Happy Birthday - Bank

Dear Wells Fargo, 

Today I hated you.  I drove all over my side of Orlando, looking for an ATM (thanks for the check Grandma!), chasing misleading GPS directions to two incorrect locations until I dead-ended in the employees-only entrance of Lockheed Martin and had to ask the security guard for directions.  Wells Fargo, why do I have to pass approximately 14 banks before reaching one of yours?  I appreciate that you understood my frustrations and, when I finally made it to your downtown branch after dinner, wished me a happy birthday.  How very kind of you.  

Sincerely,

The Birthday Girl

Off the Radar

Hi friends.  Remember me?  I'm that girl who used to blog fairly regularly in Honduras... but has since lived a whirlwind of speedy, American life and hasn't had the time, or motivation... or something.... to keep people updated.  (I blame some of it on the Olympics).

economist.com

Here is what's on my mind at the moment.

Everyone asks me if I miss Honduras.  They've asked since, like, Day 2 of returning to Florida.  So, sometimes, my answer was, "no."  Do you miss something you only just left?

Now, however, it's different.  It's August now.  I thought that the incredible blur of job hunting and finding, apartment hunting and renting, moving and decorating would mask all thoughts of going abroad.  But things have slowed down this week and last.  I can't go work in my classroom and I don't have enough money to go out and buy the things I want/need for the apartment (or my classroom).  So, perhaps for that reason, I'm dwelling on the fact that many of my friends are packing their 2 suitcases in order to head back for another year.  Some of them are going to teach my very own babies.

I want to take my mind off it by working, but I'm mysteriously not permitted to go to my classroom early.  I had a dream last night (one I have often before a new school year) that it was the first day of school and I had NOTHING ready.  yikes. So I fill my time on Pinterest and teacher blogs, filling up my brain with all kinds of to-do lists... but that ends up making me even more stressed out.

I've been making pennant banners to decorate
my classroom.  Useless?  Maybe.  Cute?  For sure!

Tomorrow is my birthday.  My last birthday in Florida was in 2008.  It feels weird.

And that is... the end.
 Sorry if it's a downer.

image credits go to  economist.com, etsy.com, and gifttree.com 

August 8

I've always liked my birthday. No, not simply because it's my day to eat cake and open presents... I have actually always just loved that it is on the eighth day of the eighth month. It's a good time of the year.
Well, this year, my birthday is a big deal for three Important Reasons. First and foremost, I will turn 25 years old. Let's not dwell too much on that fact, it's pretty straightforward. The second Important Reason that this August 8th is great is that it is my graduation day! In just two days I will officially be finished with grad school and in possession of my M.Ed degree in Language Arts and Children's Literature. I won't be going to my graduation ceremony, however, because of the Important Reason #3: I am moving to Tegucigalpa, Honduras on the same day. That's where I'll be teaching next year, at Academia los Pinares.

So, this Saturday, when you may think it's neat to write 8/8/2009 if you happen to be writing the date somewhere... just remember that it's a huge day for lots of reasons--in my world, anyway.
As my mother would say, Peace Out.

What you've missed...

Ok... so I felt a little guilty posting about the luxury beach vacation without posting anything about the daily life things that I've been doing lately. Here is my attempt to reconcile....

During our life science unit, we briefly studied animal instincts. The kids tried to build bird nests to demonstrate that they do NOT have that instinct!

Three of the Lincoln teachers and myself were invited to the home of my student, Zuriel (the little guy in the picture) for lunch. His brother Isaí is on the right. Their parents work at Lincoln and they are the most precious family! Just look at that sign above them, "Welcome to your Mexican house". After eating, we went to a local park and played football and soccer for a couple of hours. It was a really good time.... and quite possibly my first time playing soccer!

There are still friendly (or not so friendly) guests in our classrooms. This is a picture of a black widow that I was fortunate enough to watch as she caught her prey, a bee. I took a video and used my awesome Mac computer's abilities to create a video for my kids to watch. It was perfect timing since we were reading Charlotte's Web and also studying insect life cycles and food chains. I will try to post that video somehow, someday.

A couple of weeks ago was the fifth anniversary of the kid's club in Arenales, where some of us have been volunteering on Saturdays. There was a big party, and Holly, Christen, and I were in charge of face painting. It was a big hit, even though our designs were pretty bad since the only tools we were given were QTips and very sticky, thick paints. The kids didn't seem to mind, though. Of course. Only Americans like me have high expectations for all things, including face paints.

