Some favorite teaching memories from the past weeks...

(previous week) 

...2 girls gave me rings to wear! 

...my first graders who were being very rambunctious (always the polite way to describe what you all know what I really mean) later all apologized to me during class later that day, with hugs.

...(while I was helping a teacher with her class) watching an anime version of snow white, dubbed over in spanish, as the students all moved their chairs  to the back of the classroom where I was sitting. We were all snuggled up, it was such a precious moment.

...dancing for 40 minutes with the students and taking the last 5 minutes to teach dancing and body words in spanish (I love finding out what the teacher has planned...)

...having a surprise birthday, where the class president cried as she walked in to her mom and all of us singing with balloons and streamers. Possibly their best part was their rendition of "habby bird-dea" in English. They were all looking at me excited, and I was singing too, and then I messed up, because they sang it differently!

(this past week)
...teaching my students "head, shoulders, knees, toes" whoever made up that song is genius...it perfectly shows the beauty in simplicity. I don't think I have ever seen so many kids so joyful and laughing so hard about something they are learning. The best was when some of them where falling over and there were piles of kids dying from laughter. Fire code much?...but we're in Ecuador!

...the moment where it was silent (for once) as I was writing something on the board and one boy awkwardly starts humming and singing nonsense words to the melody of "head, shoulders..." I could not contain that laugher...ya know sometimes you just got to let it out, can't pretend to think these moments aren't hilarious just because they are kids and we are adults.

...the many moments when my students repeat a side joke of mine or a question I'm asking them, and especially when they imitate me, I love learning to laugh at (not with, at) myself.

...the one girl who peaks in the office every day during our meeting/pancito&cafecito break and smiles shyly at me, while the other teachers just look.

...the moments where the students stand outside with me, not letting me get to the meeting, because they have so many questions to ask, and so many hugs to share.

...when the fourth grade teacher heard what I said about one more week, and repeated everything I had said again to the class because she was realizing that I really will be leaving. :(

...when a fellow teacher was talking to me and asking me if I have cuencano friends, one of my students who was standing near by goes, "Somos"(as he looked a little shy with a comforting smile). He was saying we are friends :) they really are my friends, I love my students so much!! (just because they whine about learning more letters in the alphabet, doesn't mean they don't like you!!)

...and everyday this week, walking away hearing the students yell "bye teacher" and "chao señorita," I wish it could be just chao and not adios.

With my second "B" graders :) 

(the one with his bad to the camera in white is the one who said they're my friends)

Saturday fun!

Before we get to Saturday....Friday: my host dad and I were driving and he goes "mira, las americanas." And since I know all americanas, I clearly knew them. I texted my friend kendra (a cool connection through Ryan and we go to the same church), sure enough it was her and Kari! So anywho,  Ryan and I ended up going out to dinner with them and their whole group. We had a fun night!

Now to Saturday :) Their group was going to baños and they were so nice to invite us too. Kendra, Kari and I ended up going to the nicer part that has spa treatments and mud baths, as well as the regular hot spring pools. We had an awesome time (except for maybe not so much on the ice baths) going through the spa treatments, exfoliating our skin, and covering ourselves in mud. We spend 5 hours there! And I think the minerals got to us... Then hung out at Kendra's and watched the changeling (good movie). Then we had a great dinner with the backstreet boys and her wonderful host family. It sure was a good day. Here are some pictures from baños:

Piedra de agua: spa day :)

After the steam room, as if we had already been swimming.

First "treatment, good for your bones"

Letting the mud dry, in the sun :)

And then we were black! 

The steam boxes, hah!

More hot and cold pools.

Finishing off with the warm pool..."or you can repeat the whole process over..." what!

I'm really thankful for this time and how the Lord made this all work out. Kendra and Kari are both from the Chicagoland area, and they live just a few blocks away from me, here in Cuenca! Remember when I asked for Christian friends? Thank you :) Of course we had to come to Cuenca to meet, rather than in our own city ;)

Photos with my families :D

Walking through Mall del Rio with my family! That's my niece Camila and my host dad.

Out to dinner with my friend Ryan (other student who stayed for an internship, from NPU too).

Showing my parents my school and some of my students!

In Turi looking over Cuenca :D

Family and host dad!

the not isuzu trooper. 

Hiking through Cajas with the families :)

Seeessterrrr :D

Duna (sister) Cami (niece) and Dad! 

Sarah was so excited! They ran after the cotton candy man!!

Host sister, niece, and dad!

Eating Chancho! With Florencia (mom) Mateo (nephew) David (nephew) and Hugo!

Saying goodbyes (host mom and brother-in-law)

With my parents, host parents, and sister. 

Travel, stress, and family fun!!

