Le Fin de Semana 3

This past weekend, Dan came to visit. Yes, I was glad to see him.  Yes, we had a good time. 

Thursday night we went and ate with the lady who I am staying with.  She fed us spaghetti and bread and cheese and carne asade (chicken).  It was very good.  Dan told her like 20 times that he really liked it and now I´m eating cheese with every meal.  Thanks. :)

Friday Dan wandered around while I went to class.  I don´t know exactly what he did, but he seemed to enjoy himself.  We met up later and walked around and it rained so we ended up going to the movies to see Cars.  It was pretty good, but we are going to have to watch it again in English later.  I´m sure we missed most of the jokes.  On a side note, it is the general belief that most cartoons are funnier in Spanish.  My kids have always told me this, but i thought it was just cause they knew Spanish better.  However, they apparently use different jokes in Spanish.  Shrek and Shrek 2 are apparently way funnier in Spanish.

Saturday we went to the planetarium, but it was closed so we ended up at the children´s museum.  It had the cutest exhibit where small kids got to shop in a grocery store and choose and pay for their produce at the register.  It was really cute and I wanted a picture, but i was afraid that the parents would get freaked out by me taking a picture of their children.  Then we went to the archeology museum and walked to the fort of guadelupe.  As we are outside at the fort of Guadalupe, it starts to rain.  I, in all my wisdom, thought that it would stop soon, however it only started raining harder.  We left cause they were closing, then we ended up completely soaked going to the convention center at the bottom of the hill.  We waited out the rain for about 4 hours there. 

That night we went to eat at what turned out to be this really nice restaurant.  We paid about $40 for out meal, when usually a meal costs about $10 for two people.  It was very good.  Dan had some kind of stuffed chile with fruit compote and white sauce and pomogranate seeds on top.  I had mole poblano, the traditional dish of Puebla.  It was also excellent.

Ok, I´ll finish up Sunday later, gotta run to class now.

Dan llagó

Mi hermana dije que yo no estaba apprendando español.  No es verdad!  Yo apprendo español, pero yo pienso que mi familia gustan oir para excursions, no clases.

 

A la tarde, Dan llagó en Mexico seguro.  Yo soy muy feliz.  Fuemos a la casa y comimos con mi familia mexicano.  Hoy, Dan es camina en la ciudad de Puebla.

The place I went yesterday

The thing about listening to Spanish all the time and not reading it is that sometimes I can´t really repeat the words correctly.  I am a visual learner if there ever was one.  I can´t remember anything that I don´t see written down, though i can remember pretty well if I stare at something for a minute.  As such, I don´t really remember the name of the place that I went yesterday...but it was really cool.

 

We started by going to a set of temple\pyramids that are in pretty good shape. Two of them you could climb.  One was very unique because it was built in a spiral.  They have erected a cross on top of it now and tie a person on it as a representation of Jesus for Good Friday.  The other was just a straight pyramid, but at the top they had relics of volcanic rock that had been some type of structure on top.  They reconstructed one bit of it and it looked a bit like stonehenge, but much smaller.  That is the idea anyway.

 

Then we went to the largest archeological roof in the world.  It covers a pyramid that has intact murals with the colors that are SO bright.  It was really amazing.  Our guide showed us the plant that they used to get the reds and blues.  The reds come from the insect larvae that lives on the plants, the blues come from a stone...I think lapis probably.  It is that shade of blue.  I got some pictures but it was starting to get dark and come a storm so I don´t know how well they will turn out.

 

It was gorgeous though.  I really liked it.  Incredibly cool and interesting in a historical way.  I promise to post pictures when I get back.  I have taken this insane number so far (like 200 nearly) and my friend Christina and are going to swap photos when we get back so that will probably double....

Teotihuacan

Yesterday we went to the pyramids and then to D.F. (Ciudad de Mexico).  My camera battery went dead before we got to D.F. so I have no pictures there.  Oh well.  I´ll buy a book I guess.

 

The pyramids were super super cool.  When the Aztecs arrived, this whole civilization was already gone so they just built on top of them, but when you uncover what the old layers look like, they are simply beautiful.  There was this one part in one of the temples that some of the frescos on the wall were still intact.  It was really cool. I got pictures of that.  They are really tall, but they let you climb to the top.  At the top of one there was this hole that everyone was sticking their finger in...I´ll have to figure out why, but it was neat.

