Article in the New York Times

The New York Times thinks Quito, Ecuador is groovy, too! Here's a recent article (published just a few days ago!) that highlights some of the great offerings of my current city.  This only scratches the surface of what the city offers, but I think it's a good overview of the attractions! Take a peek and start looking at plane tickets while you're at it :)  Your personal tour guide is free of charge! (me, of course!)

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/travel/36-hours-in-quito-ecuador.html?src=me&ref=general

Oh! The Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!

You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

How do I begin explaining my first week of real-live-I'm-the-teacher-in-charge-of-44-students-all-day teaching? Well, in one word: extraordinary.

before...

after!

carpet area / library

My first day of teaching, I woke up after a full night of sleep, ready to meet my 44 eleven year old students.  I had my plans typed out with each piece of information in a list.  My fellow 6th grade teacher, Nick, shared a checklist "script" with me that came in all kinds of handy.  I greeted all students at the door, and showed them to their seats.  They came in later than I expected, but once everyone was in, I began. "Welcome to your homeroom class, Dali!" My sixth graders were very silent, listening intently. How long will this last? I'm not sure... but I used it to my advantage.  I introduced myself, along with some of the basic classroom policies we will go by.  The noise meter, the bathroom passes, the few sign-language-type signs we use in class, and how they know what homework they have.  All of these tools were laid out for them, and we started using them consistently all week long. 



This year, 6th graders receive lockers.  They could not wait to get their locker assignments.  I didn't give them their lockers until the end of the day, so I doubt they really took in any of what I had said before then.  During this week, we will be going through some "locker etiquette" lessons so that they're a little more organized. I've been implementing a few new tools in the class to help them be just that. Organized.  I made a new box on my whiteboard that will have the materials they need each day for class.  So instead of hearing "Kaitlyn, what do I need to bring to class?" 22 times, I tell them to look at the purple box, and they all know what that means. Hopefully that catches on quick! 


As far as my students, they're already great.  I enjoy having them in class everyday, and I think they're already comfortable with me.  They think I'm silly, especially when I read to them.  We've had some moments of read-alouds, and I do small voice changes and actions. I look up from my book, and they're all looking at me with slightly open mouths and big eyes.  I giggle a little inside. These kids are a bit different than 6th graders in the states.  They still love being read to, we have "carpet chats" where we all meet together in the back of the room on the carpet, and I can ask them to keep their voices at a certain number on the noise meter.  They've got a bit more innocence, I'm sensing.  No matter what it is, they're very kind and respectful, always saying hello to teachers in the hallways.  


Also with being respectful, I'm holding my kids to a higher standard than other kids in the lower school.  They know that if I see any of them leave behind garbage during morning break or lunch, they lose their break for 2-3 days.  This school has had problems with kids not picking up after themselves, and I hope to stop it for this class in 6th grade.  No one at this school is here to pick up after them, so they are to do it themselves. Let's see how they do next week!


I'm sure I'm missing a lot of details about the week, but I don't want to overwhelm you all with small details.  Overall, my kids are great, I love my classroom and it's location, and the team of teachers who I work with are spectacular.  I have a great support system coming from home, and here with my roommates.  This is going to be a magical year. :)

Sunday we took our now-traditional walk to the Santa Clara market for produce. I'm loving this tradition. It's a refreshing 35-40 minute walk to the market, and the prices are unbeatable.  We have our favorite fruit and vegetable ladies already who are very happy to see us each weekend.  

veggie lady

una vida saludable!

Speaking of the ladies of Gonzalez Suarez (That's the street I live on), we had a wonderful weekend together.  Friday after school it rained, so we couldn't go to Parque Metropolitano, but Lydia and I did go out to dinner with a bunch of the teachers from Menor at a good Vietnamese restaurant.  The pad thai wasn't quite as good as I was hoping, but it satisfied the craving I've had for it since I left the states.  Then Lydia and I went dancing for a little while, then met up with the Menor crew once again at a different bar.  On our way back home, we were stopped by the police in the streets and were asked for our identification. A very scary moment for me, who never actually was granted a visa in the states.  (The visa situation is currently being handled by the school, and next week I'll be meeting with the school lawyer to get it changed for me to stay the whole year. Don't worry mom!)  I explained to the police that I was on a tourist visa, and had entered the country on August 15, so I still had plenty of time.  He said I needed to have a copy of the stamp I received at customs the day I came. I said, Yes sir.  A little nerve-wracking, but glad I'm still legal to be in the country. 

the girls and I before our house-warming party

Then Saturday, Lydia, Claire, and I went to centro historico, the historic center of the city to walk around and go to a museum. A very fun day for the roommates :) We also went to a cafe that Claire knew of to watch the sunset, and have desserts and drinks.  A very nice and relaxing place to be with my girls.  We then went down to a friends apartment who was having a lot of us teachers over for a drink and some food, and then to go down to the Fiestas de Guapulo ( I went last year. Refer to the Fiestas de Guapulo post for my personal experience.)  This year, I decided not to go.  Massive amounts of fire and explosives in a very cramped plaza was a one-time experience for me. So the three of us bid the other teachers good luck, and walked back up to our apartment, where we could see the fireworks and hear the music from a safe distance.  We sat in our living room, talking and drinking wine until the small hours of the morning, and then it was off to bed.  

