RCOE International Student Teaching Fall 08

I cannot believe my trip is over! What a wonderful experience that I will carry for a lifetime. The last night in Nicoya Regan's host family invited my entire host family and I over for a small fiesta going away party.

It was so nice to have my whole family come to the fiesta. There was a small band playing traditional music and a few people dancing. I loved the atmosphere of the fiesta, so light and carefree. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves! The ticos are such giving people, always asking if we wanted more to eat or drink or if we needed anything in general.

I will definitely miss my family in Nicoya. Even though it was only a few weeks that I was in their home, I felt as if I had been there for a year. They made me feel at home, my host mom even told me that the door to her house was always open. I plan to go back and visit and hopefully take my NC family with me and show them the beauty of Costa Rica.

The first day back to North Carolina was very different and distracting. I didn't get back home until late in the morning because of a flight delay and the next full day here I had adjusting I had to do. For example, the busy sounds of life here and the chilly weather were different!

I feel this experience has taught me many things I will be able to use when teaching. I now know first hand what it feels like to be an second language learner and how it feels to be in a room full of people and have no idea what is going on.

I also feel that being put in those situations has helped me be able to take a step back and examine what is going on instead of just giving up. I'm very proud that I was able to teach at San Ambroisio and will carry this experience with me for a lifetime!

My final week in Puebla promised to be as only busier than the ones before it. This week we had not only the Christmas Festival for the primary grades, but also the secondary school's fundraiser event "Across the Universe" which was very entertaining. The majority of our time this week was spent in getting prepared for these two festivals. The students at all age levels really kept up a good level of enthusiasm for their events.

On Tuesday, the day before the Christmas festival, I was fortunate enough to work with the 6th grade students for an extend amount of time on their dance routine. This was really a treat for me because I have at least a small amount of experience with stage work and so was able to give several of the male students who were stugling some advice that seemed to make it easier for them. On both Monday and Tuesday the majority of our morning was spent with the students practicing for not only their individual dance routines, but also for the grand finale that showcased all of the students from all of the grades.

The actual event, which lasted all of Wednesday morning, was a lot of fun to watch. I sat in the front row as I told me students I would and took as many photos and videos as some parents I am sure. After wards myself and all of the other faculty (minutes a few) went to eat at an old time hacienda that had been changed into a restaurant. Juice cocktails are the breakfast drink of choice here and I happily ordered a Orange, Apple and Carrot juice drink. I have never had the quantity of salsa and chili for breakfast that I had there. After wards my host family and I went to Central to continue our Christmas shopping.

The last two days after the festival were really nice with lots of goodbyes and promises to stay in touch. I was given what seems like over 50 student emails so that will be exciting if even half of them try to return my emails. While I was at school those last several days I introduced some of the students that enjoyed dancing to some of the basic steps of swing dancing which I hope was an interesting cultural experience for them.

Saturday was highlighted by the salsa bar we went to that night. Not, for, beginners. They were all incredible dancers. I did the best I could under the circumstances of limited Spanish proficiency and pure intimidation at the quality of available partners. It was a unique experience that I am very glad Margarita made available to us and reignited my fervor for Salsa dancing in The United States of America.

In Central again with Monica

Reading over the lyrics to one of the songs for the Christmas Festival

Students preparing to practice the grand finale

By the second week in Mexico I felt that I had really acclimated well to the new culture and so was free to begin moving around and transverse with the people of Puebla even more. During my fourth week in Mexico I got to do a lot of things that I had not expected to be able to do.

During that week I went out several nights in a row to the Central area of town. Because of our incredible host family I was introduced to several people my own age, most of whom I saw at least twice more on social occasions. I think that is one thing that makes this such a good experience because I am actually able to interact with people my own age here as well as students and adults, all of whom have different perspectives on Mexico and with whom I interact differently.

On one particular night, I accompanied Mario and his friend Monica to an event known as Lucha Libre. You might recognize the event, if not that name, as Mexican Professional Wrestling. I'm not sure which one was invented first (American or Mexican wrestling) but I do know which one I prefer: Lucha Libredores. The action was much faster than in the United States with hardly any pauses in the fights at all. Another plus was that because of the size of the arena in which they were fighting, the wrestlers were almost forced to interact with the crowd.

They needed little persuasion though and there were multiple examples of the wrestlers evading one another by running through the crowd. This was a really great cultural experience in its own right, but was made even more interesting as I was leaving the arena because I heard English, German and I am pretty sure Italian all being spoken just in the short walk to the stairs. I this was really interesting that people who may not speak very much Spanish could still enjoy this event that was entirely in that language. I was once again the foreigner, something that I had never been to this extent in my life.

Another exciting part of this week was staying after school to participate in an after school art class. Miss Laura was just incredible. I do not know if I will be able to finish my art work or not before I leave, but I am excited to try it. Several of the parents of our sixth grade students are also taking this art class and I know that they have enjoyed getting to know us a little bit more. One parent in particular has been very inviting to us and I happily practice English with her on the occasions she is there.

