INTERNET!

Well folks, it's finally here. After three weeks of going back and forth about who owed who money, the school finally got our internet turned on. I skyped with my mom for 2 straight hours, paid my forgotten credit card bill, checked up on some people, and then got intensely bored with it all. Funny how you can totally get used to not having computer access in such a short amount of time.

So here is a short list of things I need to update everyone on:
1. My new class!
2. My new house!
3. Trip to El Salvador!
4. New people!
5. My little brother's approaching trip to Guatemala!

Lets start with the first two and then perhaps the others will come in another blog entry (I don't want to write TOO much and bore you all).

First day of school!

So, this year I am section 3B instead of 3A and alls I can say is that they are totally lovely little people. I had been warned all last year that this group of kids were really wild and less motivated than my kids but I haven't seen any signs of that at all (I mean, obviously they are 8 and are a little wiggly but they are super fun at the same time). I'm already loving all the hugs and kisses and high fives I'm receiving each morning and getting to know what makes this group tick. Its funny being a second year teacher because for some reason I thought I would be getting third graders that were at the same level academically as my third graders were at the end of last year... not a chance! I completely forgot how slow the beginning of the year is as they are really more like second graders than third at this point. But I'm also doing a much better job of teaching the procedures and routines so I think my class this year will probably progress faster than last year.

Putting together our puzzle pieces

Oh, you know, playing Zip-Bong :)

I have twenty-one students, two are new to Inter, one having moved to Guate from the Dominican Republic and the other from Tanzania, and six of the twenty-one are Aubrey's old kids. They are very excitable, motivated by praise and whole class rewards, understanding of the mistakes we all make, and absolutely hilarious. I have to share one story about when I finally felt like I had my first "moment" with this group. We were reading Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (a 3A favorite passed on to the next generation), where Junie B's mother asks if she has any suggestions for baby names. Junie B throws out the idea of "Teeny." Then Junie B's mother explains, "Well, Teeny is a great name for the baby when it is little, but what will we call the baby when it grows up?" Junie B, with all her sass, responds with, "BIG Teeny!" My kids absolutely. lost. it. They had the rolling-on-the-floor, holding-gut, wiping-tears-from-their-eyes laughs and seeing their reaction to understanding a joke... IN English... made me SO happy. At first I had the biggest grin on my face but then as I scanned the room and watched as every kid held tight to make sure they didn't pee their pants in laughter, I started laughing the same way. When we finally all caught our breath, I told the kids it was time to go home and they all yelled, "Nooooo! One more chapter!" Unfortunately, I had already read one chapter more than I should have so I hustled them out of class. As they grabbed their backpacks and headed for the buses, I couldn't handle the cuteness of them shaking their heads and smiling while the mouthed "Big Teeny" all the way home. This was the day I decided I officially loved 3B :)

Guest Speaker #1: Mr. Juan Pablo speaking about Citizenship :)

Teaching Kindergarteners how to tie their shoes :)

Since the first day of school, we've had two birthday parties, three visiting hamsters, zero kids sent to the principal, twelve parents come to Open House, two chain links for everyone doing their homework, only one set of tears, and twenty-one smiles every single day. I'm very excited to see all the magic unfold in 3B this year and to learn even more from this group.

Lunch with some 3A alumni

If you're wondering if I've already forgotten about 3A, do not worry! They are still a big part of my life. They have to walk past my classroom from the fourth grade classes to go to the bathroom so multiple times a day kids will walk by with arms outstretched and say in a slow-motion voice, "Meeeeeeeeeeessssssss Aaaaaannnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" I also get the best hugs ever from them at recess and lunch and in the hall and in the bathroom and other inappropriate places. I've had a few kids come visit me during their recesses or invite me to play in their game of basketball. I even got to have lunch with two of my kids from last year because they completed a summer challenge packet I gave them to work on over the summer. I'm planning on going to one student's goodbye party as his family heads to Seattle (yahoo!) and am going to Antigua with a mom and student next weekend. I think its safe to say that last year was a total success in terms of keeping those kids in my life. I cannot wait to see what they accomplish in school and know that they will be in touch for years to come.

My new house is just perfect. Its a lot smaller and older than our old one but not only does it have fast internet (well, except for when they cut us off) and hot showers, but it also comes equipped with awesome neighbors, the ability to walk to the grocery store, the safety to run in the streets (alone even!), and a cold but refreshing pool. What else could we ask for? Aubrey and I are exponentially happier at this place and are really looking forward to hosting more visitors this year (hint, hint!).

Speaking of visitors.... ZACK IS COMING! ON WEDNESDAY! My students are jazzed, my friends are pumped, and I am going crazy with excitement. He is staying for almost an entire month and within the time that he will be here, we have one three-day weekend and one four-day weekend; YES! I'm really looking forward to paying him back for being such an amazing host for me this summer and for him to get to see a completely new part of the world. I'm also excited to see him interact with my students as I know he has put some thought into perhaps becoming a teacher someday.

four days until I'll be reunited with this guy!

