School...

I was not excited to go to school today because it is my "long" day.  I have 5 classes instead of four, and I start at 8.  That means that I have to be completely prepared for first grade PLUS another group before recreo.  I knew that I was not prepared copy-wise for second grade, and I thought I wasn't prepared for first, so I set my alarm for 6:20 after a bedtime of after 11 last night.  I got excited uploading my pictures since my internet connection seemed to be fast.  I also got busy looking at different places where I could teach in the future.

Anyway, my alarm went off and I could not believe it was morning.  I thought I would be rolling over for a few more hours of slumber.  Not so.

I'm out the door before Mabel and Cosette even cross their doorway.  I'm on the bus and cold, which is a nice feeling here.  I get to school and Hernan is thankfully not there to chat my head off while I have many things to do, but unfortunately he is actually nowhere to be found and I need his keys to get into the teacher room!

Alas, at 7:50 (I got there before 7:30) I find him and get the door open and the copies made.  I had copied everything for first grade on our planning day, so I actually didn't have too much to do!

I went to first grade as usual.  In my second class of 1st graders, there was an inspector there.  We had been warned that they would be coming, and I actually think it was a proactive helping type of inspection.  Who knows.  All I know is that this woman sat with Martha (said more like a VonTrapp child than Mrs. Stewart since the "th" sound doesn't exist in Spanish), the helpful teacher who took me to the bus station, and talked through my entire class.  Never mind that the children are not listening to me.  Never mind that I'm having to scream my head off.  You two just chat away.  Pretend I'm not here.

I go form that class to teach second, who happen to be on the recreo court with books.  The teacher says, "Is it time for us?" and I answer in the affirmative...

Well, there are inspectors in her room, too, so we will not be having English in there.  Instead, we'll go to the computer lab/teacher room.  The fourth graders jet out of there, and I attempt to teach in there.  It ended up being one of the better class sessions with this group, but as I walked in, I kept thinking of Senora and her rubber bands in Honduras... Just be flexible.  Just be flexible!

At recreo, the teachers discussed the shirts we'd be ordering.  Martha was in charge of finding samples and bringing them to us so we could try them on for size and choose our color.  I chose pink for my Ingles en Primaria shirt, so I knew I didn't want pink.  This shirt is a button up as opposed to the polo style of the other.  I tried mine on and liked the way it fit.  Then the others tried them on.  It was hilarious how high maintenance they were.  I was surprised at how loose they like their shirts.  Everything here seems to be about three sizes too small and that's how it should be.  Body type does not matter.  The tighter, the better.  But these teachers wanted their shirts loose.  Yet not too loose.  "Martha, can you ask them to hem my sleeves up a bit.  They seem to long."  "And Martha, I'd like them to take mine in a bit under the arms.  That part is too loose.  Just one dart on each side please."  I was thinking, "Yeah right I'm going to take an order to the embroidery place and tell them three shirts need shorter sleeves and can you just put a dart on each side of this one."  Wow.

Then we had the issue of color.  Apparently we all have to be uniform for some something or other in November.  I'm not sure what for, nor am I sure of the color we decided.  First we (they) all agreed on white.  Then suddenly it was blue.  Then it was whatever the majority was, I'll vote for that.  Who knows.  I'll let you know when they come in.

When I left, Sandra (the computer teacher/secretary) was still in the teacher room (her classroom) so I said, "See you tomorrow," to which she responded "Lord-willing."  (more or less the translation)  Something about hearing that in Spanish...

Then I ran for my (air conditioned!) bus and one of my 1st grade students got on with his mom and said, "Mom, the English teacher the English teacher!"  I smiled and waved.  As they got off about five minutes later, I shouted, "Goodbye!" and he grinned from ear to ear.

I'm so content!