As I was waiting for a taxi after school today I got bit or stung in the leg. The critter was actually in my pants and for about a full minute I was squirming around yelping and swatting at my leg. I wanted to yank my pants off, but there I was in front of the school.
When I got home I found a saucer sized red mark on my leg, which I immediately showed to our maid. She said, "avispa." I didn't know the meaning of this Spanish word, but because my leg was still throbbing I figured it was the name of a deadly South American spider and got ready to take myself to the hospital.
But before I did that I thought I'd just look up avispa in my Spanish/English dictionary. Now I know two things: 1) avispa means wasp and 2) wasp stings hurt like hell.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
My week so far
On Monday I fell down the stairs. I'm fine, but it was a little alarming. One second I'm walking down the stairs, the next second I'm on my face. Yesterday a student came up to me whining, "Ay, missis, I just hit my head with the wall," (they have trouble with prepositions) and I'm like, "Oh yeah? Well yesterday I fell down the stairs."
On Tuesday I got hauled into the office because the eighth graders are complaining that I don't explain the book to them, or as the they say, "Explain to us the book." So I treated my classes to a 20 minute lecture about my teaching philosophy, complete with pictures and then took them outside to play Red Rover. I think we understand each other now.
I also got a manicure and pedicure yesterday, which all together cost ten dollars. Normally I hate nail files, but for a five dollar manicure I can be brave.
This week we're wrapping up the eighth grade murder mystery unit and I've decided that there's no better way to conclude than by showing Clue.
On Tuesday I got hauled into the office because the eighth graders are complaining that I don't explain the book to them, or as the they say, "Explain to us the book." So I treated my classes to a 20 minute lecture about my teaching philosophy, complete with pictures and then took them outside to play Red Rover. I think we understand each other now.
I also got a manicure and pedicure yesterday, which all together cost ten dollars. Normally I hate nail files, but for a five dollar manicure I can be brave.
This week we're wrapping up the eighth grade murder mystery unit and I've decided that there's no better way to conclude than by showing Clue.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Barranquilla Breakfast
Brad and I had big plans to go the bakery to get coffee and pastries this morning, but the bakery smelled bad so we went a few doors down and ended up having pork and bean soup and beer for breakfast.
Then, we went to the grocery store, which was also smelling pretty bad to get breakfast for tomorrow. Cereal here is expensive and they don't have Cheerios, but they do have Oh's, which are just as delicious now as they were when I was a kid.
We returned to the apartment all drenched in sweat, but with enough groceries to last us the weekend. So now we don't have to venture out into the stinky heat unless we want to, and I don't think we will.
Then, we went to the grocery store, which was also smelling pretty bad to get breakfast for tomorrow. Cereal here is expensive and they don't have Cheerios, but they do have Oh's, which are just as delicious now as they were when I was a kid.
We returned to the apartment all drenched in sweat, but with enough groceries to last us the weekend. So now we don't have to venture out into the stinky heat unless we want to, and I don't think we will.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Summer Vacation
Our beach vacation was wonderful. But with that over and spring break already planned I've been working on our summer vacation. I haven't been getting straight answers about when we get out of school or when we're supposed to be back, but I think we're off from June 13th to August 10th and we're going to be on the road the whole time.
We're going to start in Bogota. We'll be there from June 13th through the 16th, where we're hoping to stay with our friend Susana.
On the 16th we'll fly to Armenia, the capital of the coffee region. I could tell you all about it, but it's easier to just post the link:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/travel/12coffee.html?pagewanted=1
We'll stay here:
http://www.fincaelbalso.com/
We're going to be in the coffee region for a week and from there we're going to Guatemala for language school. We'll stay for three weeks. While we're there we'll live with a Guatemalan family and go to Spanish school every day.
http://www.minervaspanishschool.com/
Then, we'll head home. We haven't purchased our plane tickets yet, but we're planning on being home from July 14th through August 10th. While in Iowa I will:
1) Catch up on Ugly Betty
2) Watch all of the Project Runways I've missed
3) Plan our wedding (I should mention that these are in no particular order)
4) Buy a suitcase full of books from the second hand store
5) Make a new t-shirt quilt
That's it.
We're going to start in Bogota. We'll be there from June 13th through the 16th, where we're hoping to stay with our friend Susana.
On the 16th we'll fly to Armenia, the capital of the coffee region. I could tell you all about it, but it's easier to just post the link:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/travel/12coffee.html?pagewanted=1
We'll stay here:
http://www.fincaelbalso.com/
We're going to be in the coffee region for a week and from there we're going to Guatemala for language school. We'll stay for three weeks. While we're there we'll live with a Guatemalan family and go to Spanish school every day.
http://www.minervaspanishschool.com/
Then, we'll head home. We haven't purchased our plane tickets yet, but we're planning on being home from July 14th through August 10th. While in Iowa I will:
1) Catch up on Ugly Betty
2) Watch all of the Project Runways I've missed
3) Plan our wedding (I should mention that these are in no particular order)
4) Buy a suitcase full of books from the second hand store
5) Make a new t-shirt quilt
That's it.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Happy Valentine's Day
Today is not only Valentine's Day, it is also our five year anniversary. Yeah, we're not married, but we have to keep track somehow. To celebrate we're going to the beach for the weekend. I just packed my bag:
swimsuit...check
flip flops...check
three delightfully mindless murder mystery novels...check
That's it.