Today was a long Monday, but school is still great.  The students turned in their summer reading projects today, so let the grading begin! It definitely won't slow down from here on out.  Well, it's late so time for bed, but in the next post I should have more pictures of my students and my classroom.  Happy Tuesday everyone! Thanks for reading! oxoxo

Back to Quito and back to CMSFQ!

Buenos dias a todos!

I've decided to keep blogging during my second stay in Ecuador. For those of you who don't know, I've moved back to Quito, Ecuador for the next 11 months.  I accepted a position at Colegio Menor to teach 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies for this school year! Last Wednesday was the first day of orientation for new teachers. I had been to this same orientation last year, so it was a lot of information I had already known. My favorite part of Wednesday was getting my classroom assignment! I am in room 218, and I will be posting a picture of it soon. I want to wait so everyone can see the "before" and "after" pictures side by side! I've put so much work into it so far! Since I'm in the Lower School, or elementary school, I have an assistant! She's been a fantastic help getting my boards and desks ready.  There are four teachers in 6th grade, as well as a spanish teacher, art teacher, music teacher, and P.E. teacher. Tina and myself teach LA and SS, and Nick and Jeff teach Math and Science.  That dynamic is wonderful because each student will have a male and female teacher.  We each have a homeroom, which we call a parallel. There are four parallels and each are named after a famous painter. I have Dali, and the others are Monet, Miguel Angel, and Kahlo. The math and science teacher, Nick, has Monet, and we share parallels. Nick is very cool. He's from Ohio, and him and his newlywed wife, Laurel, both now teach at Menor. Laurel is a 4th grade teacher, and a big sweetheart. I look forward to working with Nick and getting to know Laurel!
On the homefront, I'm in love with my roommates.  Claire had two empty rooms in Vista al Valle Sur (the name of our apartment building, meaning View of the Valley, south tower) so I quickly jumped to the opportunity when she asked me to live with her this year.  We asked human resources at Menor to send us email addresses of new hires to see who would be interested in living with us for the year.  We were absolutely blessed with the teacher who took us up on our offer.  Lydia is new to Menor this year, coming to us from Santa Cruz, CA.  I arrived two days after her, and we've been spending lots of time getting to know each other.  I think she fits in to Claire's and my puzzle perfectly. We all know it's going to be a great year. :)
From our apartment, we can see three volcanoes on a clear day. Cayambe, Antizana, and Cotopaxi.  I've never been more appreciative of a view in my life.


This is Cayambe on the left side, which can typically be seen in the morning with the sunrise.

And Cotopaxi is also most clear in the morning before the afternoon clouds roll in.

 Antizana is the most elusive, I've only seen it once in the last two weeks.

Tuesday they took us to Papallacta again, the same hot springs we went to last year. They were wonderful, and all of the new teachers really enjoyed them! 

This weekend we are going to the market for grocery shopping (way cheaper than the supermarkets!) and we're having our house warming party. Sunday we are also going to Parque Metropolitano (the park I was locked in last year!) and have a picnic. It's late so I'm off to bed... 
Besos to all of my friends and family back home. Miss you all!

Cuenca, Cable Cars, and the South American Cup

Today marks the week countdown left in Ecuador. As this experience comes to a close, it’s hard for me to believe I’ve been here for almost four months.  I look forward to coming home and seeing those people whom I’ve missed for so long, but I’ll also be sad to detach from this way of life that has so amicably taken me in.

First, a few weekends ago our school had a 3K/6K walk and run for students, families, and staff.  My friends and I participated in walking the non-competitive 3K, and watched those more committed runners complete the 6K.  It was a fun day that started off the “juegos internos” or the intramural games for the high school.  

 The high school also had their "entradas" or entrances for juegos internos.  The seniors always go above and beyond every year, and this year was no different. They had chivas, or open-air busses drive them to the field and the came in with fire extinguishers filled with turquoise smoke (their chosen color for their class) with confetti and the whole shebang. It was fun to cheer them on as their student teacher.

 Last Thursday, my friends from Tiputini and I went to the Liga game.  Liga is the popular choice for Ecuadorian soccer fans - and they were getting far in the South American Cup. We watched them beat an Argentinian team 4 to 2! It was so fun to learn the chants and hear all of the Ecua-fans cheer on their team. It was rainy, but a necessary experience. 

