It's Pronounced "Jama."

This is going to be a short post, and has literally nothing to do with educating young minds. Sorry!  : PP

Today was my host mom's birthday so we all went up to El Colorado to snowboard. I'd never seen actual snow before (I doubt LA's brown mud snow counts) so they literally gave me 3 trash bags in case I vomited on the way up. Literally.

The view on the drive from Lo Barnechea up to El Colorado

There were something around 48 curves (which they gleefully counted down, waiting for the hurl that would never come, HAHAHA, FRANCESCO, IF YOU'RE READING THIS!). It wasn't even slightly bad but the height did freak me out. I kept my eyes turned inward to the mountains. Francesco kept trying to trick me, saying there were foxes or bunnies to the right side of the car so that I might look down. It took 1 time of that for me to learn my lesson!

As we neared curve 38 or so, Francesco said to look to the right which I didn't do (I'd learned my lesson, remember?). He kept insisting though, so I did.

THERE. WAS. A. LLAMA. 

Imagine this is a llama.

Of course, my first reaction was to scream like an idiot. "OH MY GOD, THAT'S A LLAMA! HOLY CRAP, IT'S A REAL LLAMA!!!" (I was saying "lama," as we do in the U.S.) At this point, it was to our far right and too late to grab a phone to take a picture but as we rounded the curve, Fernanda (my host mom) asked, "What was it?" I roared, "It was a llama!!!" She still looked confused.

Then, from the backseat, I hear Francesco: "Una llama." (He pronounced it "jama.")

"OHHHHH! Where??"

We've been pronouncing it wrong the whole time. And after 4 years of Spanish, I never made that pronunciation connection. Guess who feels like an idiot?

I saw a llama. On the side of the road with a little old man selling something. Take that, Lael!

My host brother and host mom stopping for a photo op on the way back down

English Day and the Gringos

Week Two has been over for a few days but I've been my usual terrible self and have put off writing this until the second day of the third week. Oops! xDD

In most of my co-teacher's classes, we've been preparing for English Day, which is an entire day given to games in which classes within grade levels compete for grade points, so I began as the speaker since I'd had the most experience with it. Allyson and I had been helping the teachers in the English department come up with questions, quotes, slogans, and words for the days leading up to English Day. There are 5 games that I can think of off the top of my head: Blockbusters, Wheel of Fortune, On the Spot, Lights Camera Action!, and Songs.

Half of our judges table. They provided snacks and drinks!  :O

For Blockbusters, there is a "board" and competing classes have to cross the entire breadth to win. In order to gain a piece of the board, they have to correctly answer questions (all given in English, of course). This can get rather nasty (and hilariously so), as groups can block the most direct paths across which causes the offensive team to veer on a longer, less direct path across. Questions can range from, "Who was the famous widow of a member of The Beatles?" to "What is the language natively spoken in Ireland?" Surprisingly, no one got the former! I made that specifically as an easier question. Oops!  xDD

Wheel of Fortune is exactly like hangman, just without the hanging man. Famous quotes, book titles, movie titles, etc. are chosen and the letters have different point values. Chastity came up with a quote from Malcolm X, which was good for the 12 graders. They struggled but one got it in the end: "By any means necessary."

On the Spot was the most impressive of the bunch. It's basically a word projected behind 1 student's head while the other 4 students on the team give rapid fire hints and the student has to guess the word. For example, a word might be "voyage" so the hints might be "It's a word to describe traveling," and "It's a synonym for a vacation." The hint can't contain the word at all and they can't be in "fill in the sentence" format. The older students even broke the words down into prefixes and suffixes. This involves both intense and extensive vocabulary knowledge as well as an understanding of diction pieces. The students were able to successfully describe almost all of the words. One that was difficult was "greengrocer," while one that was ALMOST there was "road."

12th grade "On the Spot"

Lights, Camera, Action! has a group creating a sketch (max. 5 minutes long) based on a category chosen by the teachers. 9th grade had fantasy, 10th grade had ______, 11th grade had history, and 12th grade had horror. The sketch for 9th grade was rather surprising, as it was about fantastical creatures taking over Shrek's swamp for a huge party. These kinds of things would be looked down on in our country, but the culture here is more accepting of this.

