First week - DONE!!!

Well, I have officially finished my first week teaching here in Manuel Antonio and it was very interesting for lack of a better word. On Monday, I arrived at the school at 6:30 (school starts at 7) and was the first one there. We actually did not even have any students the first day because the schedules had not been made yet. My director said that on Tuesday we would be going to different classrooms to observe teachers and get to know the kids before we actually started teaching. So on Tuesday I arrive (later this time...) and my director comes into my classroom at 6:58 and hands me my TEACHING schedule for the day. I started at 7 in a different classroom. So I hurried and grabbed my things and ran down to the 4th grade classroom to teach. From there, I taught 6th and then 2nd. By the end of Tueday, I was a little stressed from feeling rushed all day and extremely relieved that I had made it through!

On Wednesday, Rocio (my host mom) and Rebecca (host sister) left the house before I did. When I went to leave, I noticed they had taken the key (which you need to get out of the house). So, I was locked in...and I had to be at school to teach. At first I stressed, and then I just sat on the couch and laughed. I called Michelle to let her know the situation and she said she would convey the message. Rocio came home at about 7:30 and off to school I went. The director ended up not even being there that day and no one really said a word to me about it. Still was not the way I had intended to make a first impression.

The rest of the week was a mixture of good and challenging. The students, teachers and school are done differently here in Costa Rica. Everything is much more laid back and school holds a different amount of importance here. I have had 6th grade boys pinch my sides, tell me they love me and think I am beautiful and ask for my phone number. I have had second graders walking on desks and throwing things across the classroom at other kids continuously despite my efforts to stop the behavior. I have also had a classroom of fourth graders completely engaged in an English word game. I am learning to become more flexible in my expectations, laugh off the little things and think of new ways to engage and discipline students. It is definitely taking up a lot of my energy and creativity! Fellow teachers and friends - if you have any ideas, please post them!

On a different note, I have joined the local women's soccer team. I was running by the plaza one afternoon and noticed they were playing. I went down, told the coach I liked soccer and that was that. We have practice twice a week. I play with some of my sixth grade girls, some of my student's moms and even another gringa! It is a nice way to break up the week and my daily workout routine.

I am thinking of all of you and love to hear stories about what is going on at home so please post them! Even if it is something trivial, I am craving stories about people I know and know well! I love you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICKEY!!!!