River Escape, Long-Awaited Visitor, and Students!

July 22, 2013. Well today was a day of waiting for casi nadie. I went to the school, prepared the room, and sat and played the damn snake game on my phone for about and hour and a half. One of my students showed up and said, "There's no class today, right?" What? He wouldn't answer when I asked why he thought that... But. He left. Alex came for my second class which was good. But then Lili, David, More, and Alex all begged me to come to the river with them. And as much as it killed me at the time, I said no. That my class was more important and I needed to be here even if only one more student shows up. And one did :) Juan Jose (love him, by the way) came at 11 and I made it home for lunch by noon. Which I was starving for cuz for once I didn't eat a breakfast of pasta and yuca or sardines and platanos! And loved it haha.

At 2, I ventured back to finish off my last class. The whole group passed the school, yelling for me to start walking with them to the river. But I couldn't. And one more student showed up :). He and I worked together until 2:45 and I decided that I still really wanted to go to the river. It is quite a walk with a group pf people so walking it solo? Hm...

But I really wanted it lol. So I went home, changed, tried to tell Dulce I was leaving but she was sleeping, and took the trek through the woods, under the Duarte, and illegally through the orange tree farm until I heard the screams and splashing of my group :)

It was worth it (despite getting picked up and thrown twice and being told I weight a lot) and my host mom got a kick out of telling people I walked it all by myself (even the next day to two people I had never met before) haha though I'm not sure if she was impressed or thought I was crazy :P The rest of the night we all just hung out here at the house and had lots of laughs at my expense. A good night :)

July 23, 2013. Today my plan was to relax all morning and be alone-ish. But alas, I was awoken by Moreno at 6am and then 7am by David knocking on my bedroom window... Haha I then tried to chill in the room with my book bag pushed up against it to keep it closed but was repeatedly pushed open by one kiddo or another. Haha and I was asked numerously, "Why is the book bag there?" :P so I spent the morning saying no to playing my computer and hanging out on the porch with new and old family of Dulce. I also did some planning for class Wednesday.

In the afternoon, Lili and I played cards and a woman came over to give Dulce some sewing work. Dulce wasn't here though so she and I chatted for a while and I think I understood 95% of what was said! Woooo.

Then at 5pm I headed to Juana Iris to observe her adult literacy program. It began with her and two older men screaming about where class should be-in the school or in her house.  Two out of the six adults came and I watched and then was pushed to help. First of all, the book makes no sense. It's government issued because this is a nation-wide movement to improve literacy-which is incredible! But it's way too complex for beginning learners. And Juana Iris was just giving them the answers (because they couldn't read the questions or sentences) and telling them what to write. I grabbed my literacy stuff to show her thinking she would want to make copies and use some but it turned into me working with an older man and giving him some of my materials. That's not what I meant when I said I wanted to help but I have a feeling I'm going t have to be more specific.

On the walk back my name was called out from a distance behind me. When I looked, the pastor was walking my way! Oh I was so happy to see him after trying far too many times to visit him :D he had a free moment and knew I had gone to his house multiple times so he came by to visit me! His passions flew as he talked my ear off about the education system, El Batey (the other side of the thruway), my summer classes, his busy schedules, etc. He invited me to some sort of worship hour in el Batey Saturday morning, and I asked when I could visit next to do an interview with him (Sunday morning). A win and I didn't even have to leave the house this time :D

The night ended skyping with my family and getting an incredibly sugary dessert of some kind! Didn't need my peanut butter! :)

July 24, 2013. Well the search for the school key failed and of course with that luck, I had 4 kiddos show up for class in the morning-and on time! Hahaha We headed to Dulce's house since she was in Villa to have class in the gallery. And since a lot of my materials were in the classroom, I had to make up plans on the spot haha. It went okay but I wish I had more time with them. One girl that came had never come before so it was hard starting in the middle with her... The key was found after that class so I was able to then move comfortably there for the rest of the day :) One student for second grade, and one for third. Win? Haha