This week is flying by faster than I can imagine and at this time I only have another 2 weeks before I head back to the states!

The Christmas decorations are set up in the Central with large lit piñatas hanging from many of the large streets such as Cinco de Mayo.

I will be home soon.

So it may seem like I'm writing this entry after I returned to the United States, and I am...but for some reason my first entry I did in Nicoya was deleted, so I am redoing it in the future, but writing as Past Nicole.

When we arrived in Nicoya it was a rainy afternoon and it took us several hours to get to Nicoya from Liberia because of traffic. I was dropped off at my house and it was a very weird feeling...here I was thrown into a house where I knew no one and could barely communicate. Armando (my host brother) was very nice and welcoming, though, and gave me a cup of coffee and started chatting with me. I had to keep telling him to slow down so that I could understand him, and he was very patient with me.

During the first weekend we went to the Pica de Lena festival in town. There was a parade with a bunch of bulls carrying carts full of wood. It was fun to see this parade, and it was a very cultural experience.

I am excited about spending the next five weeks here, and I hope I will learn a lot and improve my Spanish.

So here I am, back on U.S. soil after 6 weeks abroad. I feel like Lucy and her siblings as they stepped out of the wardrobe from Narnia. They had lived a life full of experience, change, and growth, only to return to a world just as it was when they left; a place frozen in time, awaiting their return to go on.

I feel it is the same for me now that I'm back. Though it is not the same day I left, the same obligations awaited me when I returned that loomed over my head before my departure, but I am different now, changed forever by this experience overseas. Never again will I approach a classroom the same way, or treat students like I have before. Nor will I look at life through the same lens I always used in the past.

The walls in Belfast, murals of Derry, Galway's pub, Kill 'O the Grange's 6th Class, words about parents, God and Santa from Jr. Infants, all these things and more have impacted my life in such a way that will effect how I live from now on.

My last days were full of lots of good-byes from the students and staff. My last night with my host family we were sitting watching television and my host mom looked over at me and said, "It's going to be odd not having you here. You've become like part of the furniture." She went on to explain that it was a compliment and that, while all the students they've hosted have been grateful and wonderful students, they had their own life, came and went, and life was the same with or without them there. I, however, had become part of their family. I lived with them, interacted with their lives, and would be missed. That comment really meant a lot to me after she explained.

I am so thankful for the experience of being able to teach abroad. It has changed my views of the classroom, and made me thankful to be a teacher in the states. Though I will return to Ireland as soon as life allows, it has made me appreciate being a teacher in the states. The cuts made to Irish education I described in my blog about the protest, I do not believe would ever happen here. As I mentioned above, I will not be the same.

The students practicing for the Christmas ceremony

Backstage before the Christmas Ceremony

My final week at D'Amicis was both exciting and sad. I knew from the start that I would miss all the students very much once I return back to the States.

It was an exciting first week because the children practiced for the Christmas ceremony and then we finally had the actual ceremony on Thursday. The ceremony was the best. We sat front row to make sure that we wouldn't miss anything. The children had practiced hard, and I'm sure the teachers were all stressed out with all the dances and costumes. Finally, to see it all come together, it was beautiful. I felt like a parent watching my many children dance and celebrate with his and her classmates. I was so proud at all of them.

Came Friday, we went around school to say goodbye to the children. It was rather sad, and all the children felt the same way. Many pictures were taken and many hugs and kisses were given. Towards the end of the day, all the teachers had a meeting, and they all thanked us for being at the school to teach. We all thanked them back. Also, we were given a D'Amicis T-shirt, which I will wear often.

I will miss Mexico a lot. Mexican food will never be the same and I will never forget the people, and especially my host family and the students at D'Amicis.

One of my favorite pictures on this trip. This picture was taken from Piramide de Luna, therefore you can see Piramide de Sol.

Piramide de Sol

A seller playing the traditional flute-like instrument.

Me trying to pretend I can play.

Biggest meal I've ever had and it was amazingly good!!! We ate at Quinta La India Bonita restaurant.

(November 16th 2008)

Tomorrow is a holiday here in Mexico, we will celebrate the Mexican Revolution. Today we went to Angelopolis, which is the biggest mall in Puebla.I have been informed by my family that Puebla's full name is Puebla de Los Angeles, meaning town of the angels. Supposedly, the man who designed the down was informed by an angel in his dream as to how the city should be arranged.

Yesterday was an exciting day. It was a full 12-hour day for us to travel to Teotihuacan-Cuidad de Los Dioses (City of the Gods). I believe the ride there was about 3 hours. I'm not sure because I was asleep for most of the ride. We left the house around 7am and got back around 7pm. The ride there was interesting because there were a lot of tolls and there were people just walking between rows of cars selling camotes. Camotes are traditional sweets made of sweet potato and comes in different flavors such as coco (coconut, my favorite). Traffic here is kind of nuts...sometimes when I cross the street I would rush to the other side and the guys would say, "Why run? You'd only die tired." Maybe they were joking, maybe not.

