Junior High: I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here.

I've completed my first two days of the school year. I can't say that I'm sad it's the weekend, but I am pretty happy to be back in a classroom- MY classroom, in fact, for the first time ever.
This is me in front of my custom-ordered-and-made-whiteboard, courtesy of Juan, the super-nice maintanence guy. I really have no idea where AAI found so many wonderful people. I think there must be a shortage of nice people in the rest of the city because the population inside the school gates is so high.

Anyway, the board, and the room, on my first day. It went surprisingly well. I wasn't even that nervous! That's odd, because I'm always a WRECK on the first day of class. Maybe it's because my biggest class is 8. Or maybe it's because I asked about a million people to pray me peaceful that day. :) Thanks if you're one of the million.



(notice my globe...I swiped it off a dispose-of pile. Score! I actually have things on the wall, by the way. You just can't see them in the picture.)

So, let the funny stories commence. I'm pretty jazzed about the excessive funny-story fodder which will be at my disposal as a result of being a junior high ESL teacher. I mean, junior high OR esl; either one makes for frequent hilarity. I can't wait to see what comes of the both together.

This next picture has a story. I'm sure you're relieved to hear that... This is a reproduction of a white-board drawing that one of my 7th grades drew me today. They were working on an assignment for me- a 2-3 paragraph story about something that happened this summer.

Because I don't yet have any Spanish/English dictionaries, I was forced to translate various words for the kids as they wrote their stories. This particular word was "aguamala". Literally that means bad water, but it translates as jellyfish (and debatably something else). Here's how the conversation went:

Cami: Miss Foster? (pronounced "Meese Foe-stare?")
Me: Yes, Cami?
Cami: How do you say in English "aguamala"?
Me: Uh, I don't know that word. Can you explain it?
Cami: It's a.... (motioning waves with hands) in the ocean...
Me: A fish? Pescado?
C: No, no. Not a fish (continuing "swimming" hand motions)
Me: A dolphin?
(at this point the whole class has stopped working and is laughing and trying to help with the explaination)
C: No!
Me: Is it an animal?
Class: YES!
Me: Does it hurt you?
Cami: Yes. It's bad.
Me: OH, a jellyfish? (now I"m making hand motions like a jellyfish)
C: no, not a jellyfish... (sigh) It's a...like a...hard and if you brush against it it hurts you
Me: Uh....I don't know.... Can you draw it for me on the whiteboard?
(Cami gets all shy and giggles. Her classmates urge her to draw. She comes and draws this....)

Hmm, I think to myself. That was distinctly unhelpful.

In the end I asked her if she had an English/Spanish dictionary at home. When she said she did, I told her to leave a blank and look up the word tonight. You gotta know when it's time to quit. :)

My classes are really unique, because in this school all the kids that need extra help are put in the same pullout classes, so I have ESL students and students with learning disabilities and some with both. Mind you, I've never had training or experience with LD kids. But I think I'm going to like it. Maybe even love it. So that's exciting.

One more funny story before I close.

Today, one of my eighth grades says to me at the end of her guided study hall, "Oh, Miss Foster, one of my friends said that you are cute."

Hmm.

I said, "Really? Is your friend a boy or a girl?" (critical information)

"She's a girl."

Hmmm again. What does it mean when a junior high girls thinks I'm "cute"? I said, "Well, that's nice. Thanks for telling me!"

Girl two (who has some developmental issues) in my class chimes in, "You know, you ARE cute, Miss Foster!" (obviously a new thought for Girl 2) "You should get a husband." she decides for me.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. What a great idea! I'll get right on that...

The other night we had a beautiful sunset. The only downside to the mountains in all directions is that the sun gets blocked out pretty quickly in the evening. But at least it makes for sights like this.

Ah, Quito. Beautiful indeed.

New City, New Home, New Job. Lots of New.

I give up. For two weeks I have been trying to put together a blog about moving to Quito. I won't go into all the problems I've had but shall instead suffice to say that until my internet connection, or computer, or both learn to behave themselves I'm done trying to attach photos. So there.

With that frustration in black and white for all to see, let's move on. To Quito! Where I live now! That's still a bit unreal, but eventually I expect it will sink in.

Today was my first day of work and also the first day of new employee orientation. I was pleasantly surprised by how manageable the new information was. I didn't leave with a headache or anything. Hopefully the remainder of orientation will be equally painless.

I also got to see my classroom-to-be. I think it used to be someone's office, judging both from the size of the room and from the lack of any whiteboards, blackboards, or bulletin boards. The good news is that I can order those things and they'll be made and hung for me. The bad news is that I'm not sure if 12 students will fit in the space. We shall see.

In other exciting news, today I learned that the classroom directly across from mine is home to a huge snake. Not a big snake. A huge snake. Like, it takes two people to move it huge. I can't remember if Diamond is a python or a boa constrictor. I do know that every couple months she eats a guinea pig (as a true Ecuadorian should) and she sheds her skin occassionally. I was fortunate to see a couple of her older wardrobes.

This afternoon I saw the snake. This evening I met the teacher to whom she belongs. I think we may have come to an agreement of sorts. I have agreed to take care of any cockroaches that might infest her classroom. In exchange, she has agreed to warn me when she plans to take the snake on a sunning field trip, so that we don't meet up accidentally in the narrow hallway. I'm hoping it will work out well.

Seriously, it is ironic. The one creature that I can't stand, and of all the classrooms in the whole pre-K through 12 school; next door neighbors. God has a good sense of humor.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, yesterday was a banner day, seeing both the installation of our internet (and therefore our international phone service) and the first successful use of our clothes dryer! So now I can wash my clothes and call my peeps and post on my blog. Life is good.

Stay tuned for more on life in Quito. And maybe...if we're lucky...some pictures. Maybe.

