And so I am greeted almost daily by most of my students. Apparently, female teachers here are called "Miss" so it has taken a while for me to teach some of my students what my name is (the rest still call me "Mees"). I'm still pretty sure that some of them have forgotten again. Ah, well. We have fun anyway!
It has been about two months now since I have become a "miss." I am now teaching two afternoon/evening classes a day three days a week (still no Friday classes, but that's okay, and I only have one class Wednesday afternoon). I have 14 students in 7 classes at 6 different houses in groups of 1, 2 and 3 students. I have 2 pre-kinders, 6 first graders, 2 third graders, 1 fifth grader, and 3 sixth graders. I enjoy my classes with all of them! I have taught shapes, animals, the present tense, made cars, played the game Memory at least once a day and have to use a star rewards system for one of my classes (the great thing is that it works!). In my class of one 5th and two 6th graders who are in the intermediate level, we even have a monthly cooking class where they create a cooking show! At the end of April we made sushi and last month they made oreo rolls. The oreo rolls were a wee bit too sweet for us all but this month will be something savory and we have learned for future desserts.
The only draw-backs are that I am STILL running around like a madwoman trying to get lesson plans done, print them before hand, eat lunch and make it to my classes on-time. Thus far, the lunch-eating has been the hardest part to ensure happens but I'm hoping to change that. I am finally starting to be able to plan all my classes (or most of them) during the weekend, so I shouldn't be running around as much, hopefully. And I will be buying a printer possibley, as it's often too chaotic and expensive running to the office before class or to a printers on the way. But if my scheduling ahead of time plan works, then maybe I'll be good without the printer..... Besides the scheduling difficulties, the most challenging aspect of my job is thinking up fun activities to do with the kids based on the topics I am given to teach them. I am slowly collecting more and more activities and games that are easy to modify for different topics, but it's a work in progress. Fortunately, my office gives workshops every once in a while and I have made sure to be at every one of them.
I'm really enjoying getting to know my coworkers. We're a group of young people from the UK, the US, and Canada who love teaching and games so you can imagine the kind of interactions and meetings we have. Fun abounds! They are really nice. And, I am proud to say that I have been told I have a pretty good British accent. (YES!)
On the home front, we are still living with Antonio's Dad. Apartment searching hasn't really happened between our crazy schedules. It looks like it might be a while until we are able to move as the most pressing necessities are paying bills and a new mattress for our bed. So in the meantime we are enjoying Antonio's Dad's generosity and company.
About the bed: We currently have three thick blankets under our sheet to try and add extra padding to our mattress so that we don't feel the springs, but the time has finally come. Don't know how old the mattress is (no one can seem to remember) but no matter how we flip, turn, or pad it, and no matter how long we sleep, we still end up tired most days. It's a bit of a bummer money-wise, but it will be exciting to be able to pick one out and so wonderful to sleep soundly for once.
Weather-wise: In general, the weather has turned chilly! Yes, Chile is chilly and
winter seems to be upon us. I know, it's nearly June and I'm in
winter. I myself am struggling to make those two facts coincide but I
found myself thinking that "Oh, everyone back home must be thinking
about Christmas soon." Hahaha. Oh, dear. My strategy has been to
ignore the month and just write the number. 6 means nothing! It's just
a 6. So it can be cold during 6.
It is WINTER!!! Aka, COOOLD! Two weekends ago I was convinced that if the wind blew any harder, that the house would blow away. It rained all that weekend and left the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. Between the Andes mountains, illuminated and golden by the setting sun, the pink, blue and yellow sky, the glowing clouds, one of which looked like a dove, and the beautiful twinkling city it was absolutely stunning.
Anytime it rains here I am always pleased. It doesn't happen often, but when it does rain, hearing the steady pitter-patter of the rain on the roof brings back so many memories of Portland! Antonio is always quite unhappy with the wet state of the outside world but it has made me very happy each an every time. They say it will rain Monday or Tuesday. Yay! That'll clear up the air, too, hopefully for a day or so. Winter has the worst pollution here in the Santiago valley.
Antonio is doing well. He had an English test a week or two ago so I stayed up late helping him study for it the night before. He is finishing this semester so he has many finals coming up. He is really liking his classes and professors and has made lots of new friends. I enjoy his new university as it's close to one of my classes and relatively on my way home so after class I can just go to his university (they think I'm a student there now) and use the computers to write the class reports (how class went that day, the student's strengths and weaknesses and what we actually covered), plan or write emails.
Lukas, our little four-legged dependent is just as adorable as ever but very dirty. It's cold now so bathing him is harder (have to try to find a warmer day and then spend the time blow-drying him afterwards). He now wears a flannel sweater/coat that he loves! I am halfway done knitting a sweater for him. I don't think mine will be as thick as his flannel one, but it's only my first time. Next time I can choose a thicker yarn. Lukas is quite a Momma's boy: Antonio tells me that when I'm gone, Lukas seems to get a little depressed and doesn't follow Antonio around like he follows me. Oops! Didn't mean to steal his dog. I have also managed to teach him new tricks. He now knows: shake (in English and Spanish), down (lay down), sit (in both languages), and "feetsies in the air!" ("patitas al aire!"). This last one is the latest and was his invention but now he knows when we want it. It is by far the most adorable trick he has as he stands on his hind legs and reaches up his front paws almost like he's pawing the air or swimming or telling you to come. It's super adorable and he does it when he's excited and we are opening the gate (it turns into pawing at the gate).
Last bit of news to load you with (sorry, I never seem to be able to make these shorter), is that I did my first translating job this weekend ($100 for translating a 6 page Education research paper summary into English), and that:
I WILL BE IN THE USA FROM OCTOBER 4TH UNTIL OCTOBER 16TH!!!! I am going to Rachel and James' wedding in Chicago, Illinois but will spend the first week or so (October 4th to October 10th-ish) in Portland. Yay! I have the Santiago to Chicago tickets booked but still need to confirm the wedding dinner date to buy my Chicago-Portland and back tickets. I will keep you all updated.
Well, that's all folks! I hope you are all doing well and that you have a lovely, warm, beautiful week. My toes are freezing so I am going to go get ready for bed. Hugs and enjoy the pictures!
