First off, I am going to answer a few questions you guys have been asking:
Ellen - No, we do not have any earthquake drills. You would think we would seeing that they happen quite frequently here in Costa Rica, but no one seems to worry about them until they come. It's somewhat the attitude and lifestyle here. There is not a ton of thinking ahead. You get used to it for the most part...
Dan - I am jealous that you are continuing to lose weight! I think that I am finding all the weight that you are losing! haha. I am glad to have introduced you to halfzies and take at least partial credit for the healthier, thinner Dan!!!
Who won the ASU UofA game? Do I want to know?
This past week has been fairly normal. I didn't have classes on Tuesday because we had a meeting in Quepos with the other English teachers in the surrounding areas. It was a pretty interesting meeting, from what I could gather (it was all in Spanish). We made a SWOT chart (FODA in Spanish) which brought me back to my days in Hubbard meetings. I also found the granola bars that I really like considerably cheaper at the Pali in Quepos which was exciting.
Last Friday, the school had an assembly of sorts. My second graders and I sang a song in English which was pretty cute. We have been studying sea animals and had been practicing a song with hand motions and everything. They did a really good job, but as we were singing, I had to laugh because I knew that no one else (parents, aunts, uncles, etc) really knew what we were saying.
Next Monday we are having a field day at school. As all other "school events", it is sure to be an adventure! I will have to let you know how it goes next week!
Next week is also the start of "test week". The students are stressing out big time about their tests. They don't seem to take school seriously until test week comes along (not much different then students in the States I suppose) and then they freak! I am hoping my students do well just because it is what I want for them, but I am not stressing like I would be in the states. Nothing happens to me if my kids don't pass - much different! If the kids don't pass the test, then they have a hard time passing the class. If they don't pass the class, they do the grade over again the next year.
Well, I need to go a type up some rubrics - yuck - to get ready for next week. Hope everyone is doing well and I miss you all! Please continue to keep me updated on the happenings in your life! Paz.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
I have an address!!!
FYI - I wrote this blog post about a weel ago but have not been able to post it because the internet went down in the middle of writing! It took a few days for the internet to start working again, so...
Hello to you all! Well, today officially marks the end of my fourth week of teaching here in Costa Rica. It feels weird to already be done with a month of teaching. I have learned a lot about the culture and about myself in those past four weeks. There have definitely been a few times when I thought there was no way I was going to make it through my 80 minute class and there were also a few times when I thought my class could go forever (although these times happened significantly less often). Either way, I am glad that I now have a month of experience and am looking forward to the future.
As you all know, I asked for help in my previous post. I need "cool" school items for my disciplinary plan in my sixth grade class. At the time, I was unsure as to whether I could receive mail at my house or not. I received a package from my mom on Wednesday (about two weeks after she sent it). So, here is the information you will need when sending me things:
Address: Rocio Porras Selva
c/o Lizzie Manos, maestra de ingles
100 metros norte del super papi
25 metros oeste de las cabinas Guarias
Manuel Antonio, Quepos
Costa Rica
- you will need to send things in a manila envelope - if you send a box, I won't get it!
- On the front of the envelope you need to write "materiales de escuelas" - this helps in that the post office is less likely to open the package and go through it.
- It will probably cost you around $25 to send the package. I know this is a lot especially since you already bought school supplies. If you do not want to pay the shipping fee, my mom and dad are coming to visit the week after Easter. If you could get the supplies to her (or to Jen Pitera and she can give them to her) within the next couple of weeks, she will bring them down to me when she visits.
- If you do send a package, please include your e-mail address because I would like to let you know when I receive it!
Thank you again for all of your help!
On another note, these past couple days we have had a lot of earthquakes. Most of the time they only last for a couple of seconds. The other day we had quite a few of them. The first was while we were school and then there was a series of them while I was laying on the beach. It was definitely an odd sensation to be laying on the sand and feel the earth shift beneath me. Although they are nothing like the earthquake I was greeted with upon my arrival here in Costa Rica, they are still kind of shocking when they happen.
I know a couple of you guys have mentioned wanting to see pictures. I have taken quite a few pictures but failed to remember to pack my cord that connects my camera to the computer so I can not upload any pictures! I am so sorry! I will have my mom and dad bring my cord down to me when they come. You will have to wait until the week after Easter for pictures! Sorry!
Hello to you all! Well, today officially marks the end of my fourth week of teaching here in Costa Rica. It feels weird to already be done with a month of teaching. I have learned a lot about the culture and about myself in those past four weeks. There have definitely been a few times when I thought there was no way I was going to make it through my 80 minute class and there were also a few times when I thought my class could go forever (although these times happened significantly less often). Either way, I am glad that I now have a month of experience and am looking forward to the future.
As you all know, I asked for help in my previous post. I need "cool" school items for my disciplinary plan in my sixth grade class. At the time, I was unsure as to whether I could receive mail at my house or not. I received a package from my mom on Wednesday (about two weeks after she sent it). So, here is the information you will need when sending me things:
Address: Rocio Porras Selva
c/o Lizzie Manos, maestra de ingles
100 metros norte del super papi
25 metros oeste de las cabinas Guarias
Manuel Antonio, Quepos
Costa Rica
- you will need to send things in a manila envelope - if you send a box, I won't get it!
- On the front of the envelope you need to write "materiales de escuelas" - this helps in that the post office is less likely to open the package and go through it.
- It will probably cost you around $25 to send the package. I know this is a lot especially since you already bought school supplies. If you do not want to pay the shipping fee, my mom and dad are coming to visit the week after Easter. If you could get the supplies to her (or to Jen Pitera and she can give them to her) within the next couple of weeks, she will bring them down to me when she visits.
- If you do send a package, please include your e-mail address because I would like to let you know when I receive it!
Thank you again for all of your help!
On another note, these past couple days we have had a lot of earthquakes. Most of the time they only last for a couple of seconds. The other day we had quite a few of them. The first was while we were school and then there was a series of them while I was laying on the beach. It was definitely an odd sensation to be laying on the sand and feel the earth shift beneath me. Although they are nothing like the earthquake I was greeted with upon my arrival here in Costa Rica, they are still kind of shocking when they happen.
I know a couple of you guys have mentioned wanting to see pictures. I have taken quite a few pictures but failed to remember to pack my cord that connects my camera to the computer so I can not upload any pictures! I am so sorry! I will have my mom and dad bring my cord down to me when they come. You will have to wait until the week after Easter for pictures! Sorry!
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