The New Chapter Begins

*I finally got the pictures to load! So this was written awhile back, but it's still news to you, right?*



Here I am in Quito. My home for the next three years (or so). It's been a good week since I wrote last. I had a frustrating trip, with about three hours of delays, but I arrived safely and with all my luggage on Tuesday night.

After a long, stressful trip, things started looking up as I immerged from the "customs check" at the Quito airport and recognised a couple of the other new teachers and staff of Alliance Academy Internation (AAI) in the crowded waiting room. Then I saw a big sign that said "Welcome Home, Christy and Leslie". And then a kid I'd never met gave me a bouquet of roses and a big mob of excited AAI people came and welcomed me and hugged me and took care of my luggage and asked how I was and how my trip was and told me how happy they were to see me. It was such a relief to see people there; people that I knew- that I had to fight off tears for a few minutes. My flight was delayed and I didn't think to get a contact number before I left so I was a little concerned that I was going to have to spend the night in the airport. Plus I was weary from the journey. Traveling always makes me tired.

So much has happened since I left that I feel a little overwhelmed with sharing it all with you. Instead, I’ve decided to post pictures, and just tell you about each of them. That will give you a bit of an idea of how my last couple weeks have gone.

If you are thinking to yourselve, "Those children do not look Ecuadorian..." you are correct, indeed. This is right before saying goodbye to my brother and his family.

But on the positive side, I got to spend some really good time with family and friends before I left. I am thankful for that.

I’m sharing an apartment with two other women. All of us are new to Quito and to AAI. The apartment is a three bedroom, 4.5 bathroom. Yes, that’s right- 4.5 bathrooms. What the heck could we possibly need with 4.5 bathrooms? In continuation of the excessiveness, I have the biggest closet in recorded history. In a pinch, it could serve as a bedroom by itself. My clothes take up about 1/32nd of the space.

Also of note regarding my new bedroom is the rooster which resides outside the window. No hens, mind you. Just one very loud rooster. Who keeps just a rooster? He's obviously not laying eggs or providing meat. All he does is eat and crow each morning between 5 and 6am, and sometimes again around 7.

If I’m lucky.

I’ve been making good use of my earplugs. I can still hear him, stupid bird, but it’s not as loud.

PS- Notice that my teddybear, Alfred is waving. He says to say hi. He likes his new room. No mosquitos and it’s not too hot.

One day Christy (who lives across the hall), my roommates (Courtney, Linsey) and I decided to go to the historical district of Quito and see the Basilica. It’s a big, famous church. It was beautiful. For a mere $2, we were permitted to climb to the top of the towers. Actually, we had the option of taking the elevator, but where's the fun in that? This climb involved over 200 stairs (in the 9000+ feet of elevation), including three scary ladders (scary because they were out in the middle of nowhere) and a creaky wooden walkway that extended across the top of the sanctuary roof). It was very non-north-american. In other words, a little dangerous, WITHOUT making you sign a paper that says you won’t sue them. And the view from the top is great. By the way, the colors in this picture aren't enhanced. The sky is really super blue here.

During my first weekend I went to some market towns with a group of AAI people. I guess there aren’t any laws that require kids to go to school, so we see little guys everywhere we go. They’re impressively well-behaved. Usually they just play around with a toy (or not) as their parents go about their business. These two were so cute that I couldn’t resist being a tourist; whipping out my camera and taking a few shots. In a few years they’ll probably be arguing with tourists like me over the price of an el paca blanket, a local painting, or a traditional doll. But today, they’re just busy with the culture-crossing work of being kids.

Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, and Domino’s all have a thriving business here in Quito. This Domino’s is literally next door. One of my first nights here, Courtney and I decided to get pizza. Though we both like Papa John’s better, it’s hard to pass up next-door. So Christy, whose Spanish is the best of the three of us, offered to help us order. When the time came to pick up our gourmet, traditional Ecuadorian feast, the three of us trotted downstairs and out of our building. About this time the girls noticed that I was wearing slippers.

Now, I know that people here are less casual about their dressing than Americans. And for that matter, I wouldn’t normally wear slippers in public. But let’s be honest- it’s 10 feet from my front door and I’m just that lazy. So they’re laughing at me and I’m saying, “Stop drawing attention to them! They won’t notice!!”

In I walk, purposefully not looking at my feet so as not to draw attention to my slippers. Unfortunately I didn’t know that there was a big step down right inside the door. The force of the missed step allowed me to FLY across the room, catching myself against the counter, right in front of one of the 7 or 8 Domino’s guys that were working. Nice. Nothing like making a grand entrance. Particularly at the pizza place next door, where I will no doubt need to show my face again. Ai-yah.

This is me, happy. In Ecuador. My new home.

That's a negative, Ghostrider, the pattern is full.

In about an hour I will begin the first leg of my journey to my new home. Tonight Dad, Sue, Sara and I will drive to Detroit and spend the night a hotel. In the morning, I shall be at the airport by 7am, in time to actually see those early birds getting their worms. And if all goes as planned, I hope to fall asleep in my own bed in Quito, tomorrow night.

Packing went well, considering my limit of two, 50 pound bags to MOVE to a NEW COUNTRY. Stupid embargo. At least I hope to be able to come home at Christmas, which will allow for another load. And I must try to keep in mind how much fun it is to make do when you don't have, or have access to, many of the niceties of life here. Fun, fun, fun. :)

I'm excited to think about how the next time I write, it will be from Ecuador. And I'll probably have funny, overseas stories. And maybe I'll have already embarrassed myself with my piddly Spanish. And definitely I will have begun the next chapter in my life.

[Two Question Pop Quiz: "will have begun"
1. what verb tense is that?
2. why are we surprised when people find English difficult to learn?]

Over-n-out from Ohio.