 

We went to the old palace of the kings.  Castillo.  It was very cool, absolutely beautiful too.  I didn´t get any pictures, but some of my friends did.

 

In the Cathedral in the city center of D.F. we walked in while they were having mass.  You can walk up to the bell towers and walk around in the ceiling.  You know they way that the cathedrals have domes in them?  you are actually walking across the domes!  Very neat.  Then I sat down in the sanctuary portion and it is really really beautiful.  They have different sections for you to sit at.  I´m sure there is some reason why, but you can hear the mass anywhere you sit because of the acostics.  I´m not sure if the mass was in Spanish or Latin, the hall echoed so I couldn´t tell.

 

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

You want pictures?

Go see my friend´s blog:

 

easierthanscrapbooking.blogspot.com

 

She is in school in LA for her masters in nutrition.

Weekend Plans

This weekend we are going to Teotihuacán ...not sure I´m spelling that right....no i wasn´t.  I went and checked.  Basically Mexico´s pyramids....It should be really really cool.

 

I hope everyone is doing ok!  I´m great here.  Dan comes to visit next Thursday for a long weekend.  We are looking forward to visiting D.F. (Mexico City).

Volkswagon plant and new haircut

So this morning we went to the volkswagon plant.  That was really, really cool.  We got to walk around some and then we rode in these volkswagon buses with the tops cut off.  The tour was entirely in Spanish, which is helpful for learning spanish, but at times frustrating if you are still learning ´cause I wanted to know the *information.*  But I got enough clarification that I wasn´t so lost.  They have a school for 15-19 year olds (girls and boys) that teaches them how to make parts and how to run the robots and other things.  They also take Spanish, Math and Science.  Really neat tech program.  I walked in and was immediately like "Those kids are 15 years old!"  But then they explained why they were there.  They were really distracted when we walked in and were watching them.  They giggled and showed off how well they could cut with hacksaws.  Very funny.  We couldn´t have cameras but I would have loved to have a picture of that.

 

Then we saw them make Jettas.  Did you know that the chassis is all one piece?  Then they put on the motor, gas tank etc...Also the dashboard is all one piece, including the airbags.  Very interesting.  Then we saw where they were making the new Beatles, but didn´t go in there.  They make 1400 cars a day.  All very interesting.

 

So this afternoon I went and got my haircut.  I paid 70 pesos ($7) and 20 for a tip and then 30 pesos there and back for the taxi...What is that $15 for a haircut???  Pretty good huh considering it was a really nice salon.

 

Then we went and sat in a mall for an hour or so and got some mango ice cream and then we came back to school...A productive day. 

volkswagon plant

Hoy, vamas para Volkswagon planta en Puebla.  Tomas un taxi para la planta, despues "take a tour."  Muy divertido.

El Gas

One of the interesting things here is that they run all the hot water..maybe the stove, off bottled gas.  They have these gas trucks that drive around with probably twice the amount of what you would use for a gas grill or something.  The trucks play a little gas truck song and every now and then the loudspeaker says "El Gaaaas!"  (the gas).  It is very interesting.  The song annoys most people, they start up at about 7 and stop at about 8 or 9.  The trucks just drive around the neighborhoods.

 

I´m kinda glad that the gas gets piped into my house so I don´t have to go and wave down a gas truck everytime i want to cook something!

new shoes

On Thursday we are going to go to the Volkswagon plant and I have to wear closed toe shoes.  I didn´t bring closed toe shoes.  I wear my Birkenstocks all the time.  There is no need.  I made sure that every outfit I brought would be ok with them then I only brought those and a pair of dress sandals.

 

So I went and bought a pair of mexican tennis shoes (http://www.charly.com.mx/).  I think they are pretty nice.   they are brown leather-ish with pink stripes and elastic instead of shoelaces.  Very cool I think.  Way more trendy than I usually go for.  However, I think they will be fine.  They go with jeans so I think that I´m ok.  I paid a little less than $30 for them at full price in the nice stores.  Sheri, how much would a pair of tennis shoes be in the states?

 

Once again, if anyone wants anything in Mexico, let me know.

Le fin de semana 1

Well, I created this yesterday and it disappeared....how sad.  So I´m starting over...

