Small victories and cool breezes

Coming into the classroom, I had this idyllic view of what it would be like - I'd use awesome song lyrics to prompt discussion; I'd bring in Langston Hughes' poems and mix history with English; I've always wanted to teach English. Maybe I still will do these things, but in the past two weeks, one of my biggest successes has been getting my students to say, "How do you say..." before descending into their question in Spanish. It's a big step, because two weeks ago, they didn't understand why or what I was asking them to do, but it's still a far cry from Amel Larrieux-inspired conversation.

I love my students.

They're excited and attentive and willing to learn. The majority of them are scared shitless of actually speaking in Spanish, but do it when I ask them to. They're kind and interested. They're just awesome. (My host teacher is equally as awesome, by the way. I completely lucked out.) One of my students lives in Santa Fe (my new favorite place which I will write about shortly), and after I told the class about my trip there on Monday, Betzy came to school on Wednesday and let me know that her mom wants me to come over to their house in Santa Fe for a meal, because she knows how much I like the town. Today we did an activity in class where the students were moving and racing to the board to produce verbs, and calling out present continuous conjugations that I had to follow (she is dancing, she is singing, etc) and the classroom was filled wih laughter and voices and ENERGY (it was also filled with heat and sweat!) Basically, all of this to say: school is exhausting but going really well.

Santa Fe. I took the bus up to Santa Fe with a friend last Sunday, and it was quite easily one of the best decisions I've made since moving to Panama. It's about a two hour ride away from Santiago, and it's this beautiful mountain town. When we got on the bus in Santiago (these are tiny buses, by the way) there was a woman in the back with a bag that was meowing (presumably a cat was inside) and there were audible clucks from chickens on the roof. Before we arrived in Santa Fe, a young boy got on the bus with a thick rice bag. In the bag sat a large dog (think Shepard) with just his head sticking out of the top. It was quite the ride!

Pulling into town, you could feel the air was different - the breeze was actually COOL! It was incredible. We went to the house of a friend of my friend, and he showed us around Santa Fe, and where the best river spot was. The swimming in the river was amazing! The water was totally clear and fresh and COLD! It was deep enough to dive in and there was a really strong current. There was a local guy in the river and he was peeling a piece of sugar cane with a giant machete. He ended up giving us the sugar cane, which was delicious! I think the last time I ate sugar cane I was at my cousin's wedding in Hawaii in... 1996?

My English is getting worse and worse. My sentences are constructed either super basically or as if I were speaking Spanish. My Spanish still isn't where I want it to be, and I joke that I have no language. But I know everything will come with time.

Life is still good here in the tropics, just busy. I teach all morning, and then two days I week I go to the complete other side of town, and teach a free community English class at the museum. All of this in non air conditioned spaces with 97 degree averages, although we often break the 100s. Not much more energy to say more, but check out the couple pictures I snapped of Santa Fe.

Love to everyone!
Abrazos,
Kati

Saturday reflections...

I'm sitting in my living room, alone, on the INTERNET, blasting a playlist from home that ranges from Gangstarr to Sara Bareilles to Destiny's Child to De La Soul. I am so happy.

A few days ago my homestay mom came into my room unexpectedly and asked if I wanted the password to the internet! It's been four weeks that I've been asking for the password, and getting a different answer from everyone I ask: "We dont have internet" "Oh, that router is just a way the girls steal from their uncle" "We share internet with the neighbor to save money but we dont know the password". Very Panamanian, roundabout lies-as-answers. Until one day, she just walked in and gave it to me. She had apologized to me for a couple things that had happened the day before, maybe this was an extension of that apology. Who knows, but I'm not going to question it.

I've been teaching for a week. My school is awesome. My coteacher is awesome. My students are awesome. Everything is going so well. Day to day can be hard; it's hot, I'm always tired, I dont do much in the afternoon, I've watched more awful dubbed moves than I'd like to admit. But when I sit back, and reflect over the experience as a whole, I feel so blessed. I know unequivocally that this is where I am supposed to be right now, and I am so excited to continue to see how it unfolds. The Pablo Neruda quote a the top of my blog is more applicable than I could've known. I feel as if each day I am learning more about myself, and working to develop and create who I am and who I want to be, so that when that "some day" and "some place" he speaks about arrives, I will be happy with who I am introduced to.

