My patience has paid off - I just got the email with all of the information about the next year!! I'm pasting it here in its entirety in case you are THAT curious, but I'll summarize what's most exciting here:
-I will be teaching 10th-12th grade English at Instituto Urraca in Santiago de Veraguas (pop. ~60,000)
-I will be living in a duplex, with the front half of it to myself (that means two bedrooms, kitchen, living area etc). Uuuh, you can't NOT visit now!!! :)
-My homestay mom is 48 and active and likes to do fun things
-Santiago is a hub to get to all of the cool places in Panama, which means fun weekend trips and also, in case I forgot to mention, YOU SHOULD VISIT
-Judging by the forecast, it's about 99 degrees and humid all day every day. All year. If you know me you know the heat and I do not get along. And my skin hates the fact that I love the sun. This should be interesting.
I AM SO EXCITED!!
The interior garden of the school at which I will be teaching
Thanks for all your good thoughts, folks. Keep them coming. This just got real! : )
Amor, luz y abrazos!
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[Here's the full email, in case you're curious.]
Teaching Assignment:
Instituto Urracá
Principal
Profesor Lucinio De Leon
Instituto Urraca is probably the best public high school in Santiago. It is right behind the Universidad Nacional on Calle Decima and educates close to 3,300 students in grades 10-12. The students are divided into morning and afternoon groups, and have majors. Urraca is well known for its English program, which is successful despite there being no native speakers on staff. They also pride themselves on having for the 30 extra-curricular programs. Once you arrive, you will be given your teaching schedule – you will work either in the morning (7-12) or the afternoon (12:30-5:30).
Class Description:
Average class size: 35
Age of students: 15-17
Multi-level classes (but generally, the English levels are intermediate)
Students are from all over the province of Veraguas, but mostly from Santiago
Classrooms are large with approx.. 35 student desks, a white board, and teachers desk
Santiago, your new town:
You are in for a treat. Santiago is as “interior” as it gets. As the capital of the Veraguas province, Santiago is the jumping off point for many travelers as they head south for serious surfing in Santa Catalina, north to the mountains of Santa Fe, or continue west on the Interamericana to Boquete. Veraguas is the only province that spans from the Pacific to Caribbean coast and you’ll find that the people are warm, welcoming, and excited to learn English with a native speaker!
I have read that Santiago’s population is around 65,000. A local was telling me that it’s difficult to keep track though because of how quickly the town is growing. What once was a sleepy town in the interior of Panama, is now a transport hub for the influx of tourists, retirees, and growing businesses. Though the twon is split in half by the Interamericana highway (which continues through Mexico all the way to Alaska!), Santiago proper is located to the south. If you follow Avenida Central, it will remain true to its name and lead you right to the central plaza and cathedral in town. Along the way you’ll encounter plenty of clothing and grocery stores. You’ll also pass about 15 banks within about 8 blocks! Escuela Normal and Anexa el Canda are a 10 minute walk west from Avenida Central. Around the school you’ll find amenities such as copy stores “copiadoras,” laundry mats “lavanderias,” paper stores “papelerias,” and the post office “correo.”
I have read that Santiago’s population is around 65,000. A local was telling me that it’s difficult to keep track though because of how quickly the town is growing. What once was a sleepy town in the interior of Panama, is now a transport hub for the influx of tourists, retirees, and growing businesses. Though the twon is split in half by the Interamericana highway (which continues through Mexico all the way to Alaska!), Santiago proper is located to the south. If you follow Avenida Central, it will remain true to its name and lead you right to the central plaza and cathedral in town. Along the way you’ll encounter plenty of clothing and grocery stores. You’ll also pass about 15 banks within about 8 blocks! Escuela Normal and Anexa el Canda are a 10 minute walk west from Avenida Central. Around the school you’ll find amenities such as copy stores “copiadoras,” laundry mats “lavanderias,” paper stores “papelerias,” and the post office “correo.”
Something you should know about the climate in Santiago is that it does get hot and humid- especially in the afternoons. It's important to bring appropriate clothing and shoes since you will be outside in the elements. In addition, you are arriving to Panama during the start of the rainy season. You can expect sunshine and blue skies in the morning and early afternoon. However, around 3-4pm the dark clouds start rolling in and it begins to rain pretty hard. From what I have experienced, the rain subsides within 30 minutes to an hour and then the sky clears up again.
Your host family:
Family Name: Pino
Family Members: Lili (Mom, born 1964)
You will be living in a duplex and have the front half to yourself. She works at the National University, (which is just down the street from the house) where she is a professor. Lili speaks some English, but prefers chatting in Spanish. She is very lively and is a hard worker. She returns home every day to cook her meals and sometimes gets help from a maid who she calls in occasionally. You will have your privacy, but also a good friend in Lili, who loves to have her friends over for meals, go to the movies, the beach, and jog. Lili is divorced and has two girls ages 15 and 16. They live nearby with their father and step-mother. Lili gets along with everyone well and has her daughters over on the weekends. Lili’s mother lives next door and they spend a lot of time together. She also has a brother, Fernando, who has kids and likes to go on excursions around Panama. Lili travels to Panama on the weekends as well, sometimes for work and sometimes for fun, so you may have to provide your own food every now and then. Buses pass right in front of the house and cost 40 cents to ride. They will take you in to Santiago. Walking would probably take about 45 minutes. Lili does not have internet connection in her home, but said she is happy to show you the libraries at her university that you will be able to use whenever you like. Your part of the duplex has two bedrooms, private bathroom, a twin size bed, a couch, and kitchenette.
You will be living in a duplex and have the front half to yourself. She works at the National University, (which is just down the street from the house) where she is a professor. Lili speaks some English, but prefers chatting in Spanish. She is very lively and is a hard worker. She returns home every day to cook her meals and sometimes gets help from a maid who she calls in occasionally. You will have your privacy, but also a good friend in Lili, who loves to have her friends over for meals, go to the movies, the beach, and jog. Lili is divorced and has two girls ages 15 and 16. They live nearby with their father and step-mother. Lili gets along with everyone well and has her daughters over on the weekends. Lili’s mother lives next door and they spend a lot of time together. She also has a brother, Fernando, who has kids and likes to go on excursions around Panama. Lili travels to Panama on the weekends as well, sometimes for work and sometimes for fun, so you may have to provide your own food every now and then. Buses pass right in front of the house and cost 40 cents to ride. They will take you in to Santiago. Walking would probably take about 45 minutes. Lili does not have internet connection in her home, but said she is happy to show you the libraries at her university that you will be able to use whenever you like. Your part of the duplex has two bedrooms, private bathroom, a twin size bed, a couch, and kitchenette.
Yay for Big Things Poppinnnnn!
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Tamara