Seniors and their horror sketch

Songs is self-explanatory. Groups make parodies of songs, again based on categories assigned from the teachers. 9th grade sang about camping, 10th had "a new classmate", 11th grade had "unfriending someone from social media", and 12th grade had "changes."

10th grade song - they set the bar so high with the live band!

We gringos were all judges. At first, only Chastity and I were there so I ran to the library to grab more and when they found out what was going on, we soon had a table overflowing with judges. Blockbusters involves time constraints so 9th grade got a little mad at me for not having an actual timer (but I wasn't aware that it was so strict! Sorry, 9th grade!). For the rest of the grades, we used Ashley's phone to give 10 seconds for each group.

The best thing about these different types is that each has its own outlet, providing for absolute differentiation, and the students are allowed to choose which game they want to play. This allows students to take the reigns on their assessment, as well as giving them freedom for whatever they feel the best at. I LOVE this!

"Hey what should I name my blog this week?" "PACHAMAMA" - Samantha Warrick

Week 2 done!  Hello family.  I feel like I have been here forever and not at all.  Here's the skinny on my life this week.

This week I was very sick.  My host dad was so proud of himself for calling it-- I guess I should have worn socks that one time.  I am still getting over my sickness but I am much better today than I was earlier in the week.  About half of the people I know also got sick so at least I have company.  I had to skip exercising all week until today.  I chased my host mom up the 2 mile long hill that she make me go up.  Man, it was rough.  But I made it!  And I haven't died... yet.

I was much more involved in classes this week.  Ashley and I helped out in a 5th grade class and 5th grade kids are so awesome!  They have endless energy and positivity.  It takes a minute to gather all of their attention but they are so sweet.  If I could start over I might teach middle school because they are just too cool.  We did a bunch of activities and they loved it all.  I was really impressed with their abilities to have full class discussions and work in groups with each other. 

I also taught a few high school math classes.  The kids' skills are solid and it was fun teaching them.  I was SUPER impressed with how well they understood me and were able to explain in their own words... their own English words.  They are a lot of fun-- they laugh at my jokes and work when I tell them to.

Oh!  And Thursday was English Day!!!  The high school students competed against each other in English games.   Each grade is split into 2 classes and those classes compete for all the glory English Day can offer.  There was trivia, naming English words, a game similar to taboo, the kids made skits based on books they read, and (my favorite) the song performance.  The kids had to rewrite the words to songs based on a theme.  It was one of the funniest things I have seen in a while.

There have been lots of family parties because of birthdays and Father's Day so I have had a really nice time getting to know the extended family a bit more.  Although many of them do not know English we get along well with smiles and hugs and laughs.

Well that is all for now.  It hasn't really hit me yet that our last day is on Friday.  I'm looking forward to having another great week and learning more!  Chaoooooooooo!

The Southern Cross and picturesque skies - Alexandra Lee

 

 

 

 

Week 2

 

The weather makes more sense to me now, and I think my layering skills are getting better. Great new life skill to have.

 

This week I implemented activities and group structures into lessons. The teachers here have been very welcoming and open (everyone comes around), and always leave the lesson feeling content. It´s comforting to get positive feedback from them each time and also to hear positive feedback from them about other volunteer teachers. The math department is definitely having a good experience with the Geaux Global program.

 

One of the teachers that I work with was out sick for two days and I covered many of her classes. It was great to experience a day in the life of a teacher here at The Southern Cross. Working with students from grades 5, 6, 9, and 10 - all in one day - and traveling from one classroom to the next without much travel time allotted.

6th Grade playing a memory game to practice identifying like terms

I really appreciated the clouds this week because they made the sunsets that much more amazing. On a car ride from the house to our Tuesday boxing class, I tried to capture the sunset. I can only imagine how amazing the photos could be from the top of one of the cerros.

 

Week 2 - complete. Here we come Week 3.

 

 

It's all in your head: Jessica J.

