Enough of that! Monday was a day for me to get nervous. I knew that I had an appointment with the Secretary of Education, but it was tentative. He had wanted to meet with me the instant I stepped off the plane, but things kept getting in the way. Ana Luisa had said she'd probably pick me up around 2 for our meeting at four, but she would call to confirm.
During my last class, Maribel called to see if I needed a ride to meet the Secretary. Um, yes. Aside from not wanting to arrive alone, I would likely be the earliest one there! She said Ana Luisa needed my address and would come get me, but it would probably be early- like 3 or 3:15. I love how things change here.
I journeyed home via a nearly empty bus and was thankful for the quiet. I got a bite to eat and did my afternoon wait thing. I checked some emails. I blogged. I read a few articles. I watched some tv. Then I did an atypical afternoon thing and got all nervous. That left me quickly thank goodness!
Ana Luisa called from outside my house around 3:35 and off we went. She's a fun lady and understands where I'm coming from. She had a scholarship to teach in the US (Elgin, IL) for 5 years. Her kids went to school there (including some community college). She dropped the bomb that the Consul might actually be there with us then. That he had a meeting with the Secretary, too, and that we might be coming at him from both sides.
That made me all nervous for some reason.
We get to the office and I'm more than ecstatic that I opted for the ride since the complex is rather large. We walk in to basically the Board of Education, only it's bigger than any I've ever seen! We'll be meeting up with Rocio, so we check out her office. No dice. We're told she's already up with the Secretary.
We head upstairs (I'm already lost at this point) and walk into another office and sit down in what feels like a medical waiting room. A few seconds later I see a gringo-looking man and Ana Luisa's face lights up. I realize it must be Rocio. They kiss greet and then I get introduced. I say an English hello to Christopher (?), the Consul.
We all chat for a few seconds and then are ushered into another, more private sitting area.
We chat for quite a while in English, mostly about the English program in Culiacán and my experience so far. We talked about what I would change, what I liked to eat here, where I lived, etc. The state of Jalisco (where Guadalajara is) is implementing an English program starting next year. The Consul was very interested in how to get US teachers and qualified Mexican teachers into their program. We were interrupted by a very made up woman that we all kissed and were introduced to. We began speaking in Spanish, so I figured she was not the English Department. I thought the Secretary was a man, but at this point, I was convinced she was it!
We repeated some of the topics from before: I was the only one of the three exchanges that actually accepted, I didn't feel in danger, I was happy in my school, etc. This banter continued until yet another interruption and this one was the actual Secretary. He gave me the impression of the Old Boys' Club (is that what it's called?), but also that he was very nice and knowledgeable. From the moment we entered the room (before both "interruptions"), there was a camera man snapping away. The Secretary gave us a little thank you welcoming gift from Culiacán and we got an official picture with all 6 of us (Ana Luisa, Consul Christopher, Rocio-Director of English Program, Sub-Secretary-the made up woman, the Secretary and me) holding these gifts. I don't have cards, but Ana Luisa and the Consul both gave their cards to the photographer and he will be passing those pictures on. As soon as (if) I get them, I'll post them.
We adjourned and Rocio walked us all out, mentioning that she'd like to join us on Thursday's visit. It's from 8:30 to 10:30, and even when it was just the Consul, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Now, it's the Consul, Rocio, Ana Luisa, Maribel, the SubSecretaria and me. It's going to be quite the ordeal that I think started as an interest-piqued informal visit!
Ana Luisa and I headed to the parking lot and I mentioned that I could be of some help in the Professional Development department. One of the things we had discussed was that there aren't enough English teachers to fill the spots needed now. They're trying to expand, so the problem will only get bigger. However, they typically hire English-speaking non-teachers and stick them in the classes (I told you that they seem to be about 10-20 years behind on some things) and would like to give them more teaching training. The language teachers that have been trained as teachers still need some workshops to give them something to do the next day to freshen up their class as well as new ideas (like the TPRS I've been doing). I explained to Ana Luisa that I had been hesitant to offer myself as a trainer because I don't feel like an authority, but that I was willing to do as many workshops of whatever type I thought I knew something about. She got very excited. Furthermore, Culiacán is starting currently English at the Kindergarten level. I brought all my curriculum that I've created (translated back into English) that I would be willing to share.
I figure they were never going to ask me to do something like this since I had kinda pitched such a fit about Casa Achoy. That may have left a bad taste in their mouth, or at least apprehension about asking me to do something for which they couldn't pay me.
I also have kind of been eyeing a mentor job in DC. I'm sure it won't still be available when I want it (fall 2010), but it's gotten my wheels turning. I mentioned that to Ana Luisa, too. She said that she had been a part of a mentor program in Chicago and wanted desperately to start something like that here. She wanted to brainstorm with me.
Finally, she said, as I was about to get out of the car, that she'd love to see more of me in the office. The number of schools that are teaching English in Culiacán has skyrocketed in such a way that there are now two coordinators that do Ana Luisa's job. They are all housed in the same office, but soon there will be two offices: one for the schools that have had English for several years, and one for the schools just beginning to implement English. She said that in January, they would have the two offices functioning separately, therefore each office would have much more space than their currently overcrowded quarters. She hoped I would stop by just to chat whenever I had the time. I think I have the time!
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