I finally have a fairly stable way to get in touch with people. I was able to talk with my mom for almost an hour today! and last night I got to talk with my grandpa for a while, which was great. He begins chemo (at 88) on Tuesday - if you're the praying type, please keep us in your prayers. If not, your good thoughts and energy are much appreciated.

My work schedule is 7am-12:30pm. I'm up at 5am every day. On Mondays and Tuesdays I'm going to teach additional classes for the community from 2-4pm. Free English classes are not easy to come by, so I'm really excited to be able to provide them. A lot of the students from my practice teaching sessions have said they're going to come back, which will also be really fun! Basketball starts next week at school, and I'm also going to help out with the team which I am SO excited about.

Life is good in the tropics.

I have 5 classes that I see four days a week. 35 students in each class. Yes, that is 175 names I am trying to memorize. I took pictures of each of them holding up a name tag they made, so hopefully that will help. They're all great though - SO looking forward to getting to know them better.

It's still hot here. Two days ago I checked the temperature at 7:30pm; it was still 90 degrees. But I'm doing just fine, even if people are sick of hearing me complain. Tomorrow I'm going to Santa Fe. It's a town of 2,300 people (the exact same as last count I heard of Lopez!) about an hour and a half bus ride ($2.40) away. It's a mountain town and Panamanians keep telling me that it's "cool" up there. My Director from the states said, "Make no mistake, it is simply 'less hot'." Haha! I will settle for less hot, though. Plus, the town looks incredible! There's lots of hiking to do, there are waterfalls and rivers and a beautiful hostal. The town grows orchids and every year there's a big orchid festival. I will definitely update upon returning, hopefully with lots of pictures and stories.

It's crazy how life is just progressing down here, and so cut off from all of you. I'm sure the internet will help with that, but we're really living different lives right now. Yesterday I took a minute and realized that it was March. The heat in train stations in Chicago will be cut off at the end of the month. How is it that the winter is almost (ha!) over back there? How is it that I left Chicago Cares nine months ago? How is it that I live in Panama? I've gotta say, I love life down here. It's slower, it's easy. While the school setting is more formal in attire, the classroom is so much more informal. Students can talk over each other. The bell rings and teachers are still in the next building. I'm sure these things will eventually be frustrating (especially for how early I am every where I go), but for now there's sense to me in the fluid concept of time. There arent huge consequences for tardiness or absences, but students still show up. I can't really put it into words, but I like it.

I talked with my aunt briefly last night who remarked how funny it was to read the blog and to see me constructing English sentences in Spanish forms. I do this ALL the time now. I'm far from fluent in Spanish, but I'm quickly losing my English fluency as well. And I kind of like it. :)

I'm also realizing that my relationships with people transcend language and culture to some degree. I'm finding myself in similar relationships as I had with people back home. There's a comfort in that. I'm still me, I'm just me in Spanish. 

Anyway, I hope this finds each of you well in your respective parts of the world. Please keep commenting or telling me you're reading when I talk to you. It really feels good to know people are reading and keeping up with what and how I'm doing. I'm sorry I havent been very good at returning the favor, but with the first week of school under my belt, I'm hoping to be better in the near future.

I love you all immensely. I cannot thank you enough for being a part of my life and of shaping my journey.

Abrazos,
Kati

Some pictures... hopefully an entry will follow soon

 Shellie and Jessica after an awesome day of practice teaching!

 The front of my school; Instituto Urraca

 The main courtyard at Urraca

 Students

 The last day of practice teaching, playing Jeopardy with all of our students. SUCH a great group!

This is really just for Roxie Tucker. America's favorite AND leche's favorite. :)

Check out this video of Nereida and I showing how people point with their lips.

More pictures from another volunteer here.

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Love you all. Will post more soon.

Abrazos