talk...or Not
So I've been talking about going overseas for years. Particularly to Guatemala. Maybe it's finally about to happen--I just e-mailed the missionaries and the missionary-sending organization tonight with my applications and am getting ready to mail the hard copy tomorrow. I'm a little nervous--what if I waited too late? what if security really is an issue in Guatemala and I never come back? what if I'm stuck at home one summer more, feeling like I missed out on an opportunity? Yuck. That last one is the regret I'm trying to avoid.
I'm still convinced this is the right move, if I didn't wait too long. Here's hoping (and praying) I didn't. I was dreaming all Friday night about Guatemala--I guess it was the kick in the pants I needed to get this stuff done.
Other news--spring break saw me visit the 'rents, paint one of my kitchen walls dandelion yellow, and visit Boston; my student teacher this semester is awesome; my kids (as in students) are doing a really cool project with The Soloist--they raised money for a girl with cancer, read the book, videoconferenced with the author--and we saw the movie today (good); I ordered new glasses, the dark-rimmed, plastic kind, so maybe I'll be brave enough to actually wear glasses again during daylight hours (and drive more safely at night since those four-year old prescriptions will be extinct and I'll be able to read the road signs again).
I'm still convinced this is the right move, if I didn't wait too long. Here's hoping (and praying) I didn't. I was dreaming all Friday night about Guatemala--I guess it was the kick in the pants I needed to get this stuff done.
Other news--spring break saw me visit the 'rents, paint one of my kitchen walls dandelion yellow, and visit Boston; my student teacher this semester is awesome; my kids (as in students) are doing a really cool project with The Soloist--they raised money for a girl with cancer, read the book, videoconferenced with the author--and we saw the movie today (good); I ordered new glasses, the dark-rimmed, plastic kind, so maybe I'll be brave enough to actually wear glasses again during daylight hours (and drive more safely at night since those four-year old prescriptions will be extinct and I'll be able to read the road signs again).
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Super Bowl Sunday
Here it is upon us once again: Super Bowl 2009, a recent American pasttime and another excuse for gluttony (yum!). It's the last chance opportunity for those of us who couldn't care less about football (or sports in general, in my case) to pretend allegiance to one of the two random teams in the Big Game. Perhaps that's why we need this holiday, of sorts--to allow even non-fans the cathartic experience of choosing sides in intense competition.
Or, maybe our sole reason for watching is the commercials. Super Bowl time is certainly prime time for all of those companies. According to my friends, there may even be 3D commericals. They're jokesters, though, so maybe they're pulling my leg. 3D or not, the commercials are without a doubt what people talk about most.
Then there's the halftime show. As a former marching band member, I love that saying, "The football game will take place before and after the marching band's halftime show." However, it seems that most Super Bowl halftime shows are ridiculed before the first note erupts from the sound system. For me, this cynicism began with Michael Jackson's performance and the nearly nude bubble ladies that spread out across the field back in the early '90s. Janet Jackson's wardrobe snaffoo almost a decade later set up the whole idea as an object of ridicule. And then the artist choice--I'm sure they have someone in mind for their audience, but I don't think I ever fit in that mold.
Well, with all of this skepticism, happy Super Bowl 2009. May the Steelers win, may the most clever commercial be forever burned into our memories, and may the halftime show be forgetable.
Or, maybe our sole reason for watching is the commercials. Super Bowl time is certainly prime time for all of those companies. According to my friends, there may even be 3D commericals. They're jokesters, though, so maybe they're pulling my leg. 3D or not, the commercials are without a doubt what people talk about most.
Then there's the halftime show. As a former marching band member, I love that saying, "The football game will take place before and after the marching band's halftime show." However, it seems that most Super Bowl halftime shows are ridiculed before the first note erupts from the sound system. For me, this cynicism began with Michael Jackson's performance and the nearly nude bubble ladies that spread out across the field back in the early '90s. Janet Jackson's wardrobe snaffoo almost a decade later set up the whole idea as an object of ridicule. And then the artist choice--I'm sure they have someone in mind for their audience, but I don't think I ever fit in that mold.