The following weekend, Susan and I ventured off to Cuenca, a historical town 10 hours from Quito by bus, but we opted to fly for a modest price, which was worth it when we found ourselves tired and traveling back to Quito.  

 

 Cuenca is filled with beautiful churches and museums that Susan and I walked around appreciating on Friday and Saturday. We ate incredible food and had fun dancing to live music on Friday evening. 

The view from Turi, a viewpoint of Cuenca

Ingapirca ruins

 Sunday we took a bus 2 hours away to the Ingapirca ruins; one site of two Incan ruins left in Ecuador. It was impressive to see the ancient town set up and marked with crumbling walls.  Llamas grazed the site as we lounged in the grass and managed to get a nice, touristy sunburn before heading back into Cuenca.  Our flight left at 6:45pm, so we mosey-ed around Cuenca, ate more food, and waited at the airport for our flight to leave. 

Thanksgiving has come and gone – although without the change in weather and the lack of relatives running around, it didn’t really seem like the holiday to me.  Colegio Menor put on a nice Thanksgiving banquet/potluck for all of the teachers which stifled the nostalgia for home a little bit. I was able to Skype with my family from school as well – it was so nice to hear their voices and imagine my aunt’s house, filled with cousins, babies, and good food, as I talked with them for a short time. (Hi Grammy and Auntie Elaine!)  That evening, the girls on Gonzalez Suarez and I had a nice dinner of ceviche and champagne that was delicious.  We went around the table and tear-ily said what we were thankful for; I thanked all of them for their friendship and compassion, and that they’ve given me a feeling of family so far away from home.  They also had a more open dinner party at their house on Saturday (complete with Christmas music!) with all of the authentic Thanksgiving spread that comforted me and completely filled the holiday void.

Friday my students had a program for the upcoming Fiestas de Quito. Each grade level had been working on a skits and choreography for about three weeks to prepare for this performance. All my kids did great – it was fantastic to finally see what they’ve been working on so arduously for the past month!

Some of the beautiful senior girls before their performance

The studly senior boys with lots and lots of hair gel.

Sunday the census finally happened, so now I have my students back full time.  They all complained a little bit, but they had Monday off of school to recuperate, so I think they’ll be able to work hard this week to wrap up our unit. 

Because my students had yesterday off of school, I took the liberty to give myself a day off, too.  My friend Kristin and I met at 8:30 in the morning to go up the TeleferiQo, a cable-car gondola ride that takes tourists and Ecuadorians alike up the side of Pichincha volcano (it’s the same volcano that’s in all of the view of the city I have – I see it from the terrace in my apartment). We hit the volcano on the perfect morning.   

Up we go!

For three weeks we’ve had rainy season at it’s best – cloudy all afternoon with rain the majority of the late afternoon/evenings.  We got up there at about 9am and the view was clear – and no lines of people! Kristin and I ascended the side of the volcano and walked around at the top. There are some beautiful miradores (viewpoints) along the trails at the top. Patrons can take hiking trails that go on for hours, but be careful, it’s another 3,500 feet higher in elevation! I had to take it slow walking up the hills because of my slowly diminishing flu on top of the thinner air.  Kristin and I walked around and took pictures of ourselves and the view, and eventually made our way back down.  We were ready to say our last words when the cable car STOPPED for about 5 minutes on our way back down. I had read beforehand on an online review that stopping can happen at various points, but it was still a traumatic experience.  I videotaped our goodbyes, and I've uploaded it to YouTube because it didn't load here on the blog. Enjoy! It is quite the comical scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe93R38mN_M

My apartment is down there somewhere...

On the opposite side of Pichincha from Quito.

Well, everyone – seven days left! My kids have a test on Thursday, and an open work-day on Friday.  This weekend is Fiestas de Quito with bull fights and non-stop celebrations.  I’ll be packing soon so I don’t leave it all for my emotional last day in Quito.  Monday we have off from school, so Tuesday is my final day at Menor. Then it’s dinner, drinks, and goodbyes with friends, and off to the airport at 11:00pm that night! I hope to update you all before my final descent out of Quito. Hope everyone is keeping warm at home and it’s buried too far under the snow. Yet.

Besitos a todos.

It's a jungle out there...

Tessa and I at the beach.

I apologize for the delay between posts; school has been keeping me busy, and for a couple weeks I was living out of a suitcase!  October 29-November 3 was the Dia de Disfuntos break (Day of the Dead) for most of Latin America. With the days off of school, I went with my host brother, his girlfriend, my host-cousins, and my friend Tessa from school to the coastal town of Tonsupa. We spent the time on the beach (for the two days of sun we had), eating the best ceviche of my life, and playing cards.  Overall it was relaxing, save a traumatic experience or two, and we enjoyed our time out of the city.  

