Fulano? Thank you.

April 23, 2013. Today we had Pull-outs and we decided to focus on the vowels. We read the story, "Un Pato En Bicicleta" and we put up the title in big letters on the wall. They first had to find the vowels in the title and stand by them to show us what they knew. Then we had mirrors to play with the shape of their mouths when they say each vowel. And then some fun sheets to practice. I think it went well! We had extra time so we let them color unnecessary things but they enjoyed it and I enjoyed watching them relax. Some teachers came in and took pictures of us doing our dínamica and alphabet practice and our group work. Wish I could see those but also know why they took them! Lol
Afterwards, we had a meeting with a parent (who had no idea why she was there), two teachers and us volunteers about how we're going to change the physical ambience of the school in some way. We decided to paint a globe with the kids' handprints coloring in the continents, the alphabet, and phrases ("valores") that the school decides on a wall that you see as soon as you walk in. I'm super excited for this and we will start tomorrow! Hold your breath for pictures!
Lunch followed and my host mom again pumped me up by saying "Yo soy una Dominicana buena!!" She added the buena part today :D I studied in my room until Spanish which was only an hour for me. At 3pm, we headed to the school to set up for the PRESENTATION!
It ended up getting pushed to 5:15pm because the second tanda didn't even end until 5 and we were supposed to start at 4:30. But! Almost 30 teachers showed up as promised! Crazy! And I think it went really well. They participated, volunteered, and seemed genuinely happy at the end. We got lots of hugs and cheek kisses on the way out. I told my story about my little one (aquí, Fulano!) that caused me lots of problems back in student teaching. I explained how positive words ended up being exactly what he needed and not the scolding that my cooperating teacher had suggested. I tried my best to move, use my hands, act out his behaviors and my emotions while remembering my memorized speech with the proper grammar and vocabulary... The teachers nodded, made sounds of agreement, and gave me an applause at the end! Ah! Haha after all the trouble I had with that munchkin, I just want to go back and squeeze him so tight for giving me a challenge which turned into a triumph and lesson to share with another world. Fulano? Wherever you are now, thank you. I will never forget you and what you taught me. It truly is your greatest struggles that become your greatest victories.
I wanted to run afterwards (or get a damn drink to celebrate!) but it ended up being later than we had anticipated. Samuel came to support us and suggested we just go for a walk instead. It was a perfect suggestion. We walked to new parts of town that I had not seen thus far. It's so easy to stick to the same roads and I didn't realize the monotony of it all until I saw new faces, new houses, another baseball field, different colors, and heard different sounds. I was able to come down from the anxiety of the presentation and then the excitement of it ending and soak in this place that I feel so comfortable calling home. I also felt a bit motivated to write so when I made it back, I sat on the porch and put pen to paper. Wasn't my best work but I felt like I accomplished something since it's been a while since I've done that. I just feel at peace today despite the craziness of it all. As they say here for feelings like this, "Estoy tranquilo." Perfect.
I ate eggs and potatoes for dinner, had the house to myself for two hours, showered with running water, and watched my novellas. Y ahora? Buenas noches.