We're going to the same beach resort we went to in September and we won't leave until we drink our money's worth in rum punches.
swimsuit...check
flip flops...check
three delightfully mindless murder mystery novels...check
That's it.
We're going to the same beach resort we went to in September and we won't leave until we drink our money's worth in rum punches.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Happy and to You
Things are pretty boring around here, but I have some pictures that I haven't uploaded that I thought you might enjoy:
Our friend Chris got this shirt from somewhere in Asia.
This is by far my favorite picture of Brad. Ever.
I think Happy and to You is a good caption for this picture.
Favorite picture #2.
Instead of telling you the story behind this picture I'm going to let you use your imaginations.
Our friend Chris got this shirt from somewhere in Asia.
This is by far my favorite picture of Brad. Ever.
I think Happy and to You is a good caption for this picture.
Favorite picture #2.
Instead of telling you the story behind this picture I'm going to let you use your imaginations.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Cold: Appreciate it
Warning: Do not read this post before sitting down to a meal.
I've heard some complaints from people at home about the cold, you're sick of it, you wish winter would just go away, you're freezing, you dream of beaches in tropical locations. I know, I've been there, but now I'm here in the tropics and I have to say it ain't so great either.
Three cases to prove my point:
1) Our garbage is kept in a covered trash can in a cupboard underneath the sink, but because of the constant, relentless heat if we leave it for even one day it fills our kitchen with a foul, horrible, putrid, nasty odor that makes us choke and gag.
2) There are a lot of homeless people in Barranquilla and no public toilets. The streets are literally covered in human pee. And hot pee doesn't smell good.
3) It is so hot and humid here that a fungus has actually sprouted on my face, right in the corners of my mouth, causing my lips to crack and bleed.
See? You only think you have it rough. Go out and and enjoy that crisp, clean, cold air.
I've heard some complaints from people at home about the cold, you're sick of it, you wish winter would just go away, you're freezing, you dream of beaches in tropical locations. I know, I've been there, but now I'm here in the tropics and I have to say it ain't so great either.
Three cases to prove my point:
1) Our garbage is kept in a covered trash can in a cupboard underneath the sink, but because of the constant, relentless heat if we leave it for even one day it fills our kitchen with a foul, horrible, putrid, nasty odor that makes us choke and gag.
2) There are a lot of homeless people in Barranquilla and no public toilets. The streets are literally covered in human pee. And hot pee doesn't smell good.
3) It is so hot and humid here that a fungus has actually sprouted on my face, right in the corners of my mouth, causing my lips to crack and bleed.
See? You only think you have it rough. Go out and and enjoy that crisp, clean, cold air.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
A scene from my classroom
The bell rings
Kids are screaming
I start walking to the back of the room to investigate saying, “All right, settle down, take your seats, EEEEEEIIIIIIIAAAAAA!!! What is it?!!”
“A bat!!! A bat!! It’s dead. Ay, mississ, do something it’s so gross!”
Covering my face I start yelling, “Enrique, go get the janitor. Jose, stop poking it. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I think it just moved."
Total chaos.
The whole room is yelling, “It’s alive, it’s alive!”
Pulling at my hair, I'm shouting, “Paul, don’t you dare touch that with your bare hand.”
Paul, touching it with his bare hand, looks up and says, “Don’t worry, it’s dead.”
By this time I’m actually gagging, “Where’s the janitor?! Paul, I mean it, don’t touch that. Eduardo, that’s not funny. Don’t you bring that toward me, Paul.”
Kids are screaming
I start walking to the back of the room to investigate saying, “All right, settle down, take your seats, EEEEEEIIIIIIIAAAAAA!!! What is it?!!”
“A bat!!! A bat!! It’s dead. Ay, mississ, do something it’s so gross!”
Covering my face I start yelling, “Enrique, go get the janitor. Jose, stop poking it. Ohmygodohmygodohmygod."
"EEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I think it just moved."
Total chaos.
The whole room is yelling, “It’s alive, it’s alive!”
Pulling at my hair, I'm shouting, “Paul, don’t you dare touch that with your bare hand.”
Paul, touching it with his bare hand, looks up and says, “Don’t worry, it’s dead.”
By this time I’m actually gagging, “Where’s the janitor?! Paul, I mean it, don’t touch that. Eduardo, that’s not funny. Don’t you bring that toward me, Paul.”
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