Teotihuacan: amazing. It was a lot of climbing up to the top of the pyramid. After climbing up to the top of Piramide Del Sol (above picture--Pyramid of the Sun), we walked on Calzada De Los Muertos (Street of the Dead) towards Piramide Del La Luna (Pyramid of the Moon). Calzada De Los Muertos got its name from the believe that the kings were buried in the tombs along the major walkway towards the pyramid of the moon.

Overall, Teotihuacan was one of my top favorite places in Mexico. It was incredible.

Next, Nicole and I were supposed to meet up with the other girls in Tileran to make our way to Monteverde. This was interesting because even though we left Nicoya at 6 am, we did not arrive in Tileran on time and we had missed the only bus to Monteverde that day. Luckily a taxi driver figured out what was going on and quickly drove us to meet the bus. We did not fully understand what we were doing until we arrived at the bridge.

My snazzy cooperating teacher, Harold

Nicole and I at the windmill project on our way to see Arenal

Lago Arenal
The bridge the bus to Monte Verde travels on was not wide enough to allow the bus to cross so the passengers had to walk across the bridge, a very muddy and wet bridge, to the other side. Here they get on a different bus that continues the trip to Monte Verde and here is where Nicole and I finally made our entrance on the correct bus. I am so glad we were able to meet up with the rest of the group because I really do not know what we would have done otherwise.

Monte Verde was incredible. I loved everything about the town. We stayed a little out of town at the Monte Verde Inn which turned out to also be the trail head for the Hidden Valley Trail. We all went to the canopy tour and it was by far the coolest thing I have ever done. It was truly amazing. We went through a cloud forest on multiple ziplines and all I could see below was the rainforest. Afterwards Nicole and I hiked the Hidden Valley Trail and it is safe to say I have never been on a better hike. Boone trails will never compare to the plants, animals, and pure atmosphere the rainforest has to offer.

This last week I am going to spend as much time with my family as possible. I am really going to miss them. Siany and I communicate in Spanglish a lot and we have decided that she is going to try to come and live with me in the US after she graduates next year. I hope she can because it would be a great experience. I am not ready to leave this place. I love it here!

Me standing in front of the largest tree I have ever seen.

The coolest stump

Waterfall in the rainforest we hiked behind our cabin

Our view of the sunset in Monte Verde

My "mom" Sileny and I

My "sister" Siany and I

I am in Ireland!

I had a hard time getting through customs this morning. The letter that I was provided by Diane Middelton did not appear legitimate for the customs officials. She thought that it was a document that I could have created myself because it was not on "headed paper." After a phone call to Muriel, my host mother and principal, the customs officer allowed me through.

I collected my luggage and waited for a bus from the airport to Greystones station where Muriel met me. She jumped right into conversation. She offered me food when we arrived to her house and then sent me straight to bed. She insisted that I take a nap. She had a student teacher come from the United States before who insisted that she would stay up and while she was there ended up getting sick. Muriel was sure this was because of her lack of sleep early in the trip. I went to sleep and woke up a few hours later.

Muriel's husband, Alistair, and her two children, Alyson and Alexander were downstairs. I found out that Alistair owns a sailing school and the whole family is very involved in sailing. He has also done work with film, helping out with scenes on the water in P.S. I Love You, Saving Private Ryan and many other films. He is getting ready to start work on a television commercial. I had dinner with the whole family. Muriel's son comes home from university on Sunday nights for dinner and to watch Top Gear, a British television show about cars. The family has been so wonderful so far! I am looking forward to my next five weeks and all the experiences that I am going to have the opportunity to have!

Jardin de Ninos section of the school

A grandpa came in to read a story

School Market sale

School Market Sale

Lighting Ceremony

November is a busy month because there are a lot on the agenda. This past week wasn´t really eventful as far as teaching goes. Monday was a holiday; Tuesday there was the mini ceremony; Wednesday through Thursday the high schoolers had the big market sale; Friday was a half-day.

One amazing thing about D´Amicis is the community aspect of it. The purpose of the market sale was to raise money for the graduates to have a graduation party. All sorts of things were for sale, but my favorite was the food section. There were a lot of games for the kids to enjoy, and for us to watch. It was a lot of fun, and different that what you would usually see in the US.
We all went back to school Friday evening for the Lighting ceremony. The ceremony was a good way to end the market sale, and start the weekend.

We have finally figured out a schedule with all the teachers that we want to work with. On Monday, we have the 6th graders, Tuesday-4th, Wednesday 3nd, Thursday-5th. The 6th graders are our favorite, so we go to them again on the half-day Friday. We pretty much take over the classroom and teach whatever the teacher tells us. It is our intention to be as resourceful to the teachers as we possibly can.