A Bit of Productivity (But Not Too Much)

June 4, 2013. Nati came back today! The poor thing is still really sick but Lordy I missed her. I watched the social studies test with the third graders (the questions were as follows: Write the names of following modes of transportation and then had illustrations of a plane, car, train, etc. List 5 methods of communication -like telephone, mail, Internet. Yea). They finished super early so I went to talk with Nati about the meeting with the parents which is tomorrow (!!) about classes in the summer. We talked dates and I decided on Mondays and Wednesdays in July starting on the 8th. The first graders (8 of them) will come from 8-9, the second graders (7) 9:30-10:30, and the third graders (5) 11-12. She then asked when I wanted to have the meeting with the teachers. I wanted it after I went to the capital so I could get charla paper but it needed to be this week since this is the final week. So, Thursday it is! Lol. 

I went home early to get started preparing. I made sheets for the parents (see below) with the dates of the classes for their child. I'm going to do a simple dínamica with them and then just share who I am, how I want to help, and, give them the information on who, when, and where. Nothing crazy but I'm a bit nervous... As per usual :P I then just wrote the questions I want to ask the teachers on separate pages so they can write their responses for me (which is why I had wanted big charla paper).  I had a little extra time after lunch so I then made another set of alphabet fichas that I knew I would need in the summer.

After lunch I headed over to the other school. Aaaaand the director wasn't there again. I'm at a loss with them. I feel bad that I know nothing about them and am doing a summer camp on this side and not theirs but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here. She's never there, only let me come observe twice a week, and the two days she was there she just told me over and over again how much I don't know Spanish and how she doesn't understand what I'll be doing for the next three months (despite me explaining multiple times the answer to both). I need to include them in my diagnostic for August but I don't have anyone yet who can take me over there to gather information... And the only teacher that works there and actually lives in KM 59 is Manuela but she lives on my side. Aye Dios. Maybe I'll catch Ann at the office when I go into the capital... 

Anyways, Manuela and I headed back together and it started to rain shortly after. My host mom wasn't there so I read a book in the gallery. In English. And despite the tiny pains of guilt, it felt amazing. The book totally sucked me in and calmed me. It was perfect. Lili and Alex came over, we played cards, and then were joined by Eddi and his work partner (who is apparently only 17 but looks older). They were waiting out the rain but Lili and Alex eventually left and Eddi too. The kid and I talked a bit on the porch. This time my lack of Spanish wasn't awkward, it was him lol. But we conversed! Woo! He split, I read more, was joined my Mayelin who read some of my children's books beside me, and llegó la luz :). I had yuca and eggs for dinner, I'm pretty sure Mayelin stole 10 pesos from my table in my room (you live and learn), we played cards, and then I headed in for the night. 

Nothing crazy but preparing for the meetings tomorrow and Thursday actually made me feel like I was doing something productive (though not too productive :P). That's a good feeling. And then getting lost in the pages of a book I don't have to look up every other word in was an escape I needed as well. I'll take this day and count it as a good one. It's always going to be the little things. Buenas noches.