Certification

Thursday was the "workshop/training" for English teachers who have 6th graders.  I had no way to get there, so I was to meet Ana Luisa at the English office at 3.  The training wasn't until 4, and was close-ish to the office, but they said 3, so 3 it was.

We hung out (in the air conditioning thank goodness since the temperature was 104) until about 3:30 when Ana Luisa and I went to pick up a tape player from her dad.  It turns out that the presenter from Cambridge (or ETS or something) had only a test for the sample test.  Awesome.

On the way to her dad's house, Ana Luisa informed me that Mabel had stopped by the office to let her know that she was pregnant and would be having her baby in October.  She would finish out the year and wanted to teach next year, too, but needed to know about maternity leave, etc.  That explains a lot of the drama that was going on in "my" house back in the winter.  Ana Luisa said she was very happy.  I guess so!

The certification was disappointing.  It was supposed to be over at 6 for one, and it was 6:30 when we were finally leaving.  The woman was a gringa,  and I can't hate on her, but it was annoying to listen to her accent.  I know- I'm going to be struck by lightning.  Karma will come back to get me when I get my feelings hurt soon for speaking.  I know.  Mostly, I think it was her tone of voice and her lack of eye contact.  Like she was bored.  I'd have been bored, too.  Actually, I was.  But I think her job as a presenter is to at least pretend she's not bored and that what she's saying has relevance!

Another annoying part was that here I was in a typically Mexican setting.  The presenter (no matter how boring, she's still the presenter) is talking, but people are answering their cell phones indiscreetly, talking to their neighbors, and asking a question that has been asked 5 times before.  I wanted to show some classroom management, but I just took a deep breath and watched the clock!

At 6:30, Ana Luisa asked me where she should take me.  I had my yoga stuff with me and we got there just in time for me to get changed and go in.  It made me laugh that it was only 99 degrees in the studio and it was 104 outside!

After class, we all sat around for awhile talking about the flu, the inconveniences, the conspiracies, what we'd done on our time off.  I'm going to miss this thrice-weekly reunion.  My yoga studio at home has the same feel.  I'll just be sad to let these people go.