Day 29!!!

So, i started typing this on Sunday, but then there were, of course, power outtages and first graders. So here you go:

My sincerest apologies for the lack of updates; the first grade has taken over my life somewhat.

An observation, not of Dominican culture. I’m here with a lot of people from the Midwest, Texas, Minnesota, and a couple people from Indiana. I think in Maryland and on the east coast in general we pretty much think we are hot stuff in comparison to the other states. I just assumed that everyone knew the order of the states on the coastline, what Maryland looked like, etc. To my dismay, I’m discovering that our state just isn’t that important to some of the other states! I was fairly aghast at this realization, but then again I realized that we don’t think much of the middle states either. I had just always assumed there was a state envy for the poor folks from Kansas and Oklahoma, and it is quite the sobering sensation to think that there isn’t.

There has been a copious amount of rain lately that comes in the afternoon, usually when I want to go running. Yes, I have started running. I TOLD you my iPod purchase would be useful!! I am greatly enjoying getting to see some of the roads this way, although if another dude offers to father my child I'm going to punch him in the face and/or use my limited spanish to tell him off.

(Back to the present)

I am also LOVING playing soccer with my first graders on their breaks. One of my kids I was fairly certain was psycho last week, and this week after he gets done eating he goes, "Miss Natalie! Go play soccer?" This from a child that literally had to be pried from his mother at lunchtime on Friday, screaming like someone was filleting the skin off his body. I do not know what changed, but I am eternally grateful for every spanking I ever got.

We are learning about plants in Science, and since the Art teacher isn't here, I have integrated the art for science. On Friday we painted newspapers, and on Monday we used said newspapers to make hats (either pointy or otherwise, pictures forthcoming), tomorrow we are making binoculars with toilet paper tubes. Both projects to be used on Thursday, at whence point we are going on plant safari with our hats and binoculars. I'm excited. After that, I'm going to have to think of some other art projects. I really want to do collages with trash, but I feel like first grade might be a little too young in terms of cleanliness and art appreciation. Are they too young to memorize pictures of the Pantheon and the Parthenon??

Anyway, I will definitely take pictures of Safari Day.

PS a big thank you to Miss Janice and my awesome parents for sending me packages! I really can't express the excitement we all get when the mail is coming!! (every two weeks on a Tuesday evening.)

Nat: out.

Week 4: half summation

This is quite the week thus far. Monday I started my time in the first grade. Quite a different schedule, but not altogether bad. Alot of lying and non English speakers is the main challenge at the moment.

Tuesday was a bit rougher only because the power went out Monday night right before I went to bed which mean no fan, making it A) hot and B) silent (until 3am when the rooster next door starts).

Bringing us to today, which was only problematic because my aide was absent due to feeling sick due to her pregnancy. Tomorrow is a day off for a DR holiday, which you would think I would spend sleeping in, but no, I am waking up at 5:30 am to head to Santiago for some optional training. Which I obviously opted for. I'm looking forward to it.

Every other Tuesday we have started having girl dinners. Last night was the second, and it was pretty fantastic. I have been thinking alot in the past two weeks about community, as obviously I am in the midst of one that is put together out of happenstance and not choice. While I was at Messiah (MC alum are laughing at me right now) there was alot of talk about community that I, like everyone else, rolled my eyes at. Looking back, community was such a huge part of college that I can't believe we didn't realize it. Anyway, the point is, fantasticly enough, Brewer was thinking about community recently as well, and asked if anyone would be interested in doing a Bible study/sharing time after our girl dinners to be more intentional about community. So I was pretty excited to hear that she was thinking along the same lines.

Dinner tonight is a plain old PB&J, since I went for a run/walk and my feet want to kill me.

Miss all of you and thinking about you!!

Weekend happenings

First of all, I would like to commend first and foremost BALTIMORE for another win, and CHICAGO for beating my loathe archrival. Also props to my brother for his undefeated soccer team.

Well, yesterday was a very relaxing fun day. I woke up feeling fairly terrible; it appears I have some sort of sinus issue going on. Fortunately, my roommate has both nighttime and daytime benedryl. Natalie Brewer (hereafter known as Brewer, for obvious reasons of confusion) drove me to town to get some groceries. I made some soup for our neighbors for dinner, and then we walked over to Brewer's and watched Dirty Dancing in memory of Patrick Swayze. *tear*

Today after church I took a glorious 3.5 hour nap, which I think my body needed due to it's illness.