Megan, Melissa, Christen, and Myself
(On a side note, 4 Mexicans have now told Christen and I that we look like twins. She is the girl next to me in this picture. What do you think?? We don't see it.)

Birthday parties are a big deal here. The biggest so far for my class was Michelle's ... her mom brought lunch plates for each student in both third-grade classes, and gave out boxes of chocolates to each student after school!

Por Fin!

I finally did what I've been wanting to do since I moved here-I helped in an impoverished community. My roommate, Jacque, got in touch with a girl from a local church who is ministering to a poor community called Arenales (I think that's how you spell it). She does a bible club with the kids (ages 3 to 12) on Saturdays, and she goes during the week to have bible studies with their parents. Six of us Lincoln teachers went to the kid's club last Saturday. We didn't know what to expect, but our only job this week was bringing the snack. We got there and cleaned up the musty, moldy, cement house where the club is held, and we prepared the food. There is no running water in the house, so some of us went across the street to borrow water and haul it back in buckets. The kids began arriving soon after we got there, and we spent a good hour just playing with and getting to know them. I must say, they are pretty darn good at understanding my gringa Spanish! The bible lesson was so cute! The girl who leads it, Jessi, is so fun and animated. She held the attention of the three year olds all the way up to the ten/twelve year olds!! She had the kids get in a big circle, lay hands on us, and pray for us. It was so sweet to see the tiny little kids with their eyes squeezed shut repeating her sweet prayer. Before the kids left, they all came to give us our goodbye besitos, the cheek kisses that are the normal greeting/farewell here. From the tiniest girl of 3 to the bigger kids, they all made sure to despedir us before leaving. I loved it and I loved them and I want to continue helping there every weekend!!The house across the street, where we got our water.

...and more birthdays...

The time is here. We met. We planned. We worshiped. Last week was a typical back-to-work week at Lincoln. We start the day with a bible study, break into departmental meetings (in which we take forever introducing ourselves to the new people, and the Mexicans who have 20 something sons or brothers advertise their availability...), and try to find time to prepare for the first week of school.
This week was better for me this year because, since I am not new, there were a whole slew of meetings in which I did not need to participate.
I think I'm ready for the first day of school. This week is going to be weird, since I will be gone Thursday and Friday to be in Jess' wedding in Michigan, so planning was different--but also easier as I consulted last year's plans (being a second year teacher already has so many advantages!!)
Tonight was the third birthday celebration I've had since returning to Mexico! Yes, it is the 19th and a full 11 days past my birthday!
The first celebration was at school, where the August birthdays had a cake and a small party with the administrators (and a small bonus!). Then at bible study Friday night the August people were celebrated also. FiNaLLy ( I hope) tonight everyone and their mother came over to our house for cake because today is Chris' (a new Lincoln teacher) birthday. Despite my protests, I was included in this as well.
I think my birthday "party" total this year is six.

Tomorrow will be here so soon. I'm nervous. But in an excited kind of way.

Family, Friends, Birthdays, and a Brother from Belgium

Florida's tax free week and “Back to School” sales have brought me out of my summer repose and back into the reality that is work and real life. I returned to Mexico last night to begin my second year of teaching.
Despite this being the shortest summer I can remember (about 5 1/2 weeks), it felt longer because I didn't have much planned. In fact, I think this is the first summer I've had without a trip to some place (although coming home was my trip, as Mallory pointed out). However, I did manage to have some mini vacations.
Some of the events of my summer included:
1. A visit from the Caligiuris—close family friends. Well, ok. Basically family.
2. A wedding.
3. A morning helping an organization talk to the Spanish speakers of Deland.
4. A couple of trips to see friends (Vero, Sebastian, St. Augustine, Jacksonville)
5. A mini vacation to Orlando with Mom, including Arabian Nights and Epcot.
6. Some knitting.
7. Back-to-school shopping (as a teacher this time, not a student)
8. Dress fitting for my upcoming appearance in Jess Albright’s wedding.
9. Turning 23 on August 8th.
10. The arrival of Nathan from Belgium, Mom’s foreign exchange student until January.

It is always a little hard to say goodbye and leave everyone back home, but this time I knew what I was returning to. I am excited about my new roommates this year—Jacque and Charla—who are joining me in my same house as last year. I have a new group of students for whom I will begin planning and preparing tomorrow.
I think I’m ready.
I DO really love summer. But I love all of this more.
Hasta Luego. ;)

Me, Mallory, and the birthday cake she made me.