Well, with all of this skepticism, happy Super Bowl 2009. May the Steelers win, may the most clever commercial be forever burned into our memories, and may the halftime show be forgetable.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Ice Storm 2009
Wow! An entire week out of school. What a life! How, do you ask, have I been using my week? Besides glancing out the window every hour or so to note the change in the thickness of the ice on the trees, watch the fat snowflakes tumble down, see if the green garden hose has yet disappeared, or observe the sun converting the glass-like ice to prisms of color, I've been relaxing. Grading papers, drinking chai, reading books, hanging with friends. My former roommate and her husband lost power, so they stayed with us for two nights. They had to go to work, unfortunately, unlike my roommate and I. However, it was fun to eat dinner together and watch movies and TV.
I finished reading the first book in the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. If you love Christian historical fiction, you'll love this book. Not too cheesy, interesting, spiritually challenging in its own way. I'm on to rereading book two--yes, rereading because I read book number 2 before book number 1, a big no-no in trilogy reading. Oh well, se la vie.
Last weekend I saw Slumdog Millionaire. Fabulous. Definitely recommend it. Storyline is creative, using the questions the protagonist answers on the Indian version of the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? as the catalyst for flashbacks to how he learned the answers. Within those flashbacks, though, are harsh memories of a childhood filled with people who are looking out only for themselves or those who want to take advantage of homeless, poor youth. In the movie's superb storytelling, then, lay barbs of cold reality that will stick with you long after the closing credits. Regardless, a must see.
I finished reading the first book in the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. If you love Christian historical fiction, you'll love this book. Not too cheesy, interesting, spiritually challenging in its own way. I'm on to rereading book two--yes, rereading because I read book number 2 before book number 1, a big no-no in trilogy reading. Oh well, se la vie.
Last weekend I saw Slumdog Millionaire. Fabulous. Definitely recommend it. Storyline is creative, using the questions the protagonist answers on the Indian version of the show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? as the catalyst for flashbacks to how he learned the answers. Within those flashbacks, though, are harsh memories of a childhood filled with people who are looking out only for themselves or those who want to take advantage of homeless, poor youth. In the movie's superb storytelling, then, lay barbs of cold reality that will stick with you long after the closing credits. Regardless, a must see.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Purple Pens & Staplers
I have a fetish for purple pens. I use them to grade, mostly, but I also use them to write letters. If I can't find the right pen, it seriously hinders me from getting started on my work. I feel this intense sense of loss; I feel imbalanced, and it is a good half hour before I acquiesce to using a different colored pen than the one I had hoped for.
The pen deal is quickly fading, though, thanks to the supply I received for Christmas. Thus, my new crisis is my stapler. I think I'm on somewhere around stapler #10 over the course of the past 2 to 3 years, and I'm about to go crazy! Over Christmas I bought a brand new, super duper handheld power stapler--the kind where you barely apply any pressure and it Bam! shoots the staple through 15 pages. Low and behold, the first day I allowed students to use it, since I couldn't find my student-friendly version, they broke it. So, I bought a brand new red stapler for students, and a translucent green super-powered one for me. They have survived one week, although it became touch and go awhile for the red one. It apparently has an innate ability to jam that can easily fool one into thinking it's dead when it's not.
I'm starting to understand Office Space much better.
The pen deal is quickly fading, though, thanks to the supply I received for Christmas. Thus, my new crisis is my stapler. I think I'm on somewhere around stapler #10 over the course of the past 2 to 3 years, and I'm about to go crazy! Over Christmas I bought a brand new, super duper handheld power stapler--the kind where you barely apply any pressure and it Bam! shoots the staple through 15 pages. Low and behold, the first day I allowed students to use it, since I couldn't find my student-friendly version, they broke it. So, I bought a brand new red stapler for students, and a translucent green super-powered one for me. They have survived one week, although it became touch and go awhile for the red one. It apparently has an innate ability to jam that can easily fool one into thinking it's dead when it's not.
I'm starting to understand Office Space much better.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Ella Minnow Pea
Tonight, our book club discussed Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea. The book is an epistolary novel, as the plot is divulged through a series of letters between the book's namesake and a variety of people on the island nation of Nollop, located off the coast of South Carolina. Central to this community is the vitality of language--the letters are comprised of sophisticated language and serve as the primary means of communication between members of the populace since other technology is unreliable.
