A-A-A- Aucas!

This weekend on Sunday, Claire, Angie, Susan, and I went to a soccer game in south Quito. The Aucas are an equivalent to a division two league that our friend Darwin plays on. He arranged to have a cab pick us up and have someone waiting at the entrance with our tickets to escort us in. We felt like VIP! It was so fun to watch, especially with the enthusiastic die-hard fans all around us (They won 2-0!). This coming weekend they have a game in Ibarra, a town 2 hours from Quito. The four of us are going to travel to watch this game - apparently it's an important match that qualifies them for the next round of whatever cup/tournament this is. (I'm such a good fan ;) ) This team they play is supposed to be incredibly good, so it should be fun to watch! Que viva Aucas!





Saturday during the day, I went to my host-brother Hugo's birthday party. It was different from the last birthday I went to, but still very fun. It was less formal; outside at a private park area in a complex where a lot of my host-family's relatives live. There was food all day long, and pick-up soccer matches that Hugo and all of his friends played. Hugo and his girlfriend have their birthdays one day apart, so it was a celebration for her as well. I had fun talking with Gabby, the daughter of Andres from the last party, and caught up with her about school and my time in Quito since then. I could tell my Spanish was flowing easier, and she commented on it too. That night, Andres junior and took me out with him to a bar with his friends that's more Ecuadorian than Americano. We met up with David, his cousin whom I've met a few times before, and their friends. It was fun! I learned some more salsa, and Andres corrected me without being too critical. I'll be taking my gringa friends there sometime soon so we can get out of the Mariscal area for a bit.

Today I have my first university supervisor observation! Nascira will be coming to CMSFQ at 2:00pm for the last block of the day. I'll be facilitating a discussion with my 10th graders on the reading they had due for today. I'm not incredibly nervous, but I'm anxious to hear feedback from Nascira. Updates will come as soon as I hear back from her!

Vamos a Baños

The second week of school is completed, and we are well into the third. All sections are about to start their first full units that will last about four to five weeks. The tenth graders are beginning to read Speak by Laurie Halse Andersen on Wednesday, and the twelfth graders are starting The Scarlet Letter a week from today. I’m anxious to see the student’s responses to these works that I’ve already read. I’m reading The Scarlet Letter along with the seniors, though for me it will be revisited. I will definitely be taking reflective notes on my outlook of the novel this time around and in this context. Other than the progression of the units, the kids are getting into the groove of the year and leaving behind the laxidasical attitude of the summer. We start college essays this week with the AP seniors; it’s easy to see the pressure of this task in their attitudes. I should also mention a loss that the Colegio Menor community suffered this past week. Alegria Peña, who worked in the human resources department and close with us new teachers, passed away on Tuesday morning. I was fortunate to have known her, and attended her funeral that day with a large amount of people whom she had touched. She will definitely be missed here at school and we are still mourning, but celebrating her life.

Thursday evening, Claire, Susan, and I decided that we would venture to Baños for the weekend. The town, which is named after the Agua Santa de Baños (holy water baths) and not "bathrooms", is situated in the mountains about a four hour bus ride from Quito. It had been a long week, and a weekend away from Quito sounded healing. The three of us left straight from school to the Terminal Terrestre in south Quito to catch a bus to Baños. We passed this beautiful mountain/volcano – I’m pretty sure it was either Cotopaxi or Cayambe. Not entirely sure which. On our way we heard from Athena who decided to meet us in Baños, and arrived about two hours after us!


The bus ride was long; we stopped often to pick up and drop off travelers who hailed down the bus. This added about an hour to our ride, and we were cranky about this frequent stoppage. After finally getting to Baños, we ate, met up with Athena, and searched up and down the streets for accommodations that were appropriately priced. We ended up finding a great hostel close to the popular bars and restaurants for an awesome price - $7.50/person per night with our own bathroom. A fantastic find! The four of us freshened up and went out to a local bar called The Leprechaun. Interesting for South America, no? Nevertheless, it was full of people and good music. We were some of the only gringas in this bar, and met a lot of people from around Ecuador. Baños is one of the most popular tourist towns for Ecuadorians themselves, so most people were passing through for the weekend as well. There was an outdoor patio/bar area with a bonfire in the middle – the fire made me feel home. We danced a little salsa among the American hits they blasted throughout the night. Afterward, a recommended hamburger stand was open for after-bar patrons, and we shared a few burgers between the four of us. Unfortunately, this was the moment in the night where my cell phone was stolen. A man we met, Dario, works for an outdoor adventure tour company in town and he danced with me during a salsa song or two. He was nice, but we didn’t want to hangout with him outside of the bar and bid him and his group goodnight after getting food. As we get back to the hostel, Athena’s phone rings, and it’s my number calling her. I look in my wristlet, and sure enough, my phone is gone. My wristlet had been open while I paid for my food, and he distracted me for a split second during this moment. He wanted us to come back down to the street, so we went down the four flights of stairs and to the hamburger stand. Dario was no where in sight, and from my phone he texted Athena saying they were already to the next town, saying we should meet him there. Since we all have common sense, we said no way, that was absolutely not happening – so goodbye phone. It was a damper to the weekend, but I felt, and still feel, incredibly fortunate that the phone was the only item he took from me. Money, my identification, and my camera were all possibilities he could have taken, and the phone is probably the easiest to replace out of everything. So all we could do was progress onward with our weekend getaway and adventures!