Well it has been awhile, quite a busy while I must say. But I am alive and well (PTL). The past two weeks were awesome...mixed in with the feeling of being overwhelmed; hence my absence.

I went to the Galapagos! Yes this is real. Thinking back, remember in October when I suddenly had a desire to go to the galapagos? I know I whined to a few people about this desire...thinking it was too out of reach, yet secretly hoping this dream would come true. And it did! I can't even express how thankful I am for my parents and the time we got to spend together, especially in those islands way out in the pacific. And my sister, she's amazing, we all had a wonderful time. Of course we missed "my two boys."
I think it may be overwhelming (not a feeling I want anyone to have to feel right now) to tell you aaalllll the details about the galapagos. But feel free to ask!! I will make a photo album on facebook with many of the photos :D. and maybe post one just as a tease.

The beach on Isabela Island where we swam one afternoon :)

After our quick 4 days out in the middle of nowhere, we came back to the beloved Cuenca!!! Oh how exciting that was; for my family to meet my ecuadorian family. We had a beautiful night, followed by a marvelous week. School on the other hand, was close to torture that week: not a happy camper studier. But we got through it! Annnnddd I got to spend a whole day with my families (see what I did there ;) ) in the beautiful national park of Cajas!!! Then we went to a restaurant where I had quite an experience with a fish. And then onto the Cuenca soccer game that night!!!

The next day, just as fun, was full of a market with roasted pigs where we ate chancho, then another town with some jewelry browsing, and then onto extended family!! And we had a ball (literally) playing soccer! Too many years had passed me by without that game, and it was a perfect return. The family, the sport, the pain; everything was so good. On the car ride back home, we sang rolling in the deep by adele, I wish everyone could hear my host nephew david sing this song. Pure joy, what a kid. We returned home, and had smoked salmon (thanks dad) with cream cheese and ritz crackers, OMG amazing.

I gave my host dad a mariner's hat, he was so happy, and he's been wearing it since :) we also shared girl scout cookies together :) Not to mention the pop rocks, which were a hit. I brought homemade cookies to my staff meeting, and the other teachers asked for the recipe. I gave homemade brownies to my professor and his family. I love sharing a bit of my home and the US american culture. There is something so special about homemade baked goods, thanks family :)

Sunday afternoon I said goodbye to my family, after a wonderful day at church and baños: natural hot springs. I cried, the first time I have ever cried on a goodbye. I love them so much. I walked back to the car with my host brother-in-law and he hugged me and walked with me as I cried. I tried to swallow it but the tears came without my approval. Juan said, "chocolate para la pena" handing me a mani chocolate bar. Thankfully he talked on the way back, cause it was hard for me. But I think that is a sign of a wonderful week, and a fantastic family :)

Break for my students, and somewhat for me too :D

My students this week have a week of break after finishing their exams and the trimester last week. Buuuttt since I am in an internship and need to count my hours, I am going to a different school to observe today and tomorrow...then the rest of the week will be off for me :)

Random observation that I found sad: when teaching my students colors, they first called the light pink-piel-meaning skin. That color is NOT skin color...since when is skin that color for everyone. No one in the school but myself has that color, yet they call that skin color. Oh us gringos...it's sad.

So anywho today was nice, so much different than my school. This school is private, dual-lingually taught. From everything I have heard, it is a very good school.

Main differences:
-They are used to seeing extranjeros so I was no novelty...I think most kids didn't even notice me.
-Many of the classes are actually taught in English.
-Behavior...I missed my well-behaved kids-this dynamic is interesting...
-I spent 45 minutes in a buseta-taxi-van as they dropped us all off...and I was falling asleep.
-The classrooms were nicely painted and decorated-with lots of English.
-The students had wonderful English books and materials...this is something I crave for my students.
-The social class difference was very noticeable.

Such a pretty science classroom.

The kids messing around until the teacher arrived...

I hope tomorrow goes well also :D and I get to observe a french class which I'm excited about!!


p.s. on THURSDAY I will be leaving early in the morning for Guayaquil to meet my parents and Sarah. Just two full days until we reunite. I am TAN EMOCIONADA!!

The fun of a host family!!

This weekend has been quite uneventful.
Although today, my host nephews and I had a lot of fun...pretty much spend all my writing essay time dancing and taking crazy photos and videos. Here are just a few to let you in on the fun!!

Mateo and gatito :)

and then it got crazy...

angry sad puss in boots

My head, his body!

He got a new watch...and he's so excited!!

hold your breath!

Aahhhh!

David joined in!

and then we traveled to the moon...

what...wooaahh

weeiirrdd faces :D

David pulling his face hahahahaha

Dancing!

David going off!

And of course Cami with her corn....