 

This weekend I went to Atlixco.  It was really interesting.  We visited a church that was on top of this really, really tall hill.  Ok, tall for the girl who has lived in MS or Texas most of her life.  Probably not tall for most people.  It took us about hour to walk up.  I was incredibly tired....Although I´m probably floja (lazy).  We got a lot of good pictures, including some pictures of the volcano.  That was nice.  It is hard to see through the clouds usually.

 

Then we came back and went through the market.  That was really neat, but I kinda ruined it for myself because I was starving and couldn´t  really enjoy it.  I did get some peanuts from the vendors that were really good.  I think they boiled them first and then roasted them?  Not sure, but they were blackened on the outside.  It was really interesting, but I was the only one that liked them.  I was also the only southerner in the group so that may have explained it.

 

We also got to go to a trout farm and eat fresh fish.  That was neat.  It looked a lot like the one in Branson, but maybe not as big...Was that fish farm in Branson or just near Branson?  We didn´t get home until about 10.

 

Sunday I went on an adventure to get a cell phone.  This was productive, I got one for $40 that was supposed to have $30 of airtime.  Somehow that failed and I ended up with only 2 phone calls and some texts to Sheri and then it quit working.  It also quit texting the one message before I was going to have sheri tell dan to call me at the house.  I got it fixed Monday morning so now I have a cell phone.  It costs $1 a call.  Which was very interesting to me.  It took a good five minutes for the salesgirl to explain "per call" to me.  It was pretty interesting   I think she was glad to have something to break up the day.  I was there about 30 minutes.  I can be on the phone for 3 hours or 20 minutes and it is the same price.  kinda cool huh?

 

However, the real adventure was not getting back to the house in a timely manner.  I thought I had taken the right bus...and truly I might have but not gotten off soon enough (I was standing and couldn´t see out the window).  I ended up 30 blocks south of where I was supposed to be and across a river I didn´t know existed.  I met a guy whose daughter spoke English and they told me to walk back to the busy street and take a cab because the directions were complicated.  I did get to see Mexican democracy in action cause I passed about 3 polling sites on my way. 

 

When I got to the house all I had was 100 pesos for a 30 peso cab ride.  I went inside for change, but didn´t have any so I just gave the guy the hundred.  He was really bothered by this and finally gave me a 20 back and we called it even.  So I paid $8 for a $3 cab ride.  however, it was so worth it.   I would not want to be stuck over there and not be able to get back.

 

More later...Check out my friend´s website from the school here.  She is a much more consistent blogger than I am.

In mi escuela

At my school we are learning past tense....wow, do you know how hard that is in another language? you keep wanting to say everything in present. it is very hard. I keep thinking about how my students have to write in past tense...Now I know how hard that is.

I also learned a good deal of slang from my conversation partner. I also confirmed that no one in Mexico has every heard of okra...in English or in Spanish. Slightly interesting because it would grow very well here.....

Ok, tengo sueño...I´m tired so I´m going to end this entry now. I am learning a bit and will try to write more when I am fresh.

I´m in mexico

So, I´m in Mexico....The girl in my class wrote her entry in Spanish last night. I don´t have time to do that right now. I am far far too slow.

While I plan on keeping up and writing here some, right now I just wanted to start by saying where I am.

Class is going well. It is entirely in Spanish. I know exactly how my students feel sometimes. I can see about a dozen things that I can do differently next year that have been suggested before but I have never been really good about remembering to do. For example, Having students turn to each other and repeat the directions. Simple thing huh? I am *dying* for some clarification at times.

Things I have learned in spanish so far....

My kids taught me how to say ¨what did you say?" I´ve been spelling it wrong. It is actually "que dijiste?"

M´hijo´s last name is Cortés. This apparently means polite. I plan on making full use of this.

Miedo means I´m afraid. miado (sp?) means half like "I woke up at cinco miado" I told the lady i am staying with that i woke up at 5 afraid....yeah....gotta re-explain that when i get home.

moving makes me grumpy

In case people don't know this. :) Today I worked on getting my 70 boxes unpacked. I hired one of our cross-country runners to help me, then later on another one of my students showed up to help me. I wish I had taken a before and after picture, but I did manage to get all the 9th grade workbooks sent away, most of the 10th and 11th. The novel class sets are organized along the wall and all my novels are on the shelves. The computers are put on the tables, The files are in the filing cabinet, I have a bookshelf for my teacher that floats into my room. While it isn't all put together by any means, it is a lot better than it was and enough that I can leave on Sunday without stressing about it for 4 weeks.