We slept in a little the next morning before getting breakfast at a great café in town. Our plan was to rent bikes and ride Puyo where a well-known waterfall, Pailon del Diablo, is located. Geotours rented out mediocre bikes for $5 a day, and $10 for the nicer, newer models. We economized with the five-dollar line (but don’t worry; they supply clients with a “restoration” kit with a new inner tube, patch kit, and air pump incase of any mishaps. Really? Like we would be able to actually fix a something if it broke. Anyways…) and we took off for the waterfalls.

This “path” to waterfalls is primarily along the main highway that all traffic uses to get in and out of Baños to the west. We feared for our lives only a few times – usually when we had to go through narrow tunnels with fast-approaching buses. We came upon a few waterfalls on our way to Puyo; a few had cable cars attached to each side of the valley that you could take for a scenic view. The four of us took one during a rest break.
The other girls weren’t happy about it once we started moving and freaked out slightly, and I ended up being the rational calm one. Interesting, no? This is an accurate portrayal of Susan’s feelings of the cable car and the overall environment of the entire ride across. It started raining on our way to the other side so that upped the level of anxiety about the cable car. But of course, we survived, and had to wait for about twenty minutes for the rain to calm down before we were able to continue our ride.



The scenery was breathtaking and absolutely unforgettable. It's hard to describe what feelings come over you as you're biking through the Andean mountains with your friends, surrounded by waterfalls and beautiful forestry. The landscapes seemed more dream-like than my reality in that moment.







We made it to Puyo and started the decent to the waterfall we had set out to see. Twenty minutes down through the trees and we were at the Basin of the Devil, or Pailon del Diablo. We took photos and admired the sheer intensity of this waterfall. It’s neat to think of this waterfall always pumping this much water, and how it has been for centuries.





The hike back up was less than pleasant since we were hungry by now and needed energy. We ate in Puyo, and took a camioneta (or pickup truck) back to Baños.
Of course, as we are just a block away from returning our bikes, I tried and get up on the sidewalk, failed, and tipped my bike right over. My leggings ripped, knees bruised, and I laughed away while sprawled out on the sidewalk in my exhaustion. Truly a memorable end to an extraordinary adventure.

Next on our list was to get massages. Baños is known for its thermal pools and spas, so we went in search of cheap massages and facials. We found a business that gave us $5 off every service, so my package of facial and massage was $20. It was an interesting experience, and it was nice to relax a bit after our long day of biking; although if you ever want a massage, save your money while in Baños and I’m sure your best friend can give you about the same quality at home as you’ll get there.

Our group ate at a small restaurant after our massages and went back to the hostel. We weren’t in the mood for going out to the bars again, so we opted to stay in. Before we turned in for the night, we did do a lap around The Leprechaun in search of Dario the Robber, but he wasn’t in sight. Alas, it was worth the try.

After getting packed up the next morning, we ate breakfast at a small bakery and bought pastries for the ride home. We shopped around the artists shops and watched them make the taffy that Baños can be known for. This is Patricio and his brother; we watched them in awe for quite a few minutes, then realized what time it was and caught our bus just in time.



I plan on staying in Quito this weekend, and possibly taking the TeleferiQo (cable car/gondola lift) up to the top of the Pichincha volcano. There are restaurants and stores up at the top of the cable, and tourists are able to hike higher to the very top of the mountain/volcano. Hopefully we'll get a clear day to see an entire view of the city. If it's hazy or foggy, the trip can be somewhat wasted. Now on to more reading and lesson planning... aka - the glamorous life of a student teacher!