Alright, well I still have more to report but I need some breakfast first. I'm planning on blogging again this weekend and even posting more pictures so stay tuned.

Setting the bar too high

Well, as you can probably guess, the internet still hasn't been turned back on. We also just got a bill under our door for internet since May (when we moved in in August) for almost Q.2000. So, we're still not really sure whats going to happen there.

Normally I would attempt to update you quickly but I think we are staying in town this weekend so if the internet comes back I may do a series of blog updates to fill you in since school started. For now, know that almost all is well and we are hosting Open House tonight at school (which means we'll be here until 8:30pm, yahoo!). Happy Thursday!

One quick photo for you to enjoy. One of my students brought in her hamsters last week ... just because. When explaining the procedures for handling hamsters, she told the students that if they screamed, it would scare the hamsters and they would DIE! It was the sweetest sounds on earth to hear the kids whispering the whole time they played with the little dudes. This event almost reminded me of my dream of someday having a class pet :)

Blogger Neglagence

Well, obviously a lot has been happening. One thing, that really isn't too important but I feel you must be informed about considering it may lend as an excuse for why I have been MIA this week, is that our internet got cut off...again. We haven't had it for about 8 days now which means I haven't been able to blog from home and since school is still in its "crazy" mode (when is it not?), I haven't had time to post from there either.

But please don't think that I have forgotten about you readers. I have a goal: Monday. Though its almost entirely out of my hands whether or not the internet will be back by then, I still like goals.

See ya Monday :)

Back in the GUA

Well, school starts tomorrow. It doesn't feel quite as real as it did last year for some reason, perhaps because its no longer my first day ever and so I am certain that I will make it out alive. Or perhaps its because I know many of the kids coming to my class this year. But for whatever reason, I am strangely calm. I am insanely excited thinking about playing at recess tomorrow and getting big hugs from such small people but I am feeling confident. Confident that tomorrow will be FUN. Confident that my kids will learn. Confident that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing and feeling pretty fantastic about it. Confident.

Before the school stuff happened this week I went to Semuc Champey with my friend Jaron who is doing Peace Corps in Guatemala. I have a hard time explaining this place to people because its really just a magical jungle that doesn't even look like a real place. We went swimming in clear natural pools, walked through bat caves with nothing but candles, hiked out to a lookout to take it all in, went tubing down the river, jumped off of things, and met some cool people along the way. It was quite possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been to and is one that I will soon be making a common stop for visitors (though it is a 6 hour, packed shuttle ride (22 people in an 18 seater) to get there). I would tell you more about it but I think the pictures would do a better job this time :)

Friends!

I've had a great time getting to know all the new teachers so far. They are all super motivated and well traveled and generally hilarious people. Our new principal has also done a stellar job of coming in and getting things started right away. He is really flexible and open to new ideas and feedback so I am anxious to see where all these ideas take our school this year. Aubrey and I also moved apartments and are exponentially happier now. We can walk to the grocery store, run in the neighborhoods, walk to local restaurants, swim in the pool, take hot showers, use fast internet and other various happy things. In all, this year will be different in so many ways that I'm looking forward to a fresh start. I plan on blogging just as much this year I just need to get back into the rhythm after taking so much time off this summer... oops!

Cheers!

Talent Show Performance... finally

Okay the lovely Katie Y (oh I mean, Katie N!) made my a copy of the talent show dance and left it as a little surprise when I came back to my new apartment. So, though it happened a month and a half ago, I thought I would post this little piece of entertainment. Even if you're not amused, I would recommend watching until the very end as my favorite part about the whole thing was hearing the students SCREAM like we were celebrities.

Okay, enjoy!

Verano

In what I thought would be a summer of me figuring out where I am going to move next ended up being a summer of discovery about life instead. Here's what I learned:


"Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memories, friends you can trust, a yearning for learning, love, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey."
         -Anonymous


Simple, right? I found out really quickly this summer that a home is not a home because you grew up in it or because the walls are painted your favorite shade of blue. A home is a home because of all the things you can take away from it. I was fortunate enough to see many incredible people this summer and make some great memories with them all. So it looks as though my home is wherever I happen to be at the time, living and loving in the present.


And now I am back in Guatemala. Aubrey and I moved to a new apartment and its already feeling like our home. I am feeling ready for the school year, ready to take on new challenges, to meet my new amazing coworkers, to hang out with my awesome new students, and continue to learn from each new day. Though I would love to be sitting in a park eating a baguette in Paris with Zack, or bike riding with Sarah through the trails of Seattle, or eating burritos from a truck outside Home Depot with Weston, or kayaking on the lake with my mom, etc. I think all that means is I have wonderful people and memories in my head to add to the furnishing of my home. 

h-o-m-e

Call it slacking or call it traveling, it doesn't matter because I haven't updated in awhile. Right now I am sitting on my brother's couch in Paris while he sleeps off the excitement of seeing the final Harry Potter film in theaters. I thought I would try to reflect on some of the summer at "home" as it has definitely been one of the most interesting ones I've ever had.

