Education and Learning

One morning recently, a marvelous thing happened. I woke up with a profound sense of belonging. I felt like I was adjusting well to my new home and work. A welcoming peace was about me as I arose out of bed. Not a few minutes later, I go to put on my shoes and discover a dead cockroach in one of them. Yuck. So that's how my existence here is, always something new!

At the school, the kids really like playing ¨duck duck goose¨. We play games sometimes, I like to think of them as a fun orientation to practical applications of English! However, my first grade is on probation, as I like to think of it. They have been misbehaving, throwing paper on the floor, bickering with each other, etc. I've had to shout at them, which puts me really out of my element. In that class this week, I had them take notes a lot, but we still got to sing songs.

For all of their antics, they are so endearing. Once, a group of about 15 greeted me as I entered the school, all swarming around me in a big group hug! I have a small desk in the library/computer room. The computers are old and without internet. The school itself is colorful and lively, made of modest materials and a simple metal roof. There are 5 classrooms. Between kinder and first grade is a level called prepa. In the mornings the other two rooms host 2nd and 3rd, and in the afternoon 4th and 5th grades.

Oh, and I've been meaning to say that Oscar is a common boys name here. At first, with my Sesame Street up-bringing I couldn't get the image of a garbage can out of my mind. And those with that name have all been very charming and nice :) Rene is also a boys name, took me a few weeks to get used to that.
All for now! Ciao!