First days of school and Atacames

After being here for over three weeks, I finally had my first day of school at Colegio Menor de Universidad San Francisco de Quito. We had an assembly at the bleachers outside on the football field before the shortened-scheduled day started. The freshmen, sophomores, and juniors arrived slowly to the assembly, and right before it started, the seniors made an entrance with drums, whistles, and singing. It reminded me of a pep-rally at my old high school; a few of the seniors had even made matching shirts for their class! Andrew, the director/principal, and Juan Carlos, the dean of students welcomed the high school students and made a few announcements. I had to go down to the field with the other student teachers as they introduced the new faculty for the year. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but still nice to be acknowledged. Then we went back to the classrooms and attempted to get something done during the 25 minute class periods. It was mainly syllabus and classroom expectations, but I was able to introduce myself to all of the students as well. I have one section of 10th grade honors, and three sections of 12th grade AP. I've already started a project with all sections called a "Celebrity Board". It's kind of a throw-back to the elementary school days with those "student of the week" or "apple of my eye" business boards. Each student will be featured on it once while I'm teaching here at CM, and they'll get a grade for it. It encompasses: a picture, a bio-poem, and a fact sheet. It’s super simple, but a small way to establish a classroom community and for us to learn more about each other. And yes, I'm currently up on the board as the first celebrity, along with my cooperating teacher, Angela.


This is Cotopaxi, the second highest active volcano in the world, having last erupted in 1877. It has one of the few equatorial glaciers in existence, and is on my morning commute to school. Que chevere, no?

I've also started grading papers already! "How is that possible??" you might ask? They all had summer reading projects due on the first day of class that are worth a substantial amount of points. It's been going well so far!

If I haven’t mentioned before, I know what units I'm teaching with all sections. The 10th grade group will be doing a unit on The Crucible, along with writing a persuasive essay and highlighting various literary and rhetorical devices. They have lists of SAT vocabulary that will be incorporated along the way and looked for in their writing and speaking skills too. My APers will be focusing on synthesis essays in lieu of the exam in May, along with reading Frankenstein and studying their own SAT vocabulary. The AP units are new to my cooperating teacher, so the unit I create will be thoroughly checked and critiqued by her quite often. The 10th grade unit is established, but I am allowed to make my own activities and assessments. The entire school (PreK-12) focuses on making these statements called "Enduring Understandings"; basically the overall idea of what the students should take away from the unit. What's the most important idea they need to comprehend? Here is an example: (The student will...) understand the importance of literary skills and devices in order to enhance their understanding of written work and to enhance their own writing. I get to draft my own in the unit for the 12th graders. My first two for the Frankenstein unit go something like this: Model the importance of uniting sources to create a strong position in a synthesis essay. -and- Recognize and assess the dilemma of moral responsibility in light of scientific invention. Ah, I think they are pretty good, no? I still have to conference with Angela about them, but I feel pretty confident. They are supposed to be very general guides that lead the instruction and activities of the unit. The teachers here use backwards design - something I'm not entirely familiar with, but have ended up enjoying. It makes a lot of sense to me to start with these Enduring Understandings and the assessments, and then figure out how to get the students there with daily objectives and activities. I'm constantly thinking of ideas for journal entries and small writing assignments, so I have to bring myself back down to these general ideas before I can get to those daily exercises. Overall, I'm excited for what I can do with these students and what they can produce during this semester.





After the first two days of school, I went on a small trip with the other student teachers, and other international students from USFQ to a coastal town called Atacames. It’s about a 6 hour bus ride north of Quito along the Pacific coast. There were about 15 or so students who went, some who took the bus, and some who took a 20 minute flight. I went to Atacames without hostel reservations, so as soon as we got there at 7:00am, Stephanie, Casey, Mark, and I went in search of lodging. We found a beautiful hostel across the street from other students in our group, but we kept searching for a better value. We looked through two more hostels, but decided the first had qualities that were worth the higher price ($10 a night per person).

After a small siesta, the four of us met the other girls on the beach and relaxed with some sun.
Later we got lunch at a small beach restaurant, then went back to shower.
That night we had dinner at a great pizza place and went out for a few drinks. My hostel-mates and I planned on staying out with all of the students, but we were still so tired that we decided to crash early, leaving the beach about 9:30pm. Waking up rested and recharged, Saturday was filled with beach time. We played in the waves and some other students went tubing on bananas and tubes pulled behind larger, fishing-type boats that were available for tourists. It was a great day – I didn’t even get burnt thanks to my SPF50! The sun here is so intense – you can feel it trying to work its way into your skin even through high-powered sunscreen. That night we bar-hopped up and down the beach and ended the night with delicious hamburguesas from street vendors. They're only $1 and totally worth the possibility of an upset stomach. In this picture you can see the small fabricated motorcycle vehicles that are a substitute for taxis in these small coastal towns. I got to ride on one once, and it was slightly scary because you are sitting in front of the driver, seemingly blocking his view!