This civil little society is rudely awakened, though, when letters begin to fall from the epigraph on the statue of Mr. Nollop, founder of the society and mastermind of the pangram, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." (Pangrams require the use of all 26 letters of the alphabet in one sentence. We enjoyed trying to devise our own tonight to share with each other. Mine: "My quest: catch jolly zephyrs to exhibit for vast knowledge." Others were better.) In the book, those in charge deem the droppage of letters as a sign from Mr. Nollop from beyond the grave that social life should continue without the use of the fallen letters. So, they first hold a party for the z, the first letter to be outlawed from spoken or written expression. Life quickly goes downhill as other letters follow the course of z, and with the council's refusal to hear sense, Nollopians soon find themselves kicked off the island or running to escape the tyranny of this totalitarian regime who is slowly siphoning away their pride and sole means of communication.
While the premise is provoking, the story itself leaves the plot and characters undeveloped, a flaw perhaps contributed to by the epistolary format. However, the author is certainly clever--as each letter successively falls from the statue, so too, his own writing must reflect the absence of the letters, leading to some creative phrasing and word usage. I think he makes up a few of his words, splicing roots and suffixes together to create meaning, and by the end of the book, reading becomes more like playing Mad Gab as the council deems phonetic spellings appropriate for illicit letters (thus, "ph" suffixes for the letter "f" and "off" becomes "oph"). As a result, it is easiest to read the text aloud in order to comprehend more quickly, something likely to get a few stares if you are reading that part, as I was, out in public.
Overall, a fun little read. Clever, literary, definitely recommended for the wordsmith. However, I enjoyed Eyre Affair much more for overall quality that includes wit, plot, and a little more character development. 3 of 5 stars.
This civil little society is rudely awakened, though, when letters begin to fall from the epigraph on the statue of Mr. Nollop, founder of the society and mastermind of the pangram, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." (Pangrams require the use of all 26 letters of the alphabet in one sentence. We enjoyed trying to devise our own tonight to share with each other. Mine: "My quest: catch jolly zephyrs to exhibit for vast knowledge." Others were better.) In the book, those in charge deem the droppage of letters as a sign from Mr. Nollop from beyond the grave that social life should continue without the use of the fallen letters. So, they first hold a party for the z, the first letter to be outlawed from spoken or written expression. Life quickly goes downhill as other letters follow the course of z, and with the council's refusal to hear sense, Nollopians soon find themselves kicked off the island or running to escape the tyranny of this totalitarian regime who is slowly siphoning away their pride and sole means of communication.
While the premise is provoking, the story itself leaves the plot and characters undeveloped, a flaw perhaps contributed to by the epistolary format. However, the author is certainly clever--as each letter successively falls from the statue, so too, his own writing must reflect the absence of the letters, leading to some creative phrasing and word usage. I think he makes up a few of his words, splicing roots and suffixes together to create meaning, and by the end of the book, reading becomes more like playing Mad Gab as the council deems phonetic spellings appropriate for illicit letters (thus, "ph" suffixes for the letter "f" and "off" becomes "oph"). As a result, it is easiest to read the text aloud in order to comprehend more quickly, something likely to get a few stares if you are reading that part, as I was, out in public.
Overall, a fun little read. Clever, literary, definitely recommended for the wordsmith. However, I enjoyed Eyre Affair much more for overall quality that includes wit, plot, and a little more character development. 3 of 5 stars.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Icy Days and the Hudson
Today I read the article "Man in the Water" with my students. Since we are reading Night, I wanted them to see a positive side of humanity before dwelling too long on the sadness created and darkness of man displayed during the Holocaust. This article, written by Rosenblatt, recounts the 1982 plane crash of Flight 90 into the icy Potomac River near Washington, D.C. An anonymous man in the water, a passenger of the plane, repeatedly handed the life saver dangling from a rescue helicopter to the other passengers still floating in the water around him; when the plane returned for him, he was nowhere to be seen. Only five people survived. He selflessly sacrificed his life for others and made an indelible imprint on those who knew his story, showing the best of what humanity is capable.
Ironic, then, that tonight I run into a parent who informs me that today another plane crash landed onto the Hudson River in New York. I'm thankful that this time no one was lost.
Ironic, then, that tonight I run into a parent who informs me that today another plane crash landed onto the Hudson River in New York. I'm thankful that this time no one was lost.
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