A little more noteworthy is my most recent adventure to the Amazonian jungle.  We drove back from the beach on Wednesday night, I went to school and taught on Thursday, and Friday morning I was enroute to the Tiputini Biodiversity Station.  I didn’t know any other students who were going, so I was apprehensive about how much fun this would be.  Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

Friday morning, the 5^th, I arrived to the airport to take a 25 minute flight out of Quito to Coca, a small jungle town that is really about 10 hours from Quito if you drive through the mountains.  I chatted with some of the other students as they arrived; mostly bonding with one girl, Kristin, who is from Wisconsin.  We reminisced about Midwestern pleasantries and how we were loving Ecua, but were ready to see the comforts of home. Anyways, on our flight we pass magnificent views of the volcanoes surrounding Quito. Cotopaxi and Cayambe were at their prime.

You can see three volcanoes here... Cayambe front and center, Antisana to the left in the back, and Cotopaxi far away to the right. Magnifico!

We arrived in Coca to a bus that took us to a boat dock a few minutes away. The city was already substantially warmer than Quito, so we snacked on ice cream and played with the monkeys that entertain the patrons awaiting their boats. As soon as our boat arrived, we motored down the Napo river for two hours.  After docking at another station, we then hauled our backpacks and bags to another open-air bus. We ate lunch and tried to sleep on this bus for another two hours.  Arriving to a bridge over the Tiputini river, we descended the hill to another boat, and we sped along this winding river for another two and a half hours.  Needless to say, this place is remote.

Boat ride #2

We walked up the stairs to find a fantastic facility.  The TB station is about 15 years old, and is a collaborative effort between Universidad San Francisco de Quito (my university here) and Boston University.  This place is one-of-a-kind.  When the world went through its ice age millions of years ago, this section of the Amazon on the equator did not freeze. There are hundreds of species of trees per hectare, where in places like the US, you might find eight.  Over two hundred species of mammals inhabit the entire property of the station, 110 of which are species of bats.  

These are the cabins we stayed in. My roommates were Kristin from Wisconsin, Jacob from Virginia Tech, and Tom from Georgetown.  The station only has electricity from 10 to 1pm in the afternoon, and 6 to 930pm at night. The water is taken out of the river, filtered and cleaned, used, then cleaned again, and returned to the river.  They have their own biodegradable soap that is provided that we used to wash our hands, hair, and bodies with.  One afternoon it rained after our morning caminata (hike) and we all played in the rain outside of our cabins.  We washed our hair outside underneath the rainspouts that water off of the roof. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

Meyer

 

Meyer was our guide. I never asked how old he was, but he was swinging on vines and tiring us out each day we were with him.  He uses medicinal remedies from the jungle whenever he has an ailment or sickness.  His arthritis was cured by a type of tree bark that he took in a tea each morning for a month or two.  He showed us a tree that cured a friend’s prostate cancer. This man knows the jungle, and I think he could save diseases throughout the world with some of his natural concoctions.  He was precious – always wanting pictures of us with his camera too, after we’d ask him for a group shot of ourselves.  I hope we meet again someday.

Animals were everywhere. We saw a tapir (super rare), families of monkeys, tarantulas, caimans (small crocodiles), toucans, various species of spiders, insects, birds, bats, and not to mention the plethora of flora.  The 300 plus year old trees were some of my favorites to admire and photograph.

The Tower

We climbed countless terrifying stairs to the top of the tower that’s built into an impressive tree overlooks the canopy.  There’s a telescope up there that Meyer would magically find birds through and beckon us to see once he focused on them.  I took this picture through the telescope, and then was able to zoom and focus to take the second one.  Two of my favorite pictures ever!!

A similar tower a few hundred meters away brought us up to bridges connected by cables between trees that were higher than the canopy and overlooked the green horizon.  I had to remind myself not to be so terrified and to enjoy the view in front of me as I pushed my carabineer along the cable above my head.  The harnesses seemed secure, but I still couldn’t climb all the way to the top of the ladder onto the platform.  Getting to the top, looking around, and making my way back down was sufficient for me. There were flying, biting ants all around us the entire time that were also distracting.  Overall, incredible and unforgettable.

The group I went with ended up fitting fantastically.  We all got along amazingly well for none of us really knowing each other beforehand.  Some students were from the states, but some were exchange students from Canada, Germany, and Singapore. Meeting kids from around the world was great - even if government and politics did come up a few times. We were all agreeable and sensitive to opinions and learned a lot about one another. 

Monday morning we started our trek back to civilization at 8am, and I arrived back to my host-family's house by 5pm. I've had a lot of catching up to do, but Angela has helped out a lot by taking over most lessons for the week before I start up again tomorrow. 


This past week was spirit week at school, so the following post will show off my kids and their dress-up days. 


I hope the midwestern-ers are enjoying the snow! I heard you all had a rude wake-up call to winter. Stay safe and warm. :) Besos a todos.