That's about it! Wish me luck and pray for me tomorrow; I start 1st grade tomorrow! I leave you with a picture of my PM preschool class:


PS please send a LARGE raven flag to my address. I live below a Texas Tech fan and down the road from an Indi fan. AHHH!!

pictures!

Click here for a full photo album!

feet and first grade

Notice: for your convenience, I will first write the normal, newsy post, and then at the end summarize in one sentence per item, so if you are short on time, just scroll down.

Well, there’s news! I am going to be the first grade teacher! You may ask, but aren’t you teaching PK 4? Yes, I am, but they desperately need a 1st grade teacher, so they asked if I would consider it. And I’m fine with it. It’s a shorter day (ends at 4 instead of 5ish), one group of kids (instead of two), and multiple subjects. I’m hoping they will be able to understand me better and obey more. I’m not holding my breath.

The weather these past two weeks has been cooler than the first week that I got here. Maybe it’s cooling down! I still sweat when I walk into town (probably TMI), but it’s not so bad anymore. Brooke (upstairs, 2nd grade teacher) says it gets REALLY cold here in the winter; because it gets down to the 50s and there’s no heat. I’m pretty excited, especially since at home we know how cold it gets!!

I think in order to refer to certain people, I’m going to need to take pictures of the main people I encounter and post them here. I will do my best, but we all know how successful I am at getting those up right when I want to.

I bought some claves concretas (concrete nails) so that I can hang some things on my wall AND hopefully a mosquito net! I need someone tall to put the nail in on my ceiling. I’m slowly but surely organizing things! I don’t know if I mentioned this, but prior to my departure I had shipped a vast amount of my shoes here. When they arrived on Tuesday I realized how silly and futile it was to send most of them. I sent quite a few pairs of heels from the last year working in an office setting. I do not think they would do so well on our gravel roads.

I usually wear a pair of “house slippers” (in reality they are fake crocs that I got in China for like a dollar, basically just rubbery/plastic material) inside because the floors get dirty very easily. Last night I just wore my socks around and immediately noticed that my feet hurt even more. I’m sitting down as much as possible now; I had trouble falling sleep last night because my legs were hurting so much.

Blog Abridged:
-I’m switching from PK 4 to 1st grade cause they need a teacher.
-The weather’s gotten cooler
-I plan to take some pictures of the other teachers so you know who I’m referring to.
-I bought some nails to hang things, hopefully a mosquito net.
-I sent myself a lot of my heels from home and that was silly.
-my feet and my legs hurt in a major way.

Food!

I just successfully made guacamole, balsamic vinegrette dressing, and quesadillas. On a gas stove. I invited my PK 4 aide over for dinner, and she and i plus cecelia had a lively conversation in spanish, with cecelia doing some translating.

As a quick aside, I've had a few comments about the warm milk. let me explain. It's not warm; they just don't refrigerate it in the stores. I personally put mine in the fridge right away so that it's cold.

Pray for my feet. I didn't realize the benefits of carpet on podiatry until now. Walking around on concrete and tile literally makes my feet utterly ache.

Pictures from the beach trip!

Day 15

People (Ok, just my MOM) have been asking for a translation of Candy's Noah story. I didn't bother because I knew it wouldn't make sense, but when it's your mom, what are you gonna do? Here it goes:

Noah was in the boat because, besides, the water was falling because they couldn't go outside because after the animals would get wet. And after, they couldn't leave [the boat] And later all the animals left and also Noah and his family.

I had Gracie and Jasmine over for lunch today (Kraft macaroni and cheese - a step up from college because it was NOT Easy Mac!) and we had a good time. They were excited to see my house. I was excited that they speak English.

ALSO best part of the day - I got MAIL!!!! The two packages I sent my self (I have hangers and shoes now - thank the Lord!!), as well as a package from my mom, AND letters from some of you!!! I haven't opened them yet because I want to prolong the happiness. :) I'm VERY happy because my dad sent a wireless router which means we don't have to connect to the one upstairs!! FIVE BARS!!! Also, I got cereal, hand sanitizer, spices, hand soap, AND a crossword puzzle. :) I love my parents!!

Pictures I hope to upload after I've cleaned off all of this stuff: beach and AM PK4.