The bus left for Quito on Sunday at 10:30 sharp, and we made our way back south/up to the higher elevation of the city. The scenery was absolutely beautiful on the way back, though my camera couldn't quite capture the view from the bus window. It was quite a ride - seeming a lot longer since this time it wasn't overnight. Overall it was a great weekend that was perfect for my first real adventure outside of Quito. This coming weekend I hope to go somewhere with my teacher-friends... I missed them all while I was away!

And so starts the first full week of school. I'm looking forward to doing a few full lessons myself! We're ending summer reading review and starting Unit One in both classes, so it will be a good chance for me to look at how to start my own units. I hope all of the mid-westerners are enjoying the start of fall. I'm definitely missing that here! Besos a todos.

Huasipichay and Fiestas de Guapalo

This picture above is the outside of Colegio Menor. I'm putting together more boards in my classroom, so those pictures will be coming soon.

So I bet your're thinking that tomorrow's the first day of school for me! Unfortunately, the first day's been pushed back again. And again. And again. The high school now starts on Wednesday. Ah! Will it ever begin??? Apparently we're required to have "staggered" start days; so Pre-K starts Monday, elementary on Tuesday, and middle school/high school on Wednesday. Someday I'll meet my students.

One event I forgot to put on my last post was our trip to the Guayasamin Museum: Capilla del Hombre (Man's funeral chapel). It was beautiful. For $4 each, Susan, Tessa, and I walked through giant canvases of Guayasamin's work of Quito and the Latinamerican culture and history. His pieces are captivating, yet haunting. You'll see what I mean:


This is "El Mestizaje" - the two tone colors of this figure represent the people of Latinamerica who have both Spanish and native Inca heritages.


This is an interesting quote by Guayasamin. It says, "I cried because I did not have shoes until I saw a child who did not have feet."


I can't remember what the title of this one was, but it was a triptych about the tragedies of Nicaragua and the battles they've been fighting for centuries. It was one of my favorites. A small quote at the bottom right side said, "Nicaragua- your pain is my anguish."

This was such a great museum - I'd definitely go back a second time to take it all in again. I highly suggest googling him and looking at more of his pieces.

This past Thursday I went to Universidad de San Fransisco de Quito to meet Nascira, my university supervisor for student teaching. We met to go over my plans and goals for my time at CM, and set up our preliminary schedule for my first observations. It's crazy to think of being observed for teaching when we haven't even had school yet! I had some time to wait around while Susan met with Nascira after my appointment, so here are some pics of the beautiful campus:



It's too bad I don't need to spend more time here!

Friday night my three teacher friends, Susan, Angie, and Claire had a Huasipichay. It's a Kichwa (Kichwa = indigenous language that's still spoken in more rural areas of the Andes) word for a house-warming party! They invited about 40 people to their apartment, and we all ceremoniously toasted to good health and fortune in each one of their rooms. Every bedroom, every bathroom, even the laundry room! It was so fun and different - I'll definitely be having a Huasipichay in every home I move in to from now on.

Claire and I at the Huasipichay.

Sauturday evening the director of Colegio Menor and his wife had all of the new teachers over to their home for food and socializing. Andrew and Tiza provided little sandwiches and drinks for all of us to enjoy while talking about our weekends and the upcoming week with students. Their house was really beautiful and it was so nice for them to have us over. I really like the community of staff at Colegio Menor for reasons like this - it's a community of friends, not just co-workers. Another example of this is the "secret pal" game we have going on right now. It's like a secret-Santa concept Americans do sometimes around the holidays, but we're doing that in the high school right now to get to know each other. We all picked a name last week, and we've secretly been giving notes and little gifts to our secret pals that tell them something about us. Last week I received a beautiful print from my secret pal who loves to take photos. I'll try and upload a picture of it - it's something I'll be keeping framed in my home someday.

After Andrew's welcome party, it was the final night of Fiestas de Guapalo. Guapalo is a small neighborhood between the valley of Cumbaya (where Colegio Menor is) and Quito. There were week-long parties all night celebrating... something? Just a reason to party together as a neighborhood and set things on fire, I think! It was fun, but overwhelming - there were lots of pyrotechnics, music, street food and drinks. At one point, people with fire-sparkler-things attached to wooden-bull-structures ran around the crowd spraying everyone with sparks! We were semi-afraid for our well being at that point. I didn't get pictures of that part because well, I was ducking for cover with my hood over my head so my hair didn't start on fire. Even after being a little traumatized, we stayed and listed to the traditional salsa band and watched them set these towers on fire with different fireworks and sparklers. It was all set up in the plaza of this beautiful church that is a tourist attraction on it's own during the day.







It was definitely a cultural experience, but one that I think I'll be okay skipping if I'm in Quito for it again.

Three more days until school, so on to more preparation! I hope all of my readers have had a great weekend, and are recuperated for the upcoming week ahead!