it´s all happening

It is the last weekend before school starts and I will be working the whole way through. Julie arrived Wednesday and in true Julie style has kicked my ass in gear by instilling the fear of children into me. I realized this week how much there is to do and so much of what needs to be done I will not know until I know what level the students are at. I will busy myself making posters and calenders and weather charts so we will have basic activities to pass the time for the first week. Hopefully during this first week, I will be able to asses every child and figure out where to begin my lessons. It does not help that the principal of the school will be watching me and assisting¨me in teaching reading and writing. She gave us a phonics lesson the other day that was the most boring activity of my life....and she expects me to use these same lessons for 8 year olds! I am afraid I will be livening things up a bit!

My first teaching success occurred this week. A student named Susan did not pass her social studies exam from sixth grade that would allow her to enter the seventh grade. I was given the task to test Susan again so she would be able to join her peers in the seventh grade. We sat down and figured what she learned last year, what was interesting to her, her basic knowledge of geography and some other stuff (her opinion on arranged marriage). After a week of studying and conversing about the world, she passed the test with a 90%. I am about 86% certain she has learned something she finds interesting and has retained some information.

My household is something else these days. I live with Charles from Chicago, Quinton from Delaware, Olivia from Savannah Georgia, and Julie. The five of us presently live in a TINY two bedroom house while we await the completion of the other house. I think the girls may move into the new house, and let the boys stay in the old house. In the new house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen. To get to any of the other rooms you have to go outside, but having a bathroom in my bedroom (OUR bedroom - julie and I will share a room) seems like a great idea.

We have been entertaining ourselves with bathroom talk as I am sure we are all infected with amoebas. Actually, I am cured...I started taking amoeba medicine a few days ago, but the guys (who have been here longer than Olivia and Julie) I am sure are infected. It has made my stomach stronger, but what a process! For all of you who have pooped into a jar before know exactly what I am talking about.

We have had a few water tribulations. We had none for about 5 days. There was a small ration for toilet flushing only..but bathing and everything else was put on hold. Our kind boss brought us to her house to take showers, and we were able to learn a little about our water practices. If Quinton and Charles weren´t so freeking funny I might have had a nervous breakdown due to the stacks of dirty dishes, tons of dirty clothes and my dirty body. We made it through and by the time Julie arrived to the house water was plentiful and the boys had taken care of business and cleaned the house.

Olivia is the other woman of the house. She has some serious courage. She just graduated from high school and decided to take a year off before college to teach at La Orquedia. She is teaching the preschoolers. I think she is a bit overwhelmed at the moment, but this is going to be an amazingly important experience for her. She is here because she is Ba´hai, which is a religion. The principal of our school is also Ba´hai and so she has arranged this year to be like a mission trip for Olivia. Ba´hais believe in peace and love and other good stuff. I know the religion is not for me, because like most religions there are too many rules and I can´t seem to fit my spirituality into a box. But if I am to be surrounded by any religion peace and love sounds good to me!

I am going to sign off, but hopefully next time I add to this blog I will be able to add some photos. keep your fingers and toes crossed for good computer karma. peace and love, friends.