Where has the time gone?? Seriously, we're going into week three already and it feels like I've just stepped off the plane. I can honestly say that I am very blessed to be. I have learned so much, especially about myself. This past week I had the opportunity to teach a math lesson. First thing first, I love math, but teaching math and doing math...POLAR OPPOSITES. It has been so long since I've taught a math lesson  (student teaching semester was all about English). So imagine my bundle of nerves. I was really nervous about the whole thing, especially with the possible language barriers. And if you know me, sarcasm, anecdotes, analogies, etc. run rampant in my blood. 😆 But surprise, surprise it went far better than I thought.

          (Multiplication City...thank you Pinterest!)
My host teacher said she loved the lesson and wanted to know if she could use it for the future. Can I say I was shocked. Because on the inside I was freaking out to the nth degree. I guess it was all in my head.

Since day on my host family has been nothing short of welcoming. Even more so, their three little girls I am very fond of (they keep me on my toes). They are hilarious and VERY enegetic. I think at times maybe too much to where I think their parents feel they are a nuisance. Lol trust they aren't, FAR FROM IT!  Growing up in a house full of kids was my childhood. So even though I  have been made into a human jungle gym, played Monopoly Jr., watched Brother Bear a few times, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I guess you can say after school is our time. ❤❤

 

(When you let the youngest of the bunch take control of the camera. Mi corazon.) 

Una siesta, por favor! -- Allyson Bostrom

The newness of Chile has worn off and the smog has settled in and I would pay an unspeakable amount of pesos for a nap. Its been a wild ride, like an entire month happened in a week.

The school has been so wonderful. My students are seriously some of the cutest kids I've ever met. One of them runs to class just to show me new pictures of his hedgehogs because he knows how much I love them. At least 20 times a day, I have to remind myself that I can't actually just pack them all into my suitcase next week (and that actually breaks my heart).

I am teaching, primarily, 7th grade and 10th grade English grammar and literature. We read novels, work through grammar lessons and just have a blast together. Last week was spent preparing for English Day, which was held this Thursday. All of the U.S. high school teachers were able to judge the competitions, while each high school class participated in games that demonstrated their skills in written and spoken English. It was so fun! I don't have any pictures, but check out my friends' blogs because I'm sure they have some really fun ones!

Wednesday, a group of us teachers went on a wine tour. I don't drink wine but it was an exceptionally fun time with some very sweet, very sassy teachers. We got to learn about the wine-making process from the owner of a very small vineyard. Its such a long process & so you can imagine how bad I felt when I accidentally spilled a glass of wine that came off the vine over a year ago, and was now rolling off the table. He clapped for me, though, so I think its okay.

 These people are seriously just so fun. I've heard from almost all over the 20-somethings, that we all came here with a bit of anxiety. We were all nervous that we wouldn't get along with others or would be the odd one out, and it just isn't that way. Maybe its just because we're all in another country and struggling through the same awkward language barriers, sicknesses, and homesicknesses...but I will forever be thankful for the 24 other people with whom I have shared this Chilean experience.

We had a tiny taste of true winter this week with the tiniest amount of rain. I wasn't ready for the fog, though. It set in so heavy that the cute Andes Mountains were totally invisible. It still wasn't the coldest day we've had thus far, but it felt necessary to venture out to the closest Starbucks for some warmth.

I have been enjoying my time with my host family, as well. Its so crazy during the week, since the kids are so busy with their after school activities and such, but it has been well worth the running around and stacks on stacks of grilled cheeses.

I have grown to love these sweet boys as my own family and we've already talked about how sad it is that we've only got another week together.

Baltazar is one of my host brothers. He, his older brother, their dad, and I all got to go to the helado shop at Mall Sport (next door to the school) for a little after school pick-me-up. I love getting to be a part of the every day activities with their family.

Back in the states, I hate sushi. My family doesn't like it either, so it works out. I was a little nervous about going to a sushi place here just because I didn't know how serious they were about their fish, you know? My family was so kind and struggled with me through some very awkward minutes of explaining "I just want teriyaki chicken". In the end, it was a great night with great laughs and great conversations. 

(NOTE: The chicken teriyaki here was better than ANY I've had in the states. Seriously, SO. GOOD.)

Word on the street is that we are going to catch Buscando a Dory (Finding Dory) sometime this week, and *FINGERS CROSSED* traveling to Valparaiso tomorrow!

But for now, its pepperoni and bell pepper pizza and lots of laughs here in Santiago.

