Hello all! It is so hard to believe that I am almost finished with my student teaching here in the states, and will soon be on a plane headed to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico! It still seems like a distant dream that any of this is going to happen in the next few days, but I am more excited than I could ever express. Although getting all of the information about my school and host family has been a slow process, that has just made life that much more exciting for me over the past few weeks. It has also helped me to begin to get into the mode of functioning on "Mexico Time"- when it happens, it happens.
While in Guadalajara, I will be working in a 1st grade classroom at The American School (www.asfg.mx), a state of the art private school which offers instruction for Pre-school through 12th grade. ASFG is also accredited in both Mexico and the US. My cooperating teacher is Miss Ivette. She has been working at the school for 17 years and I know I will learn much from her.
I have also been in contact with my host family, Antonio and Lucrecia Jauregui. Their children no longer live at home. When I spoke with them on the phone, they sounded very excited to have someone coming to stay with them for awhile. I think it is going to be lots of fun to get to know this wonderful family, their friends, their community, and their way of life.
Since I double majored in Spanish, I have really enjoyed reading about Guadalajara, and can't wait to explore the area and learn about its history as I ride the city bus to school each day and venture around the city in my free time.
Next time I write I will be in the birthplace of mariachi music and the home of hot and spicy mexican food... I hope you'll join me as I journey there and back again!
Hasta luego!