On a secondary note, I can't keep secrets and told my kids about studying spanish this summer...they were not impressed. I'm so sad! I mean, I guess, big whoop. They all know two languages, why shouldn't I? And if I were going to learn Spanish, why not go to Mexico? But my feelings got a little hurt cause I wanted them to be a *little* bit impressed I guess. Oh well.

My plane leaves for Mexico Sunday at 3:08. I guess I should pack sometime huh?

can you hear it?

They have come up with a new ringtone that can only be heard by the younger generation. Apparently teenagers are using it to let their phone ring in class where the teachers can't hear. :) I can hear it though. Yet another way to catch kids and then ask them, "Did you think that I was old?"

http://graphics.nytimes.com/packages/audio/nyregion/20060610_RINGTONE.mp3

Lazy bum

I slept till 9 this morning....I am such a lazy bum.

Many exciting things going on. For instance the janitors have moved *most* of my stuff (all the boxes, not all the tables, chairs, etc. down the hall to my new room. I'm not complaining cause (now don't tell anyone this!) I should really be in the portables with the other elective teachers...but my friend who got the new position as instructional assistant is influencing the room assignments strongly and told me to just not say anything. :) I may have to hire some cross-country boys to help unpack my room though. There is no way that I will have enough time to get everything unpacked before school starts without help.

Also, I am going to go to Mexico to study Spanish this summer. I am going to the Spanish Institute of Puebla. from June 25-July 22. Anybody want me to bring them something back from Mexico?

Lastly, tonight I get to go to a quincenera. It should be a lot of fun. One of the ladies from school is going with me cause I don't know much Spanish (yet!). A quincenera is basically a cross between a 15 year old birthday party and a coming out party. I've always wanted to go to one and one of my 9th graders invited me this year. It should be really cool.

So are you Dixie?

This is dixie dialect quiz to let you know how Southern, or lack thereof, you really are.

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/yankee_dixie_quiz.html

I scored 66% which they say is definitely Southern. Not bad considering I have picked up language lots of different places now....

Successes and not quite successes

We got our junior scores back. Actually we got prelim scores the afternoon that we got the seniors' scores. The sheet that says YES or NO.

Of my juniors (who obviously had a 0% passing rate last year since they are in my class) 54% passed. I still have a few who the writing got them...but not many. I had one girl write a 3!!! but she didn't pass. The grammar kicked their butts. Some kids only got like 5 of 20 right. So I have to learn how to teach grammar this summer. I get to say goodbye to some of my kids because I won't have them again next year. I'll miss them, but I'm so glad they won't have to go through the stress their Senior year. I will get to teach Lit Genres still (partly because I sorta pitched a fit and told everyone how hard I worked and how sad I would be if I didn't get to see it through another year). Also I'll be teaching Reading I & II in the Language Center. I'm happy about that. I'm really happy that I don't have to teach Speech. :) I was dreading that.

Speaking of summer, Dan and I are taking a vacation to D.F. (Mexico, Distrito Federal). He is trying to convince me that I should go down a few weeks early and take Spanish classes. I am playing around with the idea. While it would be great to come back and not tell them I learned Spanish--personal dream of mine--I am not sure. Advice, help?

Today I hope to plant my veggie garden. It is a little late so we will have to start from bigger plants, but we should still be fine. I'll post pictures when we are done!

Country Map OR where in the world?

create your own visited country map
or check our Venice travel guide

the final call comes

We got our senior TAKS scores. Of my 22 kids...2 passed. That means that 20 won't be graduating due to their grade on some silly test. At least 2 or 3 of the 20, the English section was the only thing holding them back.

I'm not good with crying. Did everyone know that? I'm not much of a crier myself, though I nearly teared up today telling one boys' father..he was there 'cause said child got his cell phone taken up. I had this one girl sit and weep in 7th period wanting me to tell her why she didn't pass. I'm not very good with sympathy. I think I just made her feel worse, because I told her why she didn't pass. Another boy 4th told me he was quitting...Another told me their dad is pulling them out of school to go to work because he can't pass the test.

The kids on the whole took it extremely well. But you know they are disappointed. How fair is it to work 4 years, get all your credits, pass your classes, do all the work and fail because you missed 2 questions too many on a test? Not fair at all.

We should get the junior scores this week, too. I can see how the rest of my babies did then.