Rocking that *International* Paradise

My legs have turned pretty colors today.  Those of you who know me know that I bruise pretty easily (thanks for that inheritance, Mom), and that I treat each bluish-purple mark as a trophy and evidence that I did something awesome (or was rather hysterically clumsy).  Yesterday was the Lodo Run—a mud run that a group of 25 of us from my school signed up for together.  It was my first Mud Run, because they’ve always sort of intimidated me in the past.  I mean, the running through mud and getting covered in filth sounds fun (embrace your inner child, right?), but the obstacles along the path always seemed a bit hardcore to me.  Climbing vertical walls, army crawling through mud…I didn’t really want to wear myself out too drastically.  But when a group of 25 teachers (or 20 teachers and 5 friends/boyfriends of teachers) decides to sign up and go in matching orange or white jumpsuits with the theme “Take No Prisoners,” who wouldn’t want to join in?...

It seems ages ago I ran giddy through my new house, unable to believe it was really the place I’d live for the next few years.  5 short weeks later, these 44 walls are starting to feel like home.  (44?  Just a random number…it’s a whole lot more than 4, at any rate). Welcome...come on in.  Friday afternoon, my new furniture got delivered.  I finally finished unpacking—100%.  My bedroom now feels less like a place to sleep and more like a room to live in.  My suitcases are off the floor and tucked away in one of my many closets.  My alarm clock has a new home on a nightstand, and my bedside lamp has finally shed its protective bubble wrap and is plugged into the wall.  In my living room, just by moving my router from the floor to my new side table, its bright green lights remind me that I live here and it’s home.  In the kitchen, my stainless steel fridge finally bears one of my favorite magnets, which re...

About a month ago, Carrie started organizing a whitewater rafting trip for CAG teachers through her friend Max and his company.  All of her and his efforts culminated in Saturday’s adventure on the Coyolate River. Our whole group (photo credit to Carrie and Max)  I was rafting once before—in 2006, the Canadian Rockies.  However, on that trip, there were 10 of us on the raft, and though everyone had a paddle, the guide sat in the back with the master oars.  We paddled, but he did all the work.  So, I’d rafted a Category V rapid…but not really . Today, there were six of us in our raft, including the guide.  All our paddles were identical.  The day was warm and sunny, the water a perfectly refreshing temperature.  The scenery was green.  The river was high and fast.  It was a completely different experience than anything I’d ever had before.  Especially at the beginning of our 21km (13 mile) run, the rapids were alm...

I haven't perfected the art of teaching yet.  And there are so many variables.  Even though I have a well-designed lesson plan, I very rarely have a class in which everything goes "perfectly".  But sometimes... My first class of the day on Friday was okay.  They didn't get their project done as quickly as I would have liked, but it was easy enough to adjust my plans and give them more work time next class.  Actually it works out well.  But my next class...it was one of those picture-perfect moments that made me grateful for everything I have here. The assignment was for the students to read an article in groups, highlighting the words they were unfamiliar with as they came across them.  Then, they had to copy those vocabulary words into the vocab. sections of their binders and add definitions.  After that, there were 3 questions the group was to answer about the article in complete sentences (but most groups didn't get that far today). ...