First, being a teacher is awesome. Mainly because I get to hang out with cool little people all day and watch the thrill of learning take place on their faces in the form of a smile. Also, I get to work with other equally-motivated and inspiring people who teach me things of all sorts everyday. And also because we all get to take a break from it all each summer and winter. This summer vacation thing is something I have had the luxury of enjoying my entire life. I learned this year, however, that summer vacation as an adult is just not the same. For me, the world stops for 5 weeks and I can take some time to see the people and things I've been aching to see all year. But for everyone else, time keeps on ticking. It makes summer a little more lonely when there is no one to join you on your adventures but it also makes the times you do share with people that much more amazing (aka, thanks for making the time, friends!)

Kansas: I headed back to my alma mater first in order to attend the wedding of my dear, dear friends Shelby and Cody Roberts. Shelby is essentially the reason I went to KU in the first place and Cody is essentially the reason I accomplished what I set out to do athletically. They both played a big role in my college athletic career, but have also been equally amazing friends to me since I was 18-years-old. Basically, missing their wedding was not an option :) Seeing old teammates, athletic department mentors, and friends made the trip not only meaningful and relaxing but it also made me realize that though I grew to love Lawrence as my home away from home, that my life there could never be the same even if I did return for longer than a weekend. People have moved on, grown up, and started the next chapter in their lives. It was a sad reality as there are many times that I'm sure we all wish we could "go home again," but it was also comforting in the sense that we can still go back to that place from time-to-time, see the people who impacted our lives, and be thankful for that stepping stone in life we called college. I'm sure I will occasionally miss those days for years to come but at least I know now that returning to a place doesn't make the "home" feeling come back; it was the people in the place that made it a home in the first place.

an amazing couple whose love is one that should be used as a model by all

Jayhawks are the only birds I'll ever love :)

Sarah, reminding us all that you can do
anything you set your mind to.

Washington: For some reason, I thought spending 9 days at home would be a good enough fix. I didn't take into consideration the time it takes to travel, that my friends and family have jobs, and that Seattle never has sunshine until July 5th, a mere 3 days after I left. Though I have been spoiled by the Central American climate this year and was thus freezing in Seattle most of the time, it felt so good to be there. It is such a beautiful city that really has it all, including many wonderful people who have remained in my life even though I haven't lived there in 6 years. I was still sad that I didn't really walk in the door and have that instant "home" feeling, but I'm starting to see a trend in this hope for a home I keep having. Allison came to Seattle for two days and after getting to show her my city, I felt a lot more pride towards it and excitement about the possibility of coming back there (no promises, Mom! just a thought...). I also got to see my sister compete in a full ironman which inspired me in so many ways. She told me that she dreams of me coming home and becoming her training partner which sounds lovely and stupid at the same time (no promises, Sarah! just a thought...). Just meeting up with my family and friends for dinner felt so good and yet so foreign at the same time. I will be back in Seattle again (and Seattle only this time) for December so maybe when it's grey and raining all day I'll feel differently about the place :)

oh heeeeeeeeey!

Paris, you are so darn pretty inside but where's the
elevation change? Yerkillin'me!

Europe: And now, I'm in Paris with my brother. Having toyed with the idea of going abroad again but this time to another region on the world, I've been looking at this trip as a test run. Paris is beautiful, almost enchanting. People are constantly out in the streets walking around, eating outside at cafes, reading books in the park; such a contrast from the capital city I am currently living in. But Paris is also astronomically expensive and there are many things that I love and don't love about everyday life that do and do not exist here. Examples: I love being active and doing outdoorsy things... very few people here exercise and there are no mountains to climb or lakes to swim in. I don't care about fashion or image (or even bathing really)... people here care about those things a lot. I can't stand excessive waste and lack or resourcefulness... Paris cuts a lot of corners in this area (like pumping thousands of gallons of water into the streets each night to "clean them" when places like Guatemala have limited access to water). But I'm not here to complain about this city, I'm just learning that though it may be perfect for my brother (surrounded by French speakers, lots of amazing food to eat and cook, plenty of places to walk, etc.) it may not be perfect for me.

So proud of this guy. His French, I've been told, is just as good as a native speaker.  In learning new languages he's also gained wisdom in words and phrases, ideas and concepts, that don't even exist in English. S-T-U-D.

We went to Berlin for 5 days and both really liked it there. Its definitely different from Paris in a number of ways but it was a really safe, clean, easy-to-get-around city. The history there is also amazing. Seeing the Berlin wall, the Jewish History Museum, the Holocaust Memorial, the contrasts between East and West Berlin; it was definitely an educational visit. It was also really refreshing to walk around aimlessly trying to find new things to do without having to feel on guard. Related to this, I am looking forward to going back to Guatemala in a sense because I'm planning on going back with a strengthened confidence. Fear permeates fear so worrying about bad things happening only makes life more, well... scary. 

Berlin Wall... love this quote.

In all, I've learned so far to continue to keep an open mind. The world is so freaking humongous and I haven't even begun to really understand that. I am looking forward to having summers free to travel for many years to come and am also lucky enough to know people all over the world that I can visit along the way.