School in general

Of course a new place with new people with a new subject takes some getting used to.  When I was in Nashville getting my last things from Lockeland, I watched Yuri teach some.  There was one point when she looked at me and said, "What am I doing?  I need to use more of my language.  I'm giving instructions in English!"  I thought she was crazy.  Of course she needed to speak more Spanish.  How was she not speaking more Spanish; it is her language after all!

I have encountered the same problem.  There's the obvious fact that here I am in Mexico and my brain has worked hard to get into Spanish gear, so switching it out of that is tricky.  Worse yet is that I'm a seasoned Spanish teacher.  My reactions are in Spanish.  Muy bien comes out of my mouth every other second in Nashville.  Here, it actually takes thought for me to respond in English.  Instinct, or I suppose more accurately my learned habit, has sunk in and it's a fight to break it!

Also, here I find myself reverting to Spanish quickly when they don't seem to understand.  In the States, I find a new way using new words and bigger pantomimes to get the point across.  Battling the new classroom management with misunderstandings is tough.  

Finally, in Nashville, I have my own places.  I think I mentioned this before, but maybe it was in a chat or email.  When I'm teaching at home, I'm all over the place, physically.  I walk all around, I sing and dance, and I'm from one side of the room to another in a matter of seconds.  Often I will set things down and need them two minutes later.  Of course it's a moment of panic, but then I go quickly to one of my 5 designated places of "this is where I usually unintentionally lay something" and there it is.  Here, if I set something down, it's in someone else's classroom or the office.  That makes for tricky organization.  My goal for Thursday (our planning day with no students) is to get the next two weeks planned, but also to get myself organized.  I feel flustered when my stuff is all over the place and I can't find it.  When it's all over the place and I can find it, I have no problem.