Can't wait for what my last week has in store!
Lots of fun final projects headed our way.

Ciao, for now, Amigos!

Beautiful views, amazing people, unique moments - Ryan M

Week two has been a wonderful experience. I feel more at ease than I did the first week for certain. I know my way around the school pretty well. I´m more comfortable with my host family. While this week has been more relaxed and I feel like I have my footing under me it´s also been more tiring. I was ok the first week. This week I feel like I´ve been walking around in a fog. The thing is though that once I start working I´m fine.

The week started with teaching multiple lessons in classes about human and civil rights in the United States. My colleague and I broke it down into various major events in the history of human rights in the US like The Revolution, the Civil Rights movement and in the light of the weekend´s events in Orlando I really wanted to discuss LGBT and gun rights. The students had wonderful questions especially about how we handle gun rights. What sort of guns do we outlaw and why? Is the fear that the government is really going to take away our guns legitimate? I thoroughly enjoyed getting to discuss the topics and hear their perceptions of our rights(which is basically that everyone in the US is a gun toting cowboy).

Monday night I bought my host dad a bottle of wine for his birthday. I also bought the kids some skittles and gum. I totally won them over. So, the moral of the story is if you want to make points with kids always go for the candy. Anabella made him a chocolate dulce de leche cake that was sinful and a great roast. He definitely was spoiled and loved it!

The picture I got as a reward for my candy purchase:

Tuesday night I went to the Costanera Center in Sanhattan(the high rise area of Santiago). The Costanera Center is the tallest building south of Mexico. When you enter it it´s underwhelming because all you see is a mall. However, when you go to the top on the 62nd floor the views are amazing! We were there as the sun was setting and the views were breathtaking. The clouds were pink and purple and stretched forever across the Andes. We waited for the sun to go down and Santiago at night is a jewel. The lights are everywhere and they sparkle like sequins off set by the car lights which look like Christmas lights. Well worth going!

Have a look:

On Wednesday we went on a wine tour. We went to a boutique winery run by a man named Andres. His family and friends run the whole thing. It´´s on a small plot of land and they produce about 10,000 bottles a year. It was beautiful even in the winter when nothing is being produced. I loved seeing the winery and being told about it by someone who so obviously cares about what he´s doing. It´´s all organic and all the harvesting is done by hand. We had a tasting and he explained all the wines. As I said it was very obvious that he loves his craft.

Yesterday was English Day at Southern Cross. Each of the two sections in each grade competed against each other in a quiz bowl, a wheel of fortune game, skits, and a song that they made up. It was all in English. They did a very impressive job. Their judges were very strict. Their judges were also their American visitors. We had a blast. I was especially impressed by the skits and the songs. They all did a wonderful job and I´m amazed by the vocabulary that they know and how they put it to use.

Here´s a glimpse of a skit 

To talk shop for a bit a colleague asked me what teaching differences I had noticed between myself and my Chilean counterparts, if they had caused tension and how we worked it out. As I mentioned in the `previous entry the major one is the far more relaxed classroom management that I´ve seen here in Chile. Once I overcame my original confusion and frustration and began to see that the students were not only responding but actively and willing participating I was fine. The students not only asked and answered questions, but did so with great specificity and higher level thinking. These were not "see spot run questions". They were the"what does your country plan to do in order to stop another Orlando?" or "Do you think banning assault weapons will stop mass shootings?" Of course, everyone has their opinions on these topics. However, I was simply impressed that the questions were being asked. Even when they looked like they weren´t paying attention by playing on their phone or what have you they obviously were. This hasn´t created tension for me because I see it as simply a cultural difference. It´s something for me to learn from and I have. I think if I loosen up in my own classroom maybe I´ll see similar results. It´s worth noting that the internet here at school is slowed down significantly so technology wise they can only be so distracted because the internet is purposely slow.

Finally, to recap (thanks for sticking with me). My second week has been full of amazing experiences with wonderful people and for that I am so blessed- I can see the end and I know it´s not going to be easy. I don´t do goodbye or so long very well. Thus, I´m trying to live in the moment and enjoy what´s happening right now. Because